Best 9 Generic Similac Advance & Pro Advance Formula (Cheap!!)

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Feeding your baby a Similac Advance or Pro Advance formula can be very expensive. Especially, Similac Advance is two times more expensive than the generic advance formula. Furthermore, this formula could be on recall. Switching to generic brands is the best decision since they are approved by the FDA.

In this post, we’ll see the best generic brand of Similac Advance & Pro Advance formula, as well as how to switch from a name brand to a generic one. Stay with me!

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What are the Generic Brands of Similac Advance & Pro Advance Formula?

There are 9 generic Similac Advance & Pro Advance formulas, that you can switch to with no health issues and save you money:

  1. Always My Baby Advantage HMO
  2. Parent’s Choice Advantage
  3. Parent’s Choice Infant NonGMO
  4. Tippy Toes Advantage Premium
  5. Tippy Toes Infant
  6. Up & Up Advantage Formula
  7. Up & Up Advantage Premium
  8. Up & Up Powder Infant Formula
  9. Well Beginnings Advantage HMO

I’ve done a comparison in this table between Similac Advance and store brands in terms of ingredients and price :

Generic Similac Advance & Pro Advance Formula

Where to Buy Them?

FormulaWhere to Buy?
Similac AdvanceBuy HERE
Similac
Pro Advance
Buy HERE
Always My Baby
Advantage HMO
Buy HERE
Parent’s Choice
Advantage
Buy 12.4 oz

Buy 36 oz
Parent’s Choice
Advantage (23.2 oz)
Buy HERE
Parent’s Choice Infant
Non-GMO
Buy HERE
Tippy Toes
Advantage Premium
Buy HERE
Tippy Toes InfantBuy 22.2 oz

Buy 35 oz
Up & Up
Advantage Formula
Buy HERE
Up & Up
Advantage Premium
Buy HERE
Up & Up
Powder Infant Formula
Buy HERE
Well Beginnings
Advantage HMO
Buy HERE
All Similac Advance generic brands with ingredients, price comparison, and where to buy. (Similac Advance vs generic brand)

All these generic Similac Advance & Pro Advance use nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate, the nonfat milk (skim milk) is cow milk where the fat has been removed.

All generic Similac Advance & Pro Advance formulas have palm oil as a fat source except “Always My Baby Advantage” and “Up & Up Advantage Premium” formulas. Thus, if you aren’t comfortable with palm oil these two formulas will be the best choice.

Palm oil reduces calcium and fat absorption which makes the stool a little hard and can lead to constipation. However, if your baby is thriving and has no pain during BM; don’t be concerned about it.

As you can see, some generic Similac Advance formulas use the 2′-FL HMO prebiotic (2′-fucosyllactose) which is a plus for the generic brands. Whereas, Similac Advance doesn’t use this prebiotic.

Related: Similac Advance vs 360 Total Care: Which One is The Best?

Similac Advance vs Similac Pro Advance:

The only difference between Similac Advance and Pro Advance is the 2’FL – HMO prebiotic existing in the Pro version, except that, they are the same!!

« HMOs are special prebiotics found naturally in a mother’s breast milk. They are the most abundant solid ingredient in breast milk after fat and carbohydrates. In breastfed babies, HMOs are scientifically shown to positively affect the microbiome. » says nutritionnews.Abbott

The generic Similac Advance & Pro Advance brands are way cheaper; almost they cost half the price of name-brand formulas.

I did a full comparison between Similac Advance and Pro advance if you want to check.

How Much Money I Will Save On Generic Brands:

Generally, babies drink 25 oz of formula per day in the first 6 months, I wrote an article about how much formula should a baby eat (with a chart) if you want to check. Therefore, in one month your baby could drink up to 750 oz of formula.

Similac Advance costs 1.41$ /oz which is a total of 1057$ /month.

Up & Up Advantage Premium formula costs 0.68$ /oz which is a total of 510$.

