Salt and sugar are commonly used in food preservation to limit microbial growth by reducing moisture, which is essential for making shelf-stable products like jams and pickles. However, these traditional methods were not designed with the dietary needs of babies and toddlers in mind.
Nutrition guidelines for young children under two years old recommend limiting sodium and avoiding added sugars or sweeteners. This approach is reflected in current guidance from the UC Nutrition Policy Institute. When salt and sugar are reduced or left out, foods lose the conditions that allow them to be preserved safely at room temperature for long periods.
Foods made for babies and toddlers often have soft textures—such as being puréed, mashed, or finely chopped—and tend to have higher moisture content, uniformity, density, and no added salt or sugar. These characteristics affect how they can be stored safely.
Commercial baby foods found on store shelves are processed using specialized equipment under tightly controlled conditions to ensure shelf stability—methods not available in home kitchens. As a result, most homemade baby foods prepared without salt or added sugars cannot be safely preserved at room temperature.
Joy Agcongay, a volunteer with the UC Master Food Preserver Online Program, said: “For home-prepared baby and toddler foods, the safest approach is careful preparation followed by long-term storage in the freezer, while following current nutritional guidance for salt and sugar.”
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), affiliated with the University of California https://ucanr.edu/, shares science-based practices across California through research centers and local offices. The organization operates nine Research and Extension Centers serving as living laboratories throughout diverse ecosystems https://ucanr.edu/. UC ANR applies university expertise to support communities via outreach initiatives in nutrition education among other areas https://ucanr.edu/.
Glenda Humiston serves as vice president of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources https://ucanr.edu/.
With proper preparation methods—including freezing rather than attempting shelf-stable preservation—homemade baby foods can remain both safe for consumption and practical for families.