10/15

Superfoods For Superbabies

My little angel has officially tried her first foods! As a parent, it’s always a little nerve-wracking to take a next big step but I can honestly say we passed through this one with flying colors. Scarlett has always been a calm and easy baby but I’m telling you … this little one LOVES to eat. With Brooks, we dealt with him spitting some out occasionally. In this little chunky monkey’s case, she eats it all up. Especially squash!

I knew once I started feeding my babies, I wanted to keep their foods as healthy as possible. So, what better way to make sure they are getting the right nutrition that feeding them yummy pureed veggies and fruits, keeping it whole and straight from the source? In general, canned foods have less nutritional content than fresh food. If we stay away from canned foods, why feed them to your little ones? Keep it fresh and organic!

The first foods that we started with are ones easily digested and least likely to trigger an allergic reaction. In general, it’s important to introduce only one new food at a time and then followed by a 4-day waiting period before the next. This way you can watch for any allergies.

Even though you are introducing “solid” foods, it’s still not solid. Mash or puree until it’s very smooth and moderately warm. My favorite way to prepare food is with the Beaba Babycook blender. (It blends, steams and cooks with ease.) I used it with Brooksie, too!

Here are some first fresh foods that were great to start Scarlett off with and would be yummy for any little ones in your life, too:

SQUASH/SWEET POTATO:

Scarlett’s legitimate favorite and what we first started with. When cooked and mashed, this is a super-baby food source of vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, and other essential vitamins and minerals. 3 medium sweet potatoes or a full butternut squash is approximately equivalent to 2 ½ cups pureed. It’s important not to make a bunch extra in advance; try to keep it as fresh as possible!

BANANA:

When it comes to easy preparation, bananas are where it’s at! Simply peel, mash with a fork, and feed. Banana’s are super easy to digest for little ones and jam-packed with potassium and fiber. 2-3 bananas will equal about 1-½ cups mashed.

AVOCADO:

I mean, we have to start this little California baby out on avocado, right? It’s also an excellent source of fatty acids for brain development. When it comes to measurements, 1 medium avocado equals approximately 1 cup for your baby. When it comes to storing avocados, leave them out to ripe. They don’t ripen as well in the refrigerator.

RICE CEREAL:

When it comes to rice, it’s important to know what brands to get. Go to your local health food stores to buy organic. Homemade rice cereal is one of the most easily digestible foods a baby can have and is rarely an allergen. One of my favorite baby cookbooks, Super Baby Foods, has a great recipe for “Super Porridge” for babies over 6 months.

Super Porridge:

• Measure a cup of water on the stove to a boil.
• While the water is heating to a boil, measure ¼ cup of brown rice into your blender. Grind very well, for about 2 minutes. The fine grinding is necessary for a beginning eater.
• When the cup of water starts to boil on the stove, turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Sprinkle the ground rice into the water while stirring briskly with a whisk.
• Cover the pot and keep it over low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid lumps.
• After letting cereal cook over low heat for 10 minutes, it’s ready. One cup of water and ¼ cup of rice makes a little over 1 cup of cereal. Let cool or refrigerate until mealtime.

For other great ideas, check out the Beaba BabyCook website as well as the cookbook for tips.