The Frugal Baby » Frugal Feeding

How to Make Homemade Baby Food

admin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:59:44 +0000

I know what you’re thinking: I have a baby screaming for attention, there is an ever-growing pile of laundry in the laundry room, the breakfast dishes haventt been done, my three year old is sampling the cat’s dinner, and you expect me to make baby food?!

Believe me, I know that you don’t feel like you could possibly fit an extra chore into your already hectic life, but you can! Making your own baby food is not a labor intensive process and is worth the little bit of effort required when you consider the benefits:

Over the course of your child’s infancy, you can save hundreds of dollars by making your own food.
Commercial baby foods can contain starchy additives or preservatives.
By making your own baby food, you can mix and match your baby’s favorite foods for increased variety.
When you make baby food yourself, you know what goes into it and how fresh the ingredients are.

Baby Food

The Cost	Frugal Makeover
At this writing, a 4 ounce jar of Earth’s Best organic peas costs $1.29 at peapod.com. This comes to about $0.32 per ounce. If your baby consumes 400 jars of baby food during his infancy, your approximate total cost will be $512.	Also at peapod.com, a 32 ounce package of frozen peas costs $3.19. This comes to about $0.10 per ounce. If your baby consumes the equivalent of 400 jars of homemade baby food, your approximate total cost will be $160.

Intrigued? Here’s how I do it in just a few minutes a day:

While I’m cooking dinner (and therefore am already in the kitchen), I pour about a pound of veggies or fruit into a microwave safe bowl. I either use frozen (considered to be as healthy as fresh by most nutritionists) or fresh that I have washed, peeled, and cut into chunks. I add about two tablespoons of water and cover the bowl with a lid. Then, I just pop the bowl into the microwave and cook on high until the fruit or vegetables are very tender. I let the steamed produce cool and then pour the contents (including the water which now contains valuable nutrients) into a blender. I then puree the fruits or veggies to the desired consistency, adding a little water to thin it out, if necessary. I reserve enough of the pureed food for baby’s meal and then I pour the rest into an ice cube tray and freeze (you could also use baby food storage containers). When the cubes of food are completely frozen, I pop them out and store them in labeled freezer bags. When I need them, I just pull out a cube or two and warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to thaw. Repeat this process every night for a couple of weeks and you will have enough baby food for a couple of months!

Tips for Homemade Baby Food Success

Always talk to your pediatrician to determine which foods are safe to introduce to your baby (click here for some popular first foods).
Don’t bother buying a baby food maker or a food mill. This is The Frugal Baby! Use an appliance you already have on hand like a blender or food processor. For finer purees or to eliminate strings or skins from some foods, push the pureed food through a fine mesh strainer.
Soft foods like bananas, avocados, and even watermelon do not need to be steamed prior to pureeing.
Breastmilk, formula, or even water can be added to baby food to thin it out, if needed.
Do not add seasonings to your baby’s foods. It is much healthier to get your child accustomed to the natural taste of vegetables.
Check out which foods are appropriate for which ages.

Photo by Ross Catrow, Creative Commons license

How to Save Money on Baby Formula

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:16:48 +0000

If you have made the choice to formula feed your baby, you have probably discovered how very expensive formula can be. The average baby will drink about $1,700 worth of formula in his or her first year of life! Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to cut back on this major expense.

Register with Formula Manufacturers

This is the single biggest way to save. All the major brands of formula offer programs that provide coupons, samples, and more. Before I had my first baby, I signed up for everything baby related I could find. As a result, I ended up with six full size cans of formula, two boxes of single-serve formula packets, a couple of diaper bags, a bottle, and a few other goodies. Aside from all the freebies, baby formula companies periodically send out checks or coupons for dollars off their products. The links below will take you to the formula manufacturers’ websites.

Clip Coupons

You may not find a lot of formula coupons in the Sunday paper, but there are plenty of other places to find them. First, check online. Just do a Google search for “baby formula coupons” and start printing. Coupons can also be found for sale on Ebay and for free through Freecycle. In the real world, formula coupons often appear in parenting magazines and yes, occasionally in the Sunday paper. One more coupon tip: keep an eye out for dollars off coupons to stores like Target or Babies R Us that can be used when purchasing formula.

Buy Generic

Some of you may be appalled at the idea of feeding generic formula to your baby. Before you panic, consider this: the FDA regulates all baby formula that is sold in the United States and all formula brands must adhere to the same nutritional standards. With that in mind, consider this: most of the name brand formulas cost about $26 for 25.7 ounces while many store brands cost about half as much.

Buy in Bulk

I’m not a huge fan of wholesale clubs like Sam’s, Costco, or BJ’s but when it comes to infant formula, there are significant savings to be found. You can usually get both name brand and store brand formula at wholesale clubs. Depending on the brand, you can find them ranging in price from $0.40 per ounce to about $0.80 per ounce. You can save even more by using your formula checks or coupons at these stores.

Frugal Nursing Pads

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:13:52 +0000

If you breastfeed and you want to go out in public or keep your bed dry at night, you are almost certainly going to need nursing pads. When it comes to nursing pads, you have two options: disposable or washable. Undoubtedly, the frugal side of you is screaming, “washable!” while the busy mom side of you is pleading, “disposable!” The good news is, you can save a lot of money on either option. Here’s how:

Disposable Nursing Pads

The Cost

Frugal Makeover

If you want to use disposable nursing pads, these can easily cost you between $5 and $16 or more per month, depending upon how often you use them and how leaky your breasts are. Keep in mind that if there are 60 pads in the package, you are only getting 30 uses from them because you will use two with every use. This can get costly. I personally love Lansinoh nursing pads. They are thin, absorbent, and soft. Before I became a frugal mom, I swore by these pads. Now, I’m saving money but I am, admittedly, sacrificing a little bit of quality.

Now, for the frugal side of disposable. Many women successfully use pantyliners cut in half with one half in each bra cup. The pantyliners are thin, absorbent, and adhesive — ideal traits in a nursing pad. While a package of 60 nursing pads might cost $8, a package of 60 pantyliners will run closer to $4. Best of all, 60 pantyliners equal 60 pairs since you will cut them in half. One drawback to this method is that pantyliners might not be as breathable as the materials used in nursing pads. With that in mind, only use pantyliners when you go out or be sure to change them often.

Washable Nursing Pads

The Cost

Frugal Makeover

Washable nursing pads are usually made from 100% cotton or wool. They are simply multi-layered fabric discs that can be tucked into a bra cup. Depending upon the brand and the quality of the pad, they can be purchased for as little as $4 to as much as $25 for a pair.

If you own a needle and thread and know how to make a simple stitch, you can make your own nursing pads essentially for free by reusing materials that you already have. First, choose your material. Old T-shirts, flannel receiving blankets, or cloth diapers all work great. Next, using a disposable pad as your guide, cut eight circles from your fabric. If you don’t have a disposable pad handy, just measure out a 4 to 4 ½ inch circle (this is a typical dimension) they can be made larger or smaller according to your preference). For each pad, layer four circles and stitch around the edges. There you have it — free nursing pads! Just remember to omit the fabric softener when washing nursing pads or cloth diapers as this will reduce their absorbency.

Breastfeeding Problems and Solutions

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:12:58 +0000

You have probably heard the adage, “breast is best.” I would like to suggest that the following is more accurate: “Breast is best, but easier said than done.” While there is no question that breastfeeding provides the best possible start for your baby and is the most frugal option for you, it also comes with its share of difficulties. Before you throw in the towel, though, check out these common breastfeeding problems and how to solve them.

Lack of Milk

Especially in the beginning, milk production may be slow or seemingly non-existent. This can lead some mothers to believe that they are not producing enough milk for their babies.

