When you’re standing in the baby aisle, staring at 57 different snack options, all shouting organic, no added sugar, and packed with iron, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed. Which one’s actually good for your little one? And how can you tell?
The secret? Learning to really read the nutrition panel and ingredients list. Here’s your simple, no-stress guide to help you cut through the noise.
Sugar
Let’s be real — sugar is sneaky. Even when you think you’re picking a healthy snack, sugar can be hiding under all sorts of fancy names.
On a nutrition panel, the sugar number includes both naturally occurring sugars (like those found in fruit) and added sugars (the ones we want to be more mindful of). Rather than obsessing over the number itself, flip straight to the ingredients list.
Watch out for hidden sugars like:
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Fruit concentrate
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Juice
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Syrups (rice syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup)
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Dextrose
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Maltose
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Glucose
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Sucrose
If you spot any of those higher up on the ingredients list, it’s a good clue the product might not be as "healthy" as it looks.
Salt (Sodium)
Babies’ kidneys are still developing, so keeping salt low is super important. Here’s a guide when you're scanning the panel:
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Low sodium: Less than 120mg per 100g
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Medium sodium: 120–400mg per 100g
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High sodium: Over 400mg per 100g
Low-sodium options are best whenever possible. And remember, some “no added salt” products might still be packed with sugar or additives — so ingredients lists are always your best friend!
Fat
When it comes to fat, it’s quality over quantity.
Bubs under 2 years need full-fat dairy and healthy fats to support their rapid growth and brain development — so don’t shy away from fat!
Good fats to look for in the ingredients:
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Extra virgin olive oil
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Full-fat dairy (like yoghurt and cheese)
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Nuts and nut oils (in forms safe for your bub)
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Seeds and seed oils
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Avocado and avocado oil
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Fatty fish (like salmon)
You don’t need to panic over fat numbers on the label — just check where those fats are coming from.
Fibre
Fibre is another biggie — but it’s not always listed on baby food nutrition panels.
Ideally, aim for foods that provide around 3g of fibre per serving. However, because baby and toddler serving sizes are so teeny tiny, many won’t hit that target — and that’s okay.
The trick is to choose naturally high-fibre foods:
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Whole or pureed fruit
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Whole or pureed veggies
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Nuts and seeds (ground or finely milled for safety)
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Whole wheat flours
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Oats or oat flour
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Brown rice, quinoa, barley
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Legumes like lentils and chickpeas
Try to avoid:
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Refined flours (like white flour and starches)
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Fruit juices or concentrates
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Added sugars
The Ingredients List (Where the Magic Happens)
PRO TIP: Always start with the ingredients list!
This is where you get the full story. Ingredients are listed in order of weight — meaning the first few ingredients make up most of the product.
When you read the list, you can quickly spot:
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Hidden sugars
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Poor quality fats
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Refined grains
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Preservatives and additives
Look for:
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Real, simple ingredients
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Whole foods (e.g., fruit puree instead of fruit concentrate)
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Names you recognise and trust
If you can’t pronounce an ingredient — or if it sounds like it belongs in a science lab — it’s probably not something your bub needs for healthy growth.
At the end of the day, always read the label and trust your instincts. You know your little one best.
Claims to Watch Out For
Now let’s talk about the flashy labels on the front of the packet. You know the ones — all those buzzwords designed to make you grab it off the shelf.
Here’s what to be aware of:
"No Added Sugar"
Sounds great, right? But sometimes, it just means they’ve sweetened the product with fruit concentrates, reconstituted juices, or sneaky ingredients ending in -ose (like dextrose, maltose, sucrose). Always double-check that ingredients list!
"Organic"
Organic can definitely be a bonus — but it doesn’t guarantee the product is healthy. ‘Organic sugar’ is still sugar. If organic is important to you, that’s awesome — just keep scanning for added sugars, refined oils, and other not-so-nutritious extras.
"No Preservatives," "No Artificial Additives," "No Colours or Flavours"
These are great claims, but sometimes they’re used to make you feel like the product is healthier than it is. Meanwhile, it might still contain added sugars, refined grains, or a truckload of salt.
"Made with Real Fruit"
Sounds wholesome, but products making this claim often still contain fruit concentrates or added sugars. (And sometimes not a lot of actual fruit!)
"No Added Salt"
This is helpful — but remember, even with no salt, there could be other red flags like sugar or additives.
"Source of" Wholegrains, Iron, Vitamin C, Calcium, Protein, Probiotics etc…
While it’s great that foods provide important nutrients, it’s good to zoom out and look at the full picture. If the product is highly processed or loaded with sugar, you’re better off getting these nutrients from simple, whole foods wherever you can.
Final Thoughts
Not all products that use these claims are automatically bad — and they’re definitely not trying to trick you.
The key is to empower yourself by understanding how to read food labels properly.
Check the ingredients list. Look for real foods you know and trust. And always make the decision that feels right for your bub.
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