Introducing Solids to Your Preemie

Check out this great article about introducing solid to preemies from Wholesome Baby Food:



http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/news/2011/08/introducing-solids-to-your-premature-baby-an-informative-guest-post/



This article has some really important information to be sure your preemie gets the proper nutrition!

How Much Money Can Breastfeeding Save You?

Check out this great article on how much money breastfeeding can save you from Frugal Mama

Check this out-

• Studies have shown you can save $1000-$3000 per year by breastfeeding

• "In fact, there was a study last year, I think, that estimated if 90% of the mothers in the U.S. breastfed for six months, then the U.S. could save approximately 900 lives and about $13 billion in health care costs annually."  (http://www.frugal-mama.com/2011/08/how-much-breastfeeding-can-save-you-an-interview-with-andi-silverman-of-mama-knows-breast/)

WOW! Make your own baby food and skip the jars and rice cereal and save even more!

Substitutions for Wheat and Eggs for baby

A great article from Wholesome Baby Food about using egg and wheat substitutes for recipes.

"Using Substitutes for Wheat and Substitutes for Eggs in Baby's Food Recipes"

"Wheat and Egg substitutes may be an important part of an infants diet due to allergies or baby's age. There are babies may not be able to eat eggs or wheat in baked goods due to either their age or an allergy.

This page contains a compilation of egg and wheat substitutions for those infants who might have an egg allergy or a wheat (not a gluten intolerance) allergy.

What are good substitutes for eggs in baby's foods? Pioneer Thinking

• Ener-G Egg Replacer - follow directions on box.
• 2 tbsp corn starch = 1 egg
• 2 tbsp arrowroot flour = 1 egg
• 2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg
• 1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
• 1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
• 1 banana = 1 egg in cakes (using a banana may alter the taste of the baked good.)

ONE (1) egg equals any one of the following, simply mix together from Bread Beckers
2 Tbs. flour
½ tsp. oil
½ tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. liquid

• 2 Tbs. water
  1 Tbs. oil
  ½ tsp. baking powder

• 1 Tbs. flaxseed* (ground in coffee mill)
  3 Tbs. warm water

• 1 Tbs. gelatin or fruit pectin
  3 Tbs. warm water

Yogurt, mashed banana, applesauce, pumpkin, or other pureed fruit or vegetables are good replacements for eggs in muffins or cakes.

To replace eggs in casseroles, burgers, or loaves try mashed vegetables, tahini, (sesame seed butter) nut butters or rolled oats.

What can be used as a substitute for wheat flours for baby's foods?

Please note that the following flours are wheat based:
cake flour
durum flour
plain flour
self-raising flour
all-purpose flour
wholemeal flour
"gravy" flour (like Wondra in the U.S.)
graham flour


Using non-wheat flours 


If anyone in your family has a wheat allergy or a gluten intolerance, then you may already be cooking with non- wheat flours. Cooking with non-wheat flours is very tricky due to the lack of gluten in substitute flours. Gluten is what helps baked goods rise and gives them the lighter texture. Rice flour for example may yeild a more dry and crumbly baked good. You may need to add more liquid or egg yolks to make a more firm and "doughy" dough. Adding baking soda will also help. Note that baking soda may contain gluten so be sure to purchase a gluten-free baking soda. Mixing together different types of non-wheat flours will also give you a better texture and rise. Try using soy and rice or soy and potato flour to create 1 flour.


Wheat Flour Substitutes


The vast majority of baked good recipes call for all-purpose or wheat flour or wheat pastry flour. You may use an alternative flour. Whole wheat flour, specifically the gluten, makes baked goods more dense and helps some baked goods like breads rise. When you use an alternative flour, you will find the texture of baked good different if you are used to baking with all-purpose white flour or whole wheat flour.

