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Baby food

15 replies

kylekennedy · 06/05/2013 23:25

What is your take on baby foods in jars and packets? My boy is 4 months old and I'm thinking if weaning him shortly. Are these ready made foods good for our babies or would it be best to make my own? If so what do you suggest?? Thanks x

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SirBoobAlot · 06/05/2013 23:29

Well firstly there really is no need for food before six months old. Their stomachs aren't designed to handle it, and they simply don't need it. Breast milk or formula (or a combination of the two, if you are mixed feeding) is exactly what they need until that age.

Nutritionally and financially you will be better off making your own food. Easiest way to wean is to follow Baby Led Weaning - absolutely effortless!

Avoid baby rice as it's pointless :)

elQuintoConyo · 06/05/2013 23:36

Crap, basically.
Since we are foolish first-time parents, we tried them all. DS didn't like any of them, didn't like being fed, they're full of shit, they taste horrible - have you tried one?
So, after about a week of this, we just started giving him what we eat, obviously with no salt, slightly softer/a bit mashed etc. Took to it like a duck to water. Much cheaper, easier and healthier in the long run and it's food that tastes like food.

Didn't know it was called baby-led weaning until I came on MN.

Have you been advised to start weaning soon? Only, guidelines state six months to introduce solids.

Don't worry if LO wears food for the first few months, that's all part if the fun of learning and 'food before one is just for fun'.

QTPie · 07/05/2013 19:03

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CreatureRetorts · 07/05/2013 19:05

Make your own. Would you eat processed food every day?

They taste rank!

CreatureRetorts · 07/05/2013 19:06

Also wean him when he's ready not by reference to any kind of calendar.

googietheegg · 07/05/2013 19:07

I went for a Babycook and made lots of separate food in purées (sweet potato, carrots and parsnip were first) and then just added different foods (chicken, salmon, pasta) with more texture gradually. I froze it all in ice cubes and now have one veg, one carb and one protein per meal.

I personally don't like blw but everyone on MN seems to think its the bees knees.

SpanielFace · 07/05/2013 19:30

We didn't BLW, but I make my own food for him, often an adapted version of what we're having minus the added salt, chilli etc. Then puréed or, these days, just chopped/masked (he's 8 months). If there's extra, I freeze it.

When we started, I batch cooked and puréed veg & froze in ice cube trays, dead easy, and far cheaper than jars. Try baking a sweet potato in the oven, and just scooping out and mashing with a little butter - DS loved this when we were first trying him on solids. Or stewed apple, or mashed banana.

I did use the occasional pouch when out and about, but I view them like ready meals - once in a while is ok, but I wouldn't want to eat them every day myself. And some are better than others - the Ella's kitchen ones are all natural ingredients, but some of the jars seem to contain nothing but thickeners/stabilisers etc. They also have a frighteningly long shelf life, which makes me wonder how many nutrients they really contain.

My sister BLW, and it worked for her, but I was put off by the massive amount of wasted food - it's not for everyone. We do fingers foods (toast/veg sticks/fruit) with every meal, and DS is learning to feed himself very efficiently!

NoWayPedro · 07/05/2013 21:33

^^ agree with all this and we do similar; home cooked whatever we're eating and a mixture if finger foods plus spoon/finger feeding

Cuddlydragon · 07/05/2013 22:34

I agree with spanielface. We followed this but not til 6 months. We have a little refluxer and even we were advised to get to as close to 6 months as possible. Their tummies just aren't ready for it much beforehand.

GingerDoodle · 08/05/2013 10:45

There was a massive thread on this on the weaning page.

As with most things baby related people tend to have very strong opinions.

DD had the odd few spoons of yoghurt, bit of banana before 6mo and has weaned well. At almost 7 1/2mos she has a mixture of our food mashed up (last night a fish finger, potatoes and spaghetti hoops), our food whole to feed herself (pure blw was not for me) and Ella's kitchen/ Hipp organic/ Plum pouches.

I only have one rule with pouches - if I wouldn't eat it then it goes in the bin (not a preference thing; just i've tasted some (particularly jar's) that look and taste rank.

For me the pouches have a few benefits:

  • They let DD taste a wider variety than what we regally have in the house.
  • Great for taking out
  • Useful to take the edge off her appetite so she can enjoy feeding herself or for a quick meal when she is hungry!
QTPie · 08/05/2013 10:51

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kylekennedy · 10/05/2013 22:16

Thank you everyone. Your help is appreciated and your information has been a great help when the time comes to move my boy on.

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RichardYeager · 20/01/2020 11:25

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CustomerCervixDepartment · 20/01/2020 11:42

Signs the baby is ready for anything other than breast/formula milk:
Lost the tongue thrust reflex
Able to sit up unaided
Able to grasp items and put in mouth

NOT watching people eat, or grabbing at your food, not sleeping well, wanting more milk etc.

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