The big Gala event for Tyler and Madden’s Food Fight kicks off next Thursday, October 15th. While a group of young parents from Smithtown lead the crusade to improve research, prevention and treatment for food allergies; Smithtown Today is reminding all moms and dads to stay vigilant when introducing new foods to Infants. The firsts in a baby’s life, such as witnessing an infant roll over, crawl or eat solid foods can become some of the greatest memories, we treasure in a lifetime. Protect baby’s first bites by feeding her or him responsibly, with our first signs of food allergies guide to feeding infants.
- It’s most important to introduce a baby to new foods gradually, one at a time, in case of allergic reactions. Allow three to five days between adding a new item to avoid trouble in identifying an allergy. Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction will appear within minutes to hours after eating.
- When to call your pediatrician: if your child suddenly develops Welts on the skin or Hives, a Rash or the Skin appears to be red and warm to the touch
- When to 911 or go straight to the Emergency Room: Swelling of the tongue, face or lips, Difficulty breathing, wheezing or coughing, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Dizziness or Loss of Consciousness
Safe Feeding Tips:
- Start out with vegetables and fruits that have a mild taste with a smooth consistency and a slightly sweet flavor.
- Infant cereals like rice and oatmeal are also popular to mix with mother’s milk or formula.
- When preparing food for infants (4-12 months) it is important to puree foods down to a very thin, almost liquid consistency for a baby’s first several meals.
- A basic list of steps for making homemade baby purees is to Clean, Cut, Soften and Blend one single ingredient.
- Autumn Squash and Carrots are two of the healthiest and safest options for baby food, which many parents like to start children out with.
- Other Safe Vegetables include Sweet Potato or Yams, Green Beans, Avocado, Pumpkin or Peas.
- Fruits like Apples, Peaches, Plums, Mango, Pears and Apricots are also a healthy and safe option to start your 4-12 month old on.
- Save money and time by freezing servings of veggie and fruit puree in ice cube trays overnight. Then convert to a Ziploc bag and keep frozen until you are ready to use.
Making Homemade Baby Food:
Vegetable Purees retain the most nutrients by using a steamer to soften, with the exception of squashes like acorn and butternut (see instructions below). To make a veggie puree for your baby, simply clean and peel the skin off first. Cut both ends off, remove any seeds or membrane and dice into equal size pieces. Steam the vegetable until tender, which will vary based on the natural hardness. Give time to cool down before pureeing in a blender or food processor. Add water to thin down the consistency.
Making fruit puree is slightly different than vegetables… Simply wash and then blanch the fruit in boiling water for a minute. Peel skin off the fruit immediately after removing from water. Cut and add to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
Simple Homemade Baby Food Recipes
Butternut Squash Puree:
Heat the oven to 400°. Coat a cookie sheet with a safe (soy-free/Gluten-free) cooking spray like Bak-klene. If you do not have cooking spray, substitute with parchment paper. Peal the skin off the squash and cut both top and bottom ends off. While standing upright, slice the squash lengthwise down the middle and spoon out the seeds and gooey fiber. Cut both halves in half again and use a knife to cut one inch cubes. Arrange the squash on the cooking sheet and bake until tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Let the squash cool down for 10-20 minutes before placing in a food processor. Blend the squash as long as needed to produce a smooth and thin consistency. Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin down the puree if needed..
Brown Rice Infant Cereal:
Add a few cups of (dry) short grain brown rice to a blender and blend for a minute or until it has a fine powder like texture. Next bring half a cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add two tablespoons of the rice powder and whisk constantly for 4-5 minutes or until nice and creamy. Allow some time for the cereal to cool down before serving. Add some breast milk or formula to the cereal before serving for extra nutrients. Store leftover rice powder in a Tupperware for an inexpensive and healthier feeding schedule.
If you’d like to attend the Gala for Tyler & Madden’s Food Fight, please CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.