Baby Food for Thought

At em we spend a lot of time thinking about what goes on the bodies of customers. It's only natural considering that's what we specialize in. Today, though, we want to talk about what goes in. Specifically, what goes in your baby. When the time comes to begin feeding baby more than just breast or bottle, we know that many families are concerned about finding the very best for their little ones.

Of course, there are plenty of options when you're at the grocery store. There are multiple brands, choices between regular or organic, decisions about which type of cereal to choose. When my youngest was a baby, it was much easier. There was basically just one brand and about the only decision was whether he liked peas or carrots better (for the record, it was peas; lots and lots of peas).  Unfortunately, the other consideration is cost. Good gravy, baby food is expensive! If you want to buy organic, be prepared to pay upwards to a dollar or more for a single jar! As babe gets a little bigger and is eating a couple at one sitting, that really starts adding up! The solution? Make your own! I know it sounds difficult. It sounds time consuming. It sounds messy. Trust me, it doesn't have to be! 

First, there's cereal. Many people believe that cereal is the only option for a first food. In my own personal experience, that's not always true (but I'm not a pediatrician so please understand this is only my personal experience and should be taken only as that).  My own children at a combination of cereal and fruit and veggie purees as their first foods.  But, I digress... cereal.

The beauty of making your own is that YOU get to choose the ingredients. If you want to do rice cereal, for example, you have the option of choosing what kind of rice it is - white, brown, basmati, jasmine, organic, etc.  So, how do you make it? It's a piece of (rice)cake!  Just grind up your chosen grain.  A coffee or spice grinder is perfect for this as it will grind your grain to a nice powder. Once you have your powder, just store it in an airtight container. To turn your magical powder into cereal for baby, just add 1/4 cup of cereal powder to 1 cup boiling water, stirring constantly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. If desired, you can then stir in breastmilk, formula, juice, or a fruit or veggie puree.  See? Easy!! And, you're not limited to rice. You can do the same with barley, oatmeal (don't use the instant "quick" oatmeal; only use the old-fashioned oats), uncooked pasta, or quinoa.  Just be sure you cook the cereal. Your powder is from an uncooked grain, after all, and that's hard for baby to digest.

This is a great example of brown rice from grain to powder to cereal from www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com. They've got TONS more great information on their site, too!

Moving on from cereal, fruits and veggies are always fun to introduce to baby. I would write a bunch about it here, but instead, I'm providing you with a video from Abbey at Everyday Champagne. In less than 5 minutes, she shows you how to make roughly 28 ounces of homemade baby food for around $3. That's an amazing savings, and she does it all in a tiny little corner of her kitchen! 

See what I mean? Easy! And you don't have to use flash frozen veggies if you don't want to. Pick up something delicious and seasonal at your local farmer's market. Pick something delicious from your own garden. Just be sure it has been cooked first (in the case of most veggies and apples) and is soft enough to go into the blender. Personally, I'm thinking carrots and green beans from our garden or blueberries from the local U-Pick farm.  Yum!!

So go pull out your blender from the back of the pantry. Pick up some extra ice cube trays at the dollar store. And start with the baby food makin'!  Don't forget to share your success stories with us, too!

 

Easy Tips for Green Living - Part Two

Have you been making some green changes in your life yet?  As promised here are five more tips to help you green up your lifestyle and your family!


6.  Use alternate forms of transportation - save some gas, save some money, save the planet!  Whether it's using mass transit, biking, or walking, it's good for you and good for Mother Nature.  Even if you do drive to run your errands.  Try consolidating your errands so you only have to make one trip.  Park in a central location and walk between your stops.

7.  Visit your library - eReaders are great but think of the energy and parts and pieces that go into creating them.  Likewise, books are obviously printed using paper and that requires trees; lots of them.  Why not find that book you're looking for at your local library?  One book can be shared by hundreds if not thousands of people over the years and, if you really love it, then you can go out and buy a copy of your own to keep.