The Solution:

1. Give it Time – For the first few days after giving birth, you may only be producing colostrum for your baby. It can take up to a week before your milk comes in. Fortunately, colostrum is all your baby needs in those first few days.

2. Keep Nursing – The only way to increase milk production is by nursing more. The more you nurse your baby, the more milk you will make. It is very rare for a mother to be unable to make enough milk for her baby. Realize that if you skip nursing sessions to supplement with formula, you are giving your body the message that you need less milk.

3. Try Pumping – If you think you might not be producing any milk, try pumping your breasts. Understand, though, that a pump will usually not express as much milk as a baby would. So any little bit in the pump is an indication that you are, indeed, making milk.

Soreness

When you begin to breastfeed, all of the pulling, sucking, and tugging at your nipples will leave them sore, chapped, and possibly even cracked. If you are especially sensitive, this can become almost unbearable.

The Solution:

1. Check Baby’s Latch – If baby isn’t latched on correctly, you could be left in a lot of pain. In a correct latch, baby will have the entire areola in his mouth and the tips of both his chin and his nose will touch the breast.

2. Ointment – Apply a lanolin cream to chapped and cracked nipples.

3. Patience – Just like a child’s barefeet in the summer, your nipples will toughen up over time. After the first couple of weeks, breastfeeding should become painless.

Time Consumption

A single breastfeeding session can last 30 to 45 minutes or more and most babies nurse 8 – 12 times per day. This can add up to a lot of time spent nursing.

The Solution:

1. Avoid Nursing at Nap Time – A sleepy baby is a slow nurser and will nod off while eating. This can greatly extend the length of the breastfeeding session. Feed baby while he is still alert and if he does drift off to sleep, try to wake him.

2. Patience – In time, baby will need fewer feedings to sustain him. Additionally, as his sucking skills improve, it should take less time for him to drain the breast.

Going Back to Work

If you are a working mom, breastfeeding presents a whole new set of challenges. How do you feed your baby while you are away?

The Solution:

1. Pump – You will have to pump throughout the day in order to both keep up your supply and express enough to leave with your baby.

2. Have Lunch with Baby – If possible, visit your baby on your lunch breaks and feed your baby then. It will reduce the number of pumpings you do, as well as be a nice break during the day for you both.

Breastfeeding may not be easy, but it is definitely rewarding. There is no better way to bond with your baby or to give him a nutritional head start. When you consider, too, that you will save nearly $1,800 over formula feeding, you’ve got some added incentive. Keep at it, stay patient, and good luck!

The Benefits of Breastfeeding

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:13:17 +0000

It almost goes without saying that breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for your baby and it seems that most moms are aware of that. According to the CDC, nearly 75% of mothers start out breastfeeding their newborns. And even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for the baby’s first year, just over 40% are still breastfeeding at six months and only 16% make it all the way to the one year mark. Of the moms who do breastfeed at any point in their child’s infancy, many of them do not do it exclusively.

Before you join the ranks of the majority who feed or supplement with formula, consider the benefits of breastfeeding:

Breastmilk is the perfect food for baby. It has the right amount of nutrients and babies rarely, if ever, have trouble digesting it.
Studies show that breastfed babies are generally healthier and are better protected against things like ear infections, obesity, and even SIDS.
Children who were breastfed as babies reportedly score higher on IQ tests.
Breastmilk is always ready and at the right temperature.
Breastfeeding provides intimate bonding time between a mother and her baby.
Breastfeeding also has health benefits for mom, reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Breastfeeding can burn as much as 500 calories a day, helping new moms to shed any excess baby weight.
And if all of that isn’t enough, breastmilk is free!

What Kind of Foods Can My Baby Eat?

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:11:14 +0000

Parents who choose to make their own baby food often find themselves wondering what foods are appropriate and when. First and foremost, always check with your pediatrician if you have questions about introducing a new food to your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting solid foods between four and six months of age. Surprisingly, the AAP suggests that it does not matter what foods your baby eats first, although it does recommend baby cereals and meats as good sources of iron for breastfed babies.

