Little Spoon vs. Gerber: How Does a Newcomer Compare to the OG of Baby Food?
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When my parents came over to babysit my toddler last weekend, they were surprised to see that my fridge was full of cute teal-colored tubs of baby food from Little Spoon.
They weren’t very familiar with the brand and talked about how the most popular baby food in their day was Gerber. Of course I knew Gerber was the OG, and that’s what I used when I first became a mom. But as someone who’s open to trying newer brands, I switched to Little Spoon.
My parents were curious how Little Spoon stacks up against the tried and true Gerber. Here’s what I told them:
If you prefer fresh and healthy organic meals… Little Spoon
Little Spoon prides itself on sourcing quality ingredients from trusted suppliers and farmers. All of Little Spoon’s meal options are organic, non-GMO, and Clean Label Project verified—meaning they’ve been tested for 400+ contaminants including heavy metals.
While Gerber also has some limited organic options that are non-GMO, many of their products are not organic and contain genetically modified ingredients.
We’re not an organic-only household, but instilling healthy eating patterns is important to us. I love that Little Spoon takes the guesswork out by making all of their meal options organic and non-GMO.
If you like the personalization you get from subscriptions… Little Spoon
Little Spoon is a subscription service that allows parents to pre-select fresh meals that are delivered directly to their door. Every week, I sit down and select exactly how many meals to get for Sebastian.
I started with the Babyblends (purees) when he was younger and have now moved onto the Biteables (early finger food). There’s so many options to choose from. His current favorites are the grass-fed beef meatballs and mini beef ravioli.
Even though Gerber is available from Amazon, Target, and Walmart, they don’t offer a direct subscription service, and they don’t have as many options. We have tried adding Gerber to our Amazon “Subscribe and Save,” but the price and product availability was inconsistent, so it was difficult to rely on.
With Little Spoon, you can pause, edit, or skip at any time. Plus, they’re usually running some type of promotion, and right now, new customers can get 20% off their first order.
If you prefer the lowest sticker price… Gerber
Budgeting is a constant source of stress for us, so it’s important to point out that some of Gerber’s jars can be found for as little as $1.37 each, whereas Little Spoon’s Babyblends start at $3.32 each.
From a pure dollars-per-ounce perspective, Gerber is definitely less expensive.
However, due to Little Spoon’s superior array of options and flavors, if we were to measure how many ounces actually make it into Sebastian’s tummy, I bet this would be closer to a tie, or Little Spoon would win.
If your child is a picky eater… Little Spoon
I’ve tried every one of Sebastian’s foods and some baby food just does not taste good. It really made me understand the whole “throwing the food on the floor” routine that can happen with babies.
With Little Spoon, Sebastian doesn’t miss a single bite. He loves the taste, and I love the fact that he’s eating so many vegetables and being introduced to a variety of fresh ingredients and flavors.
Gerber is definitely a tougher sell. While something like their traditional apple sauce tastes okay, most of the other options were two thumbs down from Sebastian.
If you like a simplified process… Little Spoon
Another thing I love about Little Spoon is the fact that they make knowing what to feed your baby based on their age easy. They have six stages of food with options for babies 6-9+ months old. Each stage has varying ingredients and textures based on age.
They also have Biteables (early finger foods), which make transitioning to table food easy. With Gerber, you’re on your own when it comes to figuring out what your baby needs.
The verdict is clear: the OGs aren’t always best
There’s a reason our fridge is full of our favorite new classic, Little Spoon: it’s high-quality and Sebastian finishes every bite. The convenience of a subscription just adds to what is already an easy choice.
Sure, Gerber comes in at a lower price point and has been around forever, but if it’s all ending up on the floor, or I don’t feel good about serving it to my son, saving a buck or two here and there really doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things!