CART
MENUMENU
  • Shop Now
        • Cleaning & Laundry
          • Air Filters, Fresheners & Purifiers
          • All-Purpose Cleaners
          • Bathroom & Tile Cleaners
          • Floor Cleaners
          • Dish & Dishwasher Soaps
          • Glass & Wood Cleaners
          • Hand Soap
          • Laundry & Dryer Products
          • Sponges & Cloths
        • Kids' Bath & Body
          • Kids' Hair Products
          • Lotions/Oils for Babies/Kids
          • Baby Washes
          • Eczema, Diaper Rash & Other Conditions
        • Bath & Body
          • Body Lotions & Oils
          • Kids' Bath & Body
          • Deodorant
          • Hair
          • Hand & Body Soaps/Washes
          • Cotton Swabs
          • Home Spa Products
          • Intimacy Salves
          • Period Supplies
          • Shaving
          • Sunblock & Bug Repellent
        • Face Care
          • Anti-Aging Skincare
          • Cleansers & Exfoliants
          • Creams, Oils, Lotions & Serums
          • For Acne-Prone Skin
          • For Sensitive Skin
          • Lip Balms
          • Makeup
          • Toners & Mists
        • Dental Care
          • Dental Floss
          • Teethers & Pacifiers
          • Toothbrushes
          • Toothpastes
        • Kitchen & Eating
          • Coffee & Tea Supplies
          • Cookware & Gadgets
          • Dishes & Utensils
          • Food Storage
          • Lunch Boxes & Food Containers
          • Organic Napkins & Cloths
          • Super Foods We Love
          • Water Bottles & Sippy Cups
        • Health & Wellness
          • CBD Products
          • Colds, flus, allergies
          • Cuts, bruises, rashes
          • Hand Sanitizers
          • Vitamins & Supplements
        • Air Filters
        • Water Filters
        • Radiation Protection
        • Red Light
        • Diapering
          • Cloth Diapering
          • Diaper Creams & Powders
          • Disposable Diapers
          • Wipes
        • Feeding Baby: Bottle or Breast
          • Infant Formula
          • Breastfeeding Accessories
          • Baby Bottles
          • Bibs & Burp Cloths
          • Starting Solids
        • Pregnancy, Postpartum & Breastfeeding Products
        • Furniture, Bedding & Decor
          • Area Rugs
          • Bed Frames
          • Bedding & Toppers
          • Carpeting
          • For Babies
          • Mattresses & Futons
          • Pillows
          • Art & Decor
        • Clothing & Accessories
          • Baby Carriers & Strollers
          • Backpacks & Lunchboxes
          • Organic Baby Clothes
          • Play Mats & Baby Seats
          • Towels, Cloths, Swaddles
        • Toys, Games, & Art
          • Infant and Toddler Toys
          • Art
          • Bath Toys
          • Puzzles and Games
          • Stuffed Animals and Dolls
        • Pets
        • Gifts
          • Baby Registry
          • Gifts for Her
          • Gifts for Him
          • Gift Sets & Bundles
        • E-Books & Guides
        • Sales
  • Product Guides
        • Air Filters
        • Air Fresheners
        • All-Purpose Cleaner
        • Baby Clothing
        • Baby Food
        • Baby Formula
        • Baby Lotion
        • Baby Shampoo
        • Baby Soap & Bubble Bath
        • Bar Soaps
        • Bread
        • Car Seat
        • CBD
        • Cereal
        • Cookies
        • Cookware
        • Cow Milk
        • Deodorant
        • Diaper Rash Cream
        • Diaper Wipes
        • Dish Soap
        • Disposable Diapers
        • Face Cream
        • Fruit Popsicles
        • Hand & Body Lotion
        • Hand Sanitizer
        • Laundry Detergent
        • Lipstick
        • Mascara
        • Mattresses
        • Mayo
        • Nipple Creams
        • Nutrition Bars
        • Olive Oil
        • Organic Prenatal Vitamins
        • Puffs
        • Red Light Therapy
        • Shampoo
        • Sippy Cups
        • Sofa
        • Sunscreen
        • Teethers
        • Toothpaste
        • Toys
        • Yogurt
        • Water Filters
  • Blog
        • Breastfeeding & Weaning
        • Clean Travel
        • Formula Feeding Without Stress
        • Grandparenting
        • Healthy Holidays
        • Healthy Pets
        • Home Improvement & Yard Work
        • Illness & Natural Remedies
        • Mompreneurship & Career
        • Newborn & Infant Concerns
        • Non-Toxic Mattresses, Furniture & Decor
        • Non-Toxic Cleaning Products
        • Non-Toxic Kitchen Gear & Food Storage
        • Non-Toxic Toys, Clothes & Gear
        • Outdoor Products & Tips
        • Pregnancy, Childbirth, & Postpartum
        • Product Giveaways
        • Products We Love
        • Recipes & Healthy Eating
        • Safer Baby Supplies
        • Safe Product Guides
        • School, Arts & Crafts
        • Skincare & Haircare: Good, Bad, and Sneaky
        • Sleep for Babies & Toddlers
        • Start Here: Detox Your Home
        • Vaccines
        • Vitamins & Supplements
        • Water & Air Filtration
        • Weight Loss & Fitness
        • WiFi & Radiation Concerns
  • Consulting
  • About Us
    • About Gimme the Good Stuff
    • The Staff
    • Store Policies
    • Disclosures
    • Contact
    • Subscribe to Maia's Emails
  • Videos
  • Cart
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS $75 AND UP
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Gimme the Good Stuff

