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Baby Food Recipes, News and Information
For all the latest baby food news, updates to nutrition guidelines, product recalls, great new baby food recipes, hints, tips and more!
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April 30, 2007 13:20 - How To Thin Baby Food Purees
Sometimes you may puree a food for your baby only to find that the texture is a little thicker than your baby may like. What are the best ways to thin purees for your baby?
The best way of thinning purees is often to use the liquid that the food was cooked in. When you cook vegetables, a small amount of nutrients will leach into the cooking liquid - by reusing this liquid you are incorporating these nutrients back into your baby's meal.
Another option is to use use homemade stock or broth - check our recipes for chicken stock, beef stock and vegetable stock (included as part of our pumpkin and barley dinner recipe). Using a meat stock is also a great way of introducing a little added flavour to vegetables purees for babies who aren't too keen on their veggies!
Alternatively, you can use breast milk or formula for thinning purees. But it's important to note that you should NOT use previously frozen breast milk if you plan to freeze the puree you have made for your baby. This is because it is unsafe to freeze, thaw and then refreeze breast milk.
You CAN, on the other hand, freeze purees that contain freshly made formula if you choose. Freezing formula does not affect its nutritional value, nor is it unsafe. However, freezing formula can cause the fat to separate, which is why it is not recommended for general use.
We actually recommend NOT thinning purees for your baby prior to freezing them. This is because many purees seem thick when you put them in the freezer - but, due to changes in the cell structures during freezing, can be pretty runny when you get them back out! You don't want to end up thinning your baby's puree to the extent that it is watery when thawed.
The best advice is to thin food for your baby just before you are about to serve it to him!
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May 1, 2007 08:31 - We Have A New Baby of the Month
May is here... the weather is warming up for many of us as winter becomes a memory... the days are getting longer... and the Homemade Baby Food Recipes website has a brand new Baby of the Month!
A big thank you to everyone who sent in their photographs and stories - we really enjoy receiving them and it's so wonderful to open our mail each day to be greeted by the gorgeous smiles of your little ones!
So please come and meet the Baby of the Month for May (and, if you'd like to send in your baby's photograph, there's an entry form on this page too)... Read more...
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May 1, 2007 09:27 - Taking Great Photos of your Baby
We came across a great little article today about taking wonderful photographs of your baby during his first year. There's certainly an art to taking great baby pictures as babies are not the most predictable of models, but this article has some nice tips for getting the most out of your photographs!
And, of course, once you've got your perfect shot, you can submit it to us for our Baby of the Month page. Or, if you're in the US, why not look into getting your baby's photograph transformed into a beautiful work of art!
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May 1, 2007 13:09 - Food Allergy and Premature Babies - A New Study
Recent research suggests that exposure to food allergens early in life may increase tolerance in later life for babies who are premature or low birth weight.
The Canadian study was carried out to examine the risk to premature and low birth weight children of developing food allergies. Researchers found that there is no difference in risk between full-term babies with a healthy birth weight and those born early. This goes against the previous thinking that an immature gastrointestinal tract may increase the development of food allergy.
13,980 children, born in 1995 and living in Manitoba, were included in the study. 592 of these children had food allergies but analysis found no link between food allergy and birth weight/maturity. Researchers summed up their findings by saying that "...Prematurity and low birth weight are not associated with a change in risk for development of food allergy in childhood".
This study did, however, show that food allergy was linked with a maternal history of food allergy and asthma.
For more in-depth information about this research, you can read the full article here.
It's important to note that further studies will need to be carried out before any changes are made to official recommendations for the introduction of foods - particularly highly allergenic foods - for infants. Please remember to consult your pediatrician before you introduce ANY new foods to your baby.
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May 2, 2007 16:13 - Take Part In Our Survey
When did you introduce solids to your baby? How did you decide when to start?
We would love to know - and so would other parents, which is why we have included a new survey on our site!
The survey is very simple to complete and you don't need to supply an e mail address or any identifying information! Once you have answered all the questions, just hit "Submit" and you will be able to see how everyone else answered, too!
