Have you seen the amount of sodium Gerber puts in their
Gerber Graduates products? I don't know about you, but I don't think that any kid friendly food should contain the equivalent of the amount of sodium in two medium size McDonald's fries! Go ahead...click the link, read it. I will be here when you get back.
Even though the beginning stages of baby food do not contain that kind of salt, why not just give the baby good healthy food that you buy in the produce section of the grocery store instead of a jar in a dark aisle. We need our children to grow up in that section of the store and not the convenience food section like my 30 something generation did.
How did I get started? Well, I talked to my pediatrician who totally supported the decision. This doctor also supports my choice for cloth diapering--even thought I am the only patient he has ever had that uses them. I just read a stat that up to
43% of new parents are choosing cloth to save money in the tight economy....but hey, I'll save that for another blog post some day.
After discussing making my own baby food with the doctor, I started searching for material online. I found a very quick and easy resource at babycenter.com. The
list is organized by age of baby and what they should be eating. I check it every few months to add new things to his diet and make sure that we are on track.
I started out with a very inexpensive food mill that I bought in the baby food aisle. It is nothing fancy. You can spend as much or as little as you like but really all you need is to get the food mashed. One thing I have learned--we normally eat our veggies steamed but still crisp. In order to properly mash in a food mill they need to be soft. Put in your fruits or veggies that you want baby to eat and smash. Instant baby food with no additives. The leftovers can be frozen in individual storage containers and just defrost before serving to baby.
Not only is Logan eating a wonderful and healthy variety of fruits and vegetables, I am raising a baby that knows what real food tastes like and my hope is that he will eat this way forever. I am imagining a kid eating things like avocado, asparagus, broccoli and spinach without complaining.
My pediatrician was shocked to find out that Logan would even eat asparagus. He told me that many people in many countries grow up without Gerber and Logan will grow up to eat the strong varied diet that these other people do. That made me feel like I was doing something right!
Logan is eight months old now. He doesn't have any teeth but he has decided he has no interest in anyone feeding him. I chop his food in small bite-sized pieces and he feeds himself. In each of my recipe blogs in the future, I will devote a paragraph to what Logan ate out of the meal. Sometimes I do specially prepare his food before adding sauces, certain spices, added fats, etc. I will be sure to note this as much as possible.
The cost savings alone has been worth this adventure for us. These are all foods that I normally purchase at the grocer so I am not spending any additional money. Each two pack of Gerber costs .97 in my area. Those little containers add up fast.
NOTES: I am not telling you how to feed your baby, just what has worked for mine. I am not providing medical advice in any way. Please check with your doctor and research making baby food to get all the details and decide if it is right for you. I introduced foods two at a time to check for allergies and I never give him nuts, shell fish, cows milk or any other item that babies under age 1 should be exposed to.
The chicken was easy enough. I marinaded it for about 45 minutes in a big freezer bag and then put it on the grill. This was bone in, skinless. I had a hard time controlling the heat and the flare ups so I ended up turning on my two end burners full blast and leaving the two middles off to cook indirectly. It took an hour this way but saved the fireman from coming to save my cedar trees from being up in smoke!