Home > Safe Product Guides > Safe Puffs Guide
baby_puffs

Safe Puffs Guide

January 2, 2014 | BY Maia James
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure page.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure page.

Share the post "Safe Puffs Guide"

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

baby_puffsUPDATE: Our thoughts on heavy metals in baby foods.

(Look for Maia’s blog entry on organic baby puffs on Dr. Frank Lipmans’s website in March 2014.)

For better or worse, Cheerios have long been a popular first finger food for babies; their size and shape make them a perfect tool for new eaters eager to practice the emerging pincer grasp.  Sometime around the beginning of the twenty-first century, some genius invented the baby “puff,” and then an even bigger genius made an organic variety, another genius threw in some veggie powders, and boom: a whole generation of kids will never hold a Cheerio between thumb and forefinger.

My kids both ate plenty of puffs as babies and toddlers, and “puff” was my nephew, Theo’s, first word. And so we set out to get to learn more about baby puffs.

While we all know that Cheerios aren’t nearly as healthful as they claim to be, we are hopeful about organic baby puffs. Might they be the miracle food all parents yearn for—portable and mess-free, appealing to young eaters, AND full of vegetables, whole grains, and nutrients? Like most convenient parenting choices, organic baby puffs are, heartbreakingly, too good to be true.

What’s Wrong with Organic Baby Puffs?

The big problem with baby puffs is this: they are all produced through a process called extrusion. Extrusion involves mixing grains with water in a device called an “extruder,” which, through high temperatures and pressure, processes the grains through a tiny hole to give them the desired shape (in this case, a puff like the ones you see to the right). This manufacturing process compromises the integrity of the grains’ nutrients, breaks the bonds of fatty acids, inactivates enzymes, increases the glycemic index of the food, and often lowers the vitamin and mineral content. Because of this, it’s impossible to call any puffs “good” snacks, but below, under the “Good Stuff,” we will give you an option that’s the best of the worst. If you want to know more about the problem with extruded grains, check out Sally Fallon’s illuminating article, Dirty Secrets of the Food Processing Industry.

White grains: Many puffs are made of mostly white rice or other non-whole grains. Opt for varieties whose first few ingredients are whole grain flours or at least brown rice flour, although even organic brown rice often contains high levels arsenic so should be limited.

The myth of the “green puff”: Yes, the puff your baby is enjoying is a lovely emerald color, making you think it’s full of broccoli and kale. And indeed, these puffs do contain powdered vegetables, which unfortunately lack all the fibers of real veggies and which the body may not absorb in the same way it does real veggies. Plus, the puff is comprised mostly of grains, often white ones, so the nutritional punch of the veggie powder is probably negligible.

Lecithin. Puffs often contain lecithin made from either soy or sunflower seeds. Hexane (a petroleum-based neurotoxin and air pollutant that carries a Skin Deep score of 9) is commonly used to separate vegetable oil from seeds, including soybeans and sunflower seeds. Lecithins of all kinds should be avoided unless they are organic, which means they are entirely free of hexane residue. For this and other reasons, always choose organic puffs.

Natural flavor. At Gimme the Good Stuff, we are not sold on the safety of “natural flavor,” since natural flavors are made in labs using biotechnology to isolate certain tastes, and there is little detail on or regulation over what qualifies as “natural.”

