By MIYAH SANBORN and KENDRA BURDICK

There has been an emerging trend of students bringing various types of baby foods to snack on throughout the day at Redlands East Valley High School. Although this may seem like a strange choice of food to bring to school, there are some components that compel students to eat it other than just taste. 

People of all ages have been eating baby food as a snack and with the goal of getting the nutrition that they need from a smaller portion. (KENDRA BURDICK/Ethic News photo)

Most high school students are eating baby food for the perceived benefit of losing weight, due to its nutrients and small portions. 

According to the health site Verywell Fit, Shereen Lehman, a healthcare journalist and fact checker, said, “Some proponents of the baby food diet claim that baby foods are healthier because they don’t usually contain any food additives.” 

The health site Healthline Writer Aimee Eyvazzadeh further explains how the diet is used for the reason that “the small portion sizes of baby food will reduce your daily calorie intake. There are several less restrictive versions of the diet, like replacing only one meal a day with baby food.”

With restrictive diets like the baby food diet, it’s also important to keep in mind the risk of developing disordered eating, which could lead to an eating disorder if the diet is followed for a longer period of time, according to Healthline.

“All the baby food that you can buy in the US meets strict US FDA regulations for safety,” said the health site Baptist Health.

Regardless of whether they bring baby food for dietary purposes or purely based on the taste,  some students enjoy this unusual snack to munch on throughout the school day.