Has anyone seen a Gerber baby lately? This is your chance to show them off because Gerber is bringing back its annual photo contest in 2026 after skipping it in 2025.
But this year it's different than just highlighting chubby cheeks, rosebud lips and a delighted smile, because the contest, titled "2026 Gerber Photo Search: Behind the Baby," invites families to submit real-life moments capturing the joys of parenthood.
The 2026 Gerber Photo Search celebrates parents and everyday moments that often go unnoticed. To create your entry, you must take a picture of your child and write a brief story/essay about the moment captured in the photo and what about it captures the joy of parenthood and makes it special. ENTER HERE.
The contest is open to parents of children under 3 years old in the United States and Puerto Rico, with a new category for kids aged 3 to 5.
The last Gerber Photo Search in 2024 crowned Akil McLeod as the 2024 Gerber Baby, emphasizing the celebration of real family stories. As for the history of the iconic contest and how it has evolved over the years, Gerber says this:
"In 1928, Gerber held a contest to find a face to represent its baby food advertising campaign. Artist Dorothy Hope Smith entered her simple charcoal sketch of a tousle-haired, bright-eyed cherub of a baby with endearing pursed lips. In her entry, Smith noted that she would finish the sketch if she won. Her drawing competed with elaborate oil paintings, but the judges fell in love with the baby face Smith drew, and when they chose it as the winner, they insisted that the simple illustration remain a sketch. The image of this happy, healthy baby soon became the face that launched the brand, a face recognized across the globe.
"The Gerber Photo Search, as families today have come to know and love, was launched in 2010. Since then, this program has built on the legacy and celebration of families and babies from all backgrounds. As the world has evolved to support modern day parenting, our 2026 Photo Search reflects that and Gerber’s Parent-Friendly Pursuit by honoring babies from all backgrounds and spotlighting the parents that raise them."