• Our New E-Book
• Canned Fruits and Veggies For Baby Food?
• Visit our New Pages
• Would You Like a Baby Food Forum?
• Win a Leapfrog 'Rhyming Reflections' Crib and Floor Mirror
• Tip of the Month
• This Month's Winners
• Safety Recalls
• Our Featured Product Review
• Visit Our "Website of the Month"
• This Month's Recipe - Apple Pancakes

Welcome to February's edition of Baby Bites!

We hope that 2008 got off to a wonderful start for you and that not too many of those New Year's Resolutions have been broken!

It's been a busy month here at Homemade Baby Food Recipes and - as you'll see - we have some changes planned for our site that we'd love your input on.

One change that you may have already noticed is that we are running short 'audio advertisements' on just a few of our pages.

Our site is supported by advertising - and the audio ads we are trying out are not just new to us - they're new to the internet as a whole.

So we'd like your feedback on ads of this nature.

If you find them annoying or distracting then please let us know as soon as possible.

We want our site to remain a useful resource for parents - and we want to know if this new form of advertising detracts from that.

SPECIAL NOTE

We've had some reports that visitors have been unable to click on some of our links. Unfortunately, this is because some e-mail clients do not allow certain links to be clickable and is beyond our control. If this happens to you - and you can see the link - try copying and pasting it into your browser. If you can't see the link, then try forwarding the newsletter to a different e-mail address.

If you have any problems, please let us know and we'll do our best to help.

Our New E-Book

If you are a subscriber to our blog, then you'll know that, in mid-January, we launched our second e-book - The Homemade Baby Food Recipes Collection.

Following the success of our original, comprehensive e-book, Tempting Tiny Taste Buds - our latest book brings together 50 favourite recipes from our blog, in a convenient, 'downloadable' format. That means that you can easily browse the recipes offline - or even print them out to keep in the kitchen for handy reference!

This useful book, packed with mouthwatering recipes, can be on your hard drive within minutes and is available wherever you are in the world!

And - as a thank you for ordering - we'll also send you ANOTHER e-book, full of fun ideas for entertaining your children, ABSOLUTELY FREE.

Click here to find out more...

Is it OK to use canned vegetables and fruits in my baby food recipes?

In last month's newsletter we looked at the role that frozen vegetables may play in your baby's diet - and we suggested situations where the use of frozen produce might be preferable to fresh.

(If you are new subscriber, please read the relevant article from January's newsletter here).

This month, we're going to take a look at the other alternative to fresh produce - canned (or tinned) vegetables and fruits.

Traditionally, canned produce has had a bad reputation, considered to be high in salt or sugar, nutritionally inadequate and mushy in texture.

But before you dismiss canned food entirely, there are a few positive aspects that might be worth considering!

What happens to fruits and vegetables during the canning process?

Once the produce reaches the canning plant, it is peeled if necessary, then machine-packed into cans. The cans are then filled to a pre-determined level with the canning liquid (usually water, brine, syrup or juice) and preheated before they are sealed. Finally, the sealed cans are heated to various temperatures (depending on the type of produce) and for varying lengths of time. This destroys any pathogens that may lead to food poisoning or organisms that may cause the food to spoil, ensuring that the produce can be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