Food is Fun

When I thought about being a parent, I never really anticipated how flipping fun food can be! I'm sure if my child had issues with eating due to allergies or a physical issue such as cleft palate, I would feel differently. So, I appreciate that my son is healthy and hardy enough to handle all of the stuff I throw his way.

I remember someone once telling me that the little jarred baby food was delicious. Yeah, either they LIED or I just have a fine palate developed from watching the original Iron Chef or Hell's Kitchen. Cough, cough. It's probably not the second.

Needless to say, I don't really appreciate the flavors found in those jars. If I don't find the taste pleasant, why on earth would I feed my child that? Other people may feel free to do as they like with their own children btw. :D

So, when E started eating food, I decided to make my own. My fine googling skills led me to momtastic which has all sorts of great tidbits on how to puree, mash, and smash along with storing and freezing the culinary delights. This I do with as much fresh and organic food as I can find.

E loves it.

I mean he seriously loves food.

He gets very very unhappy when you don't feed him fast enough. When I say unhappy, I mean that he starts screaming or doing his hungry grunt.

Then, when you approach him with a bowl, he throws out his arms and opens his mouth. I love that he creates a clear path directly to the mouth by doing this! Occasionally he will slyly intercept the spoon and cover his hand with food goop. He will then slowly squish the food and then wipe his face. Good times!

Another new development is his insistence on trying anything that I might be eating around him. Insistence = eyes fastened the piece of food in your hand/fork and mouth wide open like a fish.

Our latest foray into food has led us to Tyler Florence's new cookbook Start Fresh: Your Child's Jump Start to Lifelong Healthy Eating. 

The cookbook has recipes from the single ingredient puree all the way to meals that the whole family can share. I hesitated to buy the book because we are already past the first stages. I was totally wrong! He turned me on to roasting foods that I never would have thought to cook that way and also to different combos that I didn't consider. All I can say is that E has gobbled these up with even more gusto than normal.

From there, I tried jumping straight to the fourth stage foods which is geared towards kids about a year old. While I have really enjoyed being able to share my food with him, I think the jump in flavor is a little shocking to those new tastebuds. Hee hee. I'm going to go back to the appropriate stage foods for him next. However, I can tell you that I'M in love with a few of the recipes I have tried. For instance, the one pan lasagna has completely converted me from lasagna layering hell. In fact, I was giving E a bottle and putting him to sleep while my hubby and sister ate. It's a good thing he asked if anyone wanted more because I hadn't even eaten yet! That's always a good sign! And the pea risotto -- y. u. m!  I would totally pick up the book if you are in this stage.

My husband is off to catch some salmon this weekend which I am so flipping excited to have. That's definitely one of the perks of living up here in Alaska! That's just another food I can't wait to share with E.

So much food. So much time to share it with him. :D

xoxo