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Apples, Pears and Spinach, Oh MY! #BabysFirstFoods

April 1, 2016 19 Comments

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Scarlett has been chowing down on solid foods for almost three months now, and she’s getting really good at accepting, “chewing” and swallowing her food.  We made sure to start with oatmeal and milk, and slowly introduced a few purees as we learned that she was ready for solid foods.  Once Scarlett was eating a single puree for a few days (we made sure she wasn’t allergic to a particular food and was tolerating it well), we would switch it up and either mix in something new or introduce a new flavor.  

Scarlett did really well with most of the purees, but strong tastes like green beans and spinach were hard for her to tolerate at first.  After I added some oatmeal, milk and a little pureed apples to tone down the flavor, it became a regular menu item.   Spinach, however, might take a little more work.

Scarlett plays with a spoon while I prepare her lunch.

As we move forward in Scarlett’s feeding saga, I’ve been looking to Beech-Nut’s full Guide to What Baby Eats Now (available on the super-informative Beech-Nut blog).  On page seven, you’ll find tips to guide you and baby through the “Very First Bites.”  It was this page that reminded me of the important practices and guidelines to set Scarlett up for proper nutrition.  After all, it has been almost 4.5 years since Red started solid foods, and my busy brain can’t quite remember everything.  It’s easier for me to “digest” important pointers and lists rather than a novel of commentary!

Tip number nine was particularly useful for me. It mentioned to practice spoon feeding and made me realize that this technique feeds into them learning to spoon feed themselves.  While Scarlett is very young, I’m avoiding the over-use of pouches so she can learn to accept larger bites of food from a spoon. I’m even letting her handle her own spoons in the highchair as I prepare her meals because it keeps her entertained, allows her to teeth on the BPA-free baby spoon AND will eventually teach her to hold it by herself.  You can see her in the video below hamming it up for the camera and really exploring not only the spoon, but the purees themselves.

Even after eating small meals three times a day, Scarlett still likes to explore her foods. Sometimes I will stir up a bowl of mixed flavors, or change the thickness with either milk or cereal, trying to catch her off guard (A great way to use Beech-Nut’s tip from the Guide – to offer a variety of flavors).  She often sticks her fingers into her spoon, reaches for the bowl, or guides the spoon to her mouth by herself.  It’s also interesting to note that even though she’s such a small human, she most certainly has shown us that she has preferences for certain foods!

Touching foods and playing with spoons helps teach babies how to handle them!

And at the end of a long day, I often find Scarlett is eagerly awaiting bedtime.  She gets her “hungry pants” on early in the evening, usually before we sit down to dinner as a family, so a full belly and a little body means she tanks out before the rest of us.  I was giggling to find her like this at the end of our meal last week (I almost woke her up laughing!).  The poor thing had fallen asleep in her highchair after gleefully playing with a napkin.  Maybe tomorrow I’ll get her to have a better nap so we can try that whole spinach thing again!

Sleeping Baby in the Highchair

I am very pleased to announce that I will be working with Beech-Nut during 2016 as a sponsored ambassador, sharing Scarlett’s journey to solid foods and shedding some light on the #BabysFirstFoods process.  Come and share a bite to eat!

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Filed Under: baby

Comments

  1. Julie says

    April 1, 2016 at 9:20 am

    We may our little one’s baby food and it was so easy and super cheap! A win-win!

    Reply
  2. Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    April 4, 2016 at 8:06 am

    Both of my boys were really good about trying new foods when they were babies. It wasn’t until they hit about 20-22 months that they stopped liking most of them.

    Reply
  3. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

    April 4, 2016 at 8:13 am

    I had so much fun introducing solid foods to my kids. Those little trash compactors would eat ANYTHING. They still do!

    Reply
  4. MJ L . says

    April 4, 2016 at 11:20 am

    Awww so cute! My kids are 7 and 4, and I really miss the baby ages, especially when they start eating solids!

    Reply
  5. Monica says

    April 4, 2016 at 11:31 am

    So cute! She looks thoroughly satisfied! Have fun enjoying this truly special time with your little one.

    Reply
  6. Pam says

    April 4, 2016 at 2:21 pm

    My daughter is having a baby this month and she is already looking up information about feeding! I have always liked Beechnut foods.

    Reply
  7. Anjanette Young says

    April 4, 2016 at 3:24 pm

    First of all, what an adorable baby! I think baby feeding time was probably my most fun… Watching their reaction to the new tastes and seeing them find that food that they really like. Thanks for sharing with us.

    Reply
  8. Liz Mays says

    April 4, 2016 at 7:21 pm

    Aww what a fun time. It’s interesting to see what kinds of foods they’re starting to prefer at this stage.

    Reply
  9. Toni | BoulderLocavore says

    April 4, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    Oh my goodness, she is adorable! It sounds like you have a very thoughtful process to introducing solids. When my kids were little there really weren’t pouches so we didn’t need to think about that too!

    Reply
  10. Marcie W. says

    April 4, 2016 at 7:59 pm

    I remember exploring solids with each of my children and it was always a memorable adventure. It seems as if the tip guide can really come in handy for both new and experienced parents.

    Reply
  11. Tonya says

    April 4, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    It’s been a long time since I’ve had to worry about baby food. My kids are grown, but I still remember how much they loved fruits and how much green beans they spit out on me. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Crystal says

    April 5, 2016 at 12:17 am

    What a cutie! I remember those days of first foods & discoveries. Sounds like Scarlett is in for some great meals!

    Reply
  13. Christie says

    April 5, 2016 at 8:27 am

    I love the pictures! Such a fun time trying new baby foods. She’ll have a lifetime to get spinach down 🙂

    Reply
  14. Brandy says

    April 5, 2016 at 9:04 am

    Awww I Miss those baby years sometimes. Love when they try a new food and enjoy it. The facial expressions are priceless.

    Reply
  15. Ann Bacciaglia says

    April 5, 2016 at 10:00 am

    I remember when my kids were transitioning to solid food. It was always a challenge to find food that they liked. My Daughter was really picky and did not like a lot of textures.

    Reply
  16. Veronica says

    April 5, 2016 at 11:39 pm

    Oh my gosh! She is so precious and adorable. It seems like yesterday she was still in your tummy 🙂

    Reply
  17. Seattle Travel Blogger says

    April 6, 2016 at 8:44 am

    Scarlett looks so cute!
    I love the film of her playing with the spoon.

    Reply
  18. Cinny says

    April 6, 2016 at 5:49 pm

    Awww…isn’t she precious??! I love how she’s playing with the spoon and passing out at the dinner table.

    Reply
  19. Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says

    April 8, 2016 at 12:55 am

    Scarlet is adorable and looks like a lil foodie in the making! 🙂

    Reply

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Hey y'all! I'm Lindsey, a southern girl residing in Atlanta. Welcome to my little corner where I share my anecdotes, crafts, recipes, & dose of Disney as I raise my 2 kids! Thanks for following along... I'm so glad you're here! Read More…

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