Store-bought baby food, let alone brand name can cost a pretty penny. If you have found yourself raising an eyebrow at an organic, sugar-free jar of pea, carrot and prune puree, you are in good company.
Plenty of young parents find the price of baby food simply outrageous. Of course, any parent would be willing to spend whatever it takes to give their little one the nutrients they need. We are here to help out, and make sure your tot is stocked with the vitamins and nutrients they need to grow big and strong.
As always, it is important to consult with a medical professional regarding your specific case. Just like different adults need a little more of a given vitamin, little ones differ in terms of what they need most or more of. Be sure to account for any allergies or food intolerances as well.
With a little bit of advanced thinking, you can save time and money when it comes to your baby’s food. With a few little tweaks, you can turn the food you eat, into something to nourish your baby as well. When planning out your shopping list keep in mind the following ideas and buy a little bit extra of the things that can pull double duty for you, and your baby.
Double-Duty Soup – You might have noticed that baby food, is just mushed up vegetables. Especially for young tummies, the fewer preservatives, and additives, the better. The next time you make a homemade soup, think of your baby. While you are making a carrot soup, for instance, mash up some extra cooked carrots and scoop into an ice cube tray. Freeze the tray and remove the cubes as needed, reheat in the microwave before serving. This can work for tomato soup, potato-leek and more. If you are feeling creative, consider adding mashed fruit or other vegetables like spinach, to your baby vegetable mash – no need to add that to your own food!
Fruit For All – Much like the mashed up veggies, the fruit you buy for yourself can be great for your baby as well. In autumn, pick up some extra apples, cut into small chunks and boil down into a simple and nutritious applesauce. Consider serving yourself a grape and feta cheese salad – cut some of those extra grapes in half for your baby for dessert, after he or she has finished his or her mashed veggies!
Snack Time – There is no need to drop a month’s rent on those tubes of Gerber baby snacks (that look strangely like cheerios) when you can make your own snacks, that you and your baby can enjoy together! Find a recipe for a simple sugar-free cookie or bar, that replaces oil and sugar with natural ingredients like applesauce and bananas. Recipes that eliminate harmful, processed ingredients are ideal. Bake up a double batch and freeze two or three in individual baggies. The next time you are headed to the park, grab a frozen bag and let them defrost during playtime. Once your little one is tuckered out, you will be on hand with a healthy snack!
So often, parents get caught up on finding the perfect food. Parents are confused there is some magical ingredient in the baby food that is advertised on TV, some secret ingredient that only scientists at the baby company’s seem to know about. The truth is that you know more than you think you do and you can play a really important part in making sure your baby gets the nutrients he or she needs. Don’t be fooled by the advertising promising added benefits, chances are you can do a great job all by yourself getting your baby the right food that will keep them happy and healthy.
As parents, we want things to be perfect for our kids, we need to learn to trust ourselves and our abilities to give our kids exactly what they need. There will be a lot of folks out there telling us that they know better, but when it comes to our little ones, we are really the best shot they have.