A Mother's Dance

A big question when your baby comes to the age when they need solid food, about 4 months for Ezra (health nurses recommend you should start your baby on solid food at 6 months), you need to determine whether you will cook your own baby food, buy jarred baby foods, or in most cases, use both.

When I was pregnant, and before Ezra had started on solids, I always said, "no, my baby is only getting freshly cooked food, no jarred or tinned food for my baby". I didn't want all the added "extras" that are in jarred baby foods.
Besides Farex, for the first couple weeks, I was very good at being true to what I had previously said. It gets hard though, more annoying actually, peeling, chopping, cooking, pureeing, and expensive to keep cooking your own baby food. So I started giving him both, but I'd use up all the fresh food first, then if I need to, give him the jarred baby food when the fresh food ran out, or when we'd go out for the day.

Who would have ever thought that food for an 8 month old baby would be so expensive?
I have found that I go out once a week, spend almost $150 on food for the baby, and sometimes it will only just, or maybe not even make it for the whole week. And that doesn't even include formula, as I am breastfeeding.
Then I would go home and start cooking up all the fruit and vegetables, get them in ice-cube trays and small containers ready to be frozen, try to get as much done before Ezra starts crying for me again. Sometimes I would have to do half the next day.

Of course I will keep doing all this though, no matter how expensive it is, as fresh is best!
I can't wait until he is old enough to eat what we eat......McDonalds.......maybe not. Although, last night he did steal a chip (french fry) from my plate and I let him eat it.

I did come across one Australian company in WA that makes fresh, nutritious food for babies, Wholesome Baby, the food starts from $3.50 per serving. That is a bit out of my price range though, but if you want the goodness of fresh food without the super market, washing, peeling, chopping, cooking and blending, then Wholesome Baby is there for you.

Recipe: Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup (6 months +)
This is a recipe that Ezra loves and makes about 5 servings (depending on how much your baby eats)

1 sliced Onion
1 whole Broccoli - separated into florets
1/2 whole Cauliflower - separated into florets
1 cup sliced Mushrooms
2 Potatoes - diced
2 cups Water

In an electric frying pan, fry onion for 2 minutes. Add washed broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes and water. Simmer for 45 minutes on a low heat, or until potatoes are soft.
When cooked, leave to cool for about an hour, then either blend in a blender, or use a stick mixer to puree the soup.
When pureed, pour into small, baby meal size containers, cover and freeze.
Remember to write the date and contents on each container just in case you forget about them and wonder "what is that in the freezer?"