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The Ease and Convenience of Homemade Baby Food
(Really!)
Meredith Edwards-Cornwall
Baby in a highchair, mom in front with a small spoon and a jar of
baby food. It looks like something right out of a parenting
magazine, and its a scene that is played out several times a day
in the majority of homes with small babies. Unfortunately, its
also a powerful marketing image that can cost a family a great
deal of money in the long run.
The Convenience Factor
Most parents would say the main reason for using commercial
jarred baby food is the convenience aspect. After all, with the
busy lifestyle many of us have today, no one has time to
specially prepare a meal for each member of the family. It
doesn't have to be a special event to create your own baby food,
however. Baby can usually eat what the rest of the family is
eating with very little special preparation.
Good Nutrition
Everyone worries about proper nutrition for growing babies. Iron,
calcium, and vitamin D all of these things are legitimate
concerns in children's nutrition. However, fortified and
processed foods aren';t necessarily better than whole foods.
Homemade baby food, created from fresh ingredients, offers your
child superior nutrition as well as encourages a taste for
simple, unprocessed foods ; a taste that will possibly prevent
obesity-related problems later in life. It's not necessary to
offer commercial baby foods in order to have a healthy child.
Economics
Why pay more for an inferior product? Beginning baby food often
runs between forty and seventy cents for two ounces. It's
entirely possible to purchase half a pound of produce for the
same amount, and baby will reap the benefits of eating fresh,
nutritious food. Buying produce in bulk can result in even more
savings, and even frozen produce is preferable to what you find
in the jars.
Getting Started
It's important to know when baby is actually ready for solids.
Introducing solids too early can lead to an increased likelihood
of food intolerances and food allergies. Most medical
associations agree that starting solids around six months of age
is ideal, and many people find delaying solids for allergy-prone
babies is even better. Signs of readiness for solids include:
Increased nursing for more than a few days, which is unrelated to
illness or teething, or, if baby is fed artificial baby milk,
consuming more than 32 ounces daily.
Ability to sit up unsupported.
Absence of the tongue-thrust reflex. This life-saving reflex
causes babies to push foreign objects (in this case, solid foods)
out of their mouths to avoid choking.
Ability to pick foods up and place in mouth independently (or
development of the pincer grasp).
What About Allergies?
Experts recommend introducing new foods between three days and a
week apart. This helps parents and caregivers identify signs of a
food allergy or intolerance.
Common signs of food allergy/intolerance are:
Increased bloating and gassiness, painful discomfort.
Sandpaper-like raised rash on face, often where the offending
food made contact with skin.
Runny nose and watery eyes.
Diarrhea or mucous in the stools. Blood in the stool can also be
an indicator of a food allergy, usually dairy or soy.
Red rash around rear, or an unusual diaper rash.
Vomiting or increased spit up with discomfort.
Ideally, it is best to introduce foods that are less likely to
produce an allergic reaction in baby. Avoiding foods such as egg
whites, certain nuts such as peanuts, cow?s milk, corn, wheat,
and some berries such as strawberries is recommended, as they are
more likely to cause reactions. Instead, start with foods that
are easier on baby's system. Some good ideas include:
Apples
Bananas
Peaches
Pears
Carrots
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Asparagus
Oats
Barley
Brown rice
Tools of the Trade
Fancy equipment isn't necessary to make healthy food for your
baby. Things that might be helpful include a blender, a food
mill, a steamer basket and ice cube trays if you want to freeze
small portions. Most people have blenders already in their
kitchens, and a food mill (or baby grinder) isn't necessary if
you have a good blender or food processor. Steamer baskets can be
found in most grocery stores for only a few dollars, and fit
easily into saucepans. Many beginner foods require nothing more
than a small pan and a fork.
Sequencing
Many doctors recommend starting your baby on rice cereal first.
Many parents find, however, that fruits go over better for
beginning eaters. It is a myth that babies will prefer sweet
things if they are given fruits first - nature's first food,
breast milk, is naturally sweet, and that is what baby is
accustomed to. Banana is a wonderful first food, as its creamy
consistency is similar to mother';s milk. After introducing
banana, try another fruit or vegetable. Continue adding fruits
and vegetables until baby has a wide variety of tastes. Then
consider adding whole grains in the form of cereal. Many whole
grains have naturally occurring iron, so there is no need to
supplement baby's iron unless there is a medical indication for
doing so. Brown rice, oats, and barley are all good choices.
Next, introduce a meat or poultry such as beef or chicken. If you
are a vegetarian, introduce another protein source such as tofu
or lentils. As time goes on, introduce a combination of tastes,
such as cereal mixed with applesauce or peas and carrots. This is
also a great time to introduce finger foods, especially if baby
has teeth. As baby learns to self-feed, you can move away from
making purees and offer small baby-sized portions of the family
meal.
Getting Started
Bananas make an ideal food for a baby starting solids. To serve,
let bananas ripen well (the more ripe, the better - brown spots
are desirable), cut into small chunks and mash with a fork. Pears
are an excellent source of fiber and can be cooked like apples:
peel and cut into chunks. Place in small saucepan and just cover
with water. Cook until tender. These can then be mashed with a
fork, run through a food mill, processed in a blender or food
processor. They can also be offered as finger food if they are
cut into small enough chunks. Carrots, another popular first
food, should be scraped with a vegetable peeler, sliced and
steamed or boiled until soft. Process in blender or food mill.
Carrots can be a choking hazard for children, so do use caution
if offering as a finger food.
Sweet potatoes are extremely easy to make, and one potato can
last a long time if frozen after cooking. Place sweet potato in a
microwave for about eight minutes, remove and let cool. Open up
and serve right out of the peel - the potato is very soft and
needs no further processing. Sweet potatoes are an excellent
source of B6.
Winter squash such as acorn or butternut makes an excellent first
food. Cut squash in half and clean. Place in one half inch of
water in a baking pan and bake at three hundred and fifty degrees
for half an hour. Use a spoon to scoop out squash and feed
directly to baby.
Avocadoes are an extremely nutrient dense food and offers
important vitamins and minerals such as iron and potassium. Cut
avocado in half around the pit, grab each half and give it a
twist. Scoop out meat and mash or dice.
Making cereal for baby is very easy. Take a cup of the whole
grain if your choice such as brown rice, oats, or barley and
process in the blender until the desired consistency is reached,
usually about two minutes for very young babies. Store in an
airtight container. To cook, mix with liquid of your choice and
heat over medium heat on stove until thick.
Enjoyment
Enjoy this fun stage in baby';s development, and rest assured
that baby is getting superior nutrition and developing good
eating habits which will last a lifetime!
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