• barley flour This has a mild flavor and works especially well in pancakes, cookies, and quick breads. Replace up to half of any wheat flour in a recipe with this. May contain some gluten.
• 
  
• buckwheat flour ( Buckwheat is NOT wheat ) YUMMY in pancakes. It tends to make baked goods heavier and stronger tasting. Replace up to half of the wheat flour in any recipe with this.
• 
  
• oat flour Great for quick breads and cookies. It makes baked goods moister, chewier, and more crumbly. May contain some gluten due to cross-contamination.
• 
  
• brown rice flour Brown rice flour is specially good for those with wheat allergies; replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this. Baked goods made with rice flour tend to be crumbly, so consider substituting a mixture of one part arrowroot or other thickener plus four parts rice flour. Adding more eggs is another way to reduce crumbliness. Since rice flour absorbs more moisture, you may need to add more liquid to recipe.
• 
  
• soy flour This is high in protein, but has a very strong flavor. Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour with this, then increase the liquid in the recipe and reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees. http://www.foodsubs.com/Flour.html#all-purpose

To help you bake gluten-free, the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchens developed a Gluten-Free Flour Blend. It’s easy to make and store, and has been used in many of these recipes with consistent and delicious results. It’s made with alternative flours that are easy to find in your supermarket:


Rice Flour - this alternative flour has neutral flavor and provides a light, somewhat sandy texture that is reduced when mixed with other substitute flours in baking.

Potato Starch - this is a fine, light powder that lightens baked goods and is also mixed with other alternative flours to achieve a satisfactory texture. Potato starch tends to clump, so always mix well for best results.

Tapioca Flour - this ingredient is also known as tapioca starch or manioc. This ingredient gives baked goods their desirable chewy texture and lightens them up. It also helps to give a lightly browned appearance to a crispy crust.

When you want to bake without gluten, use this mix for a variety of baking recipes such as cookies, cakes and quick breads.

Preparation time: 5 min Yield: 3 cups
2 cups rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Combine all ingredients in large bowl; stir.
Use mixture in baking recipes. Store mixture in container with tight-fitting lid"

(http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/wheatandeggsubstitutionsforbaby.htm)

A Quick Start Guide to Making Baby Food...

A GREAT article from one of my favorite baby food resources- Wholesome Baby Food:

"Wholesome Homemade Baby Food - A Quick Start Guide®©™"

"Homemade baby food is a simple, inexpensive way to feed your baby.  By making your baby fresh homemade baby food, you can offer your baby more flavors and variety and only the finest quality ingredients.

Tips for Safe Baby Food Preparation:

• Always wash your hands before preparing foods for your baby.
• Ensure your cutting board, utensils, pots and pans, processing equipment and storage containers have been thoroughly washed and cleansed.
• Wash, peel and pit fruits and vegetables as needed.
• Cover and refrigerate or freeze cooked food immediately once you have processed or prepared the food.
• Store pureed foods in the refrigerator for no more than three days.

The Tools You Will Need

• Blender, Food Processor, Food Mill/Grinder, Potato Masher, Fork, Sieve or Strainer
• Vegetable Peeler
• Pots, Pans and a Steamer Basket
• Ice cube trays or other freezer safe containers in small sizes (2oz-4oz)
• Freezer bags and permanent marker

Various Methods for Making Baby Food - Here are a few ways you can make homemade baby food.   

Mash It! 
Many foods can be mashed with a fork or potato masher.  Foods such as ripe bananas, avocados and soft cooked foods such as sweet potato, apples or squash can all be made with a fork or potato masher.  Using a fork or masher will depend on what type of texture your baby requires.

Use a Food Mill 
Cut the food into pieces. Put the cooked food through the food mill. (The skin and seeds will stay in the mill.)

Chop or Grate Baby’s Food
Foods can be finely chopped or grated (with a cheese grater), then mixed with liquid.  This is great for babies who are self-feeding.

Food Grinder
A food grinder can be used to grind up foods for your baby.  This is a simple way to prepare meats and more textured foods.  The food grinder is also great to take on vacation or when dining out with baby.  You can quickly and easily grind up fresh baby food in your hotel or at the restaurant.

Blender or Food Processor
Add your cooked food to your blender or food processor and blend to the consistency your baby requires.  If needed, add liquids such as breast milk, formula, water or the cooking water from the food you cooked to thin out the baby food.

Sieve or Strainer to Finish Homemade Baby Food
Many parents like to use a sieve or strainer to further thin homemade baby food.  These gadgets may be particularly useful for foods that have stubborn skins, such as peas and green beans. Put the food into the sieve or strainer and push it through into a clean bowl.  Repeat the process as many times as you need.

