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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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September 17, 2007 09:03 - Recall of Asda Cereal (UK)
If you're in the UK and you feed your older baby commercial cereal, then today's recall announcement from the Food Standards Agency may affect you.
Asda is recalling its Variety Cereal Pack (6 mini packs), with the following 'Best Before End' dates: FEB08, MARCH08 and APRIL08. Some of the packs, which cost £0.94 and have a bar code of 021108846, have been found to contain small insects - yuck!
If you have any of these packs at home, please take them back to your nearest Asda for a full refund (you don't need a receipt).
If you need any more information, please call ASDA Customer Relations on 0500 100 055.
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September 18, 2007 15:17 - Recall of Dole Packaged Salads (US and Canada)
"Dole Hearts Delight" packaged salads are being recalled because a sample tested in Canada was found to contain E. coli.
The packs affected were sold in the US and Canada and have a "best if used by " date of September 19, 2007. They also have a production code of "A24924A" or "A24924B". You can find the date code on the front of the bag, in the upper right hand corner.
The salad was sold in one-half pound bags in the U.S and 227 gram bags in Canada, with a UPC code of 071430-01038.
No one has yet been taken ill as a result of eating this salad, but consumers are advised that E. coli exposure can cause stomach cramps and diarrhea (sometimes bloody). If any family member has any of these symptoms after eating this salad, please seek medical advice immediately.
If you have any of these packs of salad at home, please throw them away. For more information, please call the Dole Consumer Center toll-free at 800-356-3111 or visit their website.
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September 18, 2007 16:29 - Quick Tip - Cut The Cooking Time of Meat
The run-up to dinner time must be one of the most hectic times of day! Typically, it's also the time of day when your baby seems to require the most attention. So any little tips for getting dinner cooked more quickly always come in handy!
Our tip today is useful for those of you who cook meat for your whole family, then set aside and puree or chop a portion for your baby.
Did you realize that you can decrease the cooking time of your meat by giving it a good pounding first?
As an added bonus, pounding your meat also breaks down its connective tissues and fibres, so the end result is a lot more tender for your baby!
This technique reduces the cooking time for chicken breasts, pork and beef steaks to under 6 minutes - which, depending on the cut of meat you're using, can mean you save at least 10 minutes on your total preparation time.
How to pound meat
1. Remove visible fat from the meat and place it between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or clingfilm.
2. Find an implement to flatten the meat - you can use a special meat pounder, a heavy frying pan (skillet) or - if you're stuck - a heavy rolling pin!
3. Pound the meat evenly across its whole surface until it is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick - if you try to get it thinner you risk making holes in it.
4. Cook according to your individual recipe!
If possible, pound meat as soon as you buy it, then freeze it. By preparing meat in advance, you'll save even more precious minutes when cooking for your family!
We'd love to hear YOUR time-saving tips, too - just leave your comment below, or send us your tip via our contact form.
Looking for some ideas on how to use cooked chicken in your baby's food? Check out our chicken baby food recipes, suitable for babies from 7 months of age...
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September 19, 2007 13:30 - Read our Highchair Reviews
We've just updated the 'Highchairs' section of our site with mini reviews of some of our favourite products.
From traditional wooden models to sleek and stylish contemporary designs - if you're thinking about investing in a highchair, then there's bound to be something to suit YOUR tiny diner!
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September 20, 2007 08:53 - Tofu Recall (US)
Certain batches of SOY DELI and QUONG HOP brand tofu are being recalled because they may be contaminated with Listeria.
The products affected by this recall are...
All sizes and varieties of SOY DELI TOFU coded DEC 17 2007 30 OZ SOY DELI NIGARI TOFU coded SEP 23 2007 12 OZ SOY DELI WATER PACK TOFU coded SEP 23 2007 16 OZ QUONG HOP WATER PACK TOFU coded SEP 23 2007
You can find the date code printed in blue ink on the front panel of all these items.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in vulnerable people, particularly young children - and can also cause miscarriages and still births in pregnant women. Fortunately, though, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall.
The products involved in this recall are distributed to natural food stores and supermarkets in the Midwest and West coast areas.
If you have any of the recalled products at home, the FDA advises you to return them to the store you bought them from for a full refund. If you have any questions, please call Quong Hop & Co. at 650-553-9900.
