Parents and experts have strong opinions when it comes to baby food pouches [1]. Just how much added sugar and preservatives are included in them to make them not only desirable to a baby's immature palate, but also have a long shelf life? While my toddler is 20 months old and moved onto solid foods long ago, she does love the texture and taste of a yummy food go-to, and I thought I was buying her the best there was until I discovered the brand-new company Cerebelly [2]. Created by Dr. Teresa Purzner (a mom and neurosurgeon with a PhD in developmental neurobiology), Cerebelly is science-based, veggie-first food that considers child's developmental milestones and their specific needs. It's basically the best possible thing you could give your child in mush form, and I've been seeing people talk about it since it launched last month. I finally got my hands on some and reviewed it with my little one.

So How Does It Taste?

I handed a broccoli pear pouch to my daughter last night and she devoured it in what seemed like one constant stream of inhalation. As soon as she finished she said, "More." Given that there's zero added sugar in them, that was a great sign. She's not the type to just eat anything.

Is Cerebelly Really Better Than Other Pouches on the Market?

The short answer is yes. I'd trusted that when I picked up a baby food pouch that is emblazoned with all the words that are important to me ("organic" and "low-sugar") that I was getting the very best. But through Cerebelly I learned that the baby food packets in the grocery store today are full of sugar and have maybe one nutrient in them, and essentially none of the daily requirements of the many nutrients needed for proper brain development. Ugh!

How to Make Sure You're Buying the Right Cerebelly Pouches

There's an online quiz for this, and it goes beyond just finding out your child's age. There are cognitive questions (does your child build towers of four blocks?) and at the end it recommends pouches that are vital toward your child's brain development. You can subscribe and have them delivered or pick them up at Whole Foods.

As a first-time mom, I'm grateful this product exists and I'll be subscribing right away.