Baby Foodie:

    Rule 1: Don’t get discouraged.

§  Many babies won’t like to food you first give them. Don’t give up on it! Try it again or cook it with a little seasoning to get them to like it.

§  Working mommas- You will get overwhelmed but just remember you’re amazing! And you can do this!

Rule 2: Start with veggies

§  Use the rainbow rule ROY G BIV but put the R on the end OY G BIVR. This means start baby on yellows and oranges such as sweet potatoes and squashes. Yellows and orange veggies are the easiest on the digestive tract. Then progress to greens (broccoli, peas, spinach etc) then blues, indigos, purples (egg plant) and then reds for last.  Reds have the most common food allergies that is why it is better to wait.

¨     When starting greens it’s a good idea to invest in gas drops.

§  You will want to start with Veggies-Fruits-Proteins-Grains-Dairy. You can start with rice cereal to test out baby’s stomach. However, it has no nutritional content and squashes work just as well.

¨     When introducing grains- if you want to use yogurt (dairy) with some grains added in- go for it.

§  When introducing your new food: start with one ounce once per day. Then progress to one ounce twice per day and one ounce three times per day- until you know your baby will not have a bad reaction to it.

¨         As your baby gets older- feel free give baby foods that you know he/she handles well as well as your new food. You don’t have to give baby just the one food per day.

§  Make your food thick- not chunky and not soupy. It should look like more of a paste. It’s easier for baby to swallow. Don’t be afraid to use seasoning. Only limit your use of salt. A good alternative to salt are things like grated parmesan cheese.

§  If you plan on giving your baby food before six months of age- peel off any skin before you cook.

§  Your food should be the same color cooked and pureed as it is raw. If you use carrots- the food should be the same orange color.

§  Cook in as little water as possible. The best methods are by steam or roast however, if you choose to boil limit your water. Water sucks out the nutrients.

§  Don’t give baby hard cheeses before 9 months, peanuts before a year, and soft cheeses before two years. Hard cheeses are tougher to digest. A little mixed in food before 9 months is fine. Peanuts should be avoided before one year because of allergies. Soft cheeses are often not pasteurized which can lead to diseases that can affect baby bodies.

¨     A good rule to live by is don’t give baby anything you wouldn’t eat while pregnant- ex. Fish is an excellent source of protein. It’s great for baby but don’t use it every day.

Preparing and Storing Food:

§  Pick out your food: chicken (protein)

§  Cook your chicken thoroughly

§  Put it in a baby bullet (anything that purees will work just fine) and make sure its thick and creamy with no chunks

§  Give what you want ( if it’s the first time- one ounce, if its been a few weeks use 2) to baby

§  The rest- place in ice cube trays and stick in the freezer.

§  When you want to use- place in breast milk bags (or any bpa free bags) and place in the fridge to thaw or if you need it immediately: take your bag and place it in warm/hot water ( just like you would if you unfreeze breast milk) until edible. DO NOT leave food out all day to thaw it could cause food poisoning.

Transitioning from Baby to Toddler:

§  Use your best judgment. If your baby is interested in your food but doesn’t have teeth yet it might be best to wait.

§  Once you feel your baby is ready for something other than mush use small portions and only give them a few bites at a time to pick up and eat ( 2-3 small pieces of green beans for example) because babies have a tendency to pick it all up and stuff their face- you don’t want them to choke.

§  Remember you’re their mother! You know best!