After only a few months on the job, Gerber baby Zane Kahin has made some important moves in his role as “Chief Taste Tester,” when he tried solid foods for the first time. His assessment? Both Gerber Banana Puree and Sweet Potato Puree pass the test and make Zane, almost 7 months old, coo with excitement.
As parents Erin and Mike Kahin coax Zane into eating in the video, it’s clear that the infant, who also serves as the company’s “Chief Growing Officer,” approves. While he’s just getting the hang of eating, he babbles and waves his arms excitedly when he receives a bite. He’s a natural tastemaker.
Parents can join the Kahin family and Meghan Trainor's son, Riley, to show off their skill at eating solid foods as part of a new contest from Gerber. Participants can win free baby food for a year by sharing a picture or video of their little one trying their first solid food and tagging Gerber and using the hashtags #GerberMy1st, #sweepstakes.
Zane became Gerber’s newest baby in June when his parents learned of it during a surprise announcement on TODAY. The competition was tough. More than 90,000 babies competed for the prize. Zane’s entry, though, started as a lighthearted response to something the couple overheard. When he was born, a nurse told the Kahins that Zane was cute. A few minutes later, they heard the nurse telling another family how cute their baby was.
“We’re like, ‘Wait a minute. Is Zane really cute? Or is the nurse giving a rehearsed response to all parents?’ We had no idea,” Mike explained when he appeared on TODAY for the announcement.
Becoming the Gerber baby is certainly one way to settle it.
Zane’s win felt even sweeter because Erin worried that she wouldn't be able to naturally conceive. At 27, she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. After a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation, she wondered if she could become a mother, a dream of hers. After marrying Mike, she prepared for the possibility of fertility treatments. But the couple felt thrilled when she became pregnant with Zane without help.
“To our and our doctors’ surprise we got pregnant naturally and pretty quickly,” Erin explained during her TODAY appearance.
Along with Zane’s fancy new titles, the family won $25,000 cash, free Gerber products for up to 1 year and clothes from Gerber Childrenswear.
With his chubby cheeks and contagious giggle, Zane continues to bring joy to his family’s life and his good nature keeps everyone in stitches.
“He is a comedian,” Erin said. “He just wakes up laughing, like he will be kicking his legs, and just thinks everything is so funny. It’s just so infectious when he laughs.”