Shelley Marshall discusses which foods to offer for balanced nutrition, how to know which foods to combine and equipment for food preparation.
University of Utah Lifelong Learning Instructor Shelley Marshall gives hints on how to prepare your own baby food – especially using organic products — with these suggestions:
Why organic baby foods?
Better for the environment (less shipping and packaging)
Fresh is more nutritious
Usually less expensive
Supplies You’ll Need
Fork and spoon, blender, steamer or pot, glass jars, ice cube tray and rice cooker
First Foods — 4-6 Months
Bananas, cooked sweet potato, avocado
Simply mash with fork and put in glass jar for 1-3 days’ worth. The rest can be frozen
6-12 Months
Brown rice mixed with the above
Mash up a wider variety of ripened fruits
Blend
Recipe
½ cup rice cooked and blended
1 ripe fruit mashed or blended
1 veggie steamed and pureed
If you have too much, freeze in ice cube tray
Recipe
1 cup beans
½ steamed and pureed carrots
1 mashed sweet potato
Over a year
You can easily incorporate soft foods with meat or fish such as meatloaf (be careful of fish with mercury).
Safety issues for babies
No cow’s milk for first year
No honey until after a year old
Choking hazards: No popcorn or dry foods, sticky foods or clumped foods
Always buckle your child in high chair
… and don’t forget a drop cloth under the chair!
Visit www.momease.info for a more complete list of helpful holistic tips or attend the “Make Your Own Baby Food” class at the Lifelong Learning program at the University of Utah. Class will be taught Monday, October 12, at the Annex from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. To register call (801) 587-5433
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