Quick baby food expiration question - please

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Hi - I have a weird question/situation and I hope I can get info from you on this board, since I get so much good advice on the boards I normally frequent.

A group of us parents at school are planning a baby shower for our kid's teacher who is having twins. We wanted each grade to bring a useful, disposable gift. We are looking to make this easy so there is no competition in outfits, etc. So one of the grades wants to bring baby food.

So my first thought is - these babies are due in March and won't be eating solids until they are 6 mos. So they won't even begin stage one foods until September.

So -- this is where you help me! If you bought baby food recently could you please check the expiration date? I want to know if we should steer the kids towards another gift idea.

Thanks so much!!!!!!!

 

[la79al]

Bought some in November, some expires July 2010 and some is April 2011.

 

[la79al]

Wanted to add, that was stage 2 stuff. The stage 1s I got last April at my baby shower all expire sometime in 2010.

 

[bumbershoot]

More and more people are going back to making their own food for babies. You might want to find out if they are interested in that, and perhaps getting them a book about it, instead of assuming they will used the processed food.

And many people are delaying solids longer, and starting with chunks of regular food, so again, it might not be useful.

Best to find out if they want the stuff first.

 

[la79al]

I make DDs food and we waited until 6 months to start her on anything. We have still managed to go through almost 20 jars of baby food. It's much easier to just grab a jar off the shelf when we are headed out somewhere. I would think any parent of twins could probably use at least some store bought baby food.

 

[princess pooh]

The jars and cereal that I bought this week expire in April 2010. What a great idea for a gift! The practical baby gifts were always my favourite.

 

[sparkyboy]

Another gift idea that doesn't "compete" is diapers and wipes. When DD had her twins, they were premies and she so appreciated the diaper shower that her coworkers had for her.

 

[Tiffany_MommyOf3]

I agree with a PP, find out first if she will be using baby food. At my shower, my MIL bought tons of Gerber baby foods and stuff - I ended up throwing a few out and giving the rest to a food pantry. We start with whole pieces of food at 8 months and skip the baby food stuff all together.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Thanks so much for the answers!

It looks like this will work - the teacher is fine with food items, I was just afraid of expiration dates.

And we are spreading the wealth of useful items - our 6th graders are bringing diapers and wipes. Our 7th graders want to bring bath items. And the 8th will be doing the baby food items.

We are going to serve cupcakes and do some of those traditional baby games that, I think, the kids will get into. You know, tasting the baby food, etc. While we have played them many a time, it should be new to them!