Exploring Baby-Led Weaning and Innovative Baby Food Options

Did you know..

..a baby needs 30g of fat per day to support brain development, hormone regulation and build the immune system?

Yet, sadly, nearly all modern baby food doesn't even come close to touching this daily requirement and furthermore, is chock full of preservatives, added sugars, non-organic, GMO ingredients and other toxins and additives that harm a baby's muscular and skeletal growth, cognitive development, immune system and much more.

So I was incredibly pleased when I discovered a baby food I could finally get behind. As a father, nutritionist and health consultant, I can tell you with confidence that Serenity Kids baby food, designed and formulated by my guests on today's show - Joe and Serenity Carr - is, bar none, the only packaged baby food I would ever recommend any parent feed to their precious child.

As a matter of fact, this stuff is so dangerously tasty that I suspect you as a parent may become addicted to it too. It is wonderfully refreshing to finally see a company doing things right when it comes to perfectly portioned ingredients tailored to the exact needs of a growing human being.

I can't recommend this stuff highly enough. Serenity Carr, co-founder and CEO of Serenity Kids Baby Food, is on a mission to promote wellness starting with the first bite.

Formerly employed in tech and logistics, Serenity left her job to pursue her passion of health coaching where she helped clients achieve their personal health goals. Having healed her digestive issues through a lifestyle diet change, Serenity is transforming the baby food industry by developing innovative nutrient dense products because every bite counts.

Joe Carr, founder and President of Serenity Kids Baby Food, is a certified life coach and educator devoted to social justice activism.

An autism activist and proponent of the Paleo diet, Joe works with other autistic adults and youth to help them harness their gifts and genuinely believes that food is medicine. He is also active with the ManKind Project helping men develop power with compassion. As President of Serenity Kids, Joe oversees day to day operations and leads sales that will transform the baby food industry.

During my discussion with Joe and Serenity, you'll discover: -Joe and Serenity share their own back stories..8:55

• Serenity:
  • "The paleo diet turned my life around."
  • Suffered major stomach and digestion problems as a child due to intolerances to conventional foods
  • Over the counter meds stopped working in her 20's; sought stronger meds via prescription
  • The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
  • Books by Mark Sisson
  • The Dietary Cure for Acne by Loren Cordain
• Joe:
  • Undiagnosed autism as a child (mislabeled "obnoxious")
  • Discovered a gift as a performing artist (acting, singing, etc.)
  • Became involved in social justice causes; became vegan/vegetarian
  • Focused his altruistic efforts toward children after college
  • Met Serenity; introduced to the Paleo diet which helped with many of the social anxieties that had become normal

-How their paths led to an interest in baby food..18:30

• They attended Paleo FX in 2016 and realized there were no products specifically for babies
• Serenity began an intensive immersion into the Paleo diet
• Joe was involved in a startup that was leading to serious burnout
• The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss opened eyes to creating a product vs. a service
• Tested and researched their offerings based on the preferences of their friends' children

-Deficiencies and problems with modern conventional baby foods..23:30

• The USDA recommends 30g of fat per day, no sugars, etc.
• What they found in grocery stores was the opposite of what even the government was recommending
• Organic baby foods had on average 9g of sugar per pouch
• The food is not satiating; it is addictive because of all the sugar
• Less than 4% of foods had meat; there were no source disclosures
• Mixed with grains (chicken and rice); zero fat
• "Flavor window": what kids eat as babies affects their preferences later in life
• The Weston A. Price Foundation
• The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care

-How the ingredients Joe and Serenity use for their product are sourced..38:35

• Desire to support family farms because of their sustainability as well as a personal connection on Joe's end
• Taylor and Katie of Epic Bars were helpful and supportive
• Discovered farm co-op's sharing the division of labor involved with the business of farming
• Grass-fed and pasture-raised beef is far superior to conventionally raised beef

-Why Joe and Serenity offer 4 different flavors that contain no meat at all..44:20

• Babies have an innate sense of what their body needs; at times it doesn't need as much protein while still needing the fat

-How they maintain maximum vitamin content and ..47:10

• No preservatives added
• Puree made shelf-stable by canning process;
• Pressure and heat does not harm fat, protein, minerals, amino acids
• Veggies begin to lose their vitamin content when they're picked
• Frozen veggies have more vitamin content than fresh
• More vitamins are preserved by pressure cooking than boiling

-The biggest challenge Joe and Serenity have faced since launching their company..50:45

• Environmental concerns with pouches vs. being competitive with other baby food makers who use them
• They realized that plastics are better for the environment than jars and cans
• Pouches are BPA free; no detectable toxins
• Shelf-life is 18 months, although it's technically infinite

-Whether or not there's a market for their product beyond babies..54:30

• Many adults use it for its convenience, or due to medical issues
• The age at which parents wean their babies off the product varies widely
• Baby-led weaning: allowing the baby to tell the parents when they're ready to move to whole foods

-And much more.. Resources from this episode:

-Click here for 15% off any of the variety packs from the My Serenity Kids website

-Nourishing Traditions book of  baby and child care, and my podcast about it

-The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

-Books by Mark Sisson

-The Dietary Cure for Acne by Loren Cordain

-The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

-The Weston A. Price Foundation

-Epic Bars

Episode sponsors:

-Kion Clean Energy Bars: Satisfying, nutrient-dense, real-food energy bars with a delicious chocolate coconut flavor! Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners, receive a 10% discount off your entire Kion order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Four Sigmatic: I’ve been using Four Sigmatic products for awhile now and I’m impressed by the efficacies of their mushroom products. I use them. I like them. I support the mission! Receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase when you use discount code: BENGREENFIELD

-Away Travel: Away creates thoughtful products designed to change how you see the world, so all you have to think about is where you’re headed next. Getting Away means getting more out of every trip to come. BGF listeners receive $20 off a suitcase when you use my link and use discount code: BEN at checkout.

-Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order, PLUS free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code: BENG.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Joe, Serenity or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.