You are browsing the Blog for Baby Food.

Making Your Own Baby Food

January 24, 2012 in Baby Food Recipes, Practical Tips

Making your own baby food is really quite easy.  And if you’ve committed to paleolithic nutrition, you’re already doing most of the work just by cooking your own meals of meat, fish, vegetables and fruit at home.  Homemade baby food has the added advantages of tasting way better than store-bought baby food and being much cheaper.  Plus, because it’s fresher, it has a higher nutritional value.  There is a method to making baby food and a couple of tools that will make your job much easier.

First, you’re going to need to be able to cook food.  I’m kinda assuming you have this one covered.

Second, you’re going to need a way to blend up food.  You can use a Conventional Blender, Immersion/Hand Blender, Food Processor, or something like a Magic Bullet (which even has a Baby Food Version!), which is great for the smaller quantities you will often find yourself blending up.  I also recommend getting a Small Hand Mill, which is great for mashing up fresh bananas, avocado and whatever you are feeding your baby off your plate as he/she gets older (it’s faster than a fork, easy to clean, and can handle tougher textures like meat or fish).

Third, you are going to need some way to store your baby food.  The cheapest and easiest way to store homemade baby food is using ice cube trays.  When you make a batch of something (like a bunch of mashed sweet potato or if you mashed a whole banana but only fed a quarter of it to your baby), spoon your homemade baby food into the cubes of an ice cube tray.  Cover the tray with tin foil and freeze.  Once the baby food is frozen, pop the cubes out into a ziplock bag, label and throw in the freezer.  Then it’s really easy to grab a cube of this and a cube of that to put together a great meal for your baby.  I also really like the Ice Cube Trays with Covers for this.  Then I can just throw a piece of masking tape right on the lid to label, the trays stack brilliantly, and my freezer stays organized.  A few things:  Never store the food leftover from your baby’s bowl.  Never refreeze thawed baby food (so if you made a mash with steamed frozen veggies, don’t put those back in the freezer).  Most baby foods will last 3-5 days in your fridge, about 2 months in a regular freezer, and about 6 months in a deep freezer.

Fourth, you are going to need Bowls, Spoons, Sippy/Straw cups and some liquid to thin out your baby’s food (at least for the first few months).  Pumped breast milk is the healthiest, but formula or water work well too.

So, how do you actually do this?  Yes, it really is as easy as you cook something without seasoning, you blend it up, you thin a small amount of it out to feed to your baby, and you freeze the leftovers for easy meals later on.  You don’t need to make six different things all at once.  I found the most efficient use of my time was to make a baby version of whatever else I was making for supper, focusing on making one big batch of something every day or every few days.  For example, if I was making roasted butternut squash for dinner I could reserve some of the squash before seasoning.  I would take that plain squash, wrap it in tin foil with a tablespoon of water and bake it with all the other squash (the tin foil and water would keep it from browning).  I let the squash cool while we all eat our meal.  Then, when I get a minute, I can throw all of that squash into the Magic Bullet, blend it up, spoon it into a covered ice cube tray, label and throw it in the freezer.  My time commitment is something like 5 minutes and I’ve got thirty meals of squash for my baby out of it.  The next day, I might mash up two whole avocados with the Hand Mill and do the same thing.  The next day, I might cook some peeled and sliced apples in the microwave, then blend them with the Immersion Blender for applesauce for the baby (and take some to add cinnamon to for applesauce on the side of our pork chops).  When you approach baby food this way, the time commitment is really quite small.  When your baby is ready to eat, grab a few cubes of different meats, fruits and veggies from the freezer, thaw them in the microwave (mix well and make sure the temperature is appropriate for you baby), and spoon feed away!

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
6 Comments »

Paleo Baby Foods–What to Introduce When

January 19, 2012 in Baby Food Recipes, Practical Tips

You can absolutely start your baby off right by feeding them paleolithic foods, properly cooked (when necessary) and mashed or pureed.  There is really no compelling reason why you should ever introduce grains, as there are far more nutritious, easily digested foods that won’t irritate your baby’s sensitive digestive tract.  So, here are some frequently asked questions by new moms thinking about introducing solids.

