I just recently started making homemade baby food after about a month of giving Mandarin Stage One Gerber food cups. Oh and if you’re wondering who Mandarin is...for the purpose of this blog and to protect those concerned we shall here forth refer to my daughter as such. Also because her cheeks look like she stuffed two cuties - oranges - in them. Love.
Check out these delectable Cuties.
Back to baby food.
Round 1: Green Beans. The first puree of fresh green beans did not turn out the way I expected it to. I didn’t use enough water and the puree wasn’t smooth enough, and as I fed it to her, I found that there were fibers and tiny bits of beans still floated about. Choking hazard! Mandarin still ate it nonetheless, but gagged all the way through as I sifted through the puree, taking out all “solid” looking things. I figured she wasn’t a fan of green beens, because the first time I gave it to her from a Gerber cup, not only did she gag, she got the “ewww” shivers, gagged deeply, and shot me a horrified look as if to say “what the frak is this!?”
And yes. That was a Battlestar reference.
The second batch of green beans; I made with a bit more water ( used the water that steamed the beans ) and blended on high puree for a little over a minute. Of course this would depend on how much beans you’re making. I made about a cup of chopped beans (ends trimmed) which yielded four 2 oz cups. This time around she was more receptive to the texture - and the taste. No more gagging!
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| Pureed Green Beans: They pop out easily from the silicone mold. Store in another container so you can make more. |
Reading up on baby eating solids led me to the information that starchy fruits and vegetables like bananas and sweet potatoes can further contribute to constipation. The health benefits of course still outweigh the consequence of constipation so I make sure to give her MORE fiber in beans and pears and mix it up with other veggies. Having breastfed her for seven months (and still going) her body needs to get used to the consistency of solid food, and though it make take some time, a pasty consistency to her B-movements is nothing short of an A+ for me!
Round 2: Pears. High in Fiber and easily digestible. I bought a whole bag of it and discovered that 2 whole pears yield five 2 oz cups. Other than a tablespoon of water to help cook the pears, nothing else is added to the puree. Straight off the saucepan to the blender on high, it took less than a minute for the pears to puree into a smooth treat. At first she gagged, as with most food that is introduced to her. But our little Mandarin made friends with Pear in no time, and now, next to carrots may just well be her favorite food. I thought the pears tasted fabulous too and will soon make frozen PearPops for hubby and myself. A good and healthy snack in lieu of Haagen Daz bars. (You reading this, Mom?)
Round 3: Carrots. What more can I say...she loves them!
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| Cut and steam...About 1 cup of chopped carrots with 1/3 cup of water yields 61/2 oz of puree. |
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| Puree!!!! |
What I find amazing though is that homemade food is at least three shades strikingly brighter than store bought food! Makes you wonder what’s in those jars and cups - even it it only states green beans and water. Our pediatrician did say that nutrition wise they’re all the same, but somehow one just can’t help and think about the additives in there. I’m no baby food purist. This doesn’t mean that I think store bought food is any less better nutritionally than homemade other than obvious reasons. In fact nothing beats the convenience of a vacuum sealed pack and as long as you don’t open it you can carry it around like a protein bar to immediately feed a hungry baby . Homemade food is admittedly cheaper, greener (no plastic or glass jars to deal with) and if you have half an hour a week, you can make and freeze enough food for that entire week.
It’s a matter of choice and opinion much like breastfeeding and formula. There will always be someone who’ll tell you that one is better than the other; the way I see it, balance is key. Homemade food when you’re home, store bought when you’re out. Why not right? Whatever works. Only a mother would know what is best for her child, and whatever choices any mother makes - well - at some point we all channel our mother and pull out a stern because I said so. The bottom line is even if you're new to motherhood, trust your instincts. You really do know what you're doing even if you think you don’t.
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