Thanks Stacie - In particular for the link to that food grinder. I didn't know (probably should have) that such a thing exists. I was planning to use a food mill, which is a bit "dramatic" for small daily amounts.

I'd be kidding myself if I thought I'd prepare fruit and veggies for my daughter - I have a hard enough time getting motivated to prepare them for myself! Fortunately those aren't the expensive part of feeding a baby, formula is. But with the regular meal, there's no reason I shouldn't be feeding her most of what I cook.

Interesting about the yogurt, too. I would have thought that needs to wait for a year like cow milk, but in looking it up I see that 8 months is the general recommendation - she's ready!

Annelisa's checkup is on Friday; you've inspired me to ask more questions about food. Thanks!

p.s. 8.5 months and her first tooth just popped out last weekend! A little slow, but not as slow as her brother was.

Fenwoth,

Doing veggies is simple.Pick up a bag of frozen peas, cook in microwave then puree in blender. Then freeze in an ice cube tray. one cube equals one ounce.

I looked into the frozen baby food I mentione, 6 dollars for 12 oz of food. When I make up batches I just do a bunch of different ones all at one time.But Annelisa is big enough for table food.

I know Dr.'s have different feelings. We love ours and she is pretty laid back.She told me to feed that baby if he is hungry.

Stacie

Hope Annie jumps in with talk about particulte matter in baby dood. That and reading the ingredients and seeingb all the additives turned me off jarred baby food.

BTW when I was working as a full time sub, I would just take along some cubes for the babies meals.

Thanks, Stacie - I posted on the other side, too.

Just a note - Earth's Best baby food is single ingredient with no additives and organic and yes a bit pricey.

When my kids were babies (oh so long ago!) I made their baby food too. I just used my Oskar food processor to mash up cooked veggies & fruits, and froze it in ice cube trays like girlsingardens does. Baby food from a jar never passed my kids' lips. The idea of it just didn't appeal to me, and it was just too easy to make my own. And cheaper than the jars, too. I highly recommend making your own.

We never bought a single jar of baby food. DS is now 7.

Making it myself was so easy and economical, and took just a little bit of time once a week, to cook puree and freeze in ice cube trays. I liked the fact that I knew exactly what he was eating.

Squash, sweet potatoes and carrots were his favorites. I stewed chicken or lamb with celery and carrots and onion, and then whipped it all up. Sometimes I'd throw in a tomato. The green stuff (beans, peas, broccoli,) usually had to be mixed with a little bit of mashed potato to make it palatable.

Stewed dried apricots were kept on hand to deal with constipation. (It really works!)

And we still included commercial baby cereal in his diet to make sure he was getting enough iron.

I still remember all the little green, brown and orange cubes in the ziplock bags in our freezer.

My "babies" are now 36 and 30 and I used a similar grinder as girlsingarden posted a link for. I used very little commercial baby food for our children.

Having children 6 years apart, what one physician recommended to feed them and when to start it was completely different by the second child. It made you think you were trying to kill one or the other - on their advise - because things had changed so much. Doctor #2 had us feeing our son yogurt when he was 3-months old.

When you consider how most of us Baby Boomers were bottle fed Carnation Evaporated Milk mixed with water and laced with Karo Syrup, it's a testimony that trends come and go and most of us managed to thrive... By the time we were 3 weeks old our mothers were spiking the last bottle in the evening with rice cereal so we'd sleep a couple hours more.

I'd like to suggest a really great book by Annabel Karmel - "FIRST MEALS" Fast, healthy, and fun foods to tempt infants and toddlers. Lots of great ideas and recipes including strategies for coping with a picky eater.

I taught a class several times to the parents of children at an Early Leaning Center about feeding children 1-4 years old and was amazed how little guidance parents got from their physicians on the subject. Especially when you consider how much fast food most 2-year olds have already eaten in their short lives. When the parents can't fix a balanced meal for themselves, it's not surprising their children have food issues.

-Grainlady

I was so happy that my MIL, a nurse, listens to the new "trends" in feeding babies. Of course, she knows they did things differently back then (like sleeping on the tummy) but she is happy to hear what we do now. Many a result of research. Hey, I heard some mothers put cold medicine in babys bottles back then, too!

Although in the summer I do have my own small garden - truth be told the produce I have access to right now I am not sure is better than feeding my baby jarred baby food - the horror!