When should you introduce solid foods?  The general rule of thumb is that you can introduce solids once your baby is at least 5 months old (6 months old is better), sitting up well, interested in your food, and you have the go ahead from your pediatrician.  Watch closely for signs of choking and never leave a baby or toddler unattended while they are eating.  You can help prepare your baby’s digestive tract for solids by breastfeeding exclusively (which helps provide probiotics and hormones and enzymes that help mature the digestive tract).  You can also give them a small amount of acidophilus/bifidus (buy a capsule that you can break open, and rub a small pinch in their mouth before they nurse or take a bottle) once or twice a day, starting at about three months old (again, with the approval of your pediatrician). Many people prefer a baby-led weaning strategy, whereby you wait until your baby is able to self-feed soft finger foods (some babies will be able to do this as early as 5 or 6 months, but 8-10 months is more usual).  The food lists below are still applicable to a baby-led weaning strategy, just cutting foods up into small pieces instead of pureeing.

What consistency should baby food be?  First foods should be thinned with breast milk or formula and be very runny (it should pour off of a spoon and really be only slightly thicker than breast milk).  Over the first few months, gradually increase the thickness of the baby food.  By eight months old, most babies can start to handle a little texture in their baby food (think oatmeal consistency).  By ten months old, most babies can handle a soft food, mashed with a fork.  Sometime between 8 and 10 months old, you baby will probably show interest in some finger foods (like small pieces of soft fruit or cooked veggies).  Watch your baby’s cues and don’t rush them.

What time of day should you feed your baby?  Start with just one feeding a day, usually in the middle of the day, when you’re baby is not tired, and stop as soon as your baby is no longer interested.  Your baby may only eat a few mouthfuls for those first few meals (or even few weeks of meals).  You can also start to introduce sips of water at the same time as you are introducing foods, either from a cup (regular, sippy, straw) or spoon.  Over the first few months, you can gradually increase the number of times a day that your baby is eating.  By 9 or 10 months old, most babies will happily eat three solid meals a day and maybe even a snack or two.

Being watchful for allergies.  It can take several days for an allergic reaction to a food to present itself.  Only introduce one new food every 4-7 days (on the longer side if there are food allergies in your family).  You do not need to give that new food every day for those 4-7 days, one or two exposures is sufficient.  There are many high-allergy foods like berries, tomatoes, nuts, shellfish, citrus, and egg whites that should wait until your baby is at least one-year old before introducing.

Is it easy to make your own food?  Not only is it quite easy, it yields much more nutritious and tasty food for your baby.  I like to make a fairly big batch of anything that I’m making and freeze tablespoons full (before thinning so that I can control the thickness as my baby gets older) in ice cube trays (once the food is frozen you can pop the cubes into a bag and label for easy defrosting later).  Just make sure you aren’t refreezing anything (like freezing a mash made from steamed frozen vegetables).

Can you mix foods together?  Absolutely!  Play with different combinations!  Something that might seem odd to you might be delicious to your baby!  And most babies prefer one taste at one meal, so it’s a great way to increase variety.  Just make sure that all the ingredients are ones you’ve introduced before (or at least all but one).

What are the best First Foods?  The best first foods for your baby are mashed ripe avocado, mashed ripe banana, mashed cooked sweet potato,  mashed cooked winter squash, pureed liver (preferably pastured/grass-fed) and pastured egg yolk.  For babies at least six months old, very well pureed, well cooked meats (puree with broth or breast milk) and whole milk yogurt (especially from grass-fed cows) are excellent early foods.

What foods can you introduce when?

This list reflects the digestibility of the foods as well as the ease of preparing it with an appropriate texture for your little ones.  This is a guide (adapted from Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron, which I highly recommend even though I disagree with her dislike of feeding meat to babies and toddlers) and this is not intended to replace the advice of your pediatrician.

6 months old
7 months old
8 months old
Ripe avocado
Pastured Egg yolk
Ground nuts (if no allergy worries)
Ripe banana
Sweet potato
Winter Squash
Cooked, pureed:
Ground seeds
  Asparagus
Tahini
  Carrots
Cooked strained/pureed:
  Green beans
  Apple
  Summer squash
Natural cheeses
  Apricots
  Nectarines
  Peaches
Cottage cheese
Apricot
  Pears
Apple
  Plums and Prunes
Cantaloupe
Cooked/pureed fresh fish:
Honeydew
 Raw, pureed:
  Tilapia
Kiwi
   Mango
  Salmon
Plums
  Papaya
  Cod
Watermelon
  Pears
  Halibut
Broccoli
  Trout
Okra
  Tuna
Grapes (peeled and quartered)
 Pastured Egg yolk   Hake
Whole milk yogurt
Very well pureed meat:
  Liver
  Organ Meat
  Lamb
  Chicken and Turkey
  Tender cuts of beef and pork
9 months old
10 months old
1 year old
Pineapple
Nut Butters (if no allergy worries)
Milk
Finely grated, raw:
Beets
  Summer Squash
Citrus Fruits
Brussels sprouts
  Carrots
Cauliflower
  Greens
Eggplant
  Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
Kale
Spinach
Rhubarb
Egg white
Rutabaga
Turnips
Honey
Cooked onion
Berries

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
27 Comments »

Paleo for Kids?