Sugar. Don’t just watch for the actual S-word–you’ll more likely see “evaporated cane syrup.” Even “fruit juice concentrate” is only marginally better than regular old white sugar. Unfortunately, the majority of snacks marketed for very young children contain too much sugar, and most brands of puffs are no exception.

Packaging. While puffs all come in BPA-free packaging these days, all plastic potentially contains hormone-disrupting chemicals.

The Bottom Line on Baby Puffs

Ideally, babies would eat only whole foods when they are learning to enjoy finger snacks–raspberries, small hunks of baked squash or banana, or cubes of avocado would all make good choices. Unfortunately, these foods are messy and not nearly as convenient as baby puffs.

Our recommendation is that if you give your baby organic puffs to eat, do so knowing that they’re a treat rather than a healthful meal. At the same time, there are certainly worse snacks on the market than organic baby puffs, particularly if you choose the lone Good Stuff brand, below (hint: it’s Happy Baby).

Check out Suzanne’s (our Chief Health Officer) ever-popular blog post, 10 Ways to Get Your Kids Off Junk Food and Demanding Vegetables for healthy snack ideas. These naturally dried fruits are another more healthful alternative to puffs.


The Good Stuff

Good Stuff Badge

Happy Baby Puffs

happyfamilypuffs

If you’re like Maia, you recognize that puffs aren’t the best thing for your baby, and yet you still find yourself needing a convenient finger food in a pinch. In that case, Happy Baby provides the best option. Their puffs contain half of the sugar (in the form of fruit juice concentrate) than other puffs on the market. Unlike other brands, brown rice flour is the first ingredient in Happy Baby puffs, although white rice flour is a close second. Happy Baby puffs cost around $4 a tub in retail stores and you can get a pack of 6 for $15 on Amazon.

Amazon


The Bad Stuff

Bad Stuff Badge

graduates_puffs_applecinnamon_main_v2_2

Gerber Graduate Baby Puffs  do not use organic ingredients, contain lecithin, and sugar is the fourth ingredient on the label. The first ingredient? White rice flour. As usual, Gerber is gross.


parentschoicepuffs

Parent’s Choice Little Baby Puffs advertise that their puffs are made from “high quality ingredients.” In addition to a heavy dose of sugar, these puffs also contain “natural flavoring,” a term over which there is little insufficient regulation. Some varieties include “caramel coloring,” which has been linked to hypertension

 


The Sneaky Stuff

Sneaky Stuff Badge

plumorganicspuffs

Plum Organics Super Baby Puffs are organic and have no artificial flavors, coloring or sweeteners, and in general Plum is a a responsible, reliable company that is environmentally conscious. But the third ingredient listed  in these puffs is organic dried cane syrup: they contain .5 more grams of sugar per serving than Happy Baby Puffs. The first ingredient in many puffs is white rice flour, and they contain the dubious “natural flavors.”

If you liked this post, sign up for our newsletter to be alerted when we publish new content like this!

Related posts:

non-toxic diapers from gimme the good stuffSafe Disposable Diaper Guide bar soap gimme the good stuffSafe Bar Soap Guide mama suds laundry picSafe, Natural Laundry Detergent Guide Pura Kiki 11 Ounce Sippy Natural from Gimme the Good StuffUpdated Safe Sippy Cup Guide–Plastic Free! Default ThumbnailSafe Mascara Guide

Filed Under: Safe Product Guides, Posts, Recipes & Healthy Eating Tagged With: baby food

Reader Interactions


Share this:

Share the post "Safe Puffs Guide"

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Email

Comments

  1. haley says

    June 18, 2016 at 2:55 PM

    What do you think of Sprout puffs?

    Reply
    • Maia James says

      June 20, 2016 at 10:47 PM

      I wouldn’t consider this a nutritious food, but in a pinch it’s not a terrible snack. The biggest problem is that the grains are extruded to make puffs, which seriously compromises the nutrients. These puffs also contain rice flour, and in light of arsenic concerns, I try to minimize rice for my kids (we eat enough actual rice in our house, so I avoid the rice flour snacks as much as I can).

      Reply
      • Jen says

        September 12, 2017 at 9:11 AM

        If rice flour is the reason Sprout puffs aren’t good stuff, then why is Happy Baby? Rice flour is the first ingredient in those. From the description above: “Unlike other brands, brown rice flour is the first ingredient in Happy Baby puffs, although white rice flour is a close second.”