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September 20, 2007 09:06 - Apple Flavored Baby's Bliss Gripe Water Recalled
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning parents to immediately stop giving their children apple flavored Baby's Bliss Gripe Water because it may be contaminated with a parasitic microorganism called Cryptosporidium, which can cause intestinal infections.
The product is sold at various retailers across the US and via the Internet and is advertised as a liquid herbal supplement. It is often used to ease the symptoms of colic, hiccups and teething and is meant for use for babies as young as two weeks of age.
The product is distributed by - and being recalled by - MOM Enterprises Inc. of San Rafael. It comes in 4 fluid ounce bottles and has a Lot Code No. of 26952V and an expiry date of 10/08.
A 6 week old Minnesota baby became ill after ingesting the product, but no illlnesses have been reported in California.
The main sign of infection is watery diarrhea, but other symptoms include weight loss, dehydration, fever, stomach cramps, pain, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms generally appear within two to 10 days of becoming infected and usually last for one to two weeks. Babies are particularly at risk from this infection because they are susceptible to dehydration from diarrhea, which can be life threatening.
If you have this product at home, please throw it away immediately. If you have given the gripe water to your child, please speak to your doctor if he/she is displaying any of the symptoms of infection by Cryptosporidium.
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September 20, 2007 14:41 - FREE Shipping and FREE Socks - From Robeez! (US and Canada)
Good news if your little one is ready for some new shoes (aren't they always?) - our sponsor, Robeez, has two GREAT offers for you!
Robeez has a wonderful selection of high quality infant footwear. Their adorable shoes are recommended by pediatricians and - unlike many other baby shoes - these ones actually STAY on his feet!
And now is the time to start shopping, because Robeez is offering FREE SHIPPING when you check out with Paypal - all you have to do is enter the promotional code 'Paypal'. Don't delay, though - this offer expires on September 24th!
And that's not all - while stocks last, Robeez is also offering FREE SOCKS on 15 gorgeous autumn shoe designs, from 0-18 months.
Just click on the links below to take advantage of these time limited offers...
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September 21, 2007 21:20 - Recall of Eeezy Peezy Slide (Australia)
Eezy Peezy Toddler Slides, which have been sold across Australia and New Zealand since April 2007, are being recalled. This is because the slide has a red plastic part that can become weakened by normal use and extreme weather conditions, causing the plastic to break.
If you have one of these slides, which have an item no. of EP070101, please stop using it immediately and store it safely. You should then contact Future Logistics on 1300 307 712 or visit their webpage - you will receive a cash refund to the value of the returned product. Please don't return the slide to the store you bought it from unless instructed to do so by the customer service line.
Kelloggs Coco Pops Creations Careline Kellogg Company of Ireland 7 St Johns Court Santry FREEPOST, Dublin 9
You will then be sent a reimbursement voucher.
Please note that no other Kellogg's products are affected.
If you need further information, please call the Kellogg Consumer Service department on: Freephone UK and ROI (landline only): 00800 90906060 between 8am and 6pm every day.
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September 21, 2007 21:39 - Massive Recall of Simplicity and Graco Cribs (US)
Around 1 Million Simplicity Cribs are being recalled due to failures that have tragically resulted in the deaths of at least two babies.
The problem with these cribs is that the drop-side can detach from the crib. This creates a dangerous gap and babies can then become trapped in this gap, leading to suffocation.
Heartbreaking reports from the CPSC state that two babies have died in Simplicity manufactured cribs with older style hardware, where the drop-side was installed upside down. The CPSC has also received reports of seven entrapments and 55 other incidents in connection with these cribs.
And it seems that even the newer style hardware is causing tragic problems, as the CPSC is investigating the death of a year old baby in a Simplicity crib where - again - the drop-side was installed upside down.
The CPSC is asking that all parents and caregivers urgently check all Simplicity cribs, to ensure that the drop-side is installed the right way up.
The problems with the drop-side are caused by both the crib design and the hardware, leading consumers to unwittingly install the drop-side incorrectly. This may then weaken the hardware, which then causes the drop-side to detach from the crib.
Even so, there have been two incidents with the older style hardware that occured when the drop-side was CORRECTLY installed. The CPSC does point out, though, that the upside down installation makes the risk of failure much higher.
