Starting solids is one of the most exciting times for new parents and their babies. There are no shortage of options when it comes to store-bought and organic baby food delivery solutions, yet not all are created equal. Companies often market their products as healthy and call out certain ingredients and superfoods, but many baby food options are actually fruit-heavy, super-sweet, don’t have a ton of vegetables, and lack the balanced nutrition babies need.  In this episode, I sat down with Katie Thomson, MS, RD, co-founder and CEO of Square Baby, which has been described as the Blue Apron of baby food. Thomson spent her career pioneering nutrition strategy for some of the biggest and most respected brands and was the first nutritionist for Starbucks, working to shape their first health and wellness strategy.  When her firstborn started solids, and she realized there wasn’t a company providing healthy, balanced, and convenient options, she decided to launch Square Baby, the only baby food that offers 100% daily nutrition customized for babies’ specific dietary needs. Katie and I talk about organic baby food delivery, and why there’s so much confusion and shame for new moms about what’s best for their babies.  She shares her incredible journey to launch Square Baby, despite having a major setback, and her steadfast determination and ability to flex which proved key to moving the company forward. She talks about why her company puts nutrition science at the center of every decision, their veggie-forward approach, and focus on palate development and early allergen introduction. Katie also shares her best tips for feeding babies and toddlers and lets us in on her and her children’s favorite Square Baby meals.  Welcome  2:47 Let’s talk about your story! 4:18 Have you always been passionate about healthy eating and food? 6:02 What do you think are the most common challenges today for parents who are starting solids with their babies? 7:43 One of the most common questions parents have today is why are food allergies so prevalent? What do they need to know and how can food allergies be prevented? 10:05 Why did you start Square Baby? 12:40 Can feeding your baby too much of the fruit-heavy purees create a preference for sweet in the short term and over time? 14:38 How did you know parents were willing to pay for the service? 17:38 What can customers expect and what makes you different from other organic baby food delivery solutions? 23:04 Let’s talk about your journey to launching the company: what were the steps you took to get it off the ground? 29:49 What were the challenges you encountered in recent years? 32:57 What is the future for the company? 34:09 What is your and your kids’ favorite Square Baby meal? 35:40 What are your favorite tips for feeding babies and toddlers? LINKS MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Julie mentions Katie’s interview on season #3 of the “Food Issues” podcast when she talked about sugar in baby food. Katie mentions that food allergies have increased 50% from 1997-2011. Katie mentions the LEAP and PETIT and EAT studies about early allergen introduction. Katie mentions Partnership for a Healthier America’s Veggies Early and Often campaign and white paper.  Katie mentions Kendall Glynn, MS, CGC, her co-founder and COO, Square Baby. Learn more about Square Baby on their website.  Follow Square Baby on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. FROM OUR PARTNERS Kids Cook Real Food eCourse The Kids Cook Real Food eCourse, created by a mom of 4 and a former elementary school teacher, is designed to build connection, confidence, and creativity in the kitchen. The course includes 30 basic cooking skills, 45 videos including several bonuses,