Once the baby start eating solids the biggest challenge for any parent is to develop good eating habits. For babies, since everything is new – first mushy food, then little tit-bits and later proper meal-that’s how the process goes, there are lots of ups and downs.  Another dilemma that mommies face is what to choose – baby food or Homemade food?

 

 

When my daughter started eating solids, I introduced regular daal-chawal (lentil-rice) in a pureed form. Slowly, I started adding veggies. Once she was well adjusted with home cooked food, I introduced her to the readymade baby food. She ate all three stages of baby food (supported sitter, crawler, walker) in combination with regular meal and she did great. I am following the same thing with my son as well.

Mommies, don’t feel bad for giving your baby readymade food. You are already doing so much and I know there is no limit when it comes to our babies. Everything seems less in front of their needs.

Few weeks ago, we had to a dinner party. I knew that my son will have his dinner at friend’s place so I carried baby food. And fed him there. No mess, no crying. I was done in 20minutes.

There are lot of pros that I have experienced when kids are used to of this combination. It saves time when you are in a hurry. Not every time, you can prepare in advance. Also, if there is left over then, we don’t prefer to give that food to our baby. When you are traveling, readymade baby food comes very handy. Starting from breakfast to dinner it has so much of options to pick from. You can pick whatever your baby likes.

I was little skeptical before introducing store ought food to my daughter. But her pediatrician, I would say, convinced me. She explained me that there is no harm in giving home cooked meals but then you cannot predict the quantity and since it will be made fresh so the shelf life is also not very long. So it’s better to incorporate store bought food as well. I thank her for giving me this advice.

Quite often I get my ideas from these readymade food. Whichever combination my son likes, I do the same at home. e.g. rice+broccoli+cheese

I also give cereal (regular corn flakes). I powder it and mix it either with formula or milk. Same with chapatti. Blend it with milk. During my air travel, I carried cereal and it was easy to feed him.

It all comes down to preference here. If your baby loves the jarred stuff, buy in bulk. The bottom line is both homemade and jars of baby foods offer one great benefit — introducing your baby to his first foods. Be sure to offer baby a wide variety of taste options. And don’t be discouraged if s(he) doesn’t love it on the first try. You may have to try one food multiple times. 

My personal experience is if we keep a combination of baby food and homemade food, then it is easy for them to adjust easily. Also, they get variety of tastes as we cannot make everything at home in small quantity. What do you think?