        Reply
        • Kris says

          December 4, 2017 at 5:48 PM

          I’d like to hear the answer to this one also. Sprout puffs first ingredient is quinoa and they have two varieties with no added sugars of any kind!

          Reply
  2. haley says

    June 18, 2016 at 2:56 PM

    Also, what are your thoughts on the organic yogurt melts?

    Reply
    • Maia James says

      June 20, 2016 at 10:47 PM

      Eh, not terrible and my kids love them, but they do have sugar, so not really a healthful food.

      Reply
  3. Janell Leschinsky says

    July 17, 2016 at 3:07 PM

    I saw that you can purchase puffed quinoa on Amazon by a company called D’allesandro. It’s the only ingredient listed. What are your thoughts on this? It’s not organic but its non gmo.

    Reply
    • Maia James says

      July 20, 2016 at 3:46 PM

      I think it’s fine on occasion, but in general extruded grains are not optimal. There’s more at first bullet under “What’s Wrong with Puffs?”

      Reply
  4. Kim says

    August 7, 2016 at 2:40 AM

    What about puffed grains? Like puffed wheat or Kamut? One ingredient – not extruded. I’ve been using Kamut with my 9 month old & he loves them.

    Reply
  5. lisa says

    October 21, 2016 at 5:27 PM

    How about ells kitchen snacks? nibbly fingers?

    Reply
    • Suzanne says

      October 27, 2016 at 12:52 PM

      Hi Lisa, I haven’t seen these but I did look them up and it looks like a great company with good ingredients. Of course, anytime something is convenient (already made and packaged) rather than fresh from the kitchen, there is is a compromise, but these are clearly Good Stuff.

      Reply
  6. Tatiana says

    November 23, 2016 at 11:23 AM

    Have you or can you do a review on the teething wafers?

    Reply
    • Maia James says

      December 5, 2016 at 8:42 AM

      We haven’t, but will add to the list!

      Reply
  7. Jennifer Schreiner says

    January 4, 2017 at 12:42 PM

    Do you have any teething wafers that you recommend? I was looking at the Healthy Times option but they have pretty opposite reviews on Amazon. I am currently using the HappyBaby organic teethers.

    Reply
    • Maia James says

      January 9, 2017 at 1:18 PM

      I think the HappyBaby ones are a fine choice. You might also be interested in this: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/bambinos-peanut-cookies/

      Reply
  8. Samantha says

    December 9, 2017 at 10:43 PM

    Thoughts on the Beech Nut brand puffs? I love their baby food generally.

    Reply
  9. Becca says

    February 7, 2018 at 12:38 PM

    Any recommendations on the best freeze dried yogurt snacks? I know they’re not the best snack but my little man loves em.

    Reply
  10. Melanie says

    April 1, 2018 at 7:43 AM

    Hi Maia! I am loving this site, and as a mommy-to-be I have found it extremely helpful!! Concerning this particular article, you may want to watch this before promoting Happy Baby Puffs: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/arsenic-in-infant-rice-cereal/

    Thanks for all you do!

    Reply
  11. Gabby | Gabby Writes says

    September 27, 2018 at 10:15 AM

    Have you seen the recent consumer report about lead? It claims that Happy Baby puffs contain lead, which breaks my heart because I LOVE Happy Baby products!

    Reply
  12. rebecca says

    May 23, 2019 at 2:29 PM

    I was wondering what you think of the Nosh brand puffs? They don’t seem to have alot of sugar, main ingredients are sorghum flour & garbanzo bean flour…

    Reply
  13. cecile says

    October 18, 2019 at 11:27 AM

    Hi any thoughts on Kabrita cheese puffs? The ingredients list seems pretty simple but I don’t know…

    Reply
  14. Andrea says

    December 3, 2019 at 3:33 AM

    I really appreciate all you do, but I think it might be a good time to update this list. If I’m correct, I believe your Good Stuff recommendation has been found to gave high levels of Arsenic.

    Reply
  15. Molly says

    June 23, 2020 at 7:24 AM

    It looks like they might have changed the ingredients in the happy baby puffs – -white rice is the first ingredient. Also lead was found in happy baby puffs not too long ago. Have they fixed that issue??

