She Will Eat It

I love making baby food.  I like knowing exactly what's in Madeline's tummy.  I like seeing what the puree is going to look like...and taste like.  I LOVE seeing Madeline's reactions to new foods.  It's all so fun!    

Solids Madeline has eaten so far include: Rice cereal, baby oatmeal cereal, banana, avocado, pear, papaya-banana, apple, carrot, butternut squash, and pea. 

Madeline is a good eater.  With the exception of avocado, she hasn't rejected any new foods.  Her favorites are apples and bananas.  She LOVES bananas.  Her least favorite food would probably be the peas.  Lately, I've been mixing a pea cube with a squash or carrot cube so Maddie enjoys it more.  

I've gotten all my baby food recipes from the book Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler.  It is written by Norah O'Donnell, and her husband/chef, Geoff Tracy.  I really like this book because the recipes grow with your child.  There's even a section in the back for adult recipes.  For example, since you've already made mango baby food for your little cherub, why not use some of that pureed mango for your own Mango Margarita?!  It's a win, win!   

The website, www.Wholesomebabyfood.com is also a great resource for recipes and schedules of when to feed your infant new foods.  

When I puree Maddie's food, I make a big batch and freeze it in ice cube trays.  Once they are frozen, I transfer the cubes to freezer bags.  Each cube is about an ounce.  Madeline is now eating two or three cubes at a time.  She's a good eater!   

When it's time to eat, I defrost the cubes in the microwave...being very careful that the food does not get too hot.  I'll often mix in a bit of rice cereal or oatmeal to thicken up the fruits and veggies.  

I've even been able to send her homemade food to daycare with her every morning.  The whole cube system makes it really easy to get her meals for daycare ready in the mornings before I leave for work.   

I only introduce one new food at a time to make sure she doesn't have any allergic reactions to the new food.  Once I know she's not allergic to the food, I can mix the cubes into new combinations. 

I made the papaya-banana baby food yesterday morning.  She loves it.  I've heard papaya is really good for upset tummies, which Madeline gets a lot.   

I've got some green beans in the freezer ready to go as her next new food.  Mango, peaches, and sweet potatoes are also on the short list.  

In another month, she'll be able to try more sophisticated combinations with spices and everything!  I'm very excited for that!  I wonder if she'll like garlic....