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Safe Baby Food Recipes

Safe Baby Food Recipes


Great Veggies - For 10 months And Over

3 medium potatoes

8 ounces spinach

2 large cloves garlic

Peel and cube potatoes. Crush and peel garlic.
Cook potatoes, spinach, and garlic with about
1/2 cup water for about 15 minutes over high
heat, or until potatoes are soft.

Process all in a blender or food processor until
very mushy. Freeze in ice cube trays
overnight, then pop out cubes and store in
another container in the freezer.

Yields 20 servings.


Chicken and Rice Dinner - 10 Months And


Over


1/4 lb. ground chicken (you can use boneless
breast cut in cubes if you are going to puree it)

1/2 cup peeled and chopped zucchini
1/2 cup sweet potato or yam, peeled and
chopped

1/4 frozen, fresh, or canned corn
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 cup long grain, enriched rice
3 cups water Instructions:
Boil chicken in water for 2 minutes. Add

remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and
simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Mash or puree

Chicken Stew - For 10 Months And Older


1 medium potato, peeled and chopped

1 cup of Water

¼ lb. ground chicken (you can use boneless
breast cut in cubes if you are going to puree it)

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

½ cup yellow squash or summer squash
peeled and chopped

¼ cup prepared barley (see instructions on the
package for preparation) Instructions:

Bring chicken and water to a boil. Cook and
stir for 2 minutes. Add vegetables. Cover,
reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add
prepared barley. Mash or puree, depending on
desired consistency.

Tomato Pasta - For 10 Months Or Older

1 tbs margarine



1/4 cup cheddar or mild cheese, finely grated
1 large tomato, skinned, seeded chopped
1 teaspoon baby rice
1 tablespoon cottage cheese
1/2 cup Small Pasta Shapes
Cook the pasta according to directions on


package.


Melt the margarine in a saucepan, add tomato
and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat,
Add the cheeses and allow to melt into a


sauce. Finally stir in the baby rice.
Pour the sauce over cooked pasta and serve.


Spinach Pasta For 10 Months And Over


1/2 cup spinach, trimmed

1/4 cup mild cheese (Cheddar, Jack, Gouda),
grated

1/4 cup uncooked small-shaped pasta

2 tablespoons milk/formula

Boil the spinach in a little water for about 5
minutes until tender, at the same time, cook
the pasta according to direction on the
package.

Once the spinach is cooked press out all the
excess water.

Combine with cheese, pasta and milk and
blend to make into a puree or chop for older
babies.

Oatmeal Cookies - 11 Months Or Older

1 cup enriched all-purpose flour (you can use
unbleached or cracked wheat flour for more
nutrition)


½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon* (you should
leave this out until your baby is 12 months old)

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup vegetable shortening

1 cup sugar (optional, you can substitute ½
cup juice and add an extra ½ cup of oatmeal)

1 large egg

2 or 3 bananas, mashed and very ripe (we
recommend pureeing them to get ALL the
lumps out)

2 ¼ cups infant oatmeal cereal (you can use
regular rolled oats but you won't get the extra
vitamins. When using rolled oats, use 1 ¾
cups oats and 1 ½ cups flour)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and
salt in small bowl.

3. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and
sugar (or juice with the oatmeal).
Beat in the gg and bananas. Gradually add the
dry ingredients and mix well.

4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 1 ½ inches
apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 12 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool on rack.
Peach Cobbler - 6 Months Or Older

3 canned peaches (6 halves) OR 3 ripe
peaches

1 egg yolk (for babies 6 months to 10 months,
omit egg yolk and thicken with infant cereal)

1 tsp sugar

1. Peel and dice the peaches into small

pieces.

2. Mash or puree to desired consistency.
3. Beat in the egg yolk and sugar until smooth.
For babies age 6 months-10 months, omit egg
and add infant cereal by 1 tablespoon, until
you get the desired thickness.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min or until set.
Cool before serving.
TOFU FINGER CUBES


Slice tofu into small cubes

Toss tofu in a Ziploc bag with crushed
Cheerios, crushed graham crackers or
crushed granola

Close bag and toss to thoroughly coat tofu
cubes – You can serve this as finger food or a
protein boost during meals

Safe Bedding Practices For Infants

Safe Bedding Practices For Infants


Place baby on his/her back on a firm
tight-fitting mattress in a crib that meets
current safety standards.

