Make your own baby food!

Or grandparent food ;) since they are kind of similar.

(Side note: When my grandmother was really sick and opted to stop dialysis and just live out the rest of her days naturally, she was able to eat anything she wanted for the first time in years! No regulating sugars, decreasing the intake of potassium, nothing- so we had a feast, many feasts! Her estimated one week of survival without dialysis, turned into 4 extra wonderful months that we got to spend with her. She was pretty much pain free in comparison to her life when it was filled with pin pricks for sugar and insulin topped with dialysis three times a week, so we spoiled the bejeezus out of her! At 83 years old, with slews of grandchildren and great grandchildren, this lady deserved it! This was the first meal I made for her!)

Now, to babies! God knows that my grandmother LOVED them!

So, Baby Led Weaning or BLW... what a wodnerful, natural process! I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that it doesn't make sense to shovel spoonfuls of processed purees of baby food down your childs throat if they don't want it.

Remember, FOOD BEFORE 1, JUST FOR FUN!

Here are some super healthy and super easy recipes that are great first foods. Two are vegan and the mashed potatoes can go either way. Obviously, I recommend using all organic produce and foods and cast iron to cook in. 

As far as dairy is concerned, or when to start your child on solids, I think it is a very personal choice and will depend on your child, family history of allergies and your comfort level. Some parents wait two years to introduce peanut butter, but some introduce it before 9 months. Since all children are different, they all have varying abilities to tolerate and process different foods and textures, and this is the main reason why I advocate and promote Baby led introduction to solids. 

Oh, and you will save money not buying jarred baby food. Just remember, before 1 year of age, food is a lesson in sensory development for babies, so it will be messy and fun.  Most of it will end up on their clothes, bib, floor, chair, crib, table, and anywhere else you can imagine, so continue nursing or bottle feeding in order to ensure proper nutrient intake. If you are still breastfeeding, I recommend pumping while baby is eating in order to keep your supply up, worse comes to worse, you have a freezer full of pumped milk to donate (which isn't really that bad!)

RECIPE 1:

1/4 mixed chopped fresh veggies or frozen mixed veggies

Optional veggies would be: peas, carrots, string beans, Lima beans, peeled zucchini or squash, etc

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp olive or coconut oil

1. In a small cast iron pan, heat on medium and add oil and veggies. 

2. Add 2 tbsp filtered water and nutritional yeast and cover. Steam until desired tenderness. Adding additional water if necessary.

 

Note: you want the veggies to be a tad bit firm, so the babe is able to grasp it without turning to mush.

 

RECIPE 2:

This is similar to a rice pudding, but with cauliflower and coconut milk. 

1/2 can regular coconut milk

1/4 head cauliflower, washed and chopped

Dash of nutmeg

Dash of ginger

1. Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer and cover until tender. Stir occasionally. 

Cauliflower seemed to be a weird texture for my taste-testers. I ended up putting back on the stove and cooking until practically mush. Then they loved it. Sometimes I spoon fed it, but since the coconut milk thickens, they were able to pick pieces up with their hands and feed themselves.

 

I also mixed a bit of this in with some leftover beet and potato soup and it was also a hit. 

RECIPE 3:

5 small potatoes with skin, washed

salt

2-4 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp butter or earth balance

almond or coconut milk, as needed

1. Boil large pot of water, add salt and boil potatoes until easily pierced with fork about 20-30 minutes.

2. Remove potatoes from pan and add to a bowl for blending. Add nutritional yeast, butter and "milk" to blend. 

Note: you can make these really thin and spoon feed or serve over mixed veggies and allow children to hand feed. Or you can make them thicker and chunkier which will allow for easy handling- espcially after they have been stored in the frig over night. 

AND PLEASE REMEMBER, NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN UNATTENDED WHILE EATING!!

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