I have a love/hate relationship with my babies starting solid foods. It's so messy. Even with bibs, the baby ends up wearing most of his meal. The floors are gross because food is flying everywhere. Diapers no longer smell sweet and innocent.
On the other hand, it's kind of fun, because it's another milestone of infancy, a completely new experience for your baby. I get a lot of pleasure out of food, and it's such a delight to get to introduce my baby to the world of food and discover what his likes and dislikes are.
I was not in a rush to start my youngest on "people food." I learned my lesson with the first two. Once you start solids, you can't go back. It complicates life. I can no longer live by my motto "Have boobs, will travel" because breastmilk alone doesn't cut it for "Sir Chunx A Lot" anymore. He still loves nursing, but he is one hungry boy that demands to be let in on the fun when he sees people eating. I caved and figured he was ready to eat when he started stealing food off my plate during meals. He would stare in awe at my fork as it traveled from my plate to my mouth, then give a little grunt as if to say, "I want that." The grunts quickly turned to screams, so we decided he was ready. He started on mashed banana and rice cereal mixed with some expressed milk, but he was quickly bored. I can't blame him! Before I knew it, he was eating three meals a day. It was time to put on my chef hat and make some baby food. I have made baby food for all three of my kids, and here's why:
On the other hand, it's kind of fun, because it's another milestone of infancy, a completely new experience for your baby. I get a lot of pleasure out of food, and it's such a delight to get to introduce my baby to the world of food and discover what his likes and dislikes are.
I was not in a rush to start my youngest on "people food." I learned my lesson with the first two. Once you start solids, you can't go back. It complicates life. I can no longer live by my motto "Have boobs, will travel" because breastmilk alone doesn't cut it for "Sir Chunx A Lot" anymore. He still loves nursing, but he is one hungry boy that demands to be let in on the fun when he sees people eating. I caved and figured he was ready to eat when he started stealing food off my plate during meals. He would stare in awe at my fork as it traveled from my plate to my mouth, then give a little grunt as if to say, "I want that." The grunts quickly turned to screams, so we decided he was ready. He started on mashed banana and rice cereal mixed with some expressed milk, but he was quickly bored. I can't blame him! Before I knew it, he was eating three meals a day. It was time to put on my chef hat and make some baby food. I have made baby food for all three of my kids, and here's why:
1. I have leanings towards being a crunchy, natural mama, and I like knowing exactly what my baby is eating. There are a lot of great organic foods on the market these days that are less processed than traditional jarred baby food, but I still like being in control over what goes into my sweet baby's system.
2. It's a lot easier and less time-consuming than you might think. I usually whip up a batch while I'm making dinner.
3. I believe it does a lot for a baby's palette. Which would you rather eat - fresh peas, or pureed peas from a jar? I like the idea of getting my children used to how "real" food tastes. I season their baby food with spices that I normally cook with, so that they get to experience a variety of flavors. They also quickly transition to eating whatever I'm serving for meals.
4. It's cheap! Contrary to what retailers want to you to believe, it doesn't require fancy equipment or storage devices or cookbooks. One large sweet potato might make 6-8 meals for my baby, which translates to costing much less than jarred baby food.
The Low-Down on the How-To
I usually begin with purees of the typical first foods for baby - bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, pears, blueberries, etc. Your pediatrician will likely give you reading material on starting solids somewhere around the 6-month well-baby visit, and a quick google search will turn up tons of websites to consult in a pinch if you're unsure of what your baby can dig into and what he might need to stay away from (like honey, for example). I should note that we don't have food allergies or sensitivities in our household, so I might be less conservative than some about the age I introduce foods.
What You'll Need:
4. It's cheap! Contrary to what retailers want to you to believe, it doesn't require fancy equipment or storage devices or cookbooks. One large sweet potato might make 6-8 meals for my baby, which translates to costing much less than jarred baby food.
The Low-Down on the How-To
I usually begin with purees of the typical first foods for baby - bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, pears, blueberries, etc. Your pediatrician will likely give you reading material on starting solids somewhere around the 6-month well-baby visit, and a quick google search will turn up tons of websites to consult in a pinch if you're unsure of what your baby can dig into and what he might need to stay away from (like honey, for example). I should note that we don't have food allergies or sensitivities in our household, so I might be less conservative than some about the age I introduce foods.
What You'll Need:
- microwave, oven, or stove top
- blender, food processor, or food mill
- ice cube trays
What to Do:
Some foods, like bananas and avocados need no special preparation. Simply mash them with a fork. Most fruits and veggies need to be cooked before they can be pureed, and you'll have to add some liquid to it to make it a soft, creamy consistency that's easy for your toothless (or nearly toothless) baby to enjoy. I usually steam fruits and veggies, but I bake things like sweet potatoes or acorn squash. For blueberries, I pour boiling water over them and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Put your cooked/steamed food in your food processor. Add a small amount of liquid. I like to use breastmilk to increase the nutritional value and add a familiar taste to the food, but you could use water (if you steamed or boiled the fruits or veggies, reserve the water you cooked them in for this purpose). I also add some brown rice cereal or baby oatmeal to thicken it and as added nutrition. Puree until you've reached the desired consistency, then pour/scoop into ice cube trays. Place in your freezer. Once the cubes are frozen, transfer to a zip-lock type storage bag. Voila. Baby food. Ice cubes from a standard tray are about an ounce, so take out as many cubes as you need per meal depending on your baby.
After your baby has gotten the hang of this whole new concept of eating food, it's fun to experiment with different combinations of flavors. If your baby is anything like mine, he/she won't be satisfied with the pureed goods for long. My seven month old is already refusing when I attempt to feed him from a spoon. He wants to feed himself finger foods, which really translates into dropping most of his food into his lap or into the dog's waiting, open mouth. This is a phase that is a little more challenging, but this is also when I start feeding him "table food." He's beginning to eat what we eat, although I might modify how it's prepared or served. I had a burrito the other night, for instance, that Sir Chunx was dying to get his pudgy hands around. I gave him some of the black beans and guacamole and tiny bits of the tortilla, and he was in heaven. If we're eating pasta, I cook ditalini and peas in a 1:1 mixture of chicken broth and water until the pasta has soaked up most of the liquid and is very soft and easily mashed in his little mouth. He's in love with blueberries and diced cantaloupe. He had his first taste of french fries the other day, and he could not get them to his mouth fast enough. I found my two year old giving him bites of fresh mozzarella, and he wasn't complaining (and luckily not choking!). Can you tell I get such pleasure out of watching him eat?
Here are a few great resources to check out if you're interested in making your baby's food:
