Feeding your baby his first solid food is a really exciting milestone. But it can also be a daunting one. What are appropriate first foods for my baby, is a question that I think all moms (and dads) ask. As a first time mom I wasn’t terribly adventurous. We started Jaden on the traditional boxed rice cereal when he was ready to start making the change.
After he was happily eating that I experimented with some of the other baby cereals before trying some fruit and vegetable purees. Even then I played it safe and purchased the tiny little jars of stage one purees. Not terribly adventurous huh? More recently I’ve been reading some really great recipes for baby food that sound great and are quite simple. From cereals to fruit and vegetable purees, there really is no need to rely on the prepackaged foods for your baby. These are the first foods that I would try, given the chance to do it again.
Brown Rice Baby Cereal
Source: WholeFoodMommies.com
Ingredients: 1 cup water and 1 cup brown rice.
Directions: Heat the water in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil. While your water is heating, grind the rice in a coffee mill using an extra fine setting. After the water boils, turn heat to low. Sprinkle the rice over the top of the water and stir with whisk. Cover and keep on low for about 10 minutes.
First Vegetable Puree
Source: AnnabelKarmel.com
Ingredients: Your choice of vegetable: 2 cups carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled and diced.
Directions: Place chopped vegetables in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Blend the vegetables to a puree using some of the liquid from the bottom of the saucepan.
First Fruit Puree
Source: AnnabelKarmel.com
Ingredients: Either 2 medium apples or 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and chopped plus 3 tablespoons water.
Directions: Place chopped fruit into a medium saucepan and add water. Cover and cook over low heat (about 6 minutes for apples and 3 minutes for pears) until the fruit is tender. Blend the fruit to a smooth puree using a blender or food mill.
Annabel Karmel’s site is one of my favorite sources for unique baby food combinations. There are plenty of great ideas for recipes for your baby.