Homemade Baby Food- Changing the "Norm"!
When it comes to feeding your baby their first foods oftentimes parents default to rice cereal.
Since it’s usually made from white rice, there really isn’t any nutrition in it. As a result, it’s fortified with synthetically produced vitamins, like ferrous sulfate (iron), folic acid (vitamin B9) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Some manufacturers are offering organic rice baby cereal, but it’s not much better. The baby cereal may be from brown rice but it’s processed into a flake so that it’s quick to prepare but it still results in a spike in blood glucose levels.
Arsenic accumulates in the soil and water, and rice absorbs more arsenic compared to other crops. Even organically grown rice is susceptible to high levels of arsenic contamination because of the necessary growing environment, and the high levels of pesticide runoff in our modern environment.
High levels of arsenic damages the nervous system. It can cause poor concentration and memory, and reduced intelligence.
Also, setting up a baby with a diet of bland foods such as just rice cereal sets the stage for a fussy eater. It’s helpful to introduce different flavors to your baby so they grow up liking all sorts of healthy foods, not just bland sweet carbs, which can lead to poor diet choices later in life.
It's now also thought that the earlier you introduce different foods to your baby, the less chances for them to develop food allergies!
I've always started feeding my children baby food at the age of 4 months. That is oftentimes when they begin to express interest in watching us eat. I've always shared what we eat as well, with it being age appropriate of course.
The first "foods" I've always introduced them to has been good old fashioned bone broth! Broths are a perfect light intro to getting them used to being served with a spoon and also a healthy start for them!
Check out my easy recipes in this section for making baby food!
Most recipes you just need a simple pot, stove, and a blender!
I found the easiest way to store them was using ice cube trays. I really preferred the style that had the "slide on" style lid to keep the baby food from forming any ice crystals and they're also stackable so you save lots of freezer space!
Click HERE
I simply stored the frozen cubes in ziploc bags once they were solidly frozen and then reused the trays to make more food.
A couple of hours of prep can set you up easily for a months worth of food- and it's totally worth it!
Comments