Recently, I had a friend ask us how we went about transitioning Ayla to solid foods. Because I spent most of 2009 in a sleep-deprived haze, I had to think long and hard about that question. I do remember that the transition was relatively easy and natural for her. However, for all that Ayla has not been a dream sleeper, she has been an impressive eater. This quality may have made the transition go smoothly, but I also think it had something to do with the way we approached her solid-food diet.
It was (and is) very important to me that she eat organic, chemical-free food. I have been very inflexible about this (perhaps a bit extreme), but I believe that it's important to fill her little body with healthy, natural food to help develop her pallete, and perhaps counter-balance the diet of Doritos and Mountain Dew that may plauge her teens.
Early on I had dreams of making all of my own baby food, and I was successful at concoting and freezing a few batches, but when you aren't catching many Zs, you learn to sleep and shower when the baby sleeps - and I did just that during those blissful 20 minute increments. Thus, I turned to the Farmer's Market, the grocery store, and the Internet to find healthy, frozen food for Ayla.
HappyBaby and Jack's Harvest have been two of my favorite baby food companies. Both are committed to making homemade baby food that's healthy, delicious, and packed with the essential nutrients needed for baby's optimal growth and development. HappyBabby puffs have been a great snack for Ayla, and we've used the leftover Jack's Harvest frozen fruit (they are heart-shaped!) to make smoothies and cocktails (yep, and they're delicious).
There's a local woman in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area who makes amazing all-natural baby food. Her company - Sweet Cheeks - sells the food at our local farmer's market. If you live in the Twin Cities, this is a great option if you're looking for a natural, organic approach to feeding your baby. Sweet Cheeks can also be found in several local co-ops, and is also served at a few local restaurants! Visit the Sweet Cheeks site for more information.
Below is a list of Ayla's favorite all-natural, organic baby food made by the aforementioned companies:
HappyBaby/HappyBellies
- SIMPLE PUREES: Yes Peas + Thank You Carrots*, Sweeter Potatoes + Purer Pear*
- SMOOTH COMBOS: Easy Going Greens + Grrreat Greens
- SORTA CHUNKY: Baby Dhal + Mama Grain
Jack's Harvest
- SO SMOOTH: Blueberrytastic Banana, Yummy Bunny Carrots (with a pinch of Ginger), Tango with Mango (with a squeeze of Lime), Lip-Smacking Sweet Potatoes (with a dash of Cinnamon and Vanilla)*
- A LITTLE LUMPY: Go Bananas with Cherry and Butternut Squash-ed Apples (with a smidge of Sage)
Sweet Cheeks
- NEWBIES: Butternut Squash and Apples
- COMBOS: Beets/Carrots/Brown Rice* and Pears/Parsnips/Millet
* denotes a SUPER favorite!
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