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar


Shop New

Shop Sales

Gift Bundles

Gift Guides

Recently Viewed…

  • Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Newborn Foam Wash from Gimme the Good Stuff Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Newborn Foam Wash

    $14.99 — or subscribe and save up to 8%Buy Now

Shopping Cart

Shop By Category

  •   Air Filters  |
  •   Body & Hair  |
  •   Cleaning  |
  •   Clothing  |
  •   Diapering  |
  •   E-Books  |
  •   Face  |
  •   Feeding Baby  |
  •   Furnishings & Bedding  |
  •   Health  |
  •   Kitchen  |
  •   Pets  |
  •   Pregnancy & Breastfeeding  |
  •   Radiation Protection  |
  •   Teeth  |
  •   Toys  |
  •   Water Filters

Featured Product Guide:

Our Safe Product Guides help conscious parents find safe, non-toxic, natural and organic products for their families and homes. Check out all of our guides find out what's good, what's bad, and what's sneaky.

Featured image

Safe Non-Toxic Hand Sanitizer Guide

So you’re looking for non-toxic hand sanitizer…You’ve come to the right place! But buckle up, my friend, because there is a lot of info in this guide! (That’s what I get every time I hire Dr. Hopkins to provide research!).

Learn More >>

Browse Shopping Guides

Browse Blog by Category

Browse Blog by Tag

about us Activities for Kids Air Filters air fresheners Air Purification Air quality allergies animals anti-aging anti-inflammatories antibiotics aromatherapy asthma attachment parenting autism Ayurveda babies baby bottles baby food baby food guide Baby Formula bad stuff bath products bathroom renovation beach Beautycounter bedroom birthdays Blue Light BPA Bread breakfast breastfeeding bug spray candy carpet car seats CBD central america cereal Christmas cleaning cleanse coffee coffee & tea colds & flu cookies Cookware cradle cap dads dairy dental care deodorant dessert diapering diet dinners Dirty Dozen dish dogs drinks Easter eco-friendly Eczema energy Environmentalism environmental toxins European formula face care family time flame retardants flooring food storage formula formula feeding france fruit futon gifts giveaway giveaways gluten-free Goat Milk Formula good deals greens Greenwashing guest posts gut health hair hand sanitizer healthy cereal Healthy Cow Milk Guide Healthy Food at Disney Healthy Thanksgiving holiday sales home detox Honest Company Humidifier Immune boosters immunity insomnia interior design junk food just for fun kale kitchen products kitchen renovations laundry lip balm lotion Lumion lunch boxes lunches makeup mattress mattresses meal delivery services meat medications Mother's Day natural birth nature Non-Toxic Area Rugs Non-Toxic Carpets NonToxic Bath Products nursing nuts nyc oils Olive Oil our team packaged food packed lunches paint Paleo Pesticides phthalates pillows plastics play pollution Poofy Organics pregnancy prenatal nutrition probiotics Project one-eleven Radiation Raw Foods recycling Resolutions Safe All-Purpose Cleaner Guide Safe Toy Guide Sakara school-aged kids school lunch screens screen time separation anxiety sippy cups skincare smartphones smoothies snacks sneaky stuff soap social-emotional development sofas sofas/couches soup Spring sprouted flour sprouted grains sprouted wheat Staff stress sugar summer sunscreen teething Thanksgiving Ticks tile toddlers toothpaste Top Posts & Products of 2019 Toxins Travel triclosan vaccines vegan veggies wallpaper water water bottles water filters wine winter wooden furniture yams yoga

INSTAGRAM

@gimmethegoodstuf

Follow on Instagram >>
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Error: No posts found. Make sure this account has posts available on instagram.com.

Footer

About Our Founder

Maia James, the founder of Gimme the Good Stuff, has a lifetime of experience in the world of natural living, and has turned this passion into a career, now helping clients easily enjoy greener, cleaner lives, peace of mind, and better health.

Read more about Maia

Gimme the Good Stuff helps busy, conscientious parents easily avoid toxic products in their homes through our in-home consulting service, personalized shopping guides, and online store. We simplify the process of navigating the confusing world of “natural” products, and our readers, customers, and clients enjoy peace of mind and confidence that their home is a safe, healthy place for their families.
As Seen In...

Site Directory:

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Glossary
  • Product Guides
  • Store
  • Contact
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Connect with Gimme the Good Stuff:

approved-good-stuff

Good Stuff Approved:

copyright © 2021 Gimme the Good Stuff. All rights reserved. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in