Sometimes I feel like jarred food would be better :(

[sdaeffler]

Also, throw some organic sprouted flaxseed in with the veggies your LO doesnt seem to care for.  Gives it a little flavor, and my pediatrician recommended flaxseed for added nutrition.

[Lemonthyme]

I found my son really liked milky foods at that age so some fish pie always went down well.  To make it coarser, rather than pureeing everything I used to just flake and mash the fish with a fork and mash the potatoes.

Gagging is ok and normal.  Choking isn't obviously but it does take them a little while to learn how to move foods around in their mouths and their gag reflex is really sensitive at that age.  Gagging is what stops choking.

[*Kara*]

In Canada and the USA, you really don't have to feel any guilt with jarred food - no added salt, fillers, sugar like there is in the UK. 

That said, I have found the same thing as sdaeffler - it's all about the consistency... my DD hates lumpy purees.  But she eagerly eats things like Cheerios, gerber puffs, pieces of steamed fruit... and she loves smooth purees too. 

BTW - a baby food jar is 4.5 ozs   But yes, much cheaper to make you own and totally fine to mix fruits/veg! 

[tigerlilly905]

In Canada and the USA, you really don't have to feel any guilt with jarred food - no added salt, fillers, sugar like there is in the UK.

Errr... I would disagree. Although there may not be added salt, fillers ect in the food itself - what should be a huge cause for concern for all parents in jarred (or canned) food is in the chemicals in the packaging. BPA (the chemical that mimics estrogen) is in the lid of almost all jarred baby foods (and in the lining of canned foods) and can leach into the food. http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/bisphenol-a-baby-food-47072002  This is in Canada and the US. Perhaps a bit off topic for this thread, but something all parents should consider and do their research on before feeding jarred baby or processed baby food to their children.

If anyone is interested, we have a thread going on here about what's sneaking into your kids foods - (chemicals, Genetically modified ingredients, ect).. either in the food directly or by leaching into the food from the packaging. http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=217108.msg2323829#msg2323829

[*Kara*]

I guess I'm not too concerned because I have no health problems from jarred food myself   And I formula feed with concentrate formula - from a can... I really think we all need to relax a bit.  There are chemicals in everything.  Unless you are washing your entire home with vinegar and water and just rinsing your clothing... we all get exposed.  And I suspect many use the dishwasher to clean babies things too...

[Lemonthyme]

I agree that the lack of salt, sugar and fillers does not necessarily make jarred food great.  Didn't realise about the BPA in the lids but they have to heat up this food to a really high temperature to kill of bacteria spores to make it shelf stable.  Inevitably that means nutritionally it's not as good.  

Once in a while, ok if you want to but personally it's home made for me all the way, with a freezer you can do batches no problem.  I bought 3 emergency jars for my son and they've all gone into the bin unopened.  For one it just looks so unappetising!

[tigerlilly905]

There are chemicals in everything.  Unless you are washing your entire home with vinegar and water and just rinsing your clothing... we all get exposed.  And I suspect many use the dishwasher to clean babies things too...

Minimizing ones exposure is probably the best course of action, I would agree. We all have to do what's best for our own family.  We do clean with water and vinegar (it's safe and cost effective ), and when I can't, we use completely natural cleaners (Nature Clean) Don't use the dishwasher for baby things, but only use natural dish detergent as well.

We're a Crunchy family - so I don't expect everyone to do what we do, but I do feel it's important for parents to be aware of potential dangers to be able to make the best choices themselves. Many expect these chemicals and fake foods to be "safe" just because they are on the shelves.... when that's far from the case.

Do your own research and make the best choices you can for your family - that's all I can say. But again, this is off topic for this thread. I would be happy to see you over on the other thread I posted to discuss this further, Kara

It's not meant to become a debate, just sharing the information that there ARE chemicals in the jarred baby food packaging, and that is something to consider. The packaging for jarred and canned foods are far different now then they were 20-30 years ago - and potentially more toxic. Personally as a Mom, I would want to be aware of that before deciding to give it to my child, which is why I make mention of that on this thread.

