Equipment Needed

I'm working a post on setting up your first few months of baby food. That is coming next week but in preparation for it, I wanted to do a post on what equipment is needed to make baby food at home.

You can have something that does the work for you like this (my sister has one and loves it) or this. But, it's not necessary. 

To cook you need pans, most people have those already, and a steamer.
To puree you simply need a blender, food processor, or hand blender.
To store you need storage containers, baggies, or what I think is great - ice cube trays. I also know someone who likes to store what she makes in Ball Canning Jars.

Simple as that! See you next week...

I'm Back...

www.motherearthnews.com

An unintentional break happened for this blog for the past week and half. There were some things going on in life that needed my attention and so the blog fell to the side, but Monday we are back on track.

Some weekend reading/viewing for you. Whole Foods On A Budget posted today a helpful link for avoiding GMO's from Mother Earth News. Hop on over there and take a look at their helpful chart...

What is all this GMO stuff?

There is a lot of news right now about Proposition 37 in California and so I thought it might be helpful to give you some resources so you can understand what is going on. Here is a helpful article by Mark Bittman (author of  books like Food Matters and How to Cook Everything). Also great website with some helpful FAQ's: http://www.carighttoknow.org/.

Weekend Reading

Here are some links to some interesting articles that I'll be reading this weekend, perhaps you'll find them interesting too!

Arsenic in Rice?! (and baby rice cereal)

Helpful information on shopping places other than just your local grocery store: Whole Foods on a Budget

A great website about GMO's (Genetically Modified) along with their petitions to fight for a healthier, better America: Food Democracy Now!

The Truth About MSG

By now most people know that MSG is bad and are avoiding it. But, what many people don't know is that the food companies have come up with many ways to list it in the ingredients without us, the consumer, knowing that it is in fact MSG or closely related and therefore probably contains MSG (this is due to the fact that so many people have put up a fight to keep this bad additive out of food).

Here is a link to a site that lists the names that are used for MSG, including yeast extract, soy protein, and more: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html.

If you aren't aware about MSG, here is some basic information to help make you aware...

MSG, or Monosodium glutamate, can have a stronger affect on some people than others - if they have a higher sensitivity. MSG is "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA. There are many side affects associated with MSG, the most common being:

• Headache
• Flushing
• Sweating
• Facial pressure or tightness
• Numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations)
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Weakness

Children are more susceptible to the affects of MSG than adults. As MSG is a cheaper, very flavorful additive the food industry is putting a big fight for MSG - they claim it is fine for consumption and that very, very few people have reactions to it. Scientific studies have shown, however, that up to 40% of the population are having reactions to it. They are also starting to link MSG to other health problems and are doing studies on that now. Also, many countries have limited or have strict requirements concerning labeling with MSG. Recently, MSG has been approved for being sprayed on crops in California... no studies have been done yet related to this.

20 On-the-go Snacks For Your Baby/Toddler

A reader was asking me the other day what snacks are good for on-the-go (other than crackers). Here are some on-the-go snack options for when you can't or don't want to sit down with a knife and fork to feed them. As always, some of these items are for older toddlers or babies with more teeth so make sure you know what your child can handle. *A couple of these ideas do require using a spoon to feed your child (or for them to use one, if they can) or might be a bit messier - but they can still work for on-the-go if you are stopping to eat too.

1. Crackers (they are a good option! :o)) or pretzels
2. Dry cereal
3. Dried fruit - raisins, banana chips, dried apricots, etc.
4. "Pouches" of applesauce or other mixed purees - go for something organic, no sugar added, like one of these: Happy Baby Organic, Ella's Kitchen, or Plum Organics
5. Homemade muffins, bars, breads, etc. (those recipes ARE coming, I promise!)
6. Homemade "trail mix" (ex. dry cereal, raisins, any other dried fruits baby likes/will eat, a few chocolate chips, pretzels)
7. Banana (for when your baby can take bites), blueberries, cut up grapes or other fruits that don't brown easily.
8.  Frozen peas (they will defrost the longer you travel, but that doesn't matter!)
9. Peanut butter sandwich or cold grilled cheese (for when your baby can take bites)
10. Cooked pasta
11. Black beans
12. Healthy homemade pancakes (recipe coming soon)
13. Carrots, peppers, or other veggies (either soft cooked or if they can handle it, raw). You could bring a dip too, if you want*

If you want to take a cold pack:
14. Cheese
15. Yogurt*
16. Bagel & cream cheese
17. Hummus
18. Little meatballs
19. Leftovers*

