baby food

Editor’s note: The following is a guest post written by Annabel Karmel, the British children's chef and kiddie cookbook author. This week Annabel shares an easy first fish puree to help increase lil ones' fatty acid intake.

The old saying that "fish is good for the brain" is absolutely true. Oil rich fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines are rich in omega-3 essential fats, which are vital for brain function and visual development. Our brains are made up of 60 percent fat and eating the right fats – omega-3 and omega 6 found in fish and seeds – makes us smarter. Introducing oily fish, like salmon, around 7 months will get them used to the taste from an early age.

To see the entire recipe, read more

Editor’s note: The following is a guest post written by Annabel Karmel, the British children's chef and kiddie cookbook author. This week Annabel shares some tips, tricks, and recipes for creating purees for the littlest eaters in the family.

The transition from milk to solid food should be gradual. Purees are a great way to introduce baby to a balanced diet, particularly for foods that can be difficult to eat, but provide important nutrients such as red meat or ones that are too soft to be held such as fish. You can’t rush meal time with a baby and remember at first, if they only eat a couple of spoonfuls of puree you are doing well!

To see Annabel demonstrate making stage two fruit and veggie purees, read more

Did you ever picture a British man making your baby's food? Paul Lindley's pouches of organic purees have become a staple in many families' cupboards. The founder of Ella's Kitchen and father of two recently took the time to answer a few of my questions.

LilSugar: Why did you decide to create Ella’s Kitchen?
Paul Lindley: I created Ella's Kitchen because I thought that my daughter, Ella, and her generation, should have the chance to eat healthy, handy, and fun foods so families could discover that good food can be cool. I thought that if we could create foods that appealed to all babies and young children's senses, we'd be able to help find a way to encourage kids to develop healthier habits, early in life, leading to a happier future.

LS: What about pouch packaging made it appealing?
PL: The pouch itself is tactile and playable, which babies and toddlers love, as they quickly get at ease with the idea of eating from it. The straw or spout is perfect for little ones to squeeze and slurp themselves, giving them a little control in the feeding routine and empowering them, while being really easy for mom to squeeze onto a spoon to feed if that is easier. The resealable lid ensures that moms don't have to worry about finishing a whole pouch every time because the food will save, safely for later. The whole thing is so convenient for when moms are out and about that they find it so convenient to pop into their diaper bag or purse. The way we have branded the pouches also really engages babies and toddlers, the bright colors appeal to the youngest ones, and the simple language and images intrigue older toddlers. All in all, the pouch is a really great modern way to engage young children whilst providing real benefits to moms!

To see when the full line of Ella's Kitchen products will be available in the US and Lindley's take on fatherhood, read more

Please sir, can I have some more? Once baby gets the OK to have more than breast milk or formula, one of the first transition foods is baby cereal, or as Oliver Twist called it, porridge. Recipes vary, but lots of parents initially introduce a rice-based mush to their tot, so we've run the numbers on how much it costs.

• Gerber Rice Cereal with DHA — 8 ounce canister ($3.59) = 44 cents per ounce
• Happy Baby Happy Bellies Organic Brown Rice Cereal — 7 ounce canister ($3.99) = 57 cents per ounce
• Tasty Brand Organic Brown Rice Cereal — 7 ounce pouch ($4.99) = 71 cents per ounce
• Earth's Best Rice Cereal — 8 ounce box ($2.79) = 34.8 cents per ounce

Caring for baby can cost a bundle! Check out all our It Adds Up! coverage.

Let's get munching! When lil ones are teething, they'll eat anything. While generations of moms have turned to Zwieback biscuits to satiate their wee ones, some moms try to avoid the mess-making crackers. During a recent visit to Whole Foods, I came across Baby Mum-Mums (about $3.50 per box) and decided to give it a try. The lightly sweetened crispy rice rusks are perfectly shaped to fit in lil hands and are designed to quickly dissolve in a wee one's mouth. With a teething tot on my hands, I put the snacks to the test.

Who is this product designed for? Baby Mum-Mums are meant to be given to babies who are just starting solid foods.

Is it practical? Yes. Each box comes with 12 individually wrapped packs of two crackers – perfect for families on the go.

