I’d Eat That
We’re getting closer and closer to starting the twins on solid food. In fact, we’ve tentatively scheduled their first “meal” for this weekend.
To practice, we’ve spent a few mornings feeding them a small amount of milk or formula on a spoon to get them used to what a spoon feels like, and what it’s like to have food in the front of their mouths rather than squirted towards the back. After some initial rejection, they both took to it like pros, and even started opening their little mouths when we brought the spoons close. So cute!
I’ve been planning for a while to make their food myself, rather than relying on little jars. Baby food is just a puree, right? I can make a puree, and if I make it I’ll know exactly what’s in it, and I can earn liberal elite points by only using the finest organic and locally grown fruits and vegetables. Plus, as it turns out, it’s super easy, and cheap as all heck.
Yesterday morning, I broke out a pot with a steamer basket and the food processor and made carrots, peas, pears (all steamed and pureed with a bit of water), and squash (roasted and pureed with a bit of water). The whole operation took maybe an hour and a half including cleanup, and check out the results!
Look at that vivid orange and green! And, I have to tell you, it tastes pretty good. Assuming you like carrots and peas and pears and squash, and who doesn’t?
It was odd to have to ignore most of my usual culinary instincts: no, the vegetables don’t need to be salted; no, the squash doesn’t need oil to bake up deliciously; and no, I didn’t need to worry about over-mixing the vegetables in the food processor. And, considering how bare bones the preparation was, and how delicious the results, I might have to rethink my usual inclination to season the hell out of everything I cook.
I’m also totally digging these cool 2 oz Baby Cubes for freezer storage. Should be awfully convenient.
Filed under Parenting | Tags: feeding, food | Comments (5)5 Responses to “I’d Eat That”
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I did that, too. It was easy and so much cheaper than jarred baby food. And you’re right about it tasting good. Hannah and I were just talking about this the other day and we realized that the things she loved when she first started eating are still the things she loves the best. Apples, peas, pears and sweet potatoes!
Wow, you are doing a great job. Look at those beautiful cubes. My favorite resource for feeding my baby is http://www.babyfood101.com
I hope this is helpful on your solids journey.
Good luck!
Lisa
Just a warning, in case no one has told you: they may hate it. More to the point, my children have rejected homemade baby food at a 100% rate, despite liking (in both cases) pretty much every kind of jarred food. I don’t know what the deal is, but there it is. I certainly wish you luck – the expense and waste of the jars drives me mad, but so does putting a lot of effort into making baby food that gets thrown away.
One tip: they like their first foods very, very thin.
Awaiting moderation? I’m affronted!
Heh. I haven’t yet figured out which comments it decides to hold for moderation and which it doesn’t. Maybe first-time commenters always get moderated? Anyway, I appreciate the advice—I probably won’t go through with my plan to fill the freezer to overflowing until I see what their tastes are.