Baby Food
by Maria Schasteen

Not long ago, mom made baby food at home from fresh ingredients picked from trees and brought in from the garden. But this is a nostalgic picture of days past. Today baby food is available in dry, ready-to-feed and frozen forms, which are prepared by the parent in small batches and fed to the child. Baby food is generally made from condensed vegetables and fruits, and according to a consumer reports study, is a favorable choice for babies.

In Japan homemade baby food is common and babies are started on Okayu and then move on to mashed fruits, vegetables, tofu and fish. In Europe, baby's first solid food is mashed bananas and grated apples. Then mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables are mixed in a blender and added to baby's food plan.

Frozen baby food is a form of heat processed baby food that enables lower cooking temperatures by finalizing the product in a frozen, rather than the more traditional jarred form. Frozen baby food is made by cooking, pureeing and freezing fresh fruits and vegetables. Frozen baby food is an alternative for parents who make baby food at home and freeze it in ice cube trays.

Would you put the baby food in the microwave oven? I don't know about you, but I do not own a microwave, I never have and I never will. You'll hear controversial opinions about the use of microwave ovens. Some warn of the danger of micro waving, while others hail it the quick and easy cooking miracle of the century. As long as I do not know about the risks of using a microwave oven, I would not use it for my baby!

When your baby is ready for solid food, how do you know which brand of baby food is good. Organic baby food is on store shelves everywhere these days, and now organic formula has arrived, as well.

Preparing your own fresh and healthy baby food is easy and economical, often costing less than buying jarred baby foods at the grocery store. More importantly, making your own baby food assures, you give your baby the best, freshest and most nutritious food available. Organic and Kosher homemade baby food is the healthiest choice of baby food you can prepare. And remember, when you put love and effort into preparing baby food, it's comforting and healing for your baby.

The Best Baby Formula
By Maria Schasteen

If you’re new mother, you already know that breast feeding is best for your baby. But not everyone can successfully breast feed. What's important is that your baby gets the nourishment he needs to develop and thrive. If your baby isn't thriving on breast milk, then you need to switch to formula. There are many different options to choose from.

The brand you choose isn't important. All formulas are prepared according to FDA regulations which specify minimum and, in some cases, maximum nutrient level requirements for infant formulas, based on recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. These regulations and the Infant Formula Act help to make sure that all infant formulas are nutritionally complete and safe for your baby.

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not endorse or recommend that your infant drink any specific brand of formula if you choose not to breast feed, except they do say that low iron formula should not be used.

Baby formulas mostly differ in the type of sugar and protein that they have. Regular iron fortified infant formulas, such as Similac Advance, Enfamil Lipil, and Nestle Good Start Supreme are made with lactose and cow's milk based proteins. Most infants who are not breast feeding exclusively should be given a cow's milk based iron fortified formula.

Soy formulas are made with soy protein and are lactose free. They are good for children who don't tolerate lactose or milk proteins.

Elemental formulas are also lactose free and are made with hydrolysate proteins, which are easy to digest for infants with protein allergies. If you have a family history of food allergies or formula intolerance, you might choose to start your baby off with a soy or elemental formula if you do not want to breast feed.

Maria Schasteen is editor of Aroma-Essence.com - Nature's Most Trusted Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils Store.