Storage Methods for Homemade Baby Food

An easy way to freeze homemade baby food is to use ice cube trays.
Freezing in ice trays will give you food cubes that are the perfect size.  These food cubes are also easily portioned. 
Each ice tray cube slot equals approximately 1 ounce of food.  Using the food cubes method, you will have minimal waste and will be able to “mix and match” foods for your baby. Remember to never freeze foods in glass that is not manufactured specifically for freezing!

How to make and store baby food cubes

• Spoon the baby food you made into ice cube trays using a clean utensil.
• Freeze baby foods in ice cube trays.
• Once the food cubes are frozen, pop them out of the trays and store in clean freezer bags.  Your food cubes will store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
• If you have difficulty popping out the frozen food cubes, simply run warm water on the underside of the tray to loosen the cubes
• Be sure to label your freezer bags of food cubes; include the date you froze them as well as the name of the food.

Heating and Thawing Methods for Homemade Baby Food

Here are a few ways you may thaw and heat homemade baby food. Baby food does not always have to be heated to be served.  Offering your baby a few meals that are room temperature will be helpful in the event you are out and unable to find somewhere to heat baby’s food!

• Microwave Thawing of Baby Food Purées - If you are using a microwave to thaw or reheat baby food cubes, be sure to stir food to ensure no hot-pockets are left to burn baby!  Many parents do not like to use the microwave for a variety of reasons. It is up to you to decide if heating or thawing your baby food cubes in the microwave is right for you and your baby.

• Refrigerator Thawing of Homemade Baby Food Cubes - If you do not wish to use a microwave to thaw your baby food cubes, you may thaw your baby food cubes in the refrigerator over night (ensure that the cubes remain a closed container and not in an uncovered bowl).

• Submersion Thawing of Baby Food Cubes - Place the frozen baby food cubes in a small bowl and then place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with hot water.

Basic Ways to Prepare Foods for Baby Foods

FRUITS (4)6 months +

For Fruits That Need to be Cooked
Wash the fresh fruit and peel and pit if necessary. Frozen fruits do not need to be washed however you may give them a quick rinsing.  Steam or bake the fruits until tender and soft.

Ripe Banana and Other Fresh Fruits
Ripe bananas and avocados do not require cooking.  Pears and peaches may not require cooking if they are fully ripened. Simply peel, pit and mash!

Using Frozen Fruits
If your choice of fresh fruits is not available, frozen unsweetened fruits may be used.  Give these frozen fruits a gentle steaming prior to pureeing and refreezing.  You may always take a handful of the fruits out of the bag and puree or mash them as needed; keep these prepared fruits in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.

VEGETABLES (4)6 months +

All Vegetables Should be Cooked
Wash the vegetables and peel and deseed if necessary.  Cook the vegetables by steaming or baking them.

MEATS AND PROTEINS 8 months+
Do not use lunch meats and do not use smoked meats such as bacon due to the high levels of salt and additives.

Basic Meat Recipe
Puree or grind 1 cup finely cubed and well cooked meat with as much liquid as needed to make a consistency your baby will tolerate.  Grating or shredding meats is an option for babies used to texture and finger foods.

Egg Yolk
Boil the eggs (they will spin when they are fully cooked) and then allow to cool.  Peel the shells and remove the cooked yolk; mash with a fork. Do not serve the egg white until baby is 12 months old."

(http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/homemadebabyfood-quickguide.htm)

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE SITE! It is the best!!!

From Wholesome Baby Foods

You all know that I love the website Wholesome Baby Food. They give so many great recipes and tips- it was my go-to site when I started making food for my son. I found an interesting article and thought I would share and see what you think about the topic!

(http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/babyledweaning.htm)

"What is Baby Led Weaning and is it the right approach to Introducing Solid Foods?

More and more parents are turning to "Baby Led" approach to weaning and introducing solid foods to baby. Many parents choose to offer their babies food that is puréed while others prefer to jump straight into "table foods". Introducing your baby to "table foods" rather than purees is what Baby led Weaning is all about.