Please come and join in - just click on the banner below...
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May 2, 2007 22:32 - Recall of Children's Clog Shoes (US)
Airwalk® Compel clog shoes, sold at Payless ShoeSource and Pamida stores nationwide and Payless.com, are being recalled because the plastic rivets that are used to attach the strap to the shoe can detach. This can pose a choking hazard and Payless has received one report of a child beginning to choke on a rivet that had come from one of these shoes.
The shoes were sold in prewalk sizes 3 through toddler size 10. The shoes have ventilation holes on the sides and top and plastic rivets featuring the Airwalk® logo are attached to the strap. The shoe size is printed on the sole along with the Airwalk® logo. Please note that this recall does not involve any other styles, sizes or models.
These shoes were sold for around $13 from August 2006 through early April 2007.
If you have these shoes, please keep them out of reach of your child and return them to the store you purchased them from for an exchange or refund.
For more details, you can call Payless at (800) 654-0697 between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Alternatively, you can visit their website.
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May 2, 2007 22:56 - Recall of Religious Fish Necklaces (US)
Children’s Religious Fish Necklaces are being recalled by the Oriental Trading Company Inc. because they contain unsafe levels of lead. Lead poses a great hazard to young children as it is toxic if ingested.
The necklaces, pictured below, feature a silver fish pendant hanging from a black cord. They were sold for around 70 cents exclusively at the Oriental Trading Company Inc. website and catalog, from January 2005 through January 2007.
Should you have one of these necklaces, please throw it away and contact Oriental Trading Company Inc. at (800) 723-6155 anytime or visit their website to arrange for credit or a full refund.
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May 3, 2007 13:26 - Target Recalls Bamboo Collection Games (US)
Anima Bamboo Collection Games are being recalled by Target because the toys in the sets contain lead paint, which poses a lead poisoning hazard to young children.
The games, which were sold for around $10 by Target stores nationwide from December 2006 through April 2007, contain 38 bamboo pads, four ghosts, and one dice. They come in an orange box with the words "Anima" and "BAMBOO Collection Games" printed on either side.
Please return these games to your nearest Target store for a full refund, including sales tax if applicable. If you would like more information, please contact Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit their website.
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May 3, 2007 13:26 - Recall of Children's Rings (US)
Children's Rings with dice or horseshoes (pictured below) are being recalled because they contain high levels of lead, which is dangerous to health when ingested. These rings were actually recalled once before - in June 2004 - but were put back into circulation. Fortunately, no children have been harmed.
The rings are silver in colour with either dice or horseshoes on top. On some rings, the dice are painted in various colours. The horseshoes are decorated with pink and green or purple and yellow polka dots.
The rings were sold at vending machines in the Baltimore, Maryland area from August 2004 through March 2007 for around 25 cents. Please throw these rings away if you have any.
Should you have any questions, please call Cardinal Distributing Co. Inc. at (800) 368-2062 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or visit their website.
Graco Children’s Products are recalling Soft Blocks Tower Toys on Graco® Baby Einstein® Discover and Play Activity Centers. This is because the plastic covering on the blocks can come off and therefore poses a choking risk to babies.
There have been over 100 reports of babies chewing pieces of this film covering, some serious and needing medical attention.
The soft block tower, pictured below, is a stack of three stuffed fabric blocks. The blocks are coloured red, blue and yellow and have pictures printed on them, covered in plastic film. The soft blocks are only one of nine toys that affix to the activity center's tray. The only model number included in this recall is 4635BEE, with serial numbers 012705 through 063005. You can find the model and serial number on the underside of the activity center's tray.
These activity centers were sold from February 2005 through about December 2005 for $80 by the following retailers: Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Meijer, Shopko, Target, and various specialty retailers nationwide, and also on Wal-Mart.com and Target.com.
If you have one of these activity centers, please remove the Soft Blocks toy straight away. You should then contact Graco for a free Tower toy that does not include the plastic film. Please note that the rest of the activity center is still safe to use.
