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How to Make Your Own Baby Food and Save a Fortune!
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 it's a scene that is played out several times a day in the majority of homes with small babies. Unfortunately, it's 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:
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:
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:
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! About The Author Meredith Edwards-Cornwall owns and operates Attached Mamas at http://www.attachedmamas.com, which caters to families looking to achieve health naturally. Remedies for colic, morning sickness, infertility and more. She is also a designer for the web and print and owns Beach Designs Studio at http://www.beachdesigns.net.
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. Help News pick Stadium's greatest moment (New York Daily News) The News is marking the countdown to the final game at The House That Ruth Built by reflecting on Yankee Stadium's greatest moments - and we're asking you - the reader - to help us pick out the best of the best. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp says Mark Williams interim Premiere CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) News Corp. executive Mark Williams has taken over as chief executive of German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere in an interim capacity, News Corp. said after the move led to renewed takeover speculation. Site: news - Google News CNET News Daily Podcast: Say hello to the Palm Pre - CNET News
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for babies toddler Mother of child locked in car charged with felony (Los Angeles Daily News) A woman accused of leaving her toddler in a locked sport utility vehicle while shopping in Van Nuys last week was charged today with a felony count of child abuse. Yoga for the whole family: (Republican-American) Yoga is supposed to be about achieving complete relaxation. So what happens if you combine it with babies and small children ? or a bulging belly? Shopping for Baby Gear With Christiane Lemieux (New York Times) Christiane Lemieux, co-owner, with her husband, of the home furnishings company Dwell Studio, shops for sophisticated and eco-friendly baby products. Westport designer signs with chain (Stamford Advocate) Amy Coe of Westport wasn't happy with the selection of baby accessories, when she became a mother 16 years ago. Events Calendar (Rome Observer) This Week Visual Arts Aug. 8 to Sept. 13 Regional Art InvitationaL at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts. This year's theme is "An Artist's View." Artists must be 18 years or older and live within 100 miles of Little Falls. Homicide unit investigating Elkhart toddler's injuries (22 WSBT South Bend) ELKHART ? A little girl is hospitalized in critical condition and police are trying to find out what happened to her. The 21-month-old was brought in with severe injuries late Monday night and police said those injuries look suspicious. Get Your Vehicle Ready for the Change of Season (Beaches Leader) (ARA) - It seems like the kids just started school, but soon you'll be packing up and hitting the road on your next family vacation. And contrary to popular belief, the weeks leading up to the trip are not the time to start getting your vehicle ready. Business And Careers (Benson News-Sun) (ARA) - Now in its eighth season, the Emmy award-winning investigative drama CSI draws a weekly audience of about 20 million viewers. But CSI is more than simply entertainment. Fashion sniffs perfume of Asia's nouveau riche (San Francisco Chronicle) There's an urgency in the air around the tents in Bryant Park, the center of the annual fix of fabulousness known as Fashion Week. It's a case of glam being trumped by grim: The question on everyone's minds, as raised by USA Today: Given the weakening... No charges in death of baby left in hot car (The Oxford Press) CINCINNATI ? A woman who left her 11-month-old baby in a hot van for nearly eight hours will not face criminal charges, according to WKRC-TV Local 12. Site: babies toddler - Google News Library Corner - Contra Costa Times
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