[Rosario]

I don't know if this officially counts as homemade, but I definitely don't plan on buying overpriced, preservative-laden baby food, but will for the most feed my baby my own chewed food as our ancestors have done for centuries. I eat pretty healthy and i can't think of any better diet for my baby. Has anyone else done this or is the social stigma too much ?

[Doula Jenny]

When I was pregnant with my first I got one of those baby food making kits from my mother in law I used it all the time with him and I plan on using it when my 2nd is ready for food. I wouldn't literally chew the food for him and put it in his mouth but, I definitely agree that the jarred foods are WAY over priced. for money it costs for 1 jar of sweet potatoes I can buy 2 whole sweet potatoes and make baby food 4 different ways.

-puree them for regular 1st foods
-of cube and steam them for finger foods
-peel, slice one thick and chill it for a GREAT teether
-I can also slice it thin and bake them for really tasty chips!

[JFletcher]

I found a baby food grinder for $1, still in the box, at our flea market. It's basically a food ricer.

I've never had a chance to give my kids much jarred food. My mother in law buys it, I end up giving it away. My kids eat what we eat, ran through the grinder or when older, mashed with a fork.

A lot of people might go 'yuck' over the chewing, but the saliva is a digestive fluid that breaks down the food to help it be more digestible to baby. Those formulas with 'comfort proftiens' are broken down, which is, essentially, partially digested.

I'd prefer my kid's food to be 'partially digested' by me, not some can...

[WombToBloom]

I don't think it's all that abnormal to chew it up a bit first. Now if you start regurgitating then we might wonder.

[JFletcher]

Originally Posted by WombToBloom

I don't think it's all that abnormal to chew it up a bit first. Now if you start regurgitating then we might wonder.

There goes my sandwich.

When I was writing that about the chewing, I had this image in my head of the mom penguin on 'Happy Feet'...

"Here honey, mommy brought you a little something....bleeeeggghhh"

[meltrebo]

Lol! I thought the same thing!! My kids ate smashed up versions of we we ate and they have never had any problems. Just remember to be careful with food with nuts and no honey until they are at least a year old!

[journeybirth]

Have you read Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Shanley? She talks about feeding her children that way! I read it and thought of this thread lol