Since the moment I found out I was pregnant, my focus on health heightened. I've always eaten smart in terms of fitness… but I haven't always eaten pure & natural. Years ago, I would drink several bottles of Diet Mountain Dew a day!!!! Yikes! I ate a lot of "diet" foods with chemicals and fake sweeteners. I've also loved veggies and lean meats, but I didn't eat organic. This all changed once I learned I was growing a human ;-) I cut out ALL fake sweeteners, processed meats, "fake" protein bars, soda, etc… I'm not saying that we need to eat 100% pure, natural and organic… but we should try to do it a little more… and that's what I've done. (Side note: I do use Stevia for sweetening since it is all natural)
I make all of our baby's food. He eats a variety of veggies, fruits, grains, legumes & dairy. All of his food is certified organic. Now that he is 8 1/2 months old, we're introducing him to more mature tastes like lentils, broccoli, hummus, bell pepper, eggs.. etc. I'm blown away that he LOVES hummus! I think it's his favorite food, well, besides oatmeal. Every week I make a big batch of steelcut oats with coconut milk, cinnamon, unsweetened pumpkin puree & flaxseeds. We both have this for breakfast every day, topped with plain Greek yogurt.
I give Tilman "grown up" foods instead of sticking to regular baby food. I hope and pray that teaching him to eat healthy foods from day one (in my belly) that he will grow up to be a strong, healthy man.
TIPS FOR FEEDING YOUR BABY
*Remember, you start feeding him/her while you are pregnant
~ Eat organic when possible. Most importantly buy organic strawberries, apples, grapes, celery, peaches, spinach, bell peppers, nectarines, cucumbers, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, summer squash & kale.
~ Eat healthy fats! Add avocado, coconut oil, nuts, seeds & egg yolk to your diet. Egg yolk contains choline, an essential nutrient that is crucial in the development of your baby's brain. Avocados are a great source of Vitamin K, folate, Vitamin C, potassium & B6. An easy way to sneak in healthy fats - puree them with other foods. I mix coconut oil into a lot of Tilman's veggies & mango.
*Check with your doctor before feeding your baby nut butter.
~ Try 10 times before giving up. If your baby doesn't seem to like a food, keep trying. Offer the food a total of 10 times (doesn't have to be in a row), before taking "no". It takes babies a little while to get used to new tastes and textures. Try mixing the new food into a food that he/she already likes.
~ Go Greek. Babies should not have cow's milk as a drink for the first year, but many doctors agree that it's beneficial to give babies Greek yogurt. I use plain, no-sugar-added yogurt and blend it with mixed berries. Greek yogurt is packed with muscle building protein and calcium.
~ Make your own food…. this goes for what YOU eat AND what your baby eats. Pre-packaged foodd often have a lot of additives that you may not be aware of. Try to make your meals and make your baby's meals at home… it's always healthier and more pure.
*Tip: Make food in bulk so you're not cooking every day.
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| (Greek yogurt w/ mixed berries, zucchini squash puree, broccoli w/ coconut oil puree, cinnamon pears, cooked carrots, lentils, lemon basil hummus) |
*P.S. Tilman's doctor has okayed all of these foods for him. Check with your baby's doctor to see if there are any foods you need to avoid.
Happy boy after polishing off a bowl of lemon-basil hummus & broccoli coconut oil puree.
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