That being said, the following homemade foods are usually appropriate for babies without allergy restrictions and who have been given the green light to begin eating solid foods. Again, if you have any questions about what to feed your baby, always consult your pediatrician.

Fruits	Vegetables	Meat/Protein	Grains
Apples	Avocado	Beans	Baby Cereals
Apricots	Carrots	Beef	Cheerios
Bananas	Green Beans	Chicken	Crackers
Pears	Peas	Egg Yolks (no whites!)	Pasta (very tender)
Peaches	Spinach	Pork
Plums	Squash
Pumpkins	Sweet Potatoes
	Zucchini

In addition to the above, milk products such as yogurt and cheese may be offered to older babies, usually at eight to ten months of age.

Avocado Recipes for Baby

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:03:07 +0000

If you venture down the baby food aisle in the grocery store, chances are good that you won’t find a jar of pureed avocado. Nonetheless, this super food is great for babies. Consider the benefits of avocado:

They provide nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients including vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and iron.
They are low in saturated fat and rich in mono and polyunsaturated fat (good fat).
They are cholesterol and sodium free.
They can be mashed or pureed to a smooth and creamy consistency — without cooking.

With these benefits in mind, it is no wonder that more and more babies are being fed avocados from an early age. If you want to introduce avocado to your baby (age 6 months or older), the following recipes will get you started.

Just Avocado
Ingredients
1 avocado
Directions
Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit.
Scoop the meat out of the shell.
Blend, puree, or mash the avocado until the desired consistency is reached.
For a thiner consistency, breastmilk, water, juice, milk, or formula may be mixed in.
Freeze unused avocado puree in ice cube trays or baby food storage containers. Note that thawed avocado may brown slightly but this will not effect the nutritional value of the food.

Green Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
2 potatoes, peeled, cooked, and cubed
1 avocado, pitted, scooped, and cubed
Directions
Add potatoes and avocado to blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Spiced Avocado
Ingredients
1 avocado, pitted, scooped, and mashed/pureed
8 oz. canned pureed pumpkin
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Directions
Mix avocado, pumpkin, and cinnamon together until thoroughly blended. Note that the color of this mixture will be rather unappetizing but your baby shouldn’t mind.

Orchard Avocado
Ingredients
3 of either apples or pears (or a combination of the two), cored, peeled, cooked, and mashed/purred
1 avocado, pitted, scooped, and mashed/pureed
Directions
Mix avocado with apples or pears until thoroughly blended.

Avocado Yogurt
Ingredients
1 avocado, pitted, scooped, and mashed/pureed
1 cup plain or Greek yogurt
Directions
Stir avocado into yogurt and serve plain or as a dip for finger foods.

Meaty Avocado
Note — if your baby dislikes the grittier texture of home-pureed meats, the avocado will provide a creamy texture that helps to mask the grittiness.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked and cubed beef, pork, or chicken
1 avocado, pitted, scooped, and cubed
Directions
Add meat to a blender or food processor and blend until there are no large bits of meat remaining.
Add cubed avocado and blend until smooth.

Sweet Potato Baby Food Recipes

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:34:52 +0000

Sweet potatoes are the vegetable of choice for many babies. They are sweet and smooth (and bright orange, to boot!). Parents can feel good about feeding sweet potatoes to their little ones because these tasty tubers are full of nutrients including fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid, just to name a few.

If your baby readily eats sweet potatoes but shies away from some other foods, you can try mixing some of the rejected food into a serving of sweet potatoes, gradually increasing the amount until your baby begins accepting the other food.

I find that the easiest way to prepare sweet potatoes is by washing them, pricking their skins, and microwaving them until tender. Allow the potatoes to cool for a few minutes and then you can easily slip the skins off. Pop the potatoes into a blender or food processor with a little water and blend until smooth. Remaining pureed sweet potatoes can be frozen in ice cube trays or baby food storage containers.

