Baby Food

Starting solids has been a big topic on the mommy board I frequent. So, I decided to go ahead and post all about making Eddie's baby food.

First, let me say that I chose to make baby food because I have worked so, so hard to give Eddie exclusively breast milk. I am so proud to say that he has never had a single drop of formula. I love that my little man is still so pure - I know that what is going into his body is natural and organic. I wanted the same thing when we started solids. Packaged baby food is full of fillers and preservatives, making it able to stay on the shelf for 2 YEARS. That freaks me out. I want my son's veggies to taste like real veggies - his fruits to be sweet and fresh. I know I've said that I make his food to save money. And yes, I do save money doing so....but, I must say that I would make his own baby food even if it cost more than the packaged food. I would do it to know that I continue to give my son the best. And it is so easy! Don't be intimidated!!

Now, lets get started! Make sure that you have (a) Steamer (b) food processor (or blender or stick blender) (c) ice cube tray. That's it! Super easy. I also got a book (Top 100 Baby Food Purees) but also learned from wholesomebabyfood.com. I like having the book next to me as I do it, just so I can quick reference how long I should steam, how long I can store, etc.

.....a great help

Now, I'm not going to over complicate this. It isn't rocket science and you don't need to go to culinary school. You steam....puree....freeze. How easy is that?!?! Once frozen, I just separate into ziplock bags marked with the fruit or veggie and the day I made it. Some items are best if you make on demand or freeze right away such as bananas (I waited too long to freeze and had to toss), avocados and papaya. The ice cube tray puts the food into a perfect portion to start with and you can increase the number of cubes as necessary. I just pop the cube into the microwave just long enough to mildly heat it (be sure to mix it well to avoid hot spots) and start with a bottle first. Eddie normally takes about 6 ounces with a bottle, so for our solid feeding time (usually around lunch time) I give him 3-4 ounces and then do the solids.

....mmmmm carrot cube

Once your baby gets used to each food (making sure you wait 3-5 days between each new item to check for allergies) you can get creative. Annabel Karmel suggests Trio of Root Veggies (sweet potato, carrots, parsnip), Apple and Pears with (or without) Cinnamon. For the record, Eddie has tried (with success) carrots and pears, both mixed with rice cereal. After 2 days on each, he would take the fruit/veggie on its own, but I still mixed it with the rice. We have also tried (without success) oatmeal. The oatmeal gave Eddie some severe constipation, which stopped the day after we stopped giving it to him. I have read online (dr. google!) that the gluten in oatmeal can cause this in babies younger than 6 months, so I am avoiding it for a while. Everyday I look forward to meal time - I love hearing the noises Eddie makes while he eats, his face when he tries new things and just soak up every minute of it.

There is no doubt that starting solids is a fun new development in your baby's life. Be sure to have your camera ready - there are tons of things to document! While you are beaming with pride as you watch your little one discover new things, why not be proud of yourself as well? You will be surprised with how good you feel knowing that you made their food! If you're still asking yourself "why", ask yourself "why not?". Let me know if you have any questions - believe me when I say that this is pretty fool proof.

.....see? I told you...cute pictures.

-maggie