Preparing Organic Baby Food

By Joanne B Parrotta

As a new parent, you want to give your baby the best possible start in life, so providing nutritious food is a must. Set the stage for a lifetime of good eating habits by offering your baby the healthiest foods you can.

Nutritious food contributes to the proper development of body functions. In fact, research has shown that many of today’s health problems, including the following, are linked to a lack of nutrition in babies, toddlers and children:


·         Colic

·         Bloating

·         Diarrhea and constipation

·         Iron deficiency anemia

·         Allergies

·         Asthma

·         Diabetes

·         Obesity

·         Skin problems

·         Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder


 

These problems can often be avoided by choosing the right foods and preparing them in the right way.

When it comes to feeding your child the best possible food, nothing beats making your own organic baby food. Homemade organic baby food tastes better, is more nutritious and is much more economical than commercially processed foods. It is also easy to prepare. By making your own organic baby food, you can ensure that your child is eating fresh, nutritious food that is free of additives, fillers and pesticides.

 

When to Introduce Solid Foods

Generally, new foods should be introduced one at a time, just in case your child has an allergic reaction to a certain food. Wait a couple of days between each new food so that you can easily identify whether a new food is causing a problem. Do not mix foods until you have determined that your child has no allergies.

Here are some general guidelines for when to introduce different types of solid foods:

Baby cereals: 4 to 6 months

Vegetables: 5 to 6 months

Fruits: 7 to 8 months

Meats: 10 months

Egg yolks: 10 months

Cheese and baby yogurt: 10 to 12 months

For 4- to 6-month-old babies, these are the best foods:

·         Breast milk or formula

·         Rice cereal

·         Pear

·         Apple

·         Potato and sweet potato 

·         Cauliflower

·         Green peas

·         Broccoli

·         Mashed ripe banana

·         Mashed ripe avocado

Don’t shy away from introducing a variety of flavors and textures. If your baby in not keen on a certain food, don’t give up on it—try again in a few days. It can take up to 10 tries before your baby feels familiar enough with a new food to eat it. Don’t force a food on your baby, but try to avoid raising a finicky eater. Remember that good eating habits are set at a very young age, usually when your child is weaned from milk to solids.

 

Fresh Is Still Best!

Making your own baby food is easy. You can make a whole week’s worth in less than two hours. All you need is a blender, a food processor, a food mill or even just a fork for mashing.

Following these seven easy steps:

1.    Start with local, seasonal, organically grown produce and use it within a couple of days of purchase

2.    Wash well, peel and pit the produce as necessary.

3.    Cook vegetables and hard fruits by steaming or boiling. Some foods, such as squash, can be baked.

4.    Use a food processor, blender, food mill, or fork to purée the produce, adding a small amount of unseasoned broth, water, breast milk, or formula if necessary.

5.    Pour the puréed food into ice-cube trays and freeze

6.    Transfer the frozen cubes to a BPA-free plastic container; label and date. 

7.    When ready to serve, thaw food in the refrigerator or warm in a warming dish or in an egg poacher or double boiler over boiling water.

This article was adapted from Baby & You: The Little Book of Mother and Baby Care (WiseAdviceBook, 2008) by Joanne B. Parrotta. To learn more about this book, the author and her publications, visit www.wiseadvicebooks.com and www.amatterofdestiny.com. The author can be contacted at info@wiseadvicebooks.com.