What is Baby Led Weaning?

So what exactly is Baby Led Weaning as relates to solid food introduction?  In short, Baby Led Weaning (BLW) is skipping thin and runny purées and not feeding your baby with a spoon.

Baby Led Weaning means offering your baby (age appropriate) foods that are soft-cooked and cut or mashed into small easily manageable pieces. These foods are then given to your baby to eat.  You do the cooking, the dicing or mashing and the offering of the foods and your baby does the rest.  You may choose to offer your baby a large hunk of apple that she can easily hold and gnaw on or a bowl full of soft cooked mashed apples; the choice is yours. It is important to note that your baby should be in control of what he is eating and you should never put the foods into his mouth!

As with breastfeeding on demand, Baby Led Weaning is a method of introducing solid foods that leaves it up to your baby to decide what, when and how much to eat.  While not necessarily a "hands off" approach, Baby Led Weaning does advocate allowing your baby to make all food choices for him or herself.

Visit our new Baby Led Weaning Recipes and Food Ideas page!

Do I just give my baby the food and then "walk-away"?

Many who have researched BLW have the misunderstanding that the "hands off" approach means that there should never be any intervention by the parent.  This is a common misconception and one we feel is in need of clarifying. I have had many parents ask "how can I just give my baby food and then not help her eat it or feed her the food?".

While Baby Led Weaning does encourage the infant to lead the way, parents must realize that they need to help guide and direct their babies through the weaning process.  It might be easier to think of Baby Led Weaning as paying strict attention to your baby's cues rather than trying to establish set feeding schedules and set portion sizes. Watch your baby as she experiments with the food and if need be, show her how to guide the food to her mouth. You will not be spoon-feeding your baby, rather your baby will be feeding (or smooshing and squishing and tossing) herself. When it is time for introducing solid foods and weaning a baby onto solid foods, you must feel comfortable in the methods and the foods that will make up the introduction to solid foods.

As we noted in our How Much Should My Baby Eat? page, "following your baby's cues during feeding time will ensure that your baby is eating the proper amounts of food for him or her." You see, the majority of healthy babies will eat just the right amount of foods that they need.  Many who advocate Baby Led Weaning believe that babies who feed themselves early on are better able to control just what their bodies need to nourish them.

Offering your baby a well balanced diet of solid foods will help ensure that your baby is eating the right amount of the right foods. It is important to pay close attention to your baby's cues as your baby's feeding patterns will change daily and may be affected by the goings-on around him.  You do not want to accidentally override your baby's ability to self-regulate his or her feeding by continuing to try and feed your baby.  The Baby Led Weaning approach is much the same as we noted above. 

Is it dangerous to skip purées and begin with "table foods"?

The answer to the above question is both yes and no.  If you are delaying solid foods until after the age of 6 months old, then your baby may readily accept textures and "table foods".  On the other hand, if you are beginning solid foods between the age of 4 and 6 months old, it is highly unlikely that baby would be able to handle "table foods".  You should ensure that these foods are offered in a manner so as not to pose a choking hazard. 

Please keep in mind that all babies are different and will eat textures, bits and chunks of foods at their own pace.  For more information about solid food and weaning, read our Ready for Solids page.

Is Baby Led Weaning right for your baby?  

Visit these links to learn more:

Baby Led Weaning - "The Bible" that help start this approach(1)

La Leche League Discussion of BLW

IVillage - Mom or Baby Led Weaning?

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (U.K.)

We have received a few emails asking why our website has recipes for purees and why we are promoting baby food in purée format; purees are dangerous for babies they say. Baby Led Weaning is a great option for introducing solid foods to your baby! However, many advocates say that if you don't practice Baby Led Weaning, then a baby is just not learning to eat real foods. Real foods are prepared in your kitchen from fresh ingredients whether they are pureed or not, they do not come out of jars. Homemade baby food in puree form is real food as is "homemade baby food" in chunks, pieces, mashed bits, etc. Of most interest [and concern] is the assertion that if you feed your baby purees, then your baby will become ill, will not learn to chew and will become obese and constipated. After many days and hours of scouring through various medical resources such as the AAP, WHO and UNICEF, no studies or firm professional conclusions could be found that purees are dangerous for babies and feeding babies purees will lead to various and sundry complication"

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/babyledweaning.htm


So- after reading this- what do you think? Would you just skip straight to table foods or do you believe that purees are the way to go? For me, this offered great comfort because my son was never very interested in purees. He only wanted mama's milk and would only eat a few tablespoons of pureed food at each meal for several months. I fed him solids at 6 months, but at around 8-9 months, I just ditched the purees and gave him age-appropriate table foods. He ate much more and loved it! It worked out great for us and made me less nervous...it does seem strange to see a baby eating big people food.