You can save 547$ per month on generic Similac Advance formulas!! that’s 3300$ in 6 months, and 6500$ a year. Plus the reward programs of generic brands, that’s a lot of money!!

Related: 14 Easy Ways To Save Money On Baby Formula

What Enfamil Formula is Similar to Similac Advance & Pro Advance :

1- Enfamil NeuroPro Infant:

Enfamil neuro pro equivalent to similac advance
Image source: Target

In Enfamil Formulas, Enfamil NeurPro Infant is the equivalent of Similac Advance & Pro Advance because they use almost the same basic ingredients, except that Enfamil NeuroPro has some extra features.

Enfamil NeuroPro Advance’s protein source is composed of Nonfat milk, whey protein concentrate, and whey protein-lipid concentrate (a source of MFGM), the ratio of protein-casein is 60:40 which makes it easy to digest. The whey protein is digested quickly by the body. whereas, casein is not.

They have the same fat source except that Enfamil NeuroPro Infant does use palm oil which is annoying to some parents.

Enfamil NeuroPro Infant has three prebiotics: 2′-FL HMO, galactooligosaccharides, and polydextrose. Furthermore, it has MFGM (milk fat globule membrane) that has a lot of benefits for your baby, it protects against some infectious diseases. Also, some cognitive benefits (brain development).

The price of Enfamil NeuroPro Infant is 37.98 $ for a 28.3 oz can (1.34 /oz), and the rating is 4.8 out of 5 with 6712 reviews on Walmart.

I did a full comparison between Enfamil Neuropro and Similac Advance if you want to check.

2- Enfamil Infant:

enfamil formula similar to similac advance
Image source: Enfamil

Enfamil Infant formula is also equivalent to Similac Advance & Pro Advance, they have the same basic ingredients (protein source, fat source, carbs source) except that Enfamil Infant uses palm oil and galactooligosaccharides prebiotic instead of Short-chain Fructooligosaccharides prebiotic in Similac Advance.

The price of Enfamil Infant is 17.08$ for a 12.5 oz can (1.37 /oz), and the rating is 4.8 out of 5 (2970 reviews). You can buy it HERE FROM WALMART.

What Gerber Formula is Similar to Similac Advance & Pro Advance :

1- Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro Infant:

What Gerber Formula is Similar to Similac Sensitive
Image source: ubuy

In Gerber Formulas, the equivalent of Similac Advance & Pro Advance is Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro, they have almost the same basic ingredients except that Gerber does use palm oil and corn maltodextrin (the equivalent of corn syrup). Also, Gerber uses 100% whey as a source of protein without nonfat milk, whereas Similac uses a ratio of casein-whey.

The whey protein in Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro is broken into small pieces (hydrolyzed) to make it easy to digest.

Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro has the 2’FL-HMO prebiotic and B.lactis probiotic which is a plus for the Gerber brand over other brands.

The price of Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro is 24.98$ for a 20 oz can (1.25 /oz), the rating is 4.6 of 5 (983 reviews), and you can buy it HERE FROM WALMART.

2- Good Start Gentle:

Image source: empow

You can buy Gerber Start Gentle as equivalent to Similac Pro Advance and Advance because they have the same basic ingredients. However, Gerber has palm oil and corn maltodextrin in this formula which is annoying to some parents. But it’s not always the case.

I have done a full comparison between Similac Pro Advance and Gerber Good Start Gentle if you want to check.

Gerber Start Gentle uses 100 % whey protein as a source of protein that is broken into small pieces (hydrolyzed) to make it easy to digest.

Gerber Good Start Gentle also has the 2’FL-HMO prebiotic and B.lactis probiotic.

The price of Gerber Good Start Gentle is 18.78 $ for a 12.7 oz can (1.48 /oz), the rating is 4.6 of 5 (1144 reviews), and you can buy it HERE FROM WALMART.

Related: Best 9 Generic Gerber Good Start Gentle Formula (Cheap!!)

Is It Safe To Switch From Name-Brand To Generic Formula?

