I've been making the fruit and veggie purees, but now I was wondering if it was time to try some new things.
Would appreciate any input on when to introduce meats and how. Also, any tips or tricks on how to prepare food would be welcomed!
Here is a great book that I have been using now for 3 years.
Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. Hope it helps.
wholesomebabyfood.com is a great website. They have printable charts that list what food baby can eat and at what age. They also have recipes and directions on how to cook different foods. Plus its free so it really cant get any better!!! The charts are great. We have the age and food guide hanging on our fridge. Then when our daughter has tried a new food and she can continue to eat, we just highlight it. That way we always know what she can and can not eat. Walmart has these great ice cube trays. You get 4 trays for a dollar, and each tray has two different sizes, full size and half size. This was when you need just a little more, you dont need to waste a whole cube. Tofu cubes covered in cheerio dust. Ive never met a baby that doesnt like that!!! And you can always puree the meat and freeze it into cubes. Then mix a cube with cereal or some sweet pots or peas or something. have fun, I love making the new food, its so exciting!!!!
By the time my daughter was 8 months old she was able to eat very small pieces of meat cut up, she did not need them pureed. It is tedious though, so if you're not up for it, or if your son rejects it, you might just need to try the blender! Beans are good to mix in for protein, you can try them straight or mix them in with veggies. And really, routines are good for our bodies, don't shake things up too much on him!
sclb.net
I liked the book by Annabel Karmel. She gives great suggestions in easy to follow format.
Meats were easy to do. After cooking (poach/steam/grill/etc)a meat (chicken, ground beef, turkey, etc.), I'd puree and store into cubes. Some required a little more water/broth to get the right consistency. Initially I would introduce a meat with a cereal or vegetable (chicken with potato, ground beef with carrots, etc)Pretty soon, I was able to easily make stews, soups, etc and before long my kids were eating what we were eating, just not pureed. It was easy to go from pureed, to mashed, to ground, to just cut. My 3 and 4 yr olds are excellent eaters, trying everything with few dislikes and I definitely attribute this, in part, to that success.
I have made all the baby food for all 4 of my kids. I think it made the transition to real food easier and I have NO picky eaters! I freeze fruits and veggies in ice cube trays for individual servings. You can puree chickem breat and even low fat hamburger in the food processor and also freeze in ice cube trays. With my oldest I had bought a great low key (some of the books are way to involved for me) book called "BABY LET'S EAT" my oldest is 8 but I checked and amazon.com carries it.
Have fun and good luck
B.
Our little one refused pureed foods when she was 8 months old and only wanted to feed herself. I had been making her food from the begining, so the switch was pretty easy. She is 9 months now and this is a great time to introduce new foods and textures. She loves tofu, ground turkey, nitrate free turkey breast, chicken cubes, any veggie, avocado, beans(especially black)brown rice, waffles, pancakes, peaches, pears, plums, cooked apples, veggie burgers(by garden burger). When we are out to each we try to give her a little of what we eat.
My biggest concern was when to start different foods and I found the book Super baby food by ruth yarrow to be a great guide along with my pediatricians recommendations. The book gives a rundown on what foods can be introduced at what month. I ignored the nut recommendations and went with my peds NO Nuts.
good luck and congrats!
M.
L.:
you can use whatever foods you eat...potatos/ avacodos/ meats needs to be cut into smaller "bite" size pieces...
P., RLC, IBCLC
Pres. Lactation Support Group, Inc
www.lactationsupportgroup.com
With my son, I'd put a little of whatever we were eating into the chopper thingy and chop it up till it was at a consistency he could handle. He ate everyting we did for dinner etc.. Just like you've been doing. Have fun!
Look at Dr Sears book on family nutrition at you library. Really good for all stages of life and you and your husband as well. Super Baby Food is good also, but I choose to go more moderate than she does.
chicken soup with little star noodles and chopped carrots. My son loves it
LLL has a good book on this. It has lots of good recipes. I also have Annabel Karmel's book and liked that, too. My son eats ANYTHING because I made him a lot of homemade food. I did cheat and use SOME storebought organic baby food for those times when I was rushed. But there are LOTS of good kids cookbooks out there.
So easy! Just take whatever food you are eating, put it in your food grinder with either breastmilk or formula until it is the consistency you want. We did with with all the food we ate and now my kids eat all the same foods as us at ages 5 and 2.5.
L.,
I found the book "Super Baby Food" really helpful in preparing food for my young one (at the time). She provides a lot of nutritional information, and recipies for older children as well.
B.
