We all know the old saying “breasts are the best”, but not all moms follow this advice. The good news is that you’re not alone: Most U.S. moms use infant formula to supplement or replace breastfeeding at 3-6 months of age.
Fortunately, there are high-quality, nutritious (FDA and USDA-compliant) organic infant formulas made in the USA and Europe to choose from.
Of course, you also want the formula to mix and settle easily, without bubbles or lumps, to show high acceptance, and to be free of gas, regurgitation, spit-up, constipation and colic. And don’t forget about fair prices!
The demands are high, and very few formulas are able to meet the needs of discerning parents. Here’s our list of recommendations.
1. HiPP Combiotic Dutch Formula, Stages 1-3
HiPP stands out for its high sensitivity and tolerance to infants who have difficulty digesting other infant formulas, making it a game-changer for babies with sensitive stomachs. HiPP Combotic formulations are all made in Germany, but Dutch, British and German varieties are available. They are all slightly different and we highly recommend the Dutch version (see here). HiPP Dutch is a certified organic formula based on skim milk and lactose that contains prebiotics (plant fiber) and easily digestible probiotics, Omega-3 (DHA, ALA) and Omega-6 (ARA, LA) fatty acids, and uses a blend of whey powder (and whey protein) as well as vegetable oils (palm oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil). Similar to mature breast milk, whey has a ratio of about 75/25 to casein and contains a culture of lactic acid bacteria (B. lactis) that helps reduce colic and irritability (according to published research).
What’s even more striking is that the formula does not contain: starch, gluten, maltodextrin, processed sugar solids, artificial preservatives or vitamins/minerals, soy (stages 1-2), or genetically modified ingredients. It’s a very well-rounded infant formula that’s revered around the world for its macro and micronutrient content, and is often recommended by pediatricians and infant feeding specialists for the little ones with sensitive stomachs (be sure to consult your pediatrician first!). The lower lactose content and the addition of prebiotics and probiotics make it the best choice for sensitive infant formula, while also making it relatively complete in terms of nutritional value.
The HiPP formula does contain some palm oil (as well as canola oil and sunflower oil). Palm oil is commonly used in infant formula to provide palmitic acid in breast milk, however, some parents prefer other oils. As the most popular organic infant formula on the market, you probably won’t be surprised, as Hipp Combiotic is a bit expensive, costing around 23 cents per ounce of formula (or $1.70 per ounce of formula).
2. Kendamil Organic Formula, Stages 1-3
Founded in 1962, Kendamil is one of the oldest infant formula companies in Europe with a long and reliable history of producing high-quality infant formula. They first introduced this organic formula in 2018, and shortly thereafter, the World Quality Appraisal Conference awarded Kendamir the Gold Medal as the best organic infant formula in the world, a name you might recognise from the name used by royalty (the Duchess of Cambridge fed Kendamir to Prince Louis)!
It’s the only full-fat formula on our list, and it doesn’t contain any of the nasty ingredients we wish to avoid: gluten, soy, palm oil, cane sugar, corn syrup, or maltodextrin. Whole milk as the first ingredient, Omega-3 (DHA, ALA), Omega-6 (LA), amino acids, prebiotics (GOS from milk), inositol and choline. The fat comes from sunflower, coconut and canola oils and does not contain any palm or soybean oil. In addition, we like that it contains a milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) like breast milk, which is associated with healthy brain development and cognitive outcomes in children.
The formula mixes well with warm water without any lumps, lathers, or excessive foam. However, it’s worth noting that full-fat infant formula can be a bit difficult to digest, especially for babies with the most sensitive abdomen.
3. Holle Bio Infant Formula, Stages 1-3
Holle Formula (pronounced “hoe-lay”) is produced by one of the world’s oldest and most respected infant formula companies, with over 85 years of experience producing non-GMO organic baby food. Based in Switzerland, they work directly with the best organic ingredient suppliers in Germany and carefully track the sourcing, sustainability, and quality of each ingredient in infant formula. The ingredients come from Demeter Biodynamic Farms, which hold the highest sustainable agriculture certification in Europe and contain no chemicals and synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. It’s an organic infant formula that makes you really feel good.
The Holle Bio range has two stages of infant formula: Holle Pre and Holle Stage 1, both of which are suitable for use after birth. It also contains what the company calls “follow-up milk” (stages 2-4). Each contains no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, thickeners, sweeteners, or chemicals. The cow version contains organic whole (Pre) or skimmed (Stage 1+) milk and whey powder as the first two ingredients, followed by organic vegetable oils (palm oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil) and vitamins and minerals.