8.  Grow something edible - you don't have to be a master gardener and you don't even have to have a huge yard (or even any yard for that matter).  You'll be amazed at how great it feels to serve something to your family that you've grown yourself.  Whether it's green beans and carrots from your backyard garden or basil from your windowsill pots, you're cultivating healthy habits for years to come for your family.

9.  Give (and ask for) experiences - be honest, you've got tons of "stuff" around your home.  Most people do.  How many times have you wondered what to give someone as a gift because they "have everything"?  At the end our lives, we won't wish had more stuff but more experiences; more memories.  Give the gift of a dinner out for some new parents.  Ask for a prenatal massage as a shower gift.  Cleaning service once a month, tickets to a concert or play, a donation in the recipient's name to a great charity like Heifer International.  All of those things and more will lead to more memories and less clutter in your life and in your garage!

10.  Choose cloth or paper over plastic - plastic bags have become the norm in most grocery stores these days.  Yes, they have reusable bags for sale right at the check stand but when was the last time anyone asked if you wanted to purchase one instead of using plastic?  Most self checkout lanes don't even offer the option of paper anymore.  Plastic bags take 500 years of more to breakdown in a landfill.  That means the plastic bag you throw away today will still be there when your grandchildren are born... and when their grandchildren are born!  It's not natural.  It's not good for our planet.  It's not good for us and our families.

Like I said at the beginning of the Part One post, I'm not a hardcore greenie but these are all tips that are easy for all of us to incorporate.  And, if each of us does just a little, we can make a big impact on our world and in the lives of our families.


Got a green tip that you'd like to share that wasn't listed in these posts? Please share!  We always love to hear how you choose to live mindfully!

Easy Tips for Green Living - Part One

Let's be honest, I'm not a hardcore eco-green girl.  I still drive an SUV that I love, I still buy instant macaroni & cheese for my kids, and it's been forever and a day since I've visited a farmer's market for anything other than a giant bag of kettle corn.  With that being said, I do recycle like a mad woman, limit my driving in my precious SUV, and grow a garden each year.   I think most people are like that... not necessarily living off grid, but not wanting to make a concerted effort to live a greener lifestyle.

For many people, the shift happens after they have children or even during pregnancy.  It's a common occurrence.  We suddenly find ourselves constantly thinking about the welfare and future of someone other than ourselves.  Whatever place you're at, though, there are some really simple ways to create a greener lifestyle.

1.  Learn to cook - it's surprising how many people don't know how to cook something that doesn't originate in a box, can or jar.  Doing so, though, leaves you at the mercy of food companies and all the additives, preservatives, fillers, and who knows what else they put into their foods.  If you're new to cooking from scratch, don't overwhelm yourself.  You don't have to be Julia Child, after all.

2.  Become a label reader - most of us are used to looking at the nutritional label on foods these days.  But, what about other products you use daily on your body and in your home?  What about your shampoo?  Your laundry detergent?  You'll be surprised at what you find!  In fact, you probably won't even be able to pronounce most of what is in them.  Look for natural alternatives and don't be fooled by a label that says "natural" or "organic".  There are no regulations on the labeling of these products and they are often still filled with all manner of toxic stuff!

3.  Ditch the bottled water - you hear it all the time, right? Sorry to harp on it again, but it's true.  We're only now beginning to understand some of the dangers associated with plastics and our food.  By tossing the plastic bottles, you're not only eliminating that risk but you're also keeping tons (yes, literally tons) of plastics out of our landfills.  Plus, think of the savings. You'll save tons of money by crossing it off your shopping list and replacing it with a great filter for your home faucet and a few good reusable bottles.

4.  Buy second hand - you don't have to do this for all things.  In fact, I don't recommend it for all things (like carseats!).  But, honestly, there are some amazing second hand stores out there.  And, let's face it, maternity clothes are expensive.  Baby clothes are expensive.  How long will you or your munchkin even be wearing them?  Whether it's clothing, furniture, or anything in between, you'll be saving money and reusing some fabulous items!

5.  Green your home with houseplants - they add natural beauty to your home and help cleanse your air, an especially important job during winter months when your home is closed up tight.  Not a green thumb?  No problem! There are plenty of options that require very little attention to thrive.  Try lucky bamboo or a striking bromeliad.  The bromeliad's bloom will last for months, too!

Stay tuned later in the week for five more easy green tips!  Until then, live mindfully!

40 Tips for Making Everyday Earth Day

It's Earth Day.  So what?  I know there are a lot of people that feel kind of like that.  But, just like dieting, this day is not so much about making a choice that doesn't feel natural to you to begin with.  It's about making a change in your lifestyle.  Here's a quick list of some ways to make a change today.  Some take a little more effort than others, we'll admit that; but all were included because they are easy to implement.  Choose one; choose all.  What's important is making the choice to live mindfully.

1. Replace paper coffee filters with a permanent filter that can be washed and reused.
2. Use reusable rags instead of paper towels.
3. If you do use paper towels, purchase a brand that lets you select the size of towel you use each time.
4. Keep drip pans on your stove clean. Clean drip pans radiate more heat, so your stove doesn't have to work quite so hard.
5. Purchase reusable water bottles and coffee cups and USE THEM!
6. Use a water filtration system with your tap water instead of purchasing bottled water.
7. Store leftovers and/or bulk food in glass or porcelain containers.
8. Use rechargeable batteries.
9. Purchase fresh produce instead of canned and use a local farmer's market when possible.
10. Make your own baby food from your fresh produce. It tastes better and is better for baby, too!
11. Choose soy or beeswax candles instead of petroleum-based paraffin wax candles.
12. Wash most of your laundry in cold water. Most detergents today are designed to work just as well at this temperature.
13. If possible, hang your clothes to dry.
14. Install a dual flush upgrade to your toilet. Kits are available in most home improvement stores for around $20 and install in about 10 minutes.
15. Plug the bathtub before turning on the water for your little one's bath.
16. Use a washable shower curtain liner instead of a plastic disposable one.
17. Use a razor with refillable blades.
18. Choose body oils made from the seeds of fruits and nuts instead of baby oil.  Baby oil is just scented mineral oil - a byproduct of gasoline production. ick
19. Repair worn shoes instead of throwing them out and buying new ones. It's cheaper and you'll still have the shoes you love!
20. Discover the joy of resale shops! You'll be amazed at the gems you can find from clothing to curtains, to holiday decor and everything in between!
21. Install a programmable thermostat.  It's easier than you think!
22. Install an attic fan. They're easy to install and can lower the temp in your home significantly on hot days.  You can even purchase a solar powered model!
23. Don't throw out your magazines when you're done reading them.  Share them with a friend!
24. Purchase exercise equipment secondhand. It's cheaper and there are a lot of lonely treadmills out there just waiting for a new home.
25. Unplug your appliances, when possible, when you leave on vacation.
26. Quit using disposable pens. Find a pen you love and just refill the ink cartridge.
27. Opt for e-billing and online financial statements.
28. Use direct deposit if it's available to you.
29. Pay your bills online.
30. Don't throw away your old cell phone. E-cycle it or donate it to a charity (women's shelters are often in need of them)
31. Set outside lights on timers or motion sensors so they are only used when you really need them.
32. Plant native plants in your landscaping. They are better suited to your climate and less likely to die and need replacing.
33. When possible, choose to plant drought resistant plants.  Once established, they'll require less water.
34. Grow something edible, whether it's a basil plant on your kitchen windowsill or a full vegetable garden.
35. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water your gardens. There will be less evaporation and no wasted water on leaves and foliage.
36. Maintain your vehicle - regular oil changes, keeping the air filter clean, checking tire pressure - for optimum performance and longer life.
37. Limit car idling time.  An idling car emits 20 times more pollution than one traveling at 32 mph!
38. Use mass transit or carpool.
39. Learn a skill.  Sewing, knitting, wood working, plumbing, electrical, etc. You can make gifts, repair items, build what you need, etc.
40. Use em naturals products!  They're all 100% natural, good for you, and good for Mother Nature, too!