To contact Graco, please call (800) 345-4109 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or log on to their website.
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May 3, 2007 14:34 - Danger From Worn Vinyl Baby Bibs
The CPSC has issued a warning to parents about the dangers posed to babies by worn vinyl baby bibs. Some vinyl bibs contain lead compounds which could be ingested by babies chewing on them once they are worn and peeling. You can read the full warning here.
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May 3, 2007 14:53 - Recall of Parents Magazine Toy Cell Phones (US)
Parents® Magazine Record-A-Voice Toy Cell Phones are being recalled because the metal pin inside the flip top's hinge can fall out. This poses a choking hazard and one child has received a cut in the mouth from this pin.
The toy phones play music and sound effects, plus they record messages. They were sold in various patterns by Target stores nationwide from September 2006 to January 2007 for about $8. The Parents® logo can be seen inside the flip-top and on the battery compartment cover.
The only items included in this recall have date codes 090106 through 101206 - you can find this code on the bottom of the packaging and in the battery compartment.
If you have these toys at home, please take them away and contact Battat , Inc. at (800) 247-6144 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for a free replacement product or a refund. Alternatively, you can e mail them at cellrecall@battatco.com.
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May 3, 2007 14:53 - Recall of Small World Toys Take-Apart Townhouse (US)
Small World Toys are recalling their IQ Preschool Take-Apart Townhouse Toys because the small magnets that are used to connect the wooden pieces to the sides of the toy can fall out. Magnets can be very dangerous to young children - if more than one is swallowed, they can attract each other, causing potentially fatal blockages or intestinal perforations.
The toys, pictures below, are intended for children aged 18 months+. They are house-shaped and measure 8.5 inches high by about 4.5 inches wide. The chimney on each house is green and a blue and yellow striped pillar with a purple base appears at each corner. The house has nine pieces which children are meant to take apart then reassemble. "IQ Preschool" appears below the blue and green panel on the side of the house and the model number 2408808 appears on the packaging.
These toys were sold at various retailers and through catalogs nationwide from December 2004 through February 2007 for around $21.
Please take this toy away from your child and contact Small World Toys at (800) 421-4153 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday for a free replacement product. Alternatively, e mail them at townhouserecall@smallworldtoys.com or visit their website.
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May 3, 2007 15:26 - Babies Needed For UK Study
Researchers in the UK are looking for babies to take part in a new study to determine if early exposure to peanuts will prevent allergy. The planned study, which will span 7 years, will focus on babies aged from 4 to 11 months who already have eczema or an allergy to eggs, which means they are also at a high risk of being allergic to peanuts.
Experts are unsure about just how to prevent peanut allergy, with some studies showing that avoiding peanuts in early infancy may help... but other studies showing that the opposite may be true.
You can read more about this planned research here. If your baby is the right age and you would like to take part, please contact the researchers on 0800 234 6522 or email info@leapstudy.co.uk.
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May 3, 2007 16:59 - Are Microwave Ovens Safe?
We received a message yesterday from Angelica who was concerned that we had given advice on our site about using microwave ovens to warm baby food.
Angelica's concern is that microwave ovens are - in general - unsafe and that using them in food preparation may have serious health implications. In her message, she referred to the article 10 Reasons To Throw Out Your Microwave.
As we stated in our reply to Angelica, we are familiar with this article and have looked further into the claims it contains.
We feel, along with many sites offering advice about baby food preparation, that using a microwave to heat your baby's food is safe as long as certain precautions are observed. This was, indeed, the purpose of this recent post on our blog. (Please remember, though, that ours is not professional medical advice and that we ask all parents to discuss matters of concern with their doctor).
But we agree with Angelica that it is important for parents to be aware of all the facts concerning every aspect of feeding their babies. So we decided to publish links to both articles here in our blog, to enable you to draw your own conclusions from the information given.
Please feel free to leave your comments on this subject below...
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May 4, 2007 10:34 - Kids Don't Notice Hidden Veggies!
A US study has found that children don't notice when you sneak extra veggies into their meal - and that they eat less calories as a result!