Justine, I hope you're having more success with Isaac eating the homemade baby foods. You're a wonderful Mama to put so much love and effort into his food

[*Kara*]

and fake foods

This is going a bit far...

=========================================================================================
This whole post was simply the PP mentioning that she felt her hard work and dedication to homemade food was going to waste... introducing solids is not always easy.  Mom is super excited for this new phase and in bub's life and then it doesn't go as planned... it can be disappointing and discouraging for mom... if the LO takes to jarred food, go with it.  It's not going to poison him.  She has the next 20 years to make his food with love that he will happily gobble up

[jay2yay]

Thank you for the insightful tips, everyone I personally don't find homemade foods that much more economical but I'm sure I could be making wiser choices. To have the variety in my freezer that baby food provides just doesn't seem possible (for me to prepare that much and/or afford to buy that much food to make it.) I struggle cooking just for my family on a daily basis so that's the main reason why I find making food for DS a chore, I think, but I've been trying not to see it this way. When I became a health nut (a moderate one ) when I worked out like crazy before I got pregnant, the advice I got that I'll never forget is 'just try to eat as close to the way God made it'.

I'll join the thread, Rebecca Because it makes me assume that the organic baby food packages that are BPA free are okay?

Thanks again for the encouragement

[*Kara*]

Big hugs hun... I totally went through a phase were DD was eating everything I made without hesitation - it was great.  Then it all went sideways and I felt exactly like you do right now.  She was fine with jarred so I went with it for a month or so... she is now back to homemade.  Don't worry about using jarred if it works for him right now since the majority of his calories are coming from a bottle or a boob anyways...

[*Kara*]

Banana and avodado is really popular here too!  So is avocado and prunes - now that one looks gross!

[tigerlilly905]

I struggle cooking just for my family on a daily basis so that's the main reason why I find making food for DS a chore, I think, but I've been trying not to see it this way. When I became a health nut (a moderate one  ) when I worked out like crazy before I got pregnant, the advice I got that I'll never forget is 'just try to eat as close to the way God made it'.

Great advice - I love that!  One thing that I found really helpful - I made a point of cooking extra at dinner time to make into purees.  So if I'm steaming carrots for dinner, then make extra for purees.  Baking sweet potatoes for dinner, I'll do a few extra ect. Any leftovers from dinner could be pureed as well ect. It does get easier as they get older and their food choices open up, as well as the herbs/spices you can add to their foods.  Maybe that will help it seem like less of a chore if you're just adding it to your everyday cooking, kwim?  I always make big batches and freeze. We have a deep freezer in the basement.

Bananas/avocados are super easy to just mash up w/ a fork. I love bananas for travel... easiest homemade baby food around!  

[Erin M]

Mashed bananas - I think I bought them jarred once for one of the girls and then tried to figure out why in the world I would do that.  It's funny the things you'll do without thinking.

I notice now that many of the organic baby food brands have their food in pouches now instead of jars.  Wonder if that's to eliminate the bpa in the lids?

[*Kara*]

Mashed bananas - I think I bought them jarred once for one of the girls and then tried to figure out why in the world I would do that.  It's funny the things you'll do without thinking.

So did I!  Apparently mashing a banana is hard work   Funny enough, they don't taste anything like a banana and my kid wouldn't touch them!

I notice now that many of the organic baby food brands have their food in pouches now instead of jars.  Wonder if that's to eliminate the bpa in the lids?

I noticed that too - and the ones in pouches list BPA free on their packaging   My DD loves most of the combos that are made by Baby Organics in the pouch.  Great for travel.

[tigerlilly905]

Quote from: Erin M on Today at 07:13:02 AMI notice now that many of the organic baby food brands have their food in pouches now instead of jars.  Wonder if that's to eliminate the bpa in the lids?I noticed that too - and the ones in pouches list BPA free on their packaging

Thats great news