Feeding baby, teaching mother: Gerber and the evolution of infant food and feeding practices in the United States

The consumption of food is an extraordinarily social activity laden with complex and shifting layers of meaning. Not only what we eat, but how and why we eat, tell us much about society, history, cultural change, and humans' views of themselves. What, when, and how we choose to feed infants and toddlers-the notion of "baby food" as opposed to "adult food," and whether these foods are nourishing and satisfying-reveal how mass production, consumption, and advertising have shaped our thinking about infancy and corresponding parenting philosophies and practices. Because women have long been the primary caregivers, food procurers, and preparers, it is natural that women, as both mothers and consumers, are at the heart of this discussion of the development and naturalization of commercial baby food in the United States.