FAQs

Where is chowbaby made?
Our food is made in a commercial kitchen in Maplewood, New Jersey. The business and the kitchen maintain up-to-date certification with the Department of Health and are overseen by our seasoned chef.

Why is chowbaby frozen?
When we started making food for our own son, we made our meals the same way we make them for you — and the same way that many caregivers all over the world make delicious homemade food for their kids. By using what is known many as "the cube method," we provide your family with single-serving sized frozen cubes that can be thawed on an as-needed basis. And our toddler foods are frozen in single-serving sized portions. This way, the food you serve your child will always be at its peak of freshness, nothing is wasted, and you'll never run out.

What makes chowbaby different from the frozen baby food at my local grocer?
A number of things. Most importantly, the menu offers much more bold and exciting flavors than standard commercial food. You won't find things like Moroccan Couscous With Red Flame Raisins or Basil Peaches or Cinnamon Vanilla Bosc Pear Oats in your grocery freezer. And you certainly won't find our sweet and savory Meal Muffins anywhere else. The more choices we can give our kids when they are little, the better the odds of having adventurous eaters later. And since all our food is made weekly, you know that it is as fresh as if you had just made it yourself. chowbaby doesn't spend time traveling cross-country in trucks and sitting on shelves. Finally, our rotating menu means more seasonal choices and greater variety.

Why does chowbaby arrive in resealable pouches?
We've packaged chowbaby for ultimate freshness and convenience. The 8-ounce pouches are freezer safe so they can be transferred from cooler to freezer to refrigerator as needed. The zipper seal means you can open and reclose the pouch as many times as you want. And because they're non-breakable, the pouches can be tossed into a cooler so you can take the most healthy, nutritious meals wherever you go.

Can I recycle my chowbaby pouches?
Some areas of the United States do recycle plastic bags in recycling centers that handle hard-to-recycle materials. Unfortunately, however, most areas don't. When deciding on our packaging, we researched many options in an attempt to find one that suited our customers' needs and had minimal impact on our environment. After weighing the cost of re-sterilizing freezer-safe glass, looking into ways to decrease packaging materials, trying in vain to find freezer-safe biodegradable containers, and considering the daily needs of our chowbaby families, we landed on an 8-ounce virgin polypropylene pouch certified food-safe by the FDA. You'll note that our portions come in a larger 8-ounce size than the typical 4-ounce jar because that's one way to reduce packaging materials. And we can all do our part to reduce, reuse, and recycle by rinsing out bags and using them again at home.

How do I store chowbaby?
As soon as you arrive home, transfer your chowbaby pouches from your chowbaby cooler to the freezer. Fresh baby and toddler food lasts about 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. To be absolutely safe, we recommend thawed, refrigerated cubes be consumed within 24 hours since baby food can spoil without necessarily smelling bad.

The same food safety rules that apply to all food applies to your chowbaby food. Once you've heated food, it cannot be re-refrigerated or re-frozen — eat it yourself or discard the leftovers. Never refreeze food that has already been thawed once. Do not re-refrigerate or re-freeze food that has come in contact with saliva since that speeds bacterial growth. And always keep the food refrigerated or frozen until it's time to eat.

How do I thaw chowbaby?
You have a number of options. You can transfer cubes or Meal Muffins from the bags to a covered bowl in the refrigerator for a slow thaw. It will take about 4 to 6 hours for cubes and about 12 hours for Meal Muffins. If you remember to transfer the cubes or muffins at night, you'll have already-thawed cubes or Meal Muffins ready the next morning. If you need to fast-thaw your cubes, you can place the cubes in a glass dish or mug in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Or even throw the cubes in a pan over very low heat. You can also transfer cubes or Meal Muffins to a microwave-safe bowl and thaw them for just a few seconds at 50% in the microwave. (Never microwave the cubes or muffins in the plastic pouch as it could melt.)  Meal muffins can also be wrapped in aluminum foil and warmed in a 300 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes.

Just remember, that once the food is warmed, it cannot be re-refrigerated or refrozen. Food must never be thawed at room temperature as bacteria can grow at room temperature while it is thawing. If your child prefers her food more runny, you can always add a little breast milk, formula, or even water to thin it. And don't forget to stir the food to evenly distribute the heat and test the temperature of the food with a clean finger (we check ours more than once) to make sure it is just barely warm throughout before feeding it to your little one. Try cuttin the Meal Muffin in half once you remove it from the oven to make sure the center isn't too hot or to cool faster.