Yes, it’s safe to switch from name-brand to generic formula; they have the same nutrient value and the same quality ingredients. They are approved by the FDA and have solid research behind them. Moreover, pediatricians recommend using generic formulas in case of formula recall.

It’s recommended to choose the right generic formula, especially for non-standard formulas. For example, the right generic formula for Similac Advance & Pro Advance must have nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate as a source of protein.

Related: Best 6 Generic Brands For Similac Total Comfort Formula (Cheap!!)

How to Switch to a Generic Formula?

There are two ways to switch to a generic formula :

Switching for financial reasons :

In case of switching to a generic brand for financial reasons, pediatricians recommend switching gradually to get the baby used to the new taste. First, start with a bottle of three parts old and one part new until your baby accepts that, then move to half-and-half, and so on until the baby takes 100% of the new generic formula. Try to make this transition over 1 to 2 weeks.

« I usually recommend families don’t switch often. Let time unfold and give your baby a chance to settle in. Don’t react to every single poop. Give your baby a week or two on a formula before you give up or reach for a new can » says Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson pediatrician and chief medical officer of SpoonfulONE.

It can take up to 1 week for the baby to adjust to the new formula. If bad reactions persist over 10 days, switch to another generic formula or go back to your old formula until you find a new one.

It’s recommended to buy a small generic formula can until noticing that the baby shows no bad reactions.

Pediatricians recommend stopping feeding the new formula to the baby if you see bad reactions such as blood in the baby’s poop or breathing trouble.

Related: HiPP Combiotic VS Similac Advance & Pro Advance: Which One is The Best?

Switching Cold Turkey :

Due to formula recall, many parents couldn’t find their favorite formula. Thus, the only way to switch is the cold turkey transition.

Pediatricians ensure that is safe to switch formulas cold turkey since the new formula has the same basic and quality ingredients. The most important thing to consider is the protein and carb sources must be the same. When comes to formula transition; babies are doing great don’t be concerned.

Can You Mix Generic And Name-Brand Formula?

Yes, you can mix and match generic and name-brand formulas as long as you are following standard mixing instructions. However, make sure they have the same basic ingredients (protein source, carbs source).

Exchange Size For Similac Advance 12.4 oz :

“Please note that due to availability concerns we have added larger container sizes than what is typically WIC-approved. If you are purchasing a larger container size, you will notice that your WIC benefits will appear to remove more formulas than may be expected. This is due to the container size. You will still receive a similar quantity of formula.” source: portal.ct.gov

The exchange size for similac advance Substitute Formula

To understand better this exchange size, I will give you an example:

  1. A person has 8 cans of Similac Advance (12.4 oz cans) on his benefit balance.
  2. He purchases 2 cans of the Up & Up Advantage Infant formula (23.2 oz cans).
  3. The remaining cans of Similac Advance he will have are 5 cans.
FORMULA ISSUED
(ON EWIC CARD)
Similac Advance
12.4 oz
FORMULA BALANCE
(ON EWIC CARD)
8 cans
FORMULA
PURCHASED
Up & Up Advantage
Infant (23.2 oz)
CANS
PURCHASED
2 cans
EXCHANGE SIZE1.5
TOTAL CANS
TAKEN OFF EWIC
CARD BALANCE
2×1.5=3
REMAINING
SIMILAC ADVANCE
BALANCE
5 cans

Conclusion:

Generic Similac Advance formulas will save you a ton of money and help in this formula shortage because there are a lot of choices. Moreover, there is no worry about switching to them either gradually or cold turkey because they have the same nutrient-value quality ingredients your baby needs, and they are recommended by pediatricians.

Furthermore, your baby will get the 2′-FL HMO prebiotic that is missing on Similac Advance, all that for half the price.

If you have problems with palm oil, Always My Baby Advantage and Up & Up Advantage Premium formulas will be the best choice for your LO.

If you have tested one of these generic brands, tell us your experience with it so that other moms can make a better choice.

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