Remove pillows, quilts, comforters,
sheepskins, pillow-like stuffed toys, and other
soft products from the crib.

Consider using a sleeper or other sleep
clothing as an alternative to blankets, with no
other covering.

If using a blanket, put baby with feet at the foot
of the crib. Tuck a thin blanket around the crib
mattress, reaching only as far as the baby's
chest.

Make sure your baby's head remains
uncovered during sleep.

Do not place baby on a waterbed, sofa, soft
mattress, pillow, or other soft surface to sleep.

Tips for Homemade Baby Food

Making your own baby food will ensure that
what your child is eating is fresh, nutritious and
free of additives. By making your own baby
foods, you'll be saving money, up to 50%. And
to top it off, it's easy; making baby food at
home is probably a lot less time-consuming
than you may have thought.

In order to make your own baby foods, you'll
need something to cook in. A steamer basket
is cheap and by cooking fruits and vegetables
in it, you'll be sure of keeping the nutrients in
the food, instead of in the cooking water.

To puree your foods, you can use a fork, a
food mill or blender. A blender quickly purees
almost anything into the finest consistency.
When your baby first starts on solids, you'll be
pureeing things to a very fine consistency and,
as baby gets a little older, you will make foods
a little coarser.

You may wish to buy a food mill which comes
in large and small sizes. It is very handy and


inexpensive. The food mill strains most cooked
foods to a very smooth consistency, although
meats can be a problem as they will have a
coarser texture.

As babies are susceptible to digestive upsets,
you'll want to take note of the following tips
concerning the handling of foods:

- always work with clean hands.

- always use clean utensils.

- prepare foods immediately upon removing
them from the refrigerator.

- freeze immediately after cooking any foods
you want to store.

You can prepare large amounts of foods at
once and freeze them. Take your prepared
foods and plop by spoonfuls onto a baking
sheet. Freeze the plops right away and then
take them off the sheet when they are frozen
and put them into plastic bags. Label and date.
You can also freeze the food in plastic "pop
out" ice cube trays. Small tupperware jars with
lids serve the same purpose and stack easily.


Frozen baby foods can be stored for up to two
months.

When you take frozen foods out for baby,
warm the food in a cup placed in a saucepan
of boiling water with a lid on.

Cereals are typically the first foods given to a
baby because they contain lots of iron. You
can buy the commercial baby cereals, or
prepare your own, by running oatmeal through
your blender, for instance.

Fruits are generally given next. Except for raw,
mashed banana, you will need to cook all
other fruits till they are soft. Try making your
own applesauce and pearsauce; don't add any
sugar, as these fruits are sweet enough on
their own. You can also peel peaches, plums
and apricots and boil or steam them.

Use fresh vegetables whenever possible in
order to provide the best nutrition and flavor for
your baby. Frozen vegetables are better to use
than canned. Steaming vegetables is the best
method of preparation. Carrots and sweet
potato are two popular choices to begin with.


Yogurt, mashed cottage cheese, mashed
pumpkin, baked potato, avocado and tofu
(oriental soy bean curd) are all popular with
babies. One good idea is to blend together
cottage cheese, banana and fresh orange
juice - delicious!

Meats should be added slowly. They can be
boiled or broiled, then put in the blender with a
little milk and perhaps banana or cream of rice
to get the right consistency. Chicken is
generally the first meat baby is introduced to
and usually goes down fairly well.

There is no rush to start your baby on solid
foods. Milk is his most important food. Your
doctor's recommendations and your own
intuition will help you to know when to begin
introducing solods to your baby's diet. Always
remember to be patient with your baby and
allow at least a few days between newly added
foods to make sure baby doesn't suffer any
reactions.

Keeping Baby Safe: Your Most Important Role As A Parent

Once your beautiful bundle of joy arrives, the
work of raising your child really begins. The
biggest job you have as a parent is keeping
your baby safe. Yet, it is impossible to watch
over your children twenty-four hours a day.

Thankfully, there are many safety products
available to keep them from getting hurt.
These products include safety gates, outlet
covers, oven and table bumpers, doorknob
covers, bed rails, locks and guards, and many
more. As a parent, you need to use products
that are one step ahead of their children's
abilities, and can do so by getting down on
their level and looking around. This gives you
a child's eye perspective of child safety issues
in your home.

