There was a time when sterilized glass jars were safer than plastics, which were typically coated with harmful chemicals, notably bisphenol A, or BPA. However, all the plastic food pouches on our list are BPA-free. Some parents still get nervous when the caps are not BPA-free, but baby food pouches usually have small, sealed spouts. That makes it highly unlikely for any of the food to come in contact with the cap.
It should be stressed that BPA is particularly problematic when containers are heated. That’s why baby foods should be gently heated in warm water while it’s still in the BPA-free pouch. There are gentle, safe ways to microwave, but it should always be done in BPA-free containers. However, we’ve found that it’s very difficult to heat baby food evenly in a microwave, which is why we recommend the warm water method over anything else.