6 Best Baby Formulas of 2024, According to Experts and Parents

This organic infant formula company was started by an Irish-American mom who was frustrated with the quality of formula in the U.S. The brand prides itself on thoughtfully-sourced ingredients and provides a higher level of DHA, an essential nutrient to support developing babies' brains, than is found in any other U.S. formula (20mg/100kcal) to meet EU standards. In addition to being organic, Bobbie was also the first ever infant formula to receive the Clean Label Project Purity Award and a certification as a Pesticide-Free product. Plus, it's free from palm oil and corn syrup.

One parent told us that their baby's reflux significantly improved on Bobbie, and another added that they loved that the subscription component eliminated the hassle of having to find formula at the store. But if you prefer shopping in stores, you can find Bobbie at some Target locations. Although it is one of the more expensive items on this list, our pros say there is no denying the top quality of Bobbie's formulation. The brand also just released a new Organic Gentle option that meets all FDA requirements and several EU benchmark guidelines too.

Our pros were impressed by this generic store-brand formula that contains multiple HMOs, a type of prebiotic important for immunity that is found in breastmilk, and other compounds to support baby's digestive tract. The blend comes in at one of the most affordable prices per ounce and still meets FDA requirements, packing in DHA, lutein and vitamin E for baby brain and eye development. The formula is also free from palm olein oil and is made with non-GMO ingredients.

A parent shared with us that this formula significantly reduced their little's acid reflux. Another loved that it offered high quality nutrition but was significantly less expensive than the big brands. The option is only available at Walmart but can be purchased in store or online.

During the infant formula shortage, Kendamil was among the first international suppliers approved by the U.S. administration as part of Operation Fly Formula. Although the brand is new to many Americans, it has been around for 60 years. Their formula is fully compliant with FDA's nutrition standards and has a few key characteristics that set it apart from others on this list. Parents we spoke to that switched to Kendamil during the shortage ended up sticking with the brand moving forward since they were so impressed by the quality.

The brand uses whole milk, which they claim is a more natural fat source for babies and allows them to reduce the amount of vegetable oils in the formulation. Free from palm oil, the brand sources their omega-3 (DHA) from marine algae which keeps the product vegetarian. This formula is also free from corn syrup, maltodextrin and soy. Kendamil manufactures conventional and organic formulas. Choosing organic is an option for parents who are looking to minimize their baby’s exposure to certain preservatives and additives, but pediatricians we consulted said that there may not be a huge nutritional difference between the two (more on that later).

Free from artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, Earth's Best line of infant formulas includes dairy, sensitivity and gentle. They not only meet the U.S. FDA's nutritional requirements and regulations, but they are also USDA Organic. This iron-fortified option also contains DHA, ARA, lutein for eye health and prebiotic fiber for digestion. Our pros appreciate that the formula is produced with milk from cows that are humanely raised and not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones. "Once we started using Earth’s Best, we no longer had to use gas drops like we did with his previous formula," one mother that we spoke to said.

Earth's Best shared with Good Housekeeping that they maintain rigorous internal standards and testing procedures to ensure their products meet the current national and international food guidelines. They work collaboratively with suppliers and associations from the food sector to continuously refine and improve upon the standards to ensure their products exceed safety and nutrition standards — including reducing the levels of heavy metals that occur naturally in soil and water. While the option is free from added corn syrup solids, it does contain palm oil and soy. That being said, it comes out to a moderate price point per ounce compared to other more expensive organic options.

Free from artificial growth hormones and corn syrup, Baby's Only sources high quality organic ingredients in this premium formula that is the brand's closest formula to breast milk. The product meets U.S. federal formula requirements like all other American formulas on the market, and includes important vitamins and minerals like iron and choline to support brain development, vitamin D for immune support and calcium to help build strong bones. Parents that we spoke to who use the formula with their children said they appreciated the brands emphasis on heavy metal testing and loved that the organic option is free from palm olein oil.

Our pros also point out a medically supervised study founded by the company where they monitored infant growth for the first month of life in over 200 infants and saw that babies fed this formula grew similarly to breastfed infants. The product is also recognized for purity by the Clean Label Project and the brand is passionate about testing its formulas every time for heavy metals, salmonella, cronobacter sakazakii and other pathogens. It can be difficult to find in stores but is typically available online. It's also a lower cost per ounce for organic formula than others we evaluated.

The Australian-made brand offers a variety of high-quality grass-fed cow and goat milk formulas that are similar to European style recipes. Not only do their formulas meet FDA requirements for an iron-fortified formula, but the offerings are free from corn syrup, maltodextrin and growth hormones and are made with full-fat milk. This pick as also also earned a Clean Label Purity Award, which means they were tested for 400+ contaminants, heavy metals and more and meets high quality standards.

While the cow's milk options may be a natural fit for many, their goat milk offerings are designed to support gentle digestion for sensitive tummies and contain naturally occurring A2 goat protein. This blend also contains omega-3 (DHA) and omega-6 (ARA), plus prebiotics (GOS) to provide premium nutrition and has a stage 2 formulation for infants 6 to 12 months old. Bubs was also one of the trusted brands that came to the rescue during the infant formula shortage last year as part of the Operation Fly Formula mission.