January 3, 2012 in Practical Tips, Practical Tips, Practical Tips

Can kids benefit from paleolithic nutrition?  Of course they can!  Maybe even more so than adults because their food habits and associations are just starting to form.  Plus, gluten and the other lectins in grains and legumes can be even more damaging to a child’s immature digestive tract than to an adult’s.  A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids is crucial for brain development.  And of course, a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables provides all the vitamins and minerals a growing child needs.  In fact, a paleo diet is more nutritionally dense than any other diet.

 If you found paleolithic nutrition prior to having children, then you have a wonderful opportunity to start your baby off with outstanding nutrition.  Avocado is an excellent first food as are banana, sweet potatoes, squash, applesauce, and egg yolk.  I will be posting more about paleo baby foods in the future, so keep a look out!  If you are trying to transition an older child to paleolithic foods, then you’re probably experiencing some of the frustrations that I am (my oldest is exceptionally picky and it’s hard to say no to my youngest if I let my oldest eat cheese and crackers).  But any improvement to your child’s nutrition will benefit them, so keep trying and be patient.

Try your best, but also give yourself a break.  Your child’s diet does not need to be perfectly paleo.  In an ideal world, you would provide a 100% paleolithic diet at home.  You would probably allow all the gray area foods (well, obviously not alcohol or caffeine!) and limit refined sugars while not worrying about carbohydrates (especially from fruit and starchy vegetables).  But what happens when your child goes to a birthday party?  Birthday cake, cookies and ice cream are a rite of passage for a child and I don’t believe in depriving our children of those experiences.  What happens if your child goes to a school with a mandatory lunch program?  Hopefully there will at least be a gluten-free option that you can sign your child up for.  Do you worry about your child eating pizza at a playdate?  I think it’s important to do whatever we can to raise our children with optimal nutrition but also with a healthy, not obsessive, attitude toward food.  Let’s not make a big deal out of those occasional treats, but also strive toward a tasty, healthy variety of paleo foods at home.  Of course, do be aware of whether your child is extra sensitive to those occasional exposures to neolithic foods.  Most kids will be okay, but trust your instincts.

Now, what about dairy?  This is a tricky one.  While many paleo enthusiasts are adamant that dairy should not be included in our diets, there is also evidence that children need milk proteins until at least the age of 5.  This makes sense from an evolutionary point of view because prehistorically (and indeed until only the last hundred years or so), children were breastfed until at least 3 or 4 years old, and often older.  In our current society, this is rare (I am a strong supporter of breastfeeding but both my girls still weaned shortly after turning 2).  So supplementing a child’s diet with dairy seems like a good idea (this is what we would call a lacto-paleo diet or a primal diet).  But, how can you avoid the gut irritants found in commercially available pasteurized cow’s milk?  Cultured dairy tends to be better, so try to stick to yogurt and kefir (whole fat is better too).  Even better is yogurt from grass-fed cows, which is pretty easy to find these days (Whole Foods has a few different options).  Your local farmer’s market may have raw cheese from grass-fed cows too (and I’ve heard that Trader Joe’s has a pastured cheddar).  Goat’s milk and goat’s milk products are also a good choice because they tend to be less problematic, and are very easy to find these days.  Many paleo enthusiasts believe in giving their children raw milk (again, ideally from grass-fed cows or goats).  While the nutritional quality is higher and the milk contains many beneficial enzymes, you really need to know where your raw milk is coming from, especially about the health of the cows.  Remember that unpasteurized milk was the main source of tuberculosis just a century ago.  I am still researching this as an option for my family, and am not at a point where I can recommend it across the board.

I will soon be launching a new section of my blog that is just tips and recipes for feeding babies and kids.  I am working on a bunch of paleo snack foods, ranging from “super-fast and easy” to “more work but worth it”.  I hope that the blog posts in this section will provide you with ideas, moral support and also recipes to help you transition your children to paleolithic nutrition.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
13 Comments »