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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January 28, 2008 13:07 - Gourmet Sweet Potato Puree
Here's a delicious sweet potato recipe for all those baby food connoisseurs out there!
Babies everywhere love the taste of nutritious sweet potato and basic purees are easy to prepare for baby food beginners. Simply baking a sweet potato in its skin and then mashing or pureeing it is the simplest and most popular method.
But today's puree recipe contains a few extra elements, making a truly yummy dish that the grown ups will enjoy, too (just increase the quantities accordingly and serve as a side dish with chicken or pork).
Please make sure that your baby is safely enjoying all the ingredients in this recipe before combining them in this dish.
Here's what you'll need
1 large sweet potato 4oz (1/2 cup) cauliflower florets, chopped 2tsp vegetable oil 1/2 small onion pinch of ground allspice* pinch of freshly ground black pepper 2 fl oz (1/4 cup) homemade chicken stock
* Allspice is the dried, unripe berry of an evergreen tree and originally came from Jamaica. It is known as allspice because it's said to combine the scents of several spices, including cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper!
Peel and dice the sweet potato and chop the onion. Heat the oil over a medium heat and saute the onion with the pepper until tender. Pour in the chicken stock, then add the allspice and the diced sweet potato. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 mins. Add the cauliflower and simmer for a further 10 mins. Cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Yum!
To learn more about sweet potato and to find out what makes it such a great food for your baby, visit our sweet potato baby food recipes page.
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January 29, 2008 10:34 - Win a Leapfrog Crib and Floor Mirror
Would you like to win a gorgeous Leapfrog Rhyming Reflections Crib and Floor Mirror for your baby?
We want to hear about that special item you have for your baby that you couldn't live without!
It could be anything from a super-convenient portable highchair to the perfect baby feeding spoon! It doesn't have to be food-related, either - you can tell us about ANY baby product that's made your life easier!
Not only will you be helping other Moms choose the BEST baby products on the market for their little ones - if your review is chosen as the best of the month then you'll win a fantastic prize!
The prize changes each month - so if you'd like to get your hands on the adorable Leapfrog Crib and Floor Mirror for YOUR baby, then get reviewing now!
You can see other parents reviews there, too!
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January 30, 2008 16:36 - Food Allergy - Or Something Else?
A new study carried out in England has shown that parents may be too quick to exclude certain foods from their babies' diets, mistakenly identifying symptoms like runny noses and diarrhea as food allergy or intolerance.
The research was funded by the British government and conducted by Portsmouth University. In the largest study of its kind in the UK, researchers monitored 969 babies born between 2001 and 2002 on the Isle of Wight (a small island off the south coast of England).
By their first birthday, one quarter of these children had been diagnosed by their parents as suffering from an allergy or intolerance to at least one food. More than half of all parents cut at least one food from their child's diet and many were restricting certain foods becuase they were worried that the foods would cause problems.
Yet only 35 of the babies studied (that's just 3.6 per cent) actually tested positive for food intolerance or food allergy.
"People have become more aware of food allergies, particularly of peanut allergy. Mums tend to put down every rash, tummy ache, diarrhoea and cry to food allergy or intolerance," said researcher Dr Carina Venter. "I sympathise with them - it seems reasonable to blame the food when an infant screams or turns red in the face minutes after being fed it the first time."
Dr Venter, a dietician, went on to say that it is important for food allergy/intolerance to be properly diagnosed. She also pointed out that - even if food allergy/intolerance IS diagnosed - it does not mean that the foods have to be permanently excluded from a child's diet.
"...many children who suffer allergies or intolerances outgrow them by the age of three."
Interestingly, this study showed that food allergy and intolerance rates have not risen since the last large-scale study of the subject, which took place 20 years ago.
When you introduce new foods to your baby, always follow the four day rule, which will help you spot potential food allergy/intolerance or digestive problems.
If you DO spot any symptoms that you feel are connected to the new food, then discuss your concerns with your child's doctor. Don't try to exclude foods from your baby's diet WITHOUT advice from a medical professional, because it may lead to your little one missing out on important nutrients. Instead, a dietician will recommend other foods to offer your baby that will make up for the missing dietary elements.
It's also important to note that - whilst the true food allergy/intolerance rates may be lower than parents suspect - the possibility of a reaction should still be taken seriously.
Occasionally, reactions may be severe - even life-threatening - so please continue to introduce new foods separately and take special care when introducing foods more likely to cause an allergic reaction.
