Parenting

Last edited Fri Jan 20, 2012, 10:33 PM - Edit history (1)

I put the veggies, rice, tofu & beans through a small food mill (purchased for $5.00 at K-Mart) when my baby was just starting to eat solid foods. Sometimes I mixed up the foods and sometimes I fed them separately. I always gave him his liquid Poly-Vi-Sol vitamins with iron as per his doctor's direction. He only has ever has filtered water and organic cow milk and organic, non-sweetened soy milk after he stopped breastfeeding. He eats fresh organic fruits and some organic dried and canned fruits instead of fruit juice, also as per his pediatrician's directions. (There is way too much sugar in fruit juices, even the all natural, organic kinds.)

Now, at age 3, he still eats fresh organic foods every day. (I can't afford to eat those every day but it is easy to afford that food for one small child.) I wash and cut up the fresh organic veggies. Then, I steam them for 10 minutes ONLY and immediately remove them from the heat. He really likes organic rice pasta and tofu with fresh steamed veggies. He also loves basmati rice. I've intoduced anti-biotic free, organic meats (beef and chicken) and he now gets to have a Bryers ice cream snack or an organic chocolate (70% - 86% dark chocolate) snack at night. He loves organic raisens, apples & bananas, mini pretzels, unsalted peanuts, kiwi fruit, fresh bread, all natural peanut butter (i.e. no added sugar), and raw fruits and veggies. I found organic chips and salsa at Publix that he really loves. There are some really good whole grain tortillas at Publix too. We love to eat lots of cheese and real butter and also all-fruit spreads and local honey. We are lucky to have a local organic farmer's market and a local organic specialty grocery store.

Of course, he has has the every once in a while, fast food, french fry treat! Oh boy! He loves those fries! He also loves goldfish and he would nom, nom, nom down a bag of chips if he had the chance! He also gets to eat homemade cookies and cakes and pies when we have time to make those delights!

I also fed him lots of organic oatmeal and rice cereals. He has never refused a veggie that I've offered him! He really likes baked ziti, beef stew and chicken sausage stew. Local free-range eggs are a favorite. I buy the hormone and anti-biotic free kind at the store when I can't get local eggs. We have a local, organic bread baker so we get to eat fresh bread every day.

It is really easy to make food for your child. we did buy some Earths Best food in jars for when we were on the road and away from home. But, we were (and are) mostly able to take a lot of his food with us when we go places. Basically, he ate (and eats) what we eat. We just put it through the food mill for him when he was really little. Freezing the milled food in ice cube trays is a great idea for saving extra food for the next meal.

It is cheaper and healthier to feed your child fresh, home made food! I know that limiting preservatives, additives and chemicals is a good thing and it is a good way to make sure my child will be healthy and well nourished.