Different things work for different people and being a parent is hard enough without others judging your choices. For example, I am now breastfeeding my daughter but formula fed my son for reason's I won't explain here. You just don't know the reason people make the choices they do. I am also thrilled I have a phenomenal pediatrician.

"When the parents can't fix a balanced meal for themselves, it's not surprising their children have food issues."

I'm not sure if that was directed at me because of my earlier comment, but either way, guilty as charged. Frankly when I look at nutrition labels on vegetables I just don't get why they're so important. Seems it would take 20 pounds of a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables to equal the nutrition in a glass of orange juice and a bowl of cereal with milk. As the family cook, it seems maybe it's time I read up on healthy eating.

Here is another one whose "kids" are 34 and 30 and I used the same type of grinder Stacie posted and yes, made cubes of baby food to store in the freezer. How could we raise our own beef, can vegetables from our garden, make our own bread and then buy those jars of baby food? Sure, there are times when you may need a jar or two for travel, but most of the time it was homemade.

Maggie,

I hope you didn't offend your choices. Not sure which post you were talking about.

I agree about the quality of produce this time of year and heaven forbid the price( 6 dollars for a pound of strawberries). I made and prepared baby food all summer even before Hayden was born. I did the same with Peyton. Now with Rhiannon my first, I wasn't prepared, I would just buy frozen veggies when they were on sale,fresh carrots to cook up, or even canned fruit with out sugar added instead of buying baby food. With me staying at home and DH being a teacher I couldn't see buying baby food so made do.

If you are interested in recipes or grinders let me know and I will see what I can do to help.

Stacie

In the winter I used a lot of frozen fruits & veggies to make my kids food (3 kids were all fed homemade, the oldest is 9). I used a stick blender to blend the food, the same one I use to puree soups. I like the stick blender because as they got older and more ready to chew I could control the chunkiness of it.

My kids particularly liked blends - squash with apples, rice with peas, etc...

AM
The Dinner Chronicles

Short story: When my son was just starting to eat baby food I was feeding him as usual at the table and he looked about as interested as a clown at a funeral, spiting most of it out, but trying!

It was just killing me to take a bite of anything and watch him, watch me eat! So I took a taste of his (I'll never forget!) "strained peas with carrots", that stuff was enough to make a maggot through up! I took all his food and threw it in the garbage!
I was having fried bluegills and mashed potatoes (with butter)! I know, weird combination, but I absolutely LOVE it!!
I picked through the fish and made a pile of the meat (I even left out the bones), I put some mashed potatoes on the side without butter.
I gave him his first bite of fish and the potato's (Yes, I mashed them up fine with a spoon), he lit up like a roman candle and just ate like a lumber jack!!
He also went later (you know) probably like a lumber jack!

Quick ending: After that ONE day, you couldn't give him baby food if you tried, I didn't, I just ground up different stuff and fed him that, "no fuss no muss", well maybe a lot of muss!

I didn't read any of the above posts, I just jumped down hear and started typing.

Thanks, Stacie. I appreciate all the good information.

I didn't bother even making baby food. I just mashed up what I could..Their favorite was and only one won't eat it now..but steamed broccoli florets..Kamren still only eats the tops..They'd suck on them..occasionally get a flower bud or two off...My oldest sons first "solid" was steamed broccoli from our favorite chinese restaurant..He was about 3 months old. I would chew up turkey, chicken or steak a bit and give them "bites"..grossed my husband out the first time..but they LOVED it and he got over it....I'm sure that's how it was done for a hundred generations before us..
My boys are all spring babies, so their first Thanksgiving..was the same meal as us. They were all around 6-7 months old..

I always wondered about who was buying the baby food jars of bananas? What, you don't own a fork to mash a real one up?

AM

I buy the jar bananas when we travel with our grandbabies. Easy Peasy and no mess or muss!

When my kids were babies, some 30+ years ago, I made most of their baby food too. I used the same grinder and loved a book called, "Feed Me, I'm Yours" that was great.

Also, I want to whole heartedly agree about the age to start solids or even cereals. It is up to the individual child and their needs and requirements. My youngest to start was 6 months and my oldest age to start was closer to a year too. It really wasn't a one size fits all decision or need.

I think Cheerios are great first foods and all my kids and grandkids loved them!

