Baby Food

I love food and eating good food.  I am also an avid runner, and when people ask why I run, part of my answer is so that I can eat.  My friends and I have even started a cooking club where we get together about once a month and try cooking new things and sharing recipes and tips.  So when it came time to start feeding my kids (yes, this post is 3 years in the making) I knew that I wanted to be very intentional about it.  I had already worked so hard breastfeeding for the past 6 months, that I had a hard time thinking of now feeding my kids processed food from a jar.  So 3 years and two kids later, I am still making all their food... and enjoying it! 

I started using recipes from Petit Appetit cookbook, and now consider that a "must-have" for anyone who wants to make their own baby food.  There are even a number of great recipes for the whole family (my personal favorite is the No Yolking Around Pancakes).  The other items I consider a "must-have" are Fresh Baby Food Trays.  They are the perfect size for storing most recipes and are portioned at 1 oz. so it is easy to keep track of how much your baby is eating.

Many consider making your own baby food to be time consuming, but I have found it really doesn't add much time to any meal preparation.  I typically make one or two things every Sunday night, and that is more than enough to make it through the week.  I have been having fun recently with a cookbook that my friend, Laura, gave me called, Baby Love.  There are a lot of fun two or three ingredient recipes, and they are all very easy. 

Peach Apricot Oatmeal, from Baby Love... and this is just 1/2 the recipe!

Some more benefits we have seen in making our own baby food is cost savings, reducing waste (we are not throwing away or even recycling baby jars each day), and a 3.5 year old who will eat almost anything.  I hope that by taking the time to share our experience with making baby food it will encourage someone else out there to try it!

Breakfast and lunch for Max this week: Peach Apricot Oatmeal and Pea, Edamame, Apple