How do I heat chowbaby?
Remember that your baby's mouth is more sensitive than yours, so food should be moderately warm at most. Lukewarm food has more flavor than cool food. And some babies prefer it. But most children will readily eat cool food straight from the refrigerator as well. If you do decide to warm the food, transfer only the number of cubes or Meal Muffins you need for a meal from the pouch for heating. We recommend you place cubes in a glass bowl in a few inches of warm water from the stovetop or faucet to heat. You can also heat cubes in a pan over low heat on the stove or microwave cubes or Meal Muffins at 50% for just a few seconds (but don't microwave the pouch — it could melt). Meal muffins can also be wrapped in aluminum foil and warmed in a 300 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes. Either way, stir the cubes to evenly distribute the heat and test both the cubes and the Meal Muffins to make sure there are no dangerous hot spots. Always test the temperature of your child's food with a clean finger (we check ours more than once) to make sure it is just barely warm. Feel free to add a little breast milk, formula, or even water if your child prefers her food more runny. Once you've heated food, it cannot be re-refrigerated or refrozen. You must either discard it or eat the delicious and nutritious fare yourself.

Can I microwave chowbaby?
chowbaby pouches are not FDA-approved for microwaving. Many experts advise against microwaving baby food (sometimes any food) in plastic. If you want to microwave to thaw or warm your food, transfer the cubes or Meal Muffin to a microwave-safe bowl and pop it in the microwave at 50% for just a few seconds. Stir the cubes to eliminate hot spots and test both the cubes and the Meal Muffin to make sure they are of an even safe temperature throughout. If it is too hot, let it cool before feeding it to your sensitive little one.

Can I save the leftovers?
You can't re-refrigerate, refreeze, or reheat leftovers that have come in contact with your child's (or your) saliva — even from the spoon that has been dipped in it. The bacteria and enzymes from the mouth will cause the food to spoil. That is why it's a good idea to transfer only the cubes or Meal Muffins you expect your little one to eat from the chowbaby pouch to a bowl. If your child is especially hungry that day, you can always transfer more cubes or Muffins from the pouch to the bowl. If your little one isn't particularly hungry that day, whatever doesn't get eaten at the meal won't go to waste — chowbaby tastes so good you'll be happy to finish whatever your child doesn't.

How long can I safely store my baby's food?
Different experts suggest different things. Most agree that fresh frozen cubes will last about 3 months in the freezer. Once you thaw the cubes, they will last about 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator. To be absolutely safe, we recommend you keep thawed food for no more than 24 hours in the refrigerator. Food left at room temperature for any longer than 2 hours should be discarded.

How many pouches will my baby eat in a week?
This amount will constantly be changing. But as your child becomes an established eater, you'll be able to pretty accurately estimate how much to order each week. The good news is that you can always order a little more than you think you'll need so that you don't run out — the frozen pouches will last 1 to 3 months. And you'll probably feel safer having extra on hand for growth spurts.

You may refer to "How much should I feed my baby?" in "Feeding 101" for average daily amounts you might expect your child to eat. Each pouch contains 6 approximately 1.3-ounce single-serving sized cubes. Take the number of meals your child eats per day according to his age or based on your own experience, multiply by the number of servings your child eats per meal, multiply by 7 days in the week for the number of servings you'll need for the week, and divide by 6 for the number of servings in each pouch. Don't worry — it's easier than it sounds. Here's an example:

At 8 months, your child may be eating 3 meals a day comprised of 3 servings each meal:

3 meals x 3 servings x 7 days = 63 servings per week.

63 servings / 6 servings in a pouch = about 10 pouches of chowbaby food.

The toddler foods are a little easier. If your child eats one muffin per meal and there are 3 muffins in a pouch: 3 meals x 1 muffin X 7 days = 21 muffins per week / 3 muffins per pouch = 7 pouches of chowbaby food.

Where can I buy chowbaby food?
chowbaby is sold wholesale. We're in the process of expanding chowbaby to bring our fresh frozen foods to stores near you. Sign up here to get emails with exciting updates. And ask your local retailer to stock chowbaby since your demand drives supply. Please feel free to contact us if you'd like to suggest a grocer for our foods.

We also offer regular tasting parties and seminars on making your own baby food — sign up to receive email alerts about these fun food events.

We also offer regular tasting parties and seminars on making your own baby food — sign up to receive email alerts about these fun food events.

What is the chowbaby delivery area?
chowbaby is no longer is available retail via home delivery or via overnight shipping. We're in the process of taking chowbaby wholesale to bring our fresh frozen flavorful foods to stores near you. Sign up here to get emails with exciting updates.