Every parent wants the best for their baby and nutrition can be a huge source of stress for confused mums and dads who are worried about feeding their children properly.

Organic is the new buzzword, but some parents feel they don't have either the time or money to make the switch. On page 13 we look at the Soil Association's advice about feeding your baby organic food and consider ways to go organic.

One in three babies now eat organic baby food at least some of the time and it accounts for half of the baby food market. With an increasing range available, supermarkets are stocking organic options, making it even easier to make the switch.

Research shows that exposing a baby to a wide range of tastes during their formulative years can stimulate a greater willingness to try new tastes and textures later on in life. If you have time to make your own baby food, make sure you use the freshest possible ingredients and include as much variety as possible. It's worth spending a little bit more on organic fruit and vegetables and just buying what you need. For very young babies, freeze pureed fruit and vegetables in ice cube trays, so you can defrost them when needed. For older children, freeze leftovers in separate containers, so you can reheat when you're in a hurry.

If you're really pressed for time, there are lots of organic babyfoods available. Angus and Shoo Oliphant, who are based in Holt, set up a children's food company called Miniscoff to provide healthy, organic meals for busy mums to feed their 12-month to 12-year-olds.

The ready-to-serve organic meals are free from GM ingredients, additives, colourings and sweeteners and come in a range of dishes such as Chilli Yum Yum and Mash Bang Wallop. Visit www.miniscoff.co.uk for more information.

Truuuly Scrumptious produces meals for babies from four months old and is based in Radstock. The range goes from pureed vegetables such as sweet potato and squash to dishes such as cottage pie for older babies. Janice Fisher & Topsy Fogg met at National Childbirth Trust classes in 2000. When weaning their babies they were disappointed by the limited range of ready-made organic babyfoods, so they teamed up to share recipes using the best possible organic ingredients and fresh-freezing in individual portions for convenience of preparation.

Their previous food experience proved an ideal combination; soon they were busy taking orders from a growing network of parents who also wanted to give the very best foods to their children.

In 2001 they launched Truuuly Scrumptious to meet the increasing demand for a truly delicious range of organic meals.

Monitored by the Soil Association and based near Radstock, the Truuuly Scrumptious team produces meals specifically created for the developing tastes and nutritional needs of babies and children of four months and upwards.

In October 2002 and again in November 2004, Truuuly Scrumptious was announced as outright winner of the coveted Soil Association Organic Baby Food Award.

Visit www.bathorganicbabyfood.co.uk for information.

Soil Association advice: Why choose organic for your children?

Existing regulations on the amount of pesticide residues that non-organic foods may contain are based on acceptable' levels for adult consumption. Babies and young children, however, are at greater risk because the immaturity of their organic and body systems makes them more vulnerable to toxins.

Because children's diet is often restricted to just a few types of less processed food - like apples, potatoes or carrots - they may receive higher exposures. From conception until one year of age, children are at their most vulnerable. During this critical stage of development cells are multiplying at their peak, yet the body has a limited diet to draw upon.

A baby's digestive system is also more efficient than that of an adult at absorbing foods, enabling nutrients to be used more quickly, but also making the body more vulnerable to toxins. Immature kidneys are not as proficient at excreting harmful substances, so they may circulate in the body for longer.

No one yet knows what effect genetic engineering may have on food products and the health of those who consume them. The best way to protect yourself and your baby from possible problems is to choose organic. Organic foods are produced without genetically modified ingredients.