Peas and Carrots and Squash, oh my!

We officially have an eater on our hands. After a slow and reluctant start, he's finally a willing participant in 2 meals per day and starting to love them (most of the time). He's tried peas, carrots, apples, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and green beans. He wasn't such a fan of the green beans or sweet potatoes, so we'll have to try those another time. We thought he liked apples the best, until we tried butternut squash. Oh my oh my, does he love it!

So far, I've been making his food myself. There are a couple reasons I'm doing it:

1) I like knowing exactly what goes into my baby's mouth. I won't have control over what he eats forever but for now, I can. I am buying most of the veggies and fruit organic sometimes. There is a "dirty dozen" list, of 12 produce items that contain the most pesticides, so those I'll definitely plan on buying organic for baby food.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/06/01/dirty.dozen.produce.pesticide/index.html

2) it saves money. One butternut squash cost me about $3 and yielded about 25 1oz servings. As opposed to a $.50/serving that I'd probably spend at a store. Not too shabby!

3) I wouldn't give Barrett anything that I wouldn't eat myself. See the color difference in the store bought peas vs the homemade peas? (the homemade ones are frozen) Which would you rather eat??




It really didn't take much time to make the food. I spent just a few hours doing it.







Some of what I made and froze for my little guy


Enjoying the fruits (and veggies) of Mommy's labor.
Peas please!






Carrots. We have to watch those fingers because he is a little too eager to feed himself


(We actually do dress our child, but I guess it's just makes for easier clean up when he's shirtless!)

And his absolute favorite: butternut squash. YUM!