If you've ever talked to me for more than a minute, you know I'm a sucker for a bargain (and hate paying full price for anything). In fact, last Sunday I nearly jumped out of my car to save the coupons that had been irreverently scattered across the road at the entrance to our neighborhood. (Shame on whoever did that!)
Needless to say, the transition from exclusively breastfeeding (which, of course, is the most nutritious and
cost-effective FREE-est way to feed your baby) to working our way into the world of solid foods has been really bothering me because of the cost. The thought of buying baby food off the shelf at full price has really gotten me thinking. Sure, I can find coupons and maybe get some good deals on occasion (and stock up when I can). In fact, I did this months ago when some organic baby food was on sale (got $14 worth for about $4). Still, Reagan will go through those in a matter of days. I needed to find something much more cost-effective (and a way for me to know EXACTLY what is in the food my little guy is eating).
Enter
Wholesome Baby Food, a website chock full of recipes and meal plans for your growing baby. Not only is this a cheaper way to feed your child, but a much more healthy way, too (and the recipes are EASY)! Today I made my first batch of homemade sweet potato puree for Reagan. It only took me 45 minutes of baking 2 sweet potatoes + 5 minutes of pureeing them in the blender with a little breastmilk and some filtered water to get enough to fill 2 ice cube trays plus a little for a taste test. I'm freezing them for a quick defrost-able meal for our little man.
Oh, and here's how the taste test went:
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| Don't let his absent, deer-in-the-headlights look fool you. He LOVED it! He just gets sleepy when it's eating time. |
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| A little MySpace action. |
I did the same thing for Mia for a long time. Sometimes I didn't feel like making baby food and did the same thing as you -- stocked up on organic when it was on sale and had coupons -- but I think the majority of the time it was homemade.
ReplyDeleteI also wasn't crazy about giving her solids when she was young too! It just felt like a hassle, honestly. I thought just feeding her mommy's milk was enough to sustain her, and I didn't want to worry about the bowls, spoons, food and messes...which is probably why it wasn't until 7-8 months that she really started eating solids regularly!
Anyway, props to you for making your own food! It's a great way to go.
PS: Mia has that same high-chair. It must be popular because I've seen a few other kiddos on FB with the same one!