20. Or, if your baby/toddler does well with drinks in the car you can make a smoothie for them like this one.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a staple for children and adults alike, providing a delicious and nutritious option that very few people dislike. The nutritional value of peanut butter is great - it is a high in protein, contains "good" fats (aka no cholesterol - just healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. In fact, studies have been shown that peanut butter may in fact lower your bad cholesterol levels while maintaining your good cholesterol levels), and is high in fiber. Pb also has B vitamins and vitamin E, is high in antioxidants, and good news for adults - it is said that eating nuts in general (including pb) twice a week makes you less likely to gain weight than someone who doesn't eat them. There are many diseases that pb has been shown to help fight against such as - heart disease, Alzheimers, cardiovascular, and even cancers.

Although peanut butter has these great values to it, you need to be careful which peanut butter you get as there are many that have sugar, salt, and oils added, which negate its value and can be the catalyst for other problems. For example, partially hydrogenated oils are added to many peanut butters to prevent the natural separation of oils - partially hydrogenated oils are trans fats. Natural peanut butter is the way to go, it's worth that extra step of needing to stir it. (Tip: store your unopened pb jars upside down, it will help when you go to stir it.) Really, the only ingredient you want in peanut butter is peanuts.

Here are some facts/information on various brands of "natural" pb:

Skippy "Natural" PB:
Added Ingredients - sugar, oil, and salt

Jiff "Natural" PB:
Added Ingredients - sugar, oil, salt, and molasses

Peter Pan "Natural" PB:
Added Ingredients - sugar, oil, and salt

Look on labels to find a peanut butter whose only ingredient is peanuts or, if you need a bit more flavor those with only salt as the additional ingredient. (Ex. Trader Joes unsalted or salted peanut butter or Whole Foods 365 peanut butter) Or, if you feel adventurous you could make your own! Here is a tutorial on how to make your own pb from Joy the Baker - based on all the information above, I would recommend choosing roasted unsalted peanuts and salting to flavor, if needed.

Flavor Your Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great breakfast (or lunch, or dinner!) for your child. To mix it up some, here are some flavor suggestions/add-ins (the chunkier add-ins are for your toddler, and the purees are for baby and toddlers. Obviously, still be careful about choking with you give your toddler):

Soft seasonal fruits like:
- peaches
- nectarines
- plums
- blueberries
- bananas
- raspberries

Soft cooked/roasted fruits like:
- soft cooked apples & cinnamon
- soft cooked pears & apples
- roasted strawberries

Purees:

- pureed pumpkin
- applesauce
- prunes

Or:

- raisins
- whole milk plain yogurt
- apple or pear butter
- apple and peanut butter
- frozen berries (defrosted, or for your older toddler who is still teething - the frozen berries might be nice for them to chew on)
- low sugar jam/jelly

Or if you want to go sweet:
- brown sugar
- maple syrup
- honey**
- chocolate chips

Spices that go well with oatmeal: cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla

Mix and match add-ins. For example: applesauce and raisins, yogurt and blueberries, strawberries and banana, banana and chocolate chips, pb&j, etc.

You can also go more savory with oatmeal and are up for trying out some more adventurous options, here are some suggestions:
- pureed vegetables
- cheese
- chopped up ham
- chopped up vegetables
- egg (hard boiled chopped up, fried, or scrambled)
- avocado

**remember to NEVER give honey to a child under the age of 1

Combating Constipation

This post is appropriate after a post with a banana recipe. Once your baby is eating solid food, constipation can become an issue. If you are having a problem with constipation on your little one, here are some tips.

Foods to give:

Apricots, prunes*, peaches, plums, pears, peas, spinach

Foods to avoid:

Bananas, rice cereal, and applesauce

If you are giving your baby water, try getting them to drink a bit more.

Physical help you can give your baby: 

- "Bicycle wheels": laying baby down, move each leg like the baby is riding a bicycle. You can also do this to help baby with gas.

- Warm bath: a warm bath helps to relax the baby's muscles and so can help things get moving.

- Belly massage: gentle movements on your baby's belly can help.

*Prunes. A note on prunes:

These are highly effective for constipation. I call them the "Wonder Fruit" and keep them on hand always - the one jarred baby food I buy. I get organic jars and check the labels for added ingredients, etc. Usually, just 1/2 of a jar is enough to get things moving. If you give more than that, be prepared for an explosion!