favorite babyfood websites March 19, 2008

I love recipes.  And now that I have officially been in the wonderful world of homemade babyfood for a couple months, I have been cruising the web for ideas and info.  So far, here is what I have found:

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ is my all-time favorite site.  It has recipes and solid, up-to-date information.  It also has schedules for those who are so inclined (I don’t happen to be).

http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/make.babyfd.html has the basics, and just the basics.  But they are good basics!

For a simple site with a good selection of recipes, http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blbabyfood.htm gives some good info and simple recipes as well.

And when it comes to figuring out developmental patterns and readiness for different foods, I gotta go with Gerber at http://www.gerber.com/home …plus you can sign up to get coupons.

making baby food March 19, 2008

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I decided to make green babyfood yesterday.  Yep, my almost-8-month-old John was almost out of peas, so I started by purchasing organic baby spinach (really cheap at Costco) and frozen green beans and broccoli.  After steaming some of the spinach and thawing the frozen veggies, I pulled out my all-time favorite kitchen appliance…the Vitamix.  And then it was blending time.  I mixed up the green beans with the broccoli since John’s already been introduced to both without problems, and I didn’t think he would really like plain broccoli as much.  Spinach and peas made for a healthy, colorful combo too.  Plus I’m a little concerned about giving him too many nitrates with plain spinach, so the peas diluted that a bit.  John watched from his high chair in the kitchen, where he was snacking on itty bitty bits of whole wheat bread.  I gave him a few samples of the green goo before putting the mixtures in ice cube trays in the freezer, and he gave raving reviews and asked for more.   Guess my Irish baby likes his green veggies!

Anne’s 10 Nutrition Commandments March 14, 2008

God didn’t give these to me on a stone tablet, but they are some things I’ve picked up over the past few years that seem to work. 

1)  Eat breakfast:  it will boost your performance for the rest of the day

2)  Quality over quantity:  small amounts of good food satisfies more than large amounts of junk foods

3)  Frequency is key:  5-6 small meals per day rather than 1-2 large meals will help maintain lower blood sugar levels, a leaner body, and higher energy levels

4)  Fill up on fiber:  25-35 grams a day to control appetite today and prevent chronic diseases later

5)  Fresh is best:  snack on fruits and veggies rather than processed foods

6)  Go natural:  the fewer ingredients and closer to the way God made it, the better it is for you! 

7)  Read the label:  you are what you eat, so know what you’re eating

8)  Method matters:  steaming, grilling, and broiling rather than frying add flavor without the fat

9)  It starts in the cart:  stock your grocery cart with good-for-you foods you will eat,  steer it clear of temptation, and it will be much easier to eat right at home

10)  Plan to succeed:  planning meals  ensures you will have the necessary ingredients at home and prevents last-minute dashes to the vending machine, fast food drive-through, or grocery store

Hello world! March 14, 2008

Well, I have finally entered the blogosphere!  As I meander my way around this website (and figure out how to post, paste, tag, and link) I hope to maintain a little bit of my nutrition knowledge by writing these thoughts down, as well as stay up-to-date on the latest nutrition research and news through answering questions and reviewing articles.

Let the fun begin!