Let me know your story!

Why you need to make your own baby food/snacks!

Here is a new study showing that packaged baby foods and toddler snacks contain way too much sugar.

Giving you yet another reason to make your baby food and only give your babies and toddlers healthy, non-packaged snacks!!

From CBC News (www.cbc.ca)

"More than half of baby and toddler foods at Canadian grocery stores have too many calories coming from sugar, according to a study by the University of Calgary.
The study focused on a new category of processed foods such as toddler cereal bars, cookies, fruit snacks and yogurts. It showed 53 per cent of these foods had more than 20 per cent of calories coming from sugar and some even had more than 80 per cent of calories from sugar.
Simple purées of fruits and vegetables for babies were not included.
"Particular irony resides in the fact that public policy initiatives are underway to put recommended limits on the consumption of added sugars for adults and also to encourage consumers to adjust their taste buds to lower sodium levels in packaged foods — all while some products aimed at babies and toddlers work to encourage children to develop a taste for sugar and salt," study author Charlene Elliott, a professor in the University of Calgary's communications and culture department, concluded in the Journal of Public Health.
People expect baby and toddler foods to be held to a higher standard, but the findings suggests that isn't necessarily the case, Elliott said Monday.
After examining sugar and sodium levels on 186 food products specifically marketed for babies and toddlers and sold at nine stores in Calgary, Elliott found:

• 40 per cent of products listed sugar — or some variant like corn syrup, cane syrup, brown sugar, or dextrose — in the first four ingredients on the label.
• 19 per cent listed sugar in some form as either the first or second ingredient.
• Baby and toddler foods were not found to be nutritionally superior in terms of sodium or sugar to their adult counterparts.
• Overall, sodium was not problematic, with 12 per cent of foods containing moderate to high levels of sodium.

The study showed 80 per cent of the calories in Gerber Graduates for Toddlers Mini Fruit (Apple) and President's Choice Toddlers' 100% Real Fruit Snack (Banana Mango) were from sugar. Heinz Blueberry Desert (Junior) contained the lowest amount, 58 per cent.

Snack training

What is particularly of concern for Elliott is that the toddler snacks start training children to want a treat at the end of meal, which even adults often have trouble resisting.
"The [Healthy Times Arrowroot] Premium Organic 1st Cookie for Toddlers seems to suggest that you should be giving your toddler a first cookie, which isn't necessarily the case, or isn't perhaps an ideal strategy," Elliott said.
Since there is no universally accepted standard on maximum levels of added sugars for very young children, it is difficult to assess sugar levels in baby and toddler foods, the study noted.
The findings show the importance of reading nutrition labels to see what is in the food parents are giving their children, said psychologist Dr. Liann Meloff of the Pediatric Weight Clinic in Calgary.
Juices and beverages, and infant formulas and infant cereals designed to be mixed with breast milk or water, were excluded from the study to focus on foods aimed at babies and toddlers, rather than infants.
"The majority of our jarred foods contain no added sugar or salt, but for the minority that do, reducing sodium and sugar is a key priority for us," Catherine O'Brien, director of corporate affairs at Nestlé Canada in Toronto, said in a statement to CBC News.
Gerber said its Mini Fruits are made of just dried fruits. For other snacks, the company said it's working to remove corn syrup and reduce all sugars from the foods, which are meant to be occasional desserts.
The study was funded by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest Canada.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/06/28/baby-toddler-food-sugar.html#ixzz0sD5yFnFB"

What to do with leftover frozen purees?