Holle Pre is very easy to dispense and mix, and it shows a very high acceptance rate even for predominantly breastfed infants, which makes it one of the best options for transitional formula or parents who need to switch between breastfeeding and breastfeeding. We have found very few cases of gas, spit-up, regurgitation, or other gastrointestinal discomfort in babies who use this formula, and we know that many parents use it on the recommendation of their pediatricians. We love that it contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 (LA, ALA, and DHA) and that the nutritional content meets US recommendations (USDA, FDA). First of all, it contains palm oil and canola oil (some people think that palm oil can cause some gas in babies with sensitive stomachs) and canola oil (canola oil that is higher in canola acid). Second, it’s as expensive as other European formulas, costing around 29 cents per ounce (or $2.05 per ounce). Luckily, this European infant formula is available in the United States from certain online stores such as The Milky Box, so the price is cheaper than before.
4. Aussie Bubs Organic Infant Formula, Stages 1-3
Operation Fly Formula has opened up new international formula options for the U.S. market, including the very popular Australian Bubs. The name may have revealed that Bubs is made in Australia, but did you know that the milk it uses comes from free-range grass-fed cows in New Zealand, is FDA-approved for sale in the United States, and has an office from San Francisco?
Bubs has a very strict certification process in place to ensure that farms, cows, milk, and all other ingredients are responsibly sourced and free of harmful contaminants. It’s also certified organic by NASAA and ACO, uses milk from New Zealand free-range and grass-fed cows, and doesn’t contain any of the harmful substances we want to avoid: artificial colors or flavors, maltodextrin or edible starch, preservatives, gluten, palm oil, or any added cane sugar or corn syrup.
What it has is a group of premium ingredients, including prebiotics (GOS), probiotics (Bifidobacterium longum), amino acids, and biotin. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are carefully combined to meet FDA and USDA guidelines while maintaining the ideal 60:40 whey to casein ratio (just like breast milk!). In our tests, the Bubs formula was very easy to formulate and blended perfectly with room temperature water, without seeing any excess bubbles, foam, or lumps. Test babies at 2 and 8 months of age loved Bubs and received it like a regular bottle (or chest!) and did not show any signs of gastrointestinal upset (hiccups, spitting up, regurgitation, constipation, etc.). This may not be the perfect infant formula for your family if you avoid soy, but other than that, we think it’s a great new addition to our list. The price is excellent relative to quality, costing around 20 cents per ounce of formula (or $1.42 per ounce of formula).
5. Bobbie Organic Infant Formula
Bobbie has made a splash among discerning parents with its European-inspired formulas, organic and non-GMO ingredients, and superior nutritional content. Based in San Francisco and founded by two moms, Bobbie released their first infant formula early last year. Bobbie formula is designed for infants aged 0-12 months and is suitable for both supplemental and exclusive formula feeding. It’s made in the USA, which means it’s not only USDA Organic certified, but it’s also regulated by the FDA (most European formulations aren’t regulated by the FDA).
The first ingredient in Bobbie’s formula is organic lactose, which also contains organic skim milk, organic high-oleic sunflower or safflower oil, organic canola oil (they replaced soybean oil with canola oil in 2023), organic whey protein concentrate, organic coconut oil, and organic linoleic acid (sunflower or safflower) oil. Just like human breast milk, Bobbie formulas use lactose as the main carbohydrate and maintain an ideal 60:40 whey-to-casein ratio. It also meets US and EU requirements for DHA (Omega 3) content, iron content, and vitamins and minerals. In addition to DHA, it also contains ALA and LA as additional essential fatty acids. Bobbie formula does not contain the following ingredients: palm oil, gluten, maltodextrin, starch, sucrose, dextrose or corn syrup solids, or many other questionable ingredients.
Almost every family that has tried Bobby will fall in love with everything about it. Not only is it made in the USA with excellent ingredients and nutrients, but it’s also easy to order, prepare, and use online. The Bobbie ordering process is one of the best we’ve ever seen, designed to give you all the information you need so you can make an informed decision about how much to order, when to order, and how much to feed your baby. They have monthly subscription plans, which are among the easiest and most flexible plans we’ve ever used, and you can expedite or delay shipping at the touch of a button. Bobby is owned and operated by moms, which is reflected in the way they handle customer service.
It’s certainly more expensive than most other U.S. infant formulas, costing around 25 cents per ounce of pre-made formula (or $1.80 per ounce), similar to European formula prices. It’s also not the best option for more sensitive tummy, as whey protein isn’t partially hydrolyzed (see our new Bobbie Gentle Formula review!), and it contains no prebiotics or probiotics (other than ingredients naturally found in skimmed milk) to aid digestion.