Key Differences Between Bobbie and Gerber
| Key Differences | Bobbie | Gerber |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | United States | United States |
| Farming Practices | Organic farming | Non-organic farming |
| Brand Reputation | Highly praised for quality and transparency | Respected, well-known brand with close-to-breast-milk formula |
| Protein Content | Cow’s milk with added whey protein, organic | Whey protein concentrate from milk |
| Unique Protein Feature | Emulates breast milk’s 60% whey and 40% casein ratio | Whey protein is enzymatically hydrolyzed for easier digestion |
| Carbohydrate Content | Organic lactose only | 70% lactose, 30% non-organic corn maltodextrin |
| Carbohydrate Benefits | Provides crucial energy for growing babies | Promotes growth, but contains non-organic maltodextrin |
| Fats and Oils | Organic non-fat milk and vegetable oils, excludes palm oil | Non-organic vegetable oils including palm olein |
| Omega Fatty Acids | Contains DHA | Contains DHA and AA |
| Prebiotics and Probiotics | None | Includes 2′-FL HMO prebiotic and B. lactis probiotics |
| Cost per Ounce | Around $1.66 | Around $1.25 |
| Availability | Online on the official Bobbie website | Available in stores like Walmart or Target |
| Our Choice | Winner for its organic ingredients, simplicity and quality | A good option, but contains non-organic maltodextrin and palm olein |
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In this post, we will compare two popular baby formulas: Bobbie vs Gerber.
Our goal is to comprehensively give you all the differences while also giving you our personal take or opinion.
Let’s get after it!
Our Short Answer
Bobbie is our top choice due to its organic ingredients, simplicity, and quality nutritional profile.
While Gerber is a respectable option, certain ingredients, such as non-organic maltodextrin and palm olein, are worth considering before making a decision.
Less is more. That is the saying of Bobbie.
Crafted with care, focussed on essential, high-quality ingredients.
Bobbie is your go-to if you want a US-based product with an Organic European Formula quality.
- Organic American Grass-Fed Milk: Sourced from Organic Valley cows
- Iron meets FDA and EU standards
- Perfect Whey:Casein Ratio
- Organic Expeller-Pressed Fat Blend
- Organic Lactose
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Brand Reputation
Bobbie offers high-quality, organic formula with simple ingredients and transparency. It’s praised by parents and professionals, manufactured in the US, and adheres to FDA and EU standards.
Gerber provides a close-to-breast-milk formula with prebiotics, probiotics, DHA, and recyclable packaging.
Bobbie Reputation
Bobbie prides itself on offering high-quality, organic infant formula inspired by European standards. They believe in keeping things simple and focusing on the nutritional needs of babies without any unnecessary additives.
Bobbie’s dedication to quality has earned them praise from parents and professionals alike.
Their formula is manufactured in the United States and adheres to FDA requirements while also following ingredient sourcing practices and nutritional requirements from the European Union.
Bobbie’s ingredient list highlights its commitment to quality and its pursuit of transparency and convenience for parents.
Their formula is easy to digest and contains key nutrients such as DHA.
Bobbie is also the first infant formula to receive the Clean Label Project Purity Award and Pesticide Free certification.
Gerber Reputation
Gerber is a well-known and respected brand providing infant nutrition products for years.
Their Good Start® GentlePro formula aims to be as close to breast milk as possible, containing a blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and DHA. Gerber’s formula includes 2′-FL HMO*, a prebiotic similar to one found in significant breast milk levels, and Comfort Proteins®, which are small proteins designed to be easy for tiny tummies to digest.
Gerber also ensures that their packaging is recyclable to be more environmentally friendly.
Nutritional Composition
The source of the ingredients and the nutritional composition are the two most important factors for choosing a formula.
Let’s see how Gerber and Bobbie compare to each other.
Bobbie uses cow’s milk with added whey protein, organic lactose as the primary carbohydrate source, and organic non-fat milk with organic oils. It avoids palm oil and only uses organic ingredients.
Gerber uses whey protein concentrate, includes non-organic corn maltodextrin, and contains non-organic palm olein.
Bobbie’s use of organic ingredients gives it an advantage.
Protein Content
Bobbie: Bobbie uses cow’s milk with added whey protein to achieve a protein composition similar to mature breast milk (60% whey and 40% casein). This blend is designed to support easy digestion and closely emulate the nutrients found in breast milk.
Gerber: Gerber Good Start® GentlePro’s protein content comes entirely from whey protein concentrate derived from milk. The whey protein is enzymatically hydrolyzed and reduced in minerals, yielding smaller proteins easier for infants to digest.
Both formulas are designed to be easy to digest by babies.
The fact that Bobbie uses organic milk from grass-fed cows and its whey-to-casein ratio give it the win in our eyes.