But with so many products to buy and so many
different brand names, how do you decide
what products you need most? The best thing
to do when it comes to safety is buy new
products rather than used ones. An older,


used product may have been recalled due to
dangerous safety issues, or it may be
damaged from previous use. Although
hand-me-downs are great for clothes and
toys, your child’s safety is just too important to
leave to chance. Babies R Us is a great place
to find all the safety products you need.

That still leaves the issue of how to choose
between one safety gate, for instance, and
another. Here are some purchasing tips for
some of the more popular safety items you will
need for your baby.

Car Seats

More children are seriously injured and killed
in auto accidents than in any other type of
accident. Each year, hundreds of lives could
be saved if children were protected in cars by
using child safety seats. Using a child safety
seat is the best protection you can give your
child when traveling by car.

When purchasing a car seat, look for:

· Label states that it meets or exceeds the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards;


· Is the car seat appropriate for your child's
height and weight?

· Be aware of the type of seat belts your car
has; all car seats are not compatible with all
seat belts;

· Check recent car seat recalls before making
a purchase;

· Be sure that the seat you choose fits your
child - a smaller baby can slip out of a seat
that's too large. Infants one year or younger
and up to 20 pounds must be placed in a
rear-facing seat, toddlers (older than 1 year
and between 20 and 40 pounds) may use a
forward-facing seat, and children who are
between 40 and 80 pounds need to be placed
in a booster seat;

· Consider choosing a seat that is upholstered
in fabric - it may be more comfortable for your
child.

Safety Gates

Baby safety gates are an essential element in


making your home baby proof. Now that he's
on the move, every nook and cranny is a
potential area of exploration for him. Your baby
is curious about his new environment, wanting
to investigate each little corner and new room.
The best way to make sure he can't do any
harm to himself is to install safety gates. These
will prevent him from reaching the stairs,
kitchen, or an office room, where there might
be many wires and electrical equipment just at
his height

Accordion gates, which open to form
diamond-shaped patterns with wide V's at the
top, can trap a baby's head and have resulted
in strangulation deaths. In January 1985, gate
manufacturers halted production of these
gates, but there are still an estimated 15
million gates in use. Mesh gates also can be
dangerous because a toddler's fingers can
become trapped.

When purchasing a safety gate, look for the
following:

· A hardware-mounted gate that attaches to
the doorframe without any openings to trap
fingers or necks. Pressure-mounted gates


should not be used between rooms of different
levels or at the top of stairs; children can
dislodge them and take a tumble.

· Gates that swing out should never be used at
the top of stairways.

· Nonflexible vertical slats or rods should be no
more than 2 3/8 inches apart.

· Check for sharp edges and protrusions that
could hurt a toddler's hands.

· Avoid gates with structures that could give a
child a foothold for climbing. Keep large toys
away from the gate to prevent a child from
using them to climb over.

· The gate should be no less than 3/4 of the
child's height

Playpens

These high-sided, enclosed play areas are
popular because they allow parents to put their
baby down with the knowledge that he can't
wander off. It is great when you have to
answer the phone, do a bit of ironing, or just


catch a quick breath!

When purchasing a playpen, look for the
following:

· Holes in the mesh should be no larger than
1/4 inch to keep small fingers from getting
caught;

· The sides should be at least 20 inches high,
measured from the floor of the playpen;

· Look for padding on the tops of the rails to
protect your baby from bumps.

· The locks that allow you to lower a side
should be out of your baby's reach.

Baby Monitors

The idea behind a baby monitor is that you can
have the ability to move around the house or
your yard and still be able to keep tabs on your
baby by listening or now viewing your baby.
This can help alert you to a crying baby, a
baby who needs your help or just help you
watch baby while he or she sleeps.


The baby/nursery monitor that you buy will
have different levels of mobility. The base
usually plugs into the wall, usually the nursery
or wherever your baby is sleeping. The
receiver can plug in or be mobile. If you intend
to use the monitor as you move from room to
room, you will want to invest in the mobile
kind, versus the stationary variety.

When purchasing a baby monitor, look for the
following:

· There should be at least two channels to
choose from;

· Be sure that you have a low battery indicator
light. Without this you might be listening to the
receiver, thinking all is quiet in the baby's
room, when in fact all you've got is a dead
battery;

· Has a power-on light so that you can know
the unit is on without disturbing the baby;

· Has a volume control to put you in charge of
how loudly you wish to hear your baby;

· Are you planning to carry around your end of


the monitoring system? Then you might want a
belt clip!

