How Much Does Baby Food Cost per Month?
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There are so many variables that need to be taken into consideration before you can calculate how much money you will spend on baby food per month – the brand you will choose, the frequency of use, the type of food, etc.
If you are using baby formula, it will cost you around $60 to $80 per month. It is more difficult to define the average cost if you are using solid food, but it can go anywhere from $120 to $160 per month. It depends on the brand, the amount you will use, and the age of the baby.
Nevertheless, in the article below, you can read how to determine how much money you will spend, and you can also find a table with a price comparison of the top 10 baby formulas on the market in 2021.
How Much It Costs to Use Baby Formula?
Even though most mothers will try to breastfeed their babies, sometimes it is not possible to maintain that plan for long. In those cases, a baby formula jumps in to fill in the gaps when the mother is not able to breastfeed the baby.
The first thing you will notice about baby formulas is how expensive they are. This is because there is a lot of money being invested into the research and development of baby formula.
Baby formula is there to replace breastmilk, which is known to be very beneficial for the baby’s immunity and development. Since it is hard to reproduce the breastmilk in the lab, companies are investing tons of money to bring the baby formula as close to the breastmilk as possible.
On average, you will spend around $60 to $80 per month on formula. This number is highly individual, and the final amount you will spend depends on various factors.
One of those factors is the brand of baby formula you are using. There are some cheaper and some more expensive brands, and it is totally up to you to decide which one you will use. Of course, you will need to see how the baby is reacting to the formula, so based on that you can make the final decision.
Another factor you need to consider is the frequency of usage of the baby formula. Some babies are using the formula as a total replacement for breastmilk, meaning that they are fully fed on the formula.
Others use the formula only on some special occasions, meaning that those babies are taking both breastmilk and formula, in combination. Some mothers prefer to use the formula when they are outside the house, for example.
In the table below you can see some of the most well-known brands of baby formula, and the price comparison. Since different manufacturers have different sized packages, in one of the columns you can see the price for 100g so you can make a comparison between different brands.
| Name | Size of the package (in grams) | Price for the package | Price per 100g | |
| 1 | Enfamil Premium infant milk Powder | 663g / 23.4oz | $27.99 | $4.22 |
| 2 | Nestle Good start Supreme | 340g / 12oz | $12.99 | $3.82 |
| 3 | Babynat Organic Follow-on 2 milk powder | 800g / 28.2oz | $15.99 | $2.00 |
| 4 | Babynat Follow-On Organic Milk Powder | 800g / 28.2oz | $15.99 | $2.00 |
| 5 | Similac Expert Care Neo Sure Powdered milk | 646g / 22.8oz | $31.49 | $4.87 |
| 6 | Holle Organic Infant follow-on formula 2 | 400g / 14.1oz | $20.99 | $5.25 |
| 7 | HiPP Organic 3 Follow-on milk | 600g / 21.2oz | $11.99 | $2.00 |
| 8 | SMA Gold System stay down milk powder | 900g / 31.8oz | $16.99 | $1.89 |
| 9 | HiPP Organic good night milk | 350g / 12.4oz | $11.99 | $3.43 |
| 10 | Gerber Good start gentle powder infant formula | 351g / 12.4oz | $18.79 | $5.35 |
How Much It Costs to Use Baby Food?
Once the baby is big enough to start consuming solid food, most parents will first start with baby porridge at first. These porriges are usually well mashed and blended fruits and vegetables, than can be found in combination with meat as well. They are all usually packed in glass containers.
Some baby food is packed into something that looks like a juice package that eases up the consumption since you don’t need the spoon to feed the baby. For this type of package, the baby will suck the food out of the plastic container.
It is very hard to calculate the average cost of feeding your baby like this, but if you assume that you will use two or three meals per day, you will spend somewhere from $120 to $160 per month, on average.
Bear in mind that this is really just a rough calculation since the final amount will depend on the brand of food you are using, the frequency of usage, and the type of food you are using.
Some manufacturers are offering organic food, which costs more than the “regular” one by default. Others are including some premium ingredients in their products which makes the price higher than normal.
On the other hand, some parents are not very confident when it comes to this type of baby food, so they try to reduce the frequency of feeding their baby with it. Of course, in this situation, you may spend way less than the average cost aforementioned.
Baby food that has been already prepacked is very convenient for travel or whenever you are outside your house. You can be sure that your baby will not stay hungry since you have the meals ready with you at all times.
This food can also last longer than the one you make at home, mostly because it has been adjusted for longer shelf life, and it was made for your convenience.
Can I save Money by Making Baby Food at Home?
If you are feeling unsure about the food that is already cooked and ready, then the alternative is to make the baby food at home. All you will need is to invest in a good blender. Usually, there are some baby food blenders that are designed especially for cooking and blending baby food.
Although at first making baby food at home may seem like a win-win situation, because you will be saving money and making completely healthy food for your baby without any conservatives, this may not always be the case.
Depending on the ingredients you are using, the cost of making food at home per meal can actually be significantly higher than buying a jar of food with the same type of ingredients you have been using.
Another drawback of using homemade food is that you need to pay extra for the ingredients, because you have to buy more of them, not just only for one meal. And also, the food might have a shorter shelf life, so you can’t keep it for long. Preparing the food and storing it in the fridge for later use is not an option.
However, making food by yourself can also be very good for the baby, because you will know exactly which ingredients you are using, so you can be 100% sure that the quality of the food is very good.
Sometimes parents have no choice but to use homemade food for the baby since some kids can have allergies that require to be addressed by a special menu.