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January 31, 2008 12:47 - Mommy Recommendations
When it comes to buying baby products, recommendations from other Moms are invaluable! So come and check out the first two review submitted to our new 'Baby Product Reviews' section...
Why not come and submit your OWN review - remember, the best one each month will win a great prize... and February's winner will receive the gorgeous 'Leapfrog Rhyming Reflections Crib and Floor Mirror'.
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January 31, 2008 12:55 - How to Make Baby's Italian Chicken Stew... and More!
We have three new baby food ideas for you today, sent in to us by other Moms taking part in our Baby Food Recipe Competition!
Our competition is easy to enter - and the sender of our favorite entry each month wins a $20 e-voucher to spend at Amazon!
You don't need to be a culinary whiz to enter - we love basic, easy-to-prepare recipes as well as more 'gourmet' creations!
In the meantime, check out the great recipes for Baby's Italian Chicken Stew, 2 Minute Breakfast and Speedy Scrambled Egg on our Baby Food Ideas page!
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February 1, 2008 13:30 - Recall of Asda Microwaves (UK)
Here's an important recall if you use a microwave oven at home - Asda is recalling its Durabrand microwaves because three customers have reported this model overheating. This clearly presents a fire risk.
The recalled microwave has a model number of XB2316 and a barcode of 5050854397271. It was sold at Asda stores for £22.75.
If you have one of these microwaves, please disconnect it from the mains immediately and return it to your nearest Asda store for a full refund. You do not need to provide a receipt OR the box.
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February 1, 2008 13:37 - Recall of Crib Toys (US)
Baby Einstein 'Baby Neptune Soothing Seascape' Crib Toys are being recalled because the anchors holding the straps on the back of the turtle can fall off, posing a choking hazard. There have been 23 reports of this happening, but no children have been injured.
The toys (pictured below) were sold at department stores and online for between $25 and $30. The toy consists of a plastic turtle with a toy aquarium body and stuffed fabric head and feet. Woven fabric straps attach the toy to the side of the crib. You can find the model number 30858 on a label on the turtle's leg. The only toys affected by this recall are those manufactured in October 2007, which have the date code BJ7 printed on the back of the battery compartment.
These toys were sold from November 2007 through January 2008.
If your little one has one of thse in his crib, please remove it and contact Kids II toll-free at (866) 203-6788 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday to receive a free, replacement toy. Alternatively, you can visit their website.
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February 1, 2008 13:41 - Recall of Sterling Silver Teethers (US)
Heart and Car Sterling Silver Teethers are being recalled by Elegant Baby because the hearts and cars may detach from the teether, posing an obvious choking risk.
These teethers (pictured below) were sold at independent infant clothing boutiques for around $50, from February 2005 through September 2006.
They are circular in shape, with either a car or a heart in the middle. They are 2 inches in diameter and have beads inside.
If your baby has one of these teethers, please take it away immediately and contact Elegant Baby at (800) 334-5321 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET for instructions on how to return it for a full refund. You can also visit their website.
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February 1, 2008 14:38 - February's Baby of the Month
As each new month begins, we have a brand new smile on our Baby of the Month page! This month's winner has a very adorable - and very cheeky - little grin!
Come and visit February's Baby of the Month, see some of other favourite entries - and read about how these little ones are getting on with solid foods! You'll find the competition entry form here, too!
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February 2, 2008 14:14 - This Mommy Loves the Peg Perego Stroller Aria 2007
Are you thinking about buying a new stroller for your little one? Before you decide which one to choose, come and check out this review for the Peg Perego Stroller Aria 2007 from Cristina in Florida! As you'll see, this one comes baby recommended, too!
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February 2, 2008 14:47 - New Ads on Our Site
Over the coming weeks, you may notice a new form of advertising - called 'audio ads' - on a few of our pages. These ads will play for 5 seconds when a page is opened - you will only hear one 5 second advertisement per visit to any of our pages that feature these ads. And you will only hear one audio ad every 3 minutes if you have already heard an ad on another one of our pages.
Our site is supported by advertising - but if you find these ads distracting or annoying, then we want to know!. The aim of our site has always been to provide a great resource for parents as they lead their little ones into the world of solid food. If the new ads detract from the value of our content, then we will remove them - we want the Homemade Baby Food Recipes website to continue to be a pleasure to visit!
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