How to Read Baby Food Labels: A Practical Guide for US Parents

This guide covers FDA-regulated packaged foods sold in the US, such as many jars, pouches, and cereals you might buy when starting solids. It does not cover infant formula, and labeling rules differ in other countries. Each part of a label answers a different question:

Start with the ingredient list

According to the FDA, ingredients are generally listed in descending order by weight, so the first one is present in the largest amount. The list shows order, not percentages. If a pouch named after a vegetable lists a fruit first, there is more of that fruit than the vegetable by weight, though the label won't say how much more.

The FDA also notes that ingredients can serve purposes such as preserving, thickening, or adding nutrients, and an unfamiliar name on its own is not evidence that a food is unsafe.

Also check the list for honey, which the CDC says children should not have before 12 months, even as an ingredient in other foods. The CDC also advises against unpasteurized milk, yogurt, and cheese for young children, so check dairy labels for pasteurization.

Read Nutrition Facts per serving

The FDA explains that serving size is based on the amount people usually eat and is not a recommendation, so it is not a portion goal for your baby.

FDA label format examples include separate versions for foods for infants through 12 months and for children 1 through 3 years, so baby food panels may differ from the ones on adult foods. On general labels, percent Daily Values and the 2,000-calorie reference are not targets for a baby, and the FDA notes that some nutrients have no Daily Value.

Total Sugars and Added Sugars

Total Sugars covers both the sugar that occurs naturally in foods like fruit and milk and any sugar that has been added. Added Sugars is already part of that total, the FDA explains, so don't add the two lines together. The CDC says children younger than 2 years should not have added sugars and suggests using Nutrition Facts to find foods without them. A fruit puree can show some Total Sugars and still list 0 g Added Sugars.

Sodium

The CDC advises avoiding foods high in salt for young children. Compare the sodium line on similar products, per serving, rather than relying on front-of-package wording.

Check allergen information

In the US, the nine major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. The FDA explains that their source can be named in the ingredient list, sometimes in parentheses, or in a Contains statement near the list, so read both the list and any Contains statement.

Advisory wording about possible cross-contact, such as may-contain statements, is voluntary under FDA rules, so its absence is not a promise of zero risk. A label cannot diagnose an allergy; bring concerns to your child's pediatrician.

Read front-of-package claims for what they are

Stage numbers, age ranges, and claims about organic or simple ingredients show what the maker chose to highlight. They do not tell you whether your baby is ready for solids, whether a texture suits them, whether a product is safe for your child, or whether their diet is balanced. The UK's NHS notes that food marked as suitable from four months does not override its advice to start solids around six months. In the US, ask your pediatrician about readiness.

Check storage and preparation directions

Look over these directions before you buy or open a product, and follow them, including any steps for after opening. They work alongside everyday safe food handling, not in place of it.

Next time you shop, read one familiar product in this order: ingredients, Nutrition Facts, allergen information, front-of-package claims, and storage directions. To compare with food made at home, browse our recipes or look up individual foods.