Bath Seats

A bath seat gives your child added support
while in the bathtub and can help prevent a
soapy baby from slipping out of your hands
and hitting her head on the tub. Keep in mind,
however, that you should NEVER leave your
child unattended in the tub!

When purchasing a bath seat, look for the
following:

· Never use a bath seat on textured or
non-skid surfaces unless the manufacturer’s
instructions specifically state the seat is
intended for such surfaces;

· Look for the JPMA Certification Seal.

Always remember, no matter what safety
product you are buying, to look at the features
to be sure they meet your specific
requirements. Also check to be sure that the
product you are considering has not recently
been recalled. The safety of your child is of


utmost importance – don’t leave it to chance!

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer
and owner of baby-gifts-unique where you will
find further information on the products
available from babies r us and unique gift
ideas Personalized Baby Gifts

Toy Safety Tips

WHEN BUYING TOYS

Choosing toys with care. Keep in mind the
child's age, interests and skill level.

Look for quality design and construction in all
toys for all ages.

Make sure that all directions or instructions are
clear -- to you, and, when appropriate, to the
child. Plastic wrappings on toys should be
discarded at once before they become deadly
playthings.

Be a label reader. Look for and heed age
recommendations, such as "Not
recommended for children under three". Look
for other safety labels including: "Flame
retardant/Flame resistant" on fabric products
and "Washable/hygienic materials" on stuffed
toys and dolls.

WHEN MAINTAINING TOYS


Check all toys periodically for breakage and
potential hazards. A damaged or dangerous
toy should be thrown away or repaired
immediately.

Edges on wooden toys that might have
become sharp or surfaces covered with
splinters should be sanded smooth. When
repainting toys and toy boxes, avoid using
leftover paint, unless purchased recently, since
older paints may contain more lead than new
paint, which is regulated by CPSC. Examine
all outdoor toys regularly for rust or weak parts
that could become hazardous.

WHEN STORING TOYS

Teach children to put their toys safely away on
shelves or in a toy chest after playing to
prevent trips and falls.

Toy boxes, too, should be checked for safety.
Use a toy chest that has a lid that will stay
open in any position to which it is raised, and
will not fall unexpectedly on a child. For extra
safety, be sure there are ventilation holes for
fresh air. Watch for sharp edges that could cut
and hinges that could pinch or squeeze. See


that toys used outdoors are stored after play
-- rain or dew can rust or damage a variety of
toys and toy parts creating hazards.

SHARP EDGES

New toys intended for children under eight
years of age should, by regulation, be free of
sharp glass and metal edges.

With use, however, older toys may break,
exposing cutting edges.

SMALL PARTS

Older toys can break to reveal parts small
enough to be swallowed or to become lodged
in a child's windpipe, ears or nose. The law
bans small parts in new toys intended for
children under three. This includes removable
small eyes and noses on stuffed toys and
dolls, and small, removable squeakers on
squeeze toys. LOUD NOISES Toy caps and
some noisemaking guns and other toys can
produce sounds at noise levels that can
damage hearing. The law requires the
following label on boxes of caps producing
noise above a certain level: "WARNING -- Do


not fire closer than one foot to the ear. Do not
use indoors." Caps producing noise that can
injure a child's hearing are banned.

CORDS AND STRINGS

Toys with long strings or cords may be
dangerous for infants and very young children.
The cords may become wrapped around an
infant's neck, causing strangulation. Never
hang toys with long strings, cords, loops, or
ribbons in cribs or playpens where children
can become entangled. Remove crib gyms for
the crib when the child can pull up on hands
and knees; some children have strangled
when they fell across crib gyms stretched
across the crib.

SHARP POINTS

Toys which have been broken may have
dangerous points or prongs. Stuffed toys may
have wires inside the toy which could cut or
stab if exposed. A CPSC regulation prohibits
sharp points in new toys and other articles
intended for use by children under eight years
of age.


PROPELLED OBJECTS

Projectiles -- guided missiles and similar
flying toys -- can be turned into weapons and
can injure eyes in particular. Children should
never be permitted to play with adult lawn
darts or other hobby or sporting equipment
that have sharp points. Arrows or darts used
by children should have soft cork tips, rubber
suction cups or other protective tips intended
to prevent injury. Check to be sure the tips are
secure. Avoid those dart guns or other toys
which might be capable of firing articles not
intended for use in the toy, such as pencils or
nails.

