I’m a bit of a food snob. Experiencing with new recipes, kitchen gadgets, and sitting at the table to taste the fruits of my labor (and watch Joey taste them) is one of my favorite parts of the day. When Sheppard was old enough – 6 months is the current recommendation by our Pediatrician – I was pretty excited to watch him experience his first exposure to the smells, tastes, and textures in the kitchen. After fumbling between Baby Led Weaning & store bought puree pouches, I realized that the new person at our table needed a meal time structure just as badly as I did.

We feed Sheppard all organic foods – no, I’m not that type of food snob as Joey and I don’t eat solely organic – but after reading up on the added absorption of pesticides in babies’ tummies I decided that for the time being, I’m more comfortable feeding him organic. If you have trouble finding organic choices where you shop, or are hoping to save money on the recipes, keep in mind the Dirty Dozen to stock up on organic fruits and veggies that contain more pesticides than others.

The Baby Led Weaning approach did not work for us as a family for 100% of Shep’s intake, so we introduced purees and they were an instant hit. We still offer whole foods with meals a few times each week – avocado strips, steamed carrot, & green beans are current hits – but the bulk of his meals are pureed combinations of fruits and veggies.

We started with veggies to prevent his pallet from being spoiled with the sweet stuff, but even at 6 months old he was too wise to be tricked. The moment he got a taste of a granny smith apple it was over. We now integrate some form of fruit into his recipes – or sweet veggie – to keep the flavor a bit more savory.

After using our steamer and blender for the first round, I realized it was worth my money to purchase the Beaba Babycook and give up Starbucks for a month. I’m able to steam and blend his food in one stop without flooding my kitchen with dirty dishes – saving time which as a working mom is pretty valuable to me these days. Wash your fruits and veggies thoroughly, peel those that require the skin to be removed, and chop away into bite sized chunks before steaming. Once soft to the touch, you are ready to blend. Most vegetable will require a little breast milk added – or water if you don’t have breast milk on hand – to create the perfect texture. Start with very little and add as needed. Keep in mind while adding liquid that once you prepare the puree at mealtime you can add in more (a great way to help cool off warmed purees).

I store Shep’s baby food in BPA free ice trays that have lids (if not, use clear wrap and not foil) and transfer to large freezer bags labeled with the food name and date. Frozen purees are good for a maximum of 3 months, so be sure and use the oldest dates first. Don’t fret if something changes in color or texture. Taste for yourself after thawing if you’re doubtful, but color changes are normal for some foods once frozen. Each cube will be about an ounce, and for now, Shep has a combination of 3 cubes each day. I’m still exclusively breastfeeding for his main meals, and he is eating his 3 ounces of puree in two sittings – lunch and dinner snacks. It’s recommended to stick to the 4 day rule when introducing a new food to check for allergies, so keep this in mind before combining foods for recipes. Also, make a small sample of the recipe to make sure your little one likes it before making up a dish of something they won’t take (I learned this the hard way). Don’t lose heart if your baby turns their nose (or shudders in Shep’s case) to one of your foods. Try again a week or two later an it could be a favorite. Sheppard refused bananas his first week eating, but now thinks they’re the bees knees. Here are a few of our favorites so far, complete with their menu name (bc who has time to say “spinach, peas, & pears” when you could scream “HONEY! Bring me a green machine!”

Sheppard’s Favorite Menu Combinations:

1. Green Machine – spinach (raw) + peas + pears

2. Morning glory – blueberries + apples + banana

3. It’s Fall Ya’ll – sweet potato + apples + dash of cinnamon

4. Muscle Milk – broccoli + peas + pears

5. Avonana – avocado + banana

6. Bugs Bunny Special – carrots (no need to remove the skin if organic) + apple + sweet potato + cinnamon

** Newsflash: I’m not a Dr, a nurse, a nutritionist, or a chef. I’m a mommy who makes decisions based on advice from our Pediatrician and a little thing called Google and Mother’s Intuition. Don’t feed your baby anything without speaking to your Pediatrician first. **