What sets it apart? The organic treats are made from Japonica rice, sugar, skim milk powder, and salt making them preservative, gluten, wheat, egg, and peanut-free. Their quick dissolve formula makes them easy for lil tykes to eat, and less messy than other teething biscuits.

What could be better? I almost wish the crackers wouldn't dissolve as quickly as they do because my son goes through so many!

Would you buy it? Yes! While the biscuits are designed for lil ones, I found the slight trace of sweetness to be a welcome change from traditional toasts. Best of all, I don't have to worry about hard chunks falling off of the treat and becoming a choking hazard.

What did baby think? He can't put them down! My lil one loves the autonomy he has for feeding himself the biscuits, and they appear to be soothing his sore gums as he waits for his first tooth!

It was a battle of the baby purees on Top Chef: DC last night. Hosts Tom Colicchio and Padma Lakshmi used their offspring as inspiration for the opening Quickfire challenge. The competing chefs were given 45 minutes to create an appetizing dish for adults than can also be pureed for lil ones. Though some of the chefs balked at the idea of using their culinary training to make first foods, the results rivaled the items we commonly see in jars.

Tamesha's salmon with vegetable chowder, lobster stock, Thai basil, and licorice oil and Kenny's curried chicken, mango salad, confit of butternut squash, and Maitake mushrooms took the top prize for their overall textures and unique tastes. Take a look at all the entrees and let us know which one you would like to try out on your child!

Photo courtesy of Bravo

To see all of the contestant's creations, read more

It's a joyous day when your lil one gets the go ahead to start eating solid foods. Starting with rice cereals and moving on to purees and eventually finger foods, we're here to help you get your tot started on a solid food regimen. Check out some of our solid food coverage and start creating meal plans that will inspire your new eater.

Top 100 Baby Purees	A Solid Start: 5 Foods to Avoid	Solid Food Feeding Quiz
10 Tips For Introducing Finger Foods	10 Foods to Kick Solids Into High Gear	Five Foods to Chop So Tots Don't Choke

Uh oh — I've created a foodie! My 7 month old got hooked on the first food I fed him — Ella's Kitchen organic baby purees. There wasn't a fruit and veggie variety he didn't gobble down before the store I bought it at sold out. I tried to trick my tot into eating a few other brands and it was a no go. He pursed his lips and fasted (with the exception of milk) until I offered him Plum Organics. Available in squeezable pouches, the brand offers up seven stage two combinations from sweet potato, corn, and apple to spinach, peas and pear. ($8 for 6 packs).
Who is this product designed for? This product is perfect for parents who like to tote food on the go. The convenient packs can be popped open in the car or at the park and squeezed on to a spoon for easy feeding.
Is it practical? I didn't understand the pouch concept until I gave it a whirl with my third kiddo and now I think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.
What could be better? I wish I could buy it in bulk! I cleared out the Whole Foods supply because my baby eats four to six containers a day so I have to stock up.
Would I buy it? I already did.
What did baby think? My son kicks his legs and reaches out to grab it. He's loved every flavor except for the blueberry, pear, and purple carrot, which wasn't available at our grocer.

Table for three, and pull up a high chair please! Tyler Florence's ultimate dining experience will include a baby food option at his three Bay Area restaurants set to open this Summer and beyond. While the concepts of the celebrity chef's first (and subsequent) eateries — San Francisco's Wayfare Tavern, El Paseo in Mill Valley, and Rotisserie & Wine in Napa — are not tot-centric, Florence told us yesterday that he plans to have his own baby food, Sprout, available to parent patrons who bring in their children.

The father of three — Miles, 14, Hayden, 3, and Dorothy, 2 — launched his organic foods for the small set a year ago. Florence said that while most of his competitors "steam the entire fruit or vegetable with skin and seeds and then puree it," he uses techniques like roasting to caramelize produce and bring out the natural sugars. The result is delicious, pure food. It's the difference, he says, between a chef's approach and "those who create most baby foods — a food scientist and a marketing person." Florence's "lab" is his home kitchen, where he perfects all his appetizing entrees from roasted bananas and brown rice to pasta with lentil bolognese using fresh ingredients and a blender. And, while Florence is conscious that it is parents purchasing their children's food, Sprout pleases pint-sized palates. His daughter eats four to five pouches a day. To see what the future holds for the chef, read more