If you want to add a little variety to your baby’s sweet potatoes, try the following recipes.

Spiced Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
1 sweet potato, cooked and peeled
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
Dash of cinnamon
Directions
Cut sweet potato into chunks and add to blender or food processor with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Thanksgiving Dinner
Ingredients
1 sweet potato, cooked and peeled
3 oz cooked turkey (or chicken)
2-4 tablespoons water, as needed for desired consistency
1 tablespoon cranberry sauce (optional)
Directions
Cut potato and turkey into small chunks. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Peachy Keen Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
1 sweet potato, cooked and peeled
1 peach, peeled and pitted
Directions
Cut potato and peach into chunks and blend in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato, cooked and peeled
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons apple juice
1 cup plain or Greek yogurt
4 eggs
1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
Puree sweet potato until smooth
Heat a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat
Pour desired amount of batter into heated skillet (1 tablespoon for silver dollar pancakes, 1/4 cup for regular pancakes)
Cook until the batter bubbles on top, then flip and cook on the other side until cooked through.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries
Ingredients
1 sweet potato peeled and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch sticks
1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 425
Drizzle olive oil over sweet potato sticks and toss to coat
Place potatoes on a foil-lined cookie sheet in a single layer
Cook in preheated oven for 15 minutes
Flip the fries and cook for another 15 minutes

Spinach Baby Food Recipes

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:27:40 +0000

Spinach is a superfood for both babies and adults. It is rich in antioxidents, high in vitamins A and K, and is a good source of vitamin C, folate, and iron.

Unfortunately, there is some concern about feeding spinach to babies due to its high levels of nitrates. The American Academy of Pediadrics, however, says that the nitrates in spinach and other vegetables do not pose a threat to babies who are over three months of age. Sincethey further advise not introducing solid foods until 4-6 months anyway, the point should be moot.

Below you will find easy ways to prepare spinach for your little one. Keep in mind that the plain pureed spinach can be added to any number of foods for a variety of tastes.

Just Spinach
Ingredients
1 bag baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup water
Directions
Wash spinach (even if pre-washed).
Bring water to boil in a saucepan.
Add as much fresh spinach as you can to the saucepan. The spinach will shrink as it cooks (in a matter of seconds), allowing you to add the remaining spinach to the saucepan.
Cook until it is totally wilted and dark green. Pour spinach and water into a blender or food processor.
Freeze unused spinach puree in ice cube trays or baby food storage containers..

Chicken and Rice Florentine
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup fresh spinach, cooked (or 1 tablespoon pureed spinach)
2 tablespoons milk (more or less as needed for desired consistancy)
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend to desired consistency.

Popeye’s Potatoes
Ingredients
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
3 tablespoons pureed spinach
Directions
Mix ingredients together until thoroughly blended.

Spinach Smoothie
Ingredients
1/2 banana
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
3 tablespoons pureed spinach
Splash of juice (any flavor)
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth

Spinach Quesadilla Fingers
Ingredients
4 baby spinach leaves finely chopped
1 1/2 slices American cheese
1 whole grain tortilla
Directions
Place one slice of American cheese onto tortilla.
Sprinkle chopped spinach over cheese.
Top spinach with remaining half slice of cheese.
Fold the tortilla in half and grill it in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray until cheese melts.
Cut the quesadilla into strips small enough for your baby to handle.

Spinach Juice
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 bag baby spinach leaves
Juice (any flavor)
Directions
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan and add spinach.
When spinach is wilted and water returns to a boil, cover the saucepan and reduce heat to a simmer.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Strain the water from the spinach.
Add two to three tablespoons of the spinach water to your baby’s juice for an extra nutritional boost.
Remaining cooked spinach can be pureed and fed to your baby.