Little Ivy Cakes

FEEDING BABY!

Oh my goodness! I have been meaning to write A post for a while now. And I have wanted to post THIS baby food blog since my baby started eating at FIVE months. Isaak is almost NINE months now. He's almost all grow'd up and it's flashing before my eyes.
Feeding him just gets better and better though, he started eating little finger foods about a month ago and it IS messier but so much fun. :)

I have been busy in the kitchen-making baaaaby food for my little one. It’s been quite fulfilling and inspiring to go to the farmer’s market and find things to feed him. I think it has also made me EVEN MORE intentional about what I eat as well. Buying organic and eating fresh is important.

Breakfast: Fig, blueberries, Oat Cereal swirled with prunes, purple rice puff stars

IF you can make your own baby food, it’s worth it. It's healthy and can save you a lot of money. Isaak has not been sick once and I really believe that feeding him healthy fresh food, and the fact that I breast feed him, has contributed to this in a major way.

I am trying to be intentional about a lot of things I do with Isaak.

I want to instill healthy eating habits and give him great experiences with food and the preparation of food. Letting your little ones be involved in the kitchen is so important. Even just the other day, Isaak was intrigued with watching the mixer swirl my pizza dough around. He's going to grow up with that and have the whole memory of mixing dough with the smell of the yeast and the italian seasoning-I love being able to instill those kinds of traditions and memories.

Sweet potatoes, zucchini, and beet

Including your baby at your mealtimes is a good thing to do as well-Sitting at the table all at once to eat dinner builds a foundation of quality family time that you can count on throughout your child's life. It creates opportunity to be an open and communicative family that is close, loving, and nurturing.

I have also learned by reading books and websites here and there that it's not good to make eating an “issue” with your baby. Letting them take the spoon and feed themselves, not forcing them to eat could be key. Make it fun, with different colors, textures, and smells. You can introduce mild spices around 8 months.

I REALLY do not want to raise a picky eater either. I figure, just give it to them without the option. What you have for them, is what they eat right?

Another really good tip that my sister-in-law, Barbie, gave me is to feed them lots of variety early on. One of her children began eating solids in the summer and there was lots of fresh fruits and veggies available to give. This child is not a picky eater and more adventurous. However, another child of hers started eating in the fall and there was less variety to give, this child is more of a picky eater.

steamed carrot finger food

Another tip Barbie gave me is to make sure you make the food as objective as possible, just because daddy doesn't like spinach doesn't mean you should teach your child it's "yukky". "Oh don't give him spinach! It's gross" your child will pick up on that before they even put the food in their mouth.

Wholesome Baby Food

Homemade Baby Food Recipes

I use these websites to look up foods and make sure Isaak is at the right age for them. They also list the nutritional value, cause for allergic reaction ranking, preparation guides, and recipes.

I try not to buy baby food unless it’s organic. Earth’s Best and Plum Organics are the brands I trust most. I look at the ingredients and pick the product with the least amount of listed ingredients.