When I was a new mom, I thought babies were some strange species requiring food different from the rest of us. When mine moved to solids (I had twins, I always refer to kids in twos!) I only fed them properly sealed 'Baby Food' in tiny jars and boxes lest I poison them. If there was a sale, I loaded up, but if there wasn't a sale, I loaded up anyway because the kids ate all the time and they had to have the special Baby Food or they would starve.
Right?
So one day, I'm wondering what babies ate before special Baby Food was invented. How did those pioneer ladies keep their babies alive? What did moms in third world countries do? How did Roman babies live to become Roman citizens? And how did early man ever evolve to walk on two feet without Beech-nut?
Answer?
They ate food. They ate the same food their parents ate just mushed up smooth and devoid of spicing.
Duh. I knew all those degrees I got would come in handy one day. Also, I saw on Discovery Channel that in a lot of primitive cultures, moms pre-chew the food, then squirt it into baby's mouth.
You don't have to do that. This is America. We have food processors. We have blenders. We have Magic Bullets.
Do you know what's in baby oatmeal? Oatmeal. Also wheat and it looks like they spray it with vitamins or something but basically it's very fine oatmeal.
What's in baby applesauce? Apples and water
Baby peach and bananas? Peach, bananas and water
Baby chicken? Pureed chicken.
Conclusion? You can make baby food at home for pennies rather than blowing dollars on it at the grocery store. Just cook whatever you want to feed baby. Leave out the salt and the sugar. Baby doesn't need it. Pop it into the processor of your choice with a little water and whirl it until the consistency is smooth.
Feed the baby.
I love this post! I have a 14-month old, and I did the same thing! I learned quickly that baby food hardly ever goes on sale, and even with coupons it's still pretty expensive. Making my own baby food really isn't that hard, and it's just as nutritious, if not more, than processed baby food.
ReplyDeleteI think you would like this poem, called "The Modern Baby":
http://www.poeticportal.net/content/view/681/29/
Thanks for the poem, Shauni! I really enjoyed it. The diaper manufacturers, both disposable and reusable have Moms cornered, also. I wish I'd had my epiphany re: baby food way earlier than I did. Would've saved a ton of money better earmarked for the college funds.
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