Before I had children, I always wandered through that aisle in the grocery store marveling at all the cute little jars of baby food. They were just so CUTE! I looked forward to the day I would be adding them to my cart, stocking my cupboard with tiny little jars, and then popping one open to feed to my little precious one while zooming like an airplane.
Then I had kids. As I trolled the web bleary-eyed during those first few days when it seems that all Athena wanted to do was nurse, nurse, and nurse, I stumbled across various articles on the benefits and joys of making your own baby food.
WHAT?! As I read about these women who vowed never to give their kids anything that they didn't make themselves, I thought, HOW DO THEY DO IT?! I can barely stand I'm so tired from dealing with this tiny person, and you actually COOK for it?! Holy mama monkey! Not me! No Way! No How!
Then, as Athena grew and started eating cereal, I wandered those old aisles with new eyes. I realized several things I hadn't even considered before.
1- Baby food is expensive
2- Baby food smells weird
3- Baby food costs a lot of money
4- Baby food tastes kinda icky
5- Baby food isn't cheap
6- Baby food contains all sorts of weird stuff sometimes
7- Did I mention the money factor?
So I went back to trolling the web to see how hard it was to make food. I didn't want to buy one of those food mills, which looked to me like a mini-Cuisinart. So I wondered what solutions were out there for me.
And now, I make my own baby food. Here's what sealed the deal. I got this cookbook with covered ice cube trays and various bonus stuff. And the first page of the book says the following:
Preparing your own baby food takes no more than thirty minutes per week.
SOLD!
And it's no lie. Each week, I buy an item of produce -- apples one week, pears the next, peas the following. Then I follow the very simple recipe. Most items cook in the microwave. I fill my trays... freeze them overnight, and pop the frozen cubes-o'-food into freezer bags the next day. PRESTO! The little cubes keep for up to two months. And they defrost quickly and easily. It's like Dream Dinners for babies.
And now when I tell people I make my own food, they look at me as if I sprouted another head. I just shrug and say... "Well, you know... I would do anything to ensure my kids eat healthy, natural food." Bwahahahaha
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It smells much better than jarred babyfood too. And it's so much cheaper. We should start bottling it and selling it.
I've been eyeing that book/tray kit since you first told me about it in January! It's been on sale on and off... still haven't bought it. Elise had her first taste of rice cereal this morning, she seemed to enjoy it, although I don't know how much of it actually made it in her little body. I think I'll be buying the kit soon enough though!
I actually bought a jar of baby food for myself (umm..recently) just to see what it tastes like and I actually liked it *sheepish grin*... okay, so I'm weird.
I'm sure the baby food making kit also comes in handy if you ever have your jaw wired shut.
*still waiting for his porkchop smoothie*
You really should do it, Sophie! It looks like they've updated the look and feel of the book and CD too (I got a VHS). I almost want to buy it AGAIN just to see how different it is. They've renamed it and everything.
However, I think in the spirit of saving money, I shall refrain from buying something I already have. I'm such a financial wizard, aren't I?
Marcus has been having cereal for dinner for the last three or four nights. He's getting better and better at it. I think we'll be trying the apples next weekend. Tempus is fugiting.
And if you ever wanted to get rid of someone that was annoying you at your house..make them a drink with peas ice cubes!
Brilliant!
I'll tell you what.... you can borrow the DVD and book when I get it and see if there is anything different.
Yeah, Jack, that'll do it for sure. *shudder*
In Ghettosville you would be considered "crunchy". Now switch to cloth diapers and make sure all those veggies are organically and locally grown and you would be a true NW Crunchy Mom.
I tried the whole crunchy thing for about two mins with Juju. Im the only non-crunchy mom in Jubilee's pre-three school. I remember the look of terror on their faces when I broughr string cheese, grapes and goldfish crackers as the snack instead of homemade wheat/bran/tofu muffins. Im totally going to bring whole Snickers bars next year and watch them convulse.
HAHAHAHA! Please bring a video camera when you do that. They may not even know what they are.
We certainly have crunchy folks here... most of whom live or have lived in Chapel Hill--one of the many reasons Chris doesn't like to go there.
Making baby food is not crunchy. I have a friend who mills her own flour. THAT is crunchy. She is about to have a little girl. I'll be watching her to see if she lasts...
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