This is a great article!! When you start making food for your baby, you realize that it is easier to make a bunch and freeze it in those perfect little ice cube sized portioned...but what do you do when your baby has moved on to eating table food and you have a bunch of little food cubes in the freezer?

Thanks to the creative people at Wholesome Baby Food for these great suggestions!

"Fruit Baby Food Purees

• Use baby food fruit puree cubes for fruit spreads
• Mix the fruit puree cubes with yogurts or cottage cheese
• Add the fruit purees to Baby Meatballs
• Fruit purees make a wonderful addition to Rice Balls
• Use fruit cubes as dipping sauces for your baby’s finger foods
• Add some fruit cubes to a teething biscuit or bread recipe
• Mix extra veggie puree into baby pancakes or a natural Buckwheat pancake mix
• Add leftover fruit baby purees into baked goods recipes such as cakes and breads

Vegetable Baby Food Purees

• Use baby food vegetable cubes for “baby sauce” and pour over pasta and rice dishes
• Mix the veggie purees into Baby Meatballs and Rice Balls
• Veggie purees also make great dipping sauces for baby’s finger foods
• Add some vegetable cubes into a teething biscuit or bread recipe
• Veggie purees are nice to pour over bits of meats
• Mix extra veggie puree into baby pancakes or a natural Buckwheat pancake mix
• Add vegetable baby food purees into your homemade sauces and dips" (http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/news/?p=1249)

Do you have any other ideas??

Quinoa and Amaranth- Super foods

Quinoa  and Amaranth are wonderful grains that can be used for even the littlest babies! Rice cereal is an option, but it does not have the protein and vitamins that these two grains have. So, why not mix it up and try something new? You can find these at your local Whole Foods or other health/organic store and there are tons of ways to use this not only as a food for your baby- but in recipes for the entire family!

A Bit of History and Their Origins

Quinoa grain dates back over 5000 years especially in Andean areas in South America, which are now territories of Peru and Bolivia. The people considered it sacred and used in religious rituals.

It grows wild in the Andes at high elevations between 3000 and 4000 meters (10000 to 13000ft approx).
The Incas even called it the "mother grain" (not for less) for its importance of growing up in extreme conditions - a true gift from the gods!

Amaranth (Amaranto in Spanish) they're a generic world type of plants but I'll refer only to amaranth grain. They're very old, thousands of years and were used by the Aztecs for their rituals. The grains were crushed, mixed with honey and shaped to a form of gods, for use in religious ceremonies. Today is mainly found in small quantity in Mexico, Guatemala and Peru.

Super Cereals and Benefits

Actually, they're considered technically (pseudocereals) but isn't the case...

What is Quinoa or the Amaranth nutritionally?

• The main feature is their high proportion of protein up to 18% against 10-14% of classic cereals.
• Their proteins have high proportions of essential amino acids that the body does not produce, such as cysteine, lysine and methionine.
• Both wheat and rice are low in essential amino acids…the contrary to the quinoa or the amaranth oops!
• According to FAO and WHO these grains are almost perfect and balanced for its protein value (leaving behind to cow's milk, soy, beef, wheat and maize).
• They're richer in iron, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin E (and several more of the alphabet) than the conventional grains. An idea, a cup of quinoa has 51 mg in calcium to 28 mg of the classic cereals.
• 400 calories per 0,1 kg (0.2 lbs) - totally useful for kids, pregnant women and athletes.
• For cases of gluten-free diets (celiac disease) are absolutely perfect, hence the huge amount of gluten free food recipes available include them! Vegans delight as well and they're wonderful in healthy eating plans.

Read more: http://www.sweetsfoods.com/2009/01/quinoa-amaranth-grains-what-they-have.html#ixzz0mckuEYis

Save money making baby food!

I loved making my own baby food. I could introduce different flavors, textures and spices that I would not get with using jar food. I also believe it has made my son the FANTASTIC eater that he is today.

He eats foods that adults are shocked by- I hear "Oh my goodness, how did you get him to eat that?" or "I could never get my child to eat that",  all of the time! PLUS- it also SAVES YOU MONEY!!!

A website I LOVE that helped me with questions and gave me great recipes is wholesomebabyfood.com

On their blog- they have listed the savings of making your own baby food versus buying jar food.

