To that appointment when your baby becomes of ‘eating age’ and your doctor says, “ok, they can eat solids now”. They never seem to exaggerate or expound on what exactly “eating solids now” means. They just suppose that we all know? And then if you continue to question, they quickly say, “oh just feed them whatever you eat.” Somehow they leave out all the…dont forget to’s like…puree for easy swallowing, watch out for choking hazards, avoid honey due to risk of botulism, avoid peanuts/nuts for a few months, don’t give them milk yet, avoid processed foods that contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, etc. They somehow expect you, as a first time mother/or second or third time mother, to already remember AND know all the baby feeding do’s and don’ts. So I, the mother, went blindly to the baby isle of the store and shoveled in the expensive squeezies and jars and hoped for the best that my tiny human would eat it and sleep through the night.
When Jude was a baby, I bought squeezies because thats all I knew! And then one day when I ran out and was too lazy to go to the store, i realized that the baby people were ripping me off. They were just pureeing plain old plain vegetables, adding water and possibly more fruit than vegetables…and stuffing them into little pouches. I do admit that the pouches are really handy for on the go. But for when at home, no need for me to pay for pouches to eat at HOME. I can now save the pouches for outings and make the same things to eat at home.
Now that I have another tiny human, I decided that making baby food for sweet theo would be a great idea. Also, by making it myself, i can decide what ingredients to put in and how much of what to put in.
Its soooo easy, there is no secret. Steam vegetables and/or fruit, puree and pour into containers to freeze for later! When its time to use, simply dethaw and add formula/breastmilk to mix it up!
Here are some of my favorite combinations: (when i run out of ideas, i go to the major squeezy brands and just buy those ingredients).
Carrot Applesauce:
1 bag organic carrots
1 bag organic apples
Spinach Pear: (good for those tiny bowels who need a little help moving)
1 bag organic spinach
1 or 2 oragnic pears, chopped
Green Bean Cottage cheese:
1 bag organic beans (or fresh)
1/2 container Organic full fat cottage cheese
Chicken thighs and cottage cheese:
1 package chicken thighs
1/2 container cottage cheese
Sweet potato sweet pepper:
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
If using apples, no water needed. Just place chopped apples in saucepan and top with lid. Cook on low heat. The moisture will be drawn out of the apples and you will be blown away how instant watery applesauce is made!!! BUT you have to watch it, because if it cooks too long, especially without a lid, the liquid will evaporate. Anything that has liquid to it, no need to add any extra. (i.e.: cottage cheese, apples, pears). You just need to be sure there is enough fruit and it is cooked at a slow rate with the lid on. When sautéing spinach, I usually add 1 tablespoon of water. Cook until soft and tender. Puree and freeze.
—All pediatricians have their age recommendations on when to start what foods. Some recommend introducing 1 food every 2 weeks. (Yikes that would take you years to introduce 10 foods) and others say to blend up whatever foods you eat. (6 months is maybe a tad bit too early for chicken tikka and chipotle if you ask me). I have tried to go a little in between the 2 exotic ideas. Keep in mind, I also have never had a child who is allergic to any foods so I don’t have that experience to lean on either.
I usually start with the most nutritious vegetables and fruits. Those containing the best fats (avocados, full fat cottage cheese, full fat plain yogurt etc), and those with the most fiber (pears, peaches, plums, prunes, apples etc) and those with good sources of iron (spinach, animal liver, cream of wheat etc). Iron is important because babies who are breastfed tend to be low in iron.
Ok, don’t forget, i’m no pediatrician. This is just what I tend to start with… My only real standing platform is I try to buy certain fruits and vegetables organic. I’ve done a little research over the years, and I have found that ‘the people’ say, “yes you should buy organic” to a certain couple of various fruits and vegetables. Google it and read it yourself. There are a common handful. Most of them tout that there are about 12 to 19 items that should be eaten Organically. And then ‘they’ also say there are about 10 that DONT need to be organic. (i.e.: the skin is thick and isn’t affected by the various abx and pesticides that are used). I don’t know, who are these people that we listen too anyway. However, I will say when your chicken breast is the size of your childs noggin, i think its safe to say they have something to listen too.
Point being, the handful of items that I try and buy organic are…dairy, meat, spinach, apples, bell peppers, pears, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and other leafy greens. And for the most part, all of these are not that much more expensive and easily found.
Ok i’m off my soap box. bottom line. homemade baby food. Its great if your child gets fruits and vegetables AT ALL -organic or not. period. I’m done.
happy babies. maybe one is saying…”oh mom, are you saving me now?” yes theo, i’m saving you. thanks for playing along.
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