I used lots of apple juice and pear juice to thin foods, and I made lots of my own stocks to thin other foods. I would use egg to thicken foods when needed, and found that making my own graham crackers was rather easy! Not that they looked so pretty and uniform like Nabisco!

My cheap thrills treat for my babies and my grandchildren who are under 2 are my "Infant Pizzas". A leftover pancake from the morning, with a quick spread of tomato sauce and some cheese. Chopped bits of whatever vegetable or meat if I wanted to give them more. THEY LOVED THEM! No choking and easy to eat and they've devoured them!

I used a similar grinder when my children were young, but for my granddaughter, my mini-food processor is more convenient - easily does a batch for about an ice cube tray. She is currently a vegetarian - possibly the grinder might be handy for meats. A blender also works. Blenders and food processors give you the option of leaving the food a bit chunkier.

If your daughter is 8 months already, you might not want to go overboard on the amount of food cubes you stock the freezer with. Ours GD is 10 months old and handles finger food well. She prefers to feed herself so we have mostly transitioned off the smushed food. For example, we will cook roasted vegetables like canarybird described in a recent thread and give her some. (Roasted vegetables are easy to make and roasting heightens the flavors and brings out the sweetness.) Once they are to that stage, it becomes easy to give them a bit of what you are having. We often give her bits from what we are having for dinner.

Some things don't even need to be cooked - we give her peeled pear and banana. At first we would mash them but now we just give her small chunks. Now that she handles them well, we also give her thin apple slices (which take more gumming but she likes them). Avocado is another good first food that requires almost no prep. Unfortunately it is one of the few my GD hasn't had much interest in. She seems to like stronger flavors - we will try again later adding some spices. She loves blueberries - very easy just wash a small handful and put them on her tray.

Some suggestions here are a bit aggressive in food introduction. I'm a little more cautious. We plan on waiting to introduce egg white and most dairy until she is nearly a year old. We have introduced yogurt because it is easier to digest. It depends partly on family history and also on how well the first foods are tolerated. Before one year most of the nutrition comes from breast milk or formula so there isn't a need to rush into the most allergy risky foods.

We have introduced a lot of spices - even hot peppers - not kill your taste buds levels of heat but fairly spicy. She eats most of the baking, curry and Mediterranean spices which makes it easier to share our food with her. For example when we had aloo gobi, she had some too.

Seems it would take 20 pounds of a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables to equal the nutrition in a glass of orange juice and a bowl of cereal with milk. As the family cook, it seems maybe it's time I read up on healthy eating.

Yes, it's probably time. Orange juice (and other fruit juices) have a lot of simple carbohydrates - straight sugars - similar to the amount in sodas. So they can spike sugar levels, insulin goes up and followed by a crash when the sugar runs out. Complex carbohydrates in fruits and vegetables have fiber mixed with the sugar so the absorption takes more time and you don't have the peak followed by crash. Another issue with orange juice is the acidity - babies tummies often aren't ready to deal with that. We will give our granddaughter citrus in small amounts mixed in with other foods but no citrus in quantity until she is a year old or so.

The bowl of cereal varies depending on the kind of cereal - some have a lot of simple carbohydrate, some a better balance of complex carbs.

Cereals are fortified with vitamins often so some may look pretty good when you compare the list of vitamins to other foods (as would a vitamin pill or drops) but that doesn't cover the other good things in a varied diet - the ones that aren't as tidily classified yet like anti-oxidants.

The Wholesome baby food website has a lot of good information - age ranges for introduction of various foods; what foods are most likely to cause allergies or digestive issues; recipes.

I have lucked out and fed all 3 of my kids what we were eating and was more adventurous with feeding. My sis on the other hand only would start her kids on foods when they were 6 months or older and one food a week. Our Physician is really liberal about feeding schedules and feeding kids. I think it is one of those things that we all need to do what is best for your own baby.

Stacie

my son is in his mid-20's and most of his baby food was made. i didn't do it, my dear uncle did. he used to buy all the bruised stuff and steam it and make enough for a week and each week he did it. what a gem of a man he was.

20 something years later, i was making the g-babe's food. it all came full cycle ;-)

maryanne

I always wondered about who was buying the baby food jars of bananas? What, you don't own a fork to mash a real one up?