(If you click on the picture- it should bring up a bigger image)

Thanks to Wholesomebabyfood.com for doing this research!


CLICK HERE to read the article and to download your copy today!

One of my favorite sites

When wanting to learn more about making baby food- I found this great website with lots of useful information.

http://wholesomebabyfood.com/



The site is not as user friendly as I would like, but if you spend some time clicking around, you can find almost any answer to any question you have. They talk about introducing foods, allergenic foods, storage, recipes with many different ingredients and even a chart showing how much you can save by making your own food.

(Click on the topics above and visit the links for GREAT info- even if you have already started solids or even if this is not your first baby.)

I still use it as a primary resource when wanting to know more about baby/toddler nutrition and highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Click here to visit Wholesome Baby Food!

Beaba Baby Cook

Today, on Arizona Midday, I had a wonderful time talking about making homemade baby food!

To make your own baby food, you do not need any fancy gadgets, but if you want to make the investment...the Beaba Baby Cook is the most amazing invention!

It is a steamer, reheater, defroster and food processor in one machine. It is incredibly easy to use and makes clean up simple. You can put the parts in the dishwasher and since it is all-in-one, you don't dirty several different dishes.

It is pricey, but you will get more than your money's worth and you can actually use it for other things. (Now that my son eats normal food, I use it as a food processor)

You can get it from Williams Sonoma, Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us and online at several different retailers. It is about $150

Click here to visit the Beaba website!

Watch me on Arizona Midday!

I am super excited because on Wednesday January 13th (tomorrow), I am going to be on Arizona Midday to demonstrate how to make homemade baby food!

Tune in to channel 12 between 1-2pm and check it out!

How to make baby food

So- you are about to get ready to serve your baby his/her first foods...and you are wondering...

"How do I start?", "Is it hard?", "Why not just buy jar food?"

These are some questions I had and have been asked of me since I have become a passionate baby food maker. My answer- it is the EASIEST, CHEAPEST and most FUN thing to do!

What you need:
* food (organic is best, if you can get it)
* steamer
* blender/food processor/hand masher/fork
* breast milk/water
* ice cube trays/special baby food storage trays

First, pick out what you want your child to eat and what is age appropriate.

Next, you need to cook it (if applicable). You can steam, roast, boil, bake...whatever you like. Each makes the food a little bit different tasting- so experiment. (Boiling does cause more nutrients to be lost than steaming. So if possible, steam your food). Play with texture and cooking times. At first, you will want the food as soft as possible until your child learns to swallow- but some babies are ready for more texture from the get go!

Last, mush it up! This is where you can be creative as well. Blending, processing, and hand mashing all create different textures. You will quickly learn what works best for you and your baby, and what he/she likes best.
In this step- depending on the food- you may need to add breast milk or water to get it the right consistency. (breast milk is best, especially if you are already nursing, because your baby already LOVES the taste! Plus, they will still get the benefits).

You are done!

Now, you can keep your food in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days and in the freezer for a month. Just put the extra in the ice cube/baby storage trays and cover. Once frozen, transfer into a plastic bag. Now, once you need the food, you can take out one cube at a time and warm up.
(Be careful when using a microwave- as it heats unevenly and can be a hazard to your baby). Reheating is better done over the stove- and ALWAYS check that it is not too hot!

HAVE FUN!!! Experiment and tell us about your experiences. If you have any tips- share them here too!

Look who loves breastfeeding & making baby food!

From her interview in W Magazine, Jennifer Garner discusses many topics including how much she loves giving her daughters healthy food!

"On being a mom to her two daughters: She calls breast-feeding “the coziest feeling in the whole world” and has bonded with the other moms at Violet’s school. “You feel so close to them so quickly because you’re going through the same thing,” she says. And then there’s the homemade baby food. “It’s a little over the top,” she admits. “And I tell myself, Just give her a jar of food and forget about it! Don’t be so precious! But it’s so easy—I just puree and freeze." (W Magazine 2009)

So- if a very busy working mom has the time to breastfeed and make her own baby food- anyone of us can too! Thanks for the inspiration and if you happen to see Jennifer Garner on the street- now you have something in common.