ALL TOYS ARE NOT FOR ALL CHILDREN

Keep toys designed for older children out of
the hands of little ones. Follow labels that give
age recommendations -- some toys are
recommended for older children because they
may be hazardous in the hands of a younger
child. Teach older children to help keep their
toys away from younger brothers and sisters.

Even balloons, when uninflated or broken, can
choke or suffocate if young children try to


swallow them. More children have suffocated
on uninflated balloons and pieces of broken
balloons than on any other type of toy.

ELECTRIC TOYS

Electric toys that are improperly constructed,
wired or misused can shock or burn. Electric
toys must meet mandatory requirements for
maximum surface temperatures, electrical
construction and prominent warning labels.
Electric toys with heating elements are
recommended only for children over eight
years old. Children should be taught to use
electric toys properly, cautiously and under
adult supervision.

INFANT TOYS

Infant toys, such as rattles, squeeze toys, and
teethers, should be large enough so that they
cannot enter and become lodged in an infant's
throat.

Poison Lookout Checklist

The home areas listed below are the most
common site of accidental poisonings. Follow
this checklist to learn how to correct situations
that may lead to poisonings. If you answer
"No" to any questions, fix the situation quickly.
Your goal is to have all your answers "Yes."

THE KITCHEN Yes No

Do all harmful products in the cabinets have child-resistant caps? Products _____ _____
like furniture polishes, drain cleaners and some oven cleaners should have
safety packaging to keep little children from accidentally opening the
packages.


Are all potentially harmful products in their original containers? There are _____ _____
two dangers if products aren't stored in their original containers. Labels on
the original containers often give first aid information if someone should
swallow the product. And if products are stored in containers like drinking
glasses or pop bottles, someone may think it is food and swallow it.


Are harmful products stored away from food? If harmful products are _____ _____
placed next to food, someone may accidentally get a food and a poison
mixed up and swallow the poison.


Have all potentially harmful products been put up high and out of reach of _____ _____
children? The best way to prevent poisoning is making sure that it's
impossible to find and get at the poisons. Locking all cabinets that hold
dangerous products is the best poison prevention.


THE BATHROOM Yes No

Did you ever stop to think that medicines could poison if used improperly? _____ _____
Many children are poisoned each year by overdoses of aspirin. If aspirin
can poison, just think of how many other poisons might be in your
medicine cabinet.


Do your aspirins and other potentially harmful products have _____ _____
child-resistant closures? Aspirins and most prescription drugs come with
child-resistant caps. Check to see yours have them, and that they are



properly secured. Check your prescriptions before leaving the pharmacy to
make sure the medicines are in child-resistant packaging. These caps have

been shown to save the lives of children.
Have you thrown out all out-of-date prescriptions? As medicines get
older, the chemicals inside them can change. So what was once a good
medicine may now be a dangerous poison. Flush all old drugs down the
toilet. Rinse the container well, then discard it.
_____ _____
Are all medicines in their original containers with the original labels?
Prescription medicines may or may notlist ingredients. The prescription
number on the label will, however, allow rapid identification by the
pharmacist of the ingredients should they not be listed. Without the
original label and container, you can't be sure of what you're taking. After
all, aspirin looks a lot like poisonous roach tablets.
_____ _____
If your vitamins or vitamin/mineral supplements contain iron, are they in
child-resistant packaging? Most people think of vitamins and minerals as
foods and, therefore, nontoxic, but a few iron pills can kill a child.
_____ _____

THE GARAGE OR STORAGE AREA Yes No

Did you know that many things in your garage or storage area that can be _____ _____
swallowed are terrible poisons? Death may occur when people swallow
such everyday substances as charcoal lighter, paint thinner and remover,
antifreeze and turpentine.


Do all these poisons have child-resistant caps? _____ _____
Are they stored in the containers? _____ _____
Are the original labels on the containers? _____ _____
Have you made sure that no poisons are stored in drinking glasses or pop _____ _____


bottles?


Are all these harmful products locked up and out of sight and reach?


When all your answers are "Yes," then continue this level of poison protection by making
sure that, whenever you buy potentially harmful products, they have child-resistant
closures and are kept out of sight and reach. Post the number of the Poison Control
Center near your telephone.