Had to eat baby food for two weeks in sleepaway camp when I tripped over a tennis net, and cracked my chin open. No one there was mashing up my food! I actually liked the consistency of jarred mashed bananas. Beech nut was my favorite brand :)

* Posted by dishesdone (My Page) on
Mon, Feb 18, 08 at 17:02

I always wondered about who was buying the baby food jars of bananas? What, you don't own a fork to mash a real one up?

Had to eat baby food for two weeks in sleepaway camp when I tripped over a tennis net, and cracked my chin open. No one there was mashing up my food! I actually liked the consistency of jarred mashed bananas. Beech nut was my favorite brand :)
_____________________________________________________________
dishesdone, I respect everything you say and have done/went through/tasted! However, buy 1 jar of "peas & carrots" baby food, take a big spoonful and tell me what you think?

The funny thing that got me ready for motherhood the most was that while I was pregnant with Rhiannon and couldn't get a teaching job, I worked in a nursing home. I did just about anything, and towards the end I did mostly baths. After changing all the adult undergarments a babies diaper was nothing. Also learned lots of tricks about putting on clothes on those who aren't cooperative. But the biggest thing was that we had residents that couldn't eat solids so every meal that they served, they would put in a blender. It could be a ham sandwich, pizza, roast, apple pie, broccolli, anything that the regular meals consisted of was purreed for the residents who needed help eating or didn't have teeth or other problems. I learned so much about respecting the elderly and have such an appreciation for them now because of my experiences.

Stacie

My little one just turned four months old. I think I will plan my garden around her this year - lots of carrots, peas and beans. Thanks for the thread. I did store bought for my other two, not sure why, but will go this route this time around.

I made all the baby food for my youngest... she is now 6. We had a huge garden the summer she was born. I actually canned her baby food. I used a stick blender to puree it and I found the cutest little jelly jars I think 4 oz max. It did make it alittle easier. I could pop the top anywhere and feed her. No need to thaw and heat.

Her favorite was sweet potatoes w/apples. I made carrots, green beans, peas, applesauce, pears, peaches, fruit salad blend, plums, sweet potatoes, beef stew, chicken stew, cherry oatmeal, blueberries, squash..... She loved her foods.

Both my girls received their teeth early and were on solids by 3 months.

dishesdone, I respect everything you say and have done/went through/tasted! However, buy 1 jar of "peas & carrots" baby food, take a big spoonful and tell me what you think?
Changeling, I was 16 years old at the time, and have you ever eaten camp food? Baby food was definitely an improvement. If it makes you feel better, I didn't love the strings beans! peas and carrots, ok. I liked the chicken, hated the beef :) The chicken needed ketchup!

My kids liked most of it. I always had a taste before I gave it to them.I used earth's Best. They didn't have that when I was 16 :)

hey, whatever works! They weren't on the jarred foods for that long. and neither was I, LOL!

I apologize dishesdone, no I haven't eaten camp food, I'm just a dumb guy that made a comment where I should have kept my mouth shut!

Drake is eating a lot of "table food" now, if it's not soft enough/small parts enough I mush it up, of course. He ate teeny little buckwheat pancakes with sugar free applesauce this morning and absolutely adored every second of it! His favorite is peas, though, frozen, cooked pretty soft, popped in the blender for a bit.

DSW gave him a little beef and gravy over mashed potatoes last night. LOL He loved that, too. *low salt because that is how we eat*

So, yeah, I pretty much ignored the doctor and fed the kid. : P

Stacie, did I miss it, or did you post what kind of yogurt you use for Hayden? I like the O'Soy for Drake. ( I'm afraid to give him dairy yet, Zane has such an awful time with it still ) He just gobbles it right down. Of course, he's cutting more teeth and so he wants to nurse a lot as well.

Funny....

When Meredith was ready for solids I fed her our food done in the blender and frozen in ice cube trays. It wasn't because I was so smart, it was because we were broke.

All our veggies asparagus, broccoli, carrots, squash, peas, sweet potatoes, beef, pork, chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes, fruit was a no brainer...also threw in some pasta and sauce. I have always cooked without salt and never gave her spicy foods...well almost never.

She is 21, alive and well, and loves all types of food.

Changeling, no need to apologize, I didn't take offense :)

I just didn't mind eating baby food. I even liked airplane food :)