The Simplicity crib models involved in this recall include
Aspen 3 in 1 Aspen 4 in 1 Crib N Changer Combo Nursery-in-a-Box Chelsea Pooh 4 in 1
The following Simplicity cribs that use the Graco logo are also being recalled
Aspen 3 in 1 Ultra 3 in 1 Ultra 4 in1 Ultra 5 in 1 Whitney Trio
All cribs involved in this recall have one of the following model numbers. You can find the model number on the label that is attached to the headboard and also on the envelope that is attached to the mattress support.
The cribs were sold for between $100 and $300 from January 1998 through May 2007. They were made in China and sold in children's stores, department stores and mass merchandisers across the US.
If you have one of these cribs, the CPSC advises that you ensure the drop-side is installed the right way up. The slightly rounded rail with the decorative groove should be at the top and the plain rail should be at the bottom.
You should then make sure that the drop-side is securely attached to the track - to do this, please see the CPSC website for close up pictures of correctly and incorrectly installed drop-sides.
Please note that if the drop-side is NOT installed correctly, you should stop using the crib at once. This is because permanent damage may have been caused to the hardware by incorrect installation - therefore, re-installing the drop-side with the same hardware could be dangerous.
You should also check to see if your crib contains the newer or older hardware - photographs of these are displayed on the CPSC website.
Newer hardware, which has a permanent stop at the bottom and a flexible tab at the top of the lower track, is NOT subject to recall UNLESS the drop-side was installed upside down. If it WAS installed incorrectly, you should contact Simplicity straight away.
Older style hardware, which HAS been recalled, has a flexible tab at the bottom of the lower tracks and the top of the lower tracks are open.
If you have a crib with the older style hardware, you should immediately contact Simplicity for a free repair. Either visit their website or contact them toll-free at (888) 593-9274 between 8:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET on Friday, and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET on Saturday.
For more information, there is also a streamed video clip about this recall on the CPSC website.
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September 22, 2007 10:59 - Introducing Solids at 5 Months?
Jess from Pennsylvania, USA, wrote to us yesterday about her daughter, Dylan. She told us
"Dylan is nearly 5 1/2 months old and - until now - exclusively breastfed. I had always planned to wait until the recommended age of 6 months to introduce her to solid foods, but I'm starting to wonder if I should give her something other than breastmilk now.
She shows all the signs you mention of being ready for solids - and when we sit down as a family to eat dinner, she watches us like she wants some, too. I feel bad about not feeding her when she seems hungry!
What would you suggest?"
Well, Jess, I think lots of parents will identify with your situation - and it DOES make you feel like the meanest Mum in the world to eat in front of your baby and feel as if you're denying her something she really wants!
The main reasons that most medical sources suggest waiting until 6 months to start solid foods is that a baby's digestive system will be more mature at this stage and the risk of food allergies is reduced.
Babies who are given solids before 6 months of age more frequently experience digestive upsets - particularly constipation.
It's also important to remember the valuable role that milk plays in your baby's diet at this stage. Replacing too much of the milk with solid foods in the first 6 months of life can deprive your baby of the nutrients she needs for healthy growth and development.
Tips to delay the introduction of solids
If your baby is displaying a great interest in solid foods BEFORE 6 months of age, a good first step is to simply try offering her a soft spoon to hold at the table. This can work surprisingly well, as it may not be the food itself that's capturing her interest, but rather the over-all 'mealtime experience' - including cutlery!
Another option is to try freezing your breastmilk into popsicles/lollies - these are known as 'momsicles' and can make your baby FEEL as if she's joining in with the meal - when really she is only having MORE breastmilk! If a momsicle is too difficult for her to handle at this stage, try freezing the milk into cubes and putting them into a
Teething Feeder.
The tips didn't work and my baby STILL wants solids!
If this is the case, then our advice - with your doctor's consent, of course - is to let your baby be your guide and accept that it's time for 'big people' food!
Although 6 months is the recommended age for starting solids, it's worth bearing in mind that this is a guideline.
Babies, of course, do not undergo a magical transformation at 6 months of age!
It is merely the age at which MOST babies are developmentally ready for real food - for some it may be a few weeks earlier and for others it may be much later.
If you DO offer solids before 6 months of age, make sure that the foods you give your baby are easily digestible and are NOT considered a potential allergen (see our list of foods to avoid). Remember - your baby will be more vulnerable to allergenic foods at this early stage. Introduce each new food separately, at least four days apart.
For more information, please see our page about introducing solids and - if you are looking for an alternative to infant rice cereal as a first food for your baby - read more about offering avocado or sweet potato instead!
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