The 61 children observed in this research were aged from 3 to 5 and were fed two different kinds of pasta - one kind with a higher calorie density and the other 25 percent lower in calories because blended broccoli and cauliflower was included in the pasta sauce.
The result was that the children couldn't tell the difference - meaning that those eating the pasta with the hidden vegetables were consuming less calories and, of course, more veggies!
Of course, limiting calories is not your priority when you are feeding a baby, but what IS interesting is the fact that you can successfully hide vegetables in your kids' meals without them realizing. It just takes a little imagination!
Disguising vegetables is just one of the recommendations on our page all about increasing your baby's veggie intake, but we have some other suggestions, too... Read more...
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May 4, 2007 13:31 - Wal-Mart Bibs Recalled (US)
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are recalling sets of baby bibs nationwide as they have been found to contain unacceptable levels of lead.
The sets, which were sold under the brand name "Baby Connection", contain two to seven bibs featuring images or embroidered prints of characters from Sesame Street.
These bibs have been on sale since 2004.
At first, only bibs sold in Illinois were recalled - and, although bibs across the country are now being pulled from shelves - it appears that only customers who bought bibs in Illinois will be elegible for refunds.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states that vinyl bibs are safe when they are in good condtion, but exposure to lead can take place when babies mouth and chew pieces of plastic from worn and peeling bibs (see the full CPSC warning here).
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May 5, 2007 10:16 - UK Warning About Ugandan Baby Food
The Food Standards Agency in the UK is warning parents not to feed their babies with a batch of 'Baby Soya with Enkejje makes a Stout Baby'. This is because the batch of the powdered baby food concerned is infected with a potentially dangerous bacterium called Enterobacter sakazakii.
Unfortunately, the FSA does not have details of where this food was distributed, but the contaminated sample was discovered in London.
The product, which comes in 500g packs, was manufactured by Kayebe Sauce Packers (U) Ltd (KSP) and has a "best before" date of 30 July 2007. If you have any food from this batch at home, then you should throw it away.
No other batches are known to be contaminated, but - according to advice from the FSA - if you have another batch of this food at home you should take care to follow the preparation instructions extremely carefully - particularly the recommendation to boil for 15 mins.
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May 5, 2007 10:21 - Similac Advance Formula Warning - Montreal, Canada
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning parents that some cans of Abbot Nutrition baby formula have been labelled with incorrect information.
Abbot Nutrition doesn't actually place stickers on its formula - instead, the expiry and lot information is printed directly on to the cans. But an unauthorized distributor has sent out 900-gram Similac Advance Step 2 powdered infant formula cans to pharmacies, with stickers on them showing false lot numbers and expiry dates.
If you have a can bearing a sticker, please contact the company at 1-800-699-9948.
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May 5, 2007 13:23 - Sony ImageStation Special Offers (US)
Our sponsors, Sony ImageStation, have a few special offers at the moment that you may be interested in...
A large Photo Mug overfilled with delicious Hershey®'s Kisses® brand chocolates perfect for Mothers Day - or a glossy black Photo Mug showing off one of her favorite pictures. Each mug is just $11.99 and you can add text captions if you wish! This offer ends May 7 - so be quick!
If you order $25 or more in Photo Gifts, you will receive an upgrade to Free Shipping. Offer ends May 7. This is useful if you need to order lots of last minute gifts!
Perfectly Published Vinyl Photo Books are currently on sale, reduced from $27.99 to only $19.99. These books are beautifully stitched and feature various layout options and templates, making it easy and fun to organize your prints. This sale ends 14 May.
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May 5, 2007 15:31 - Win An Amazon Voucher
It's competition time here at Homemade Baby Food recipes - and there's a $20 Amazon gift certificate up for grabs!
By entering our fun new "Baby Food Recipe Competition", you can win a prize by sharing your yummy baby food ideas with our visitors.
All you need to do is send us your favourite homemade baby food recipe and each month, we will award the sender of the best recipe with a $20 gift certificate from Amazon...
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