Carbohydrate Content
Bobbie: The primary carbohydrate source in Bobbie’s infant formula is lactose, the most common sugar in breast milk. Lactose is a crucial energy source for growing babies, and Bobbie keeps it the only sugar in their formula.
Gerber: Gerber’s formula contains lactose as its main carbohydrate source, accounting for 70% of the total carbohydrate content. The remaining 30% comes from corn maltodextrin.
Bobbie wins again because it only uses organic lactose as its carb source.
Gerber, unfortunately, adds non-organic corn maltodextrin to the mix. While it is safe, it’s not the purest form of glucose for a formula. The problem would be minor if it were organic, but it is not.
Fats and Oils
Bobbie: Bobbie’s infant formula incorporates organic non-fat milk and a blend of organic oils such as high oleic safflower or sunflower oil, soybean oil, and coconut oil. Bobbie excludes palm oil from its formula, which promotes better absorption of certain nutrients. Furthermore, Bobbie contains DHA, an important omega-3 fatty acid essential for brain and eye development.
Gerber: Gerber Good Start® GentlePro provides a blend of fats and oils derived from non-organic vegetable oils: palm olein, soy, coconut, and high oleic safflower or sunflower. Additionally, the formula includes DHA and arachidonic acid (ARA) sourced from single-cell oils, promoting cognitive and visual growth.
Gerber also loses this round for using non-organic palm olein, a more processed version of palm oil, an ingredient we do not like to see in infant formula if it’s not organic.
Bobbie wins for using organic vegetable oils and avoiding palm oil or palm olein (even worse than palm oil)
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Bobbie focuses on high-quality ingredients without prebiotics or probiotics, while Gerber includes 2′-FL HMO prebiotic and B. lactis probiotics for digestive health.
Bobbie does not include prebiotics or probiotics in their formula.
While some parents might seek infant formulas with prebiotics and probiotics, it’s essential to remember that these ingredients are not required for a balanced formula.
Bobbie prioritizes providing high-quality ingredients and adheres to strict EU and FDA requirements to ensure your baby receives essential nutrients for healthy growth and development.
Gerber Good Start® GentlePro includes 2′-FL HMO, a prebiotic found at significant levels in breast milk. This prebiotic supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, promoting overall digestive health.
In addition to prebiotics, Gerber has also incorporated probiotics into their formula in the form of B. lactis cultures. These probiotics are similar to those found in breast milk and are designed to support a healthy digestive tract.
Cost and availability
Bobbie is available through their website, offering a convenient and easy purchasing experience.
Each ounce of Bobbie’s formula costs around $1.66.
Gerber infant formula might be a bit more difficult to find. When available, Gerber costs around $1.25 per ounce.
Best Places to Buy Bobbie and Gerber
Bobbie´s Official Website
Less is more. That is the saying of Bobbie.
Crafted with care, focussed on essential, high-quality ingredients.
Bobbie is your go-to if you want a US-based product with an Organic European Formula quality.
- Organic American Grass-Fed Milk: Sourced from Organic Valley cows
- Iron meets FDA and EU standards
- Perfect Whey:Casein Ratio
- Organic Expeller-Pressed Fat Blend
- Organic Lactose
GERBER: TARGET OR WALMART
What are the best alternatives to Bobbie and Gerber?
Holle: Known for its organic practices and Demeter certification, Holle is a popular European brand that emphasizes sustainability and wholesome ingredients. *Read: Bobbie vs Holle
Hipp: Offering easy-to-digest formulas that cater to various dietary needs and preferences, Hipp’s nutritional approach is ideal for many families. *Read: Bobbie vs Hipp
Kendamil: Unique for using whole milk in their formulas, Kendamil is committed to providing well-rounded nutrition with natural ingredients. *Read: Kendamil vs Bobbie | Kendamil vs Gerber
Conclusion
The clear winner in this showdown is Bobbie.
With its emphasis on organic practices, simple and straightforward ingredients, purity, and excellent whey-to-casein ratio, it stands out as the superior option.
Gerber’s formula isn’t inherently bad but contains non-organic maltodextrin and non-organic palm olein, which may be best to avoid.
We’re Maria and Alberto, a married couple and educators who are nutrition enthusiasts. Even before we had kids, we were already crazy about nutrition.
We’d read scientific articles, watch videos from nutritionists, and spend hours listening to nutrition podcasts.
Today, we continue doing this, but in a different way, as we’ve learned to sift through the noise and trends. Nutrition, like any other field of knowledge, the more you read and learn, the more you develop a comprehensive understanding of reality, and that’s what has happened to us.
Before having our first child, we focused on learning everything we could about child nutrition, using the same techniques we had already employed, backed by our extensive knowledge in nutrition.
Our mission is to help other parents with their children’s nutrition, to help them become the best versions of themselves.
If we are what we eat and drink, which is absolutely true, let’s do it right!
