Bananas and Yams and Peas, Oh My!

As I posted a few weeks back, we recently started feeding Gabbie some solid foods. At that time, she had only tried sweet potatoes. I think she was a bit undecided at first as to what she thought of them. Sometimes she would make silly faces and spit it out and other times she would gobble them up with a smile and lots of babbling. Now I think she likes them, or at least has no strong feelings against them.

We have discovered that the more she likes a food, the more she talks while she's eating it. It can get quite messy as she tries to jabber and babble with her mouth full. But then again it can get quite messy when she doesn't like the food and she just spits and blows raspberries and makes gaggy faces.

She is now up to having had five foods, introduced in the following order:
1. sweet potato
2. banana
3. avocado
4. rice
5. peas

I am proud to say that Gabriella has dined on only homemade foods. We have decided to avoid commercial baby foods, opting in favor of making our own. The amazing part is how incredibly easy it is - you just make a batch (which can typically go along with cooking that same food for Andrew and myself) and freeze small portions using an ice cube tray (these can then be transferred to a freezer bag). Then when it is time to feed baby it's no less convenient than popping the top of a jar! We STILL have portions of that first sweet potato left - All we have to do is warm it up!

Not only did we NOT have to sacrifice convenience, but we know that Gabbie is getting only the finest freshest ingredients without any added preservatives. For example, she eats a porridge made of pureed cooked organic short grain brown rice. We buy it for us because we know it is healthier than refined white rice. I know there are some healthier options out there, but most of the typical commercial "infant rice cereal" is made of refined white rice. So, why would I want to feed it to Gabbie if I don't feed it to myself?

Plus, it is so much cheaper than commercial baby food too. Just check out this comparison chart!
And of course, I don't worry about added waste in our environment. Homemade means minimal packaging and energy use. Yay!