Baby Food Recipes

Starting on Solid Foods Tip

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:14:50 +0000

Hi everybody.

Just wanted to share with you a tip I just read in a parenthood guide about starting on solid food:

It is recommended that the first solid food meals will be in late morning hours. After his morning nap, when the baby is not too tired, not too hungry and not too full.

When babies are too hungry they get upset and frustrated. Not a good way to start on solid foods.

What do you think? Seems reasonable, right? I’ll have to remember to give it a try.

A Week of (in)convenience

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:47:47 +0000

Here’s a real life example of someone who dared to change her life and her family life too. Reporter Katie Drake together with her husband Alex and 8 months old baby Caroline would decided to prepare all their food for a whole week.

No pre-packaged or prepared food would be bought and that includes baby food.

I think it’s an interesting example which tests the reality of integrating food preparations into your daily life. Check it out.

Constipation in Babies

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:08:04 +0000

I personally think that handling constipation in babies can be one of the most frustrating tasks as a parent. The idea of your little baby in pain or discomfort is very troubling. You keep thinking – what else can I do to help my little baby???

It’s not like I need to actually explain what constipation is, but with babies it is a bit different. Constipation in babies is the situation when stools are harder and firmer than the usual soft ones. The bowel isn’t emptied as often as it should and pain may be caused while the stools are still “inside” certainly on their “way out”.

Constipation in Babies – Causes

Dehydration – you’re baby is simply not getting enough liquids like breast milk or formula (remember not to give infants water).
Formula is not made properly – using too little water than what is instructed while making the formula can easily cause constipation in babies.
Changing to solid food – especially with breastfed babies which usually do not suffer from constipation, the transition to solid food might take time. The intestines need to adjust to the new ingredients and nutrients.
Other disease – constipation in babies might be a sign of another illness. Consult you doctor if the constipation lasts more than a few days.

Constipation in Babies – Solutions

More liquids – for babies aged less than 6 months stick with breast milk and formula, older babies who starting eating solid food can have some cool boiled water too.
Warm baths – these are known to help constipated babies. They relax babies and allow easier bowel movements.
Tummy massage – gently rub your baby’s stomach in a clockwise circle starting with the belly button and going outwards.
Leg work – while baby is on his or her back move the legs closer to chest to imitate a squat position. You can also rotate the legs in a cycling motion to make the stomach muscles gently push the intestines.
Fiber-rich food – porridge and fruit like prunes are rich in fiber and greatly help bowel movements.

Remember than babies’ bowel movements differ from baby to baby and are heavily influenced by the food the baby is having: breast milk or formula, solid food or purees, etc. Constipation in babies should always be evaluated compared to the regular stools of the baby and in any case of hesitation seek a professional advice from a doctor.

Baby having 20,000 calories a week??!

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:54:17 +0000

Just re-found this article about a baby who’s eating 20,000 calories a week! That’s around 3,000 calories a day. Can you believe it?

Photo: BARCROFT

Apparently baby Agatha Holloway was born 3 months pre mature and underweight and now at age 16 months has to reach a healthier weight.

It still strikes as weird to me and I can’t help but thinking about the eating habits this baby will have as a grown up. Let’s wish her a healthy and happy life.

Infants Water

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:35:08 +0000

A common question among many parents is whether they can give babies and infants water. We are all used to water as a basic drink that cannot hurt you, but the fact is that it is different with small babies.

It is the AAP strong recommendation that infants until 6 months old are fed with nothing else but breast milk or formula. These actually supply infants with water, other liquids and everything else they need to grow and develop. It is very obvious with the formula powder which is mixed with… water, but did you know that breast milk has 88% water in it? – so there’s no need to give babies any more water.

But it’s not just a case of “need”. Giving infants water can “fill” their stomach with not enough room left for nutrients that suppose to come from breast milk or formula. In certain cases it can even lead to water intoxication. There’s a level of sodium that is required in our blood in order for the body to function properly. Infants are in risk that too much water would dilute the sodium to a dangerous level.

Even in hot climates research had shown that infants water intake should be kept to zero. It’s only after you start giving your baby “real food” and lower the amounts of breast milk or formula, you should give start giving them water too. At this stage water is definitely preferable to juice, tea or other sugary liquids.

A common question among many parents is whether they can give babies and infants water. We are all used to water as a basic drink that cannot hurt you, but the fact is that it is different with small babies.

Even in hot climates research had shown that infants water intake should be kept to zero. It’s only after you start giving your baby “real food” and lower the amounts of breast milk or formula, you should give start giving them water too. At this stage water is definitely preferable to juice, tea or other sugary liquids.

Freezing Baby Food

admin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:29:20 +0000

Making homemade baby food can save you time and money. One reason is because you can make it in bulk and freeze it.

But we all know that defrost food is not always as appealing and tasty as fresh food. And what about its quality and nutrition value? With baby food these questions are even more important.

I’ve looked around in people’s feedbacks and website listings about which baby food freezes well and here are some examples:

Freeze well as purees:

sweet potato
carrot
pumpkin
cauliflower
broccoli
zucchini
peas
tomato
chick peas
meat
poultry
apple
pear
bananas (although there’s no problem mashing and serving it fresh)

Freeze well but not as purees:

rice
noodles
mango
potatoes

Doesn’t freeze well:

citrus fruit (e.g. oranges, grapefruit)
milk and other dairy products (with the exception of yogurt)
eggs

Freezing food can sometimes change the texture of the food, but it doesn’t affect its quality. However, remember that freezing only slows down bacteria and germs but doesn’t destroy them. So defrosted food should be handled the same way as fresh food.

Another important rule is: don’t refreeze baby food. Use the ice cube method in order to defrost small amount and minimize your waste.

Is Homemade Food Really Healthy?

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:41:01 +0000

Wow… you don’t often read an article which questions the assumption that homemade baby food is healthier than commercial one.

The article is analyzing this issue by taking a different approach than usual. Instead of looking at the ingredients of the baby food, it analyzes the risk of pesticide residues.

Regular raw food might have different levels of residues, where ready-made food is heated and treated to make sure those level are minimal. On the other hand, those treatments usually eliminate most of the vitamins originally in that food.

I agree this is an important issue (for everyone and for babies too), but I think it deserves a finer approach than simply “throw the blender away”:

Choose produce with little risk of pesticide residues like squash, broccoli and courgettes
But organic
Supplement ready-made food with fresh fruits and vegetables

But I think the most important sentence in the article is:

The idea of weaning a baby is to introduce family food that you can all eat together, not to have each person consuming their own ready meal.

I totally agree with Anna Shepard, who wrote this article. I would still prefer having homemade cooked food be the main food experience of my baby and family.

Baby Food Months by Months

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:29:16 +0000

“What kind of baby food can I make for my 6 months old baby?” – isn’t that one the most popular baby food questions ever. We all know that breast milk or formula is the only baby food months after the birth, but how many exactly? And what kind of baby food should you start with? And what about food allergies? I’ll try to make some sense into all of that.

Baby Food Months 0-4

I can’t repeat this enough: the only baby food allowed during the baby’s first months is breast milk or formula. The baby’s pre-mature digestive system cannot handle anything else. Giving any other food to less than 4 months old babies may cause food ingredients (like whole protein) to pass the baby’s undeveloped gut into the the bloodstream and may cause food allergies.

Baby Food Months 4-6

Most professionals including the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) strongly recommends keeping the baby on breast milk of formula until the age of 6 months. I say – if updated research recommend doing that, let’s do it.

In any case you should look for signs that your baby is ready for solid baby food. By 6 months your baby should:

seem hungry after a regular feeding
be able to hold up his or her head (needed for not chocking)
loose the reflex to use the tongue to push food out of the mouth

Baby Food Months 6-8

During these months you would still give breast milk or formula to your baby. Starting on solid baby food should be done gradually. It would take your baby weeks or even a few months to get from one tablespoon of baby food to a full solid baby food meal. Take it easy and slowly.

Since you are only starting to introduce solid baby food, months 6-12 should still be treated carefully. Look out for food allergies by introducing new foods one at a time and waiting 4 days after each one in order to isolate any allergic reactions.

First solid baby food may include rice cereal (because of its low allergic risk), avocado or purees made of carrots, sweet potatoes or squash, pureed apples and bananas. Although you can keep pureed baby food for months in the freezer, you would be better off using it during its first month of storage.

Baby Food Months 8-12

After 8 months, baby foods can extend some more: more fruits and vegetables, cooked egg yolks, pureed meat and yogurt.

You should still wait a few more months before giving your baby food like: cow’s milk, egg whites, citrus fruits and honey.

Baby Food Months 12 and beyond

Is this the end of limitations on your baby food? Months have gone by and your baby’s development had reached a more stable and secure stage. The risks from food like egg whites, cow’s milk and other’s are now lower.

A few more reminders about baby food in this age:

12 months is still a baby you should protect from allergies, chocking and other hazards
Proper baby development requires fat. Do not limit fat intake until the baby is 2 years old.
A few teeth is a good sign to start o finger food.

Great Video on Making Baby Food

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:41:49 +0000

This is an excellent video I found about making baby food. It takes only 2:22 minutes to give you a great overview on the subject.

And I don’t mean it like when someone says it would take 5 minutes and then it takes 20 minutes. This is literally 2:22 minutes to get the basics on how to make baby food on your own.

Check out for yourself:

Homemade Baby Food – 5 Important Don’ts

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:23:40 +0000

When you’re going to make your own baby food there are a few things you should be aware of. This time let’s concentrate on what you should NOT do:

There’s no reason to make baby food before the age of 6 months.
An infant’s digestive system is not developed enough to handle anything but breast milk of formula.
Don’t limit fat intake until your baby is 2 years old.
Cow milk can be introduced after 12 months, but use only whole milk. Fat is an energy resource babies need to develop.
No honey and no egg whites until the age of 1 year old
Honey is related to cases of botulism and egg whites can cause an allergic reaction. Always introduce new ingredients apart in order to make sure they don’t cause any problems.
Don’t use microwave to heat frozen baby food.
Microwaves are known to cause “hotspots”. While some of the food may seem cold, single spots can burn your baby’s mouth. Either let the food defrost or warm it over a pan filled with water.
When making baby food there’s no need to add sugar
There’s plenty of sugar in fruits and it would be best for the baby to enjoy a variety of tastes and flavors and not just sweet.