Every brand of formula tells you they’re providing healthy, wholesome milk for your baby. But when you look on the back of a box of standard, store-bought formula? All you can see is additives with strange names and lots of confusing numbers.
You’re not sure that’s what you want for your baby…but how do you work out what to give them instead? Is organic formula really any different from those convenient store-bought brands?
Short answer: yes, it’s very different.
Long answer: it depends on the organic formula. Nearly all organic formula is more nutritious and closer to breastmilk than conventional brands, but not all organic formula is equal.
What’s different about European organic formula?
European organic formula brands have to meet the world’s strictest organic standards. That means they’re 100% free of harmful additives, GMOs, hormones and pesticides.
While most store-bought organic brands contain fewer additives than conventional formula, and some are GMO-free, they don’t have to meet the same tough European standards and are generally less natural and less nutritious as a result.
If you want to be sure your baby is getting natural, gentle, nutritionally complete milk that’s as close to real breastmilk as possible, European organic brands can provide it.
What’s really in your formula bottle?
Where does it come from and how is it made?
European organic formula brands (such as HiPP, Holle and Loulouka), have to meet the toughest organic regulations in the world in order to be certified. That means they’re always natural and sustainably produced (exactly what you’d expect from an organic brand).You’ll even be able to see, on the label, the exact farm your baby’s milk comes from (and all of them are sustainable farms grazed by happy, pasture-raised cows and goats).
And some formula brands go even further. German-made Holle meets the strict Demeter standard for biodynamic agriculture, so you know it’s been produced using traditional, planet-friendly farming methods. And Lebenswert is certified by Bioland – Germany’s oldest collective of organic producers.
How nutritious is it?
European organic formula brands use research-based recipes and natural ingredients to mimic breastmilk as closely as possible. That means the formula they produce is nutritionally complete, designed to give your baby everything they need to grow healthy and happy.Every milk in the My Organic Formula store {{link}} contains a balance of essential proteins, fats and carbs to provide optimum nutrition while being gentle and easy to digest.
What additives does it have
Store-bought formula (even if it’s organic) often contains hidden additives like corn syrup and soy that aren’t always FDA-approved. Not only are these often hard for little ones to digest, leading to unsettled tummies, they can stack up health problems and lead to obesity later in life.European organic formula is free for harmful sweeteners and artificial additives – so you know your baby is getting the best possible start.
We’ve put together this table to show you how the differences stack up...
| European organic | Store-bought organic | Conventional | |
| Guaranteed non-toxic? | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Guaranteed no harmful additives? | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Guaranteed GMO-free? | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Meets the worlds' toughest regulations? | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
European organic formula brands
While all European organic formula is natural, additive-free and nutritionally complete, not every brand or product is exactly the same. Just like conventional formula, organic formula brands come in different stages for babies from newborn, or older babies from six or 12 month plus.Most are made from cow’s milk, but some are goat’s milk formulas, which many babies find easier to digest. There are also speciality formulas for babies with allergies or intolerances, or who suffer from colic and unsettled tummies.
Quick brand guide
HiPP
Since then, they’ve grown to become a pioneer of organic farming, and all HiPP milk is still made using milk from pasture-raised German cows.
HiPP has three brands: German, Dutch and UK. All offer the same nutritious organic milk, with a few small differences in ingredients. HiPP German and Dutch milks include probiotics cultured from real breastmilk, and most HiPP German milks include organic starch to make them extra filling and creamy (great for hungry babies!).
HiPP also make a range of speciality milks for babies with colic, reflux and allergies.
Loulouka
The milk that goes into Loulouka comes from pasture-raised cows and goats that graze happily on the slopes of the Swiss Alps. When you choose Loulouka, you get an all-natural, farm-to-table formula with nothing but wholesome goodness in your baby’s bottle.
Holle
Holle is a giant of the organic formula world, with a wide range of both cow’s and goat’s milk formulas. Made with bioavailable carbs designed to keep even the hungriest babies fuller for longer, little ones and moms alike love Holle.
As well as meeting the EU’s rigorous standards for organic agriculture, Holle goes one step further, with all their milk coming from farms that meet the tough Demeter standard for biodynamic agriculture. If you’re keen to know that your baby’s formula has been produced as naturally as possible, Holle is one to choose.
Lebenswert
A newer brand that is part of the Holle group, Lebenswert produce all their milk on farms certified by the Bioland association, Germany’s oldest and most respected organic collective with thousands of members.
Nannycare
Nannycare is our only brand that exclusively sells goat’s milk formulas. Made from soft, creamy goat’s milk, Nannycare is a great choice for little ones with sensitive tummies or who suffer from an allergy to cow’s milk.
All Nannycare milk comes from pasture-raised goats that graze some of the world’s richest fields in New Zealand. It’s then carefully transported to the UK and made into formula in their dedicated facility.
Why choose My Organic Formula?
My Organic Formula was founded by parents who wanted to do everything they could to find the best possible nutrition for their baby. After a lot of research and late nights we hit on European organic formula.
Now, we make it easy for parents all over the world to make the same choice...without the long hours of research. We ship in 5 days to parents worldwide, with subscriptions available so you can get formula on autopilot, along with a discount.