Serenity Kids vs. Cerebelly vs. Once Upon a Farm: Which Baby Food Pouch Is Best for Your Baby?

There is a lot of buzz around baby food pouches. 

Between heavy metals, the rising concern about fruit-forward meals, and questionable additives, it can feel overwhelming for parents when trying to find trusted brands at the grocery store.

Brands like Serenity Kids, Cerebelly, and Once Upon a Farm have quickly become favorites among parents looking for a premium pouch option that they can pick up while shopping.

Choosing between all the options can feel confusing.

Each brand makes big promises around clean ingredients, nutrition, and sustainability. So, how do you know which baby food pouch is best for your baby? 

In this guide, we’ll compare Serenity Kids, Cerebelly, and Once Upon a Farm side by side to help you decide what’s best for your little one.

Cerebelly vs. Serenity Kids vs Once Upon a Farm - An Overview

Serenity Kids History

Serenity Kids launched in 2016, created by a husband-and-wife team. Their mission is to provide low-sugar, nutrient-dense purees based on a paleo-style diet. They focus on healthy fats, pasture-raised meats, and organic veggies.

Cerebelly History

Cerebelly was founded by Dr. Teresa Purzner, a neurosurgeon and mom. Her goal was to create baby food that supports early brain development. Their blends are veggie-first, organic, and scientifically formulated for babies at different ages.

Once Upon a Farm History

Once Upon a Farm was co-founded by actress Jennifer Garner. It offers fresh, cold-pressed baby food with organic ingredients. The brand focuses on farm-fresh flavor and nutrition that feels homemade.

Ingredient Sourcing and Quality Between Cerebelly, Serenity Kids, and Once Upon a Farm

Serenity Kids uses meat from regenerative farms (farms where animals can graze freely and that pay attention to soil quality). Their animal protein sources are grass-fed, pasture-raised, and wild-caught. All vegetables are organic and non-GMO. No added sugar, fillers, or artificial ingredients.

Cerebelly uses organic produce grown in the U.S. They avoid added sugar and preservatives. Their products are Clean Label Project certified and tested for heavy metals.

Once Upon a Farm sources organic, non-GMO ingredients from small family farms. Their fruits and vegetables are cold-pressed to preserve nutrients and flavor.

How does each brand prepare their purees?

Serenity Kids makes shelf-stable purees that are pressure-cooked to preserve nutrients. The blends are designed to be high in healthy fats and protein, with very low sugar content.

Cerebelly’s baby food is also shelf-stable. Each pouch is developed with age-specific nutrients that support brain growth.

Once Upon a Farm uses cold pressure (HPP), not heat, to keep nutrients intact. These blends must be refrigerated and have a shorter shelf life.

Are the main ingredients in Cerebelly, Once Upon a Farm, and Serenity Kids fruit or vegetable forward?

Serenity Kids includes savory veggies like kale and butternut squash, plus healthy fats like avocado oil and meats such as grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon.

Cerebelly features ingredients like spinach, sweet potato, flaxseed, chickpeas, and pumpkin. Every pouch is rich in vitamins and minerals to support brain and body development.

Once Upon a Farm uses blends of banana, mango, blueberries, oats, and chia seeds. Their pouches are often fruit-forward with added grains or seeds for texture and nutrition.

Marketing claims for each brand

Serenity Kids markets their purees as nutrient-dense, low in sugar, and inspired by an ancestral diet. They highlight their use of clean meats, healthy fats, and savory flavors.

Cerebelly focuses on cognitive development. Their pouches are marketed as science-backed and the only baby food to earn both Clean Label Purity and Heavy Metal-Free Certifications.

Once Upon a Farm emphasizes fresh, cold-pressed nutrition with a social impact. They promote their mission to provide real food to all children, not just the privileged.

Do Cerebelly, Once Upon a Farm, or Serenity Kids use recyclable pouches? Are pouches BPA-free?

Serenity Kids uses BPA-free pouches. They are shelf-stable and recyclable through TerraCycle. Their company supports regenerative farming to reduce their carbon footprint.

Cerebelly’s pouches are also BPA-free and recyclable through TerraCycle. They are shelf-stable, reducing refrigeration-related energy use.

Once Upon a Farm’s pouches are BPA-free and cold-pressed. Because they are refrigerated, they require more energy in shipping and storage. They can also be recycled via TerraCycle.

How do Cerebelly, Once Upon a Farm, and Serenity Kids test for heavy metals?

Serenity Kids tests all of their baby food for heavy metals. While a few options are Clean Label Project certified, they publicly share their testing standards and batch results to ensure transparency and safety.

Cerebelly stands out for safety. They are the only baby food brand to receive both the Clean Label Project Purity Award and the Clean Label Project’s Certified Heavy Metal Free badge. They test every batch for over 400 contaminants, including lead, arsenic, and cadmium.

Once Upon a Farm tests for heavy metals, pesticides, and harmful bacteria. While they are not Clean Label Project certified, they follow rigorous safety standards and third-party testing to ensure product quality.

Pricing and Subscription Options for Cerebelly, Once Upon a Farm, and Serenity Kids

Serenity Kids pouches are between $2.99 - 4.99  each. You can buy in bulk or subscribe online for between 10-20% off and choose your flavors.

• Serenity Kids is available at Amazon, Walmart, and Target 

Cerebelly pouches range from $2.99 to $3.49. You can build a custom subscription box and save up to 15%.

• Cerebelly is available at Amazon,  Walmart and Target

Once Upon a Farm pouches cost around $2.99 to $3.69. Subscriptions are available and customizable. They also offer bundle packs with savings. They have some options available at Costco (which is a huge plus for moms like me!).

• Available in the refrigerated section at Walmart, Target and Costco

Which Is the Best Baby Food Pouch?

There truly is no “best” baby food pouch, but there might be a better brand for your family.

The good news is that there are many options that you can feel about and you don’t have to stick with just one. 

Serenity Kids may be a good option if you want high-protein, low-sugar blends with clean meats and healthy fats. They offer a variety of flavors with their World Explorer pouches.

The downside is the high price point and that even though pouches say they are meat-based, the first ingredient is often vegetables (for example, their chicken, peas, and carrot pouch has chicken as the third ingredient).

Cerebelly is great for parents focused on healthy fats for brain development and transparency. Their science-backed blends and certifications stand out. 

The downside is that there are limited options available. Many of the options contained gas-producing ingredients such as beans or broccoli. This might be fine for some babies, but may not be good for a gassy baby!

Once Upon a Farm is ideal if you want refrigerated, fruit-forward blends that taste homemade.

The downside is that they cannot be as easily transported since they need to be refrigerated and that nearly every option is fruit-forward or sweet.

All three offer organic, non-GMO, and developmentally appropriate options for babies. Choosing the right one comes down to your baby’s needs and your feeding goals.

Still not sure which brand is right for you? You’re not alone. Every baby is different, and your feeding journey is unique. If you’re navigating sensitivities, want help picking lower sugar blends, or just need support building a feeding routine, I can help.

Check out my free baby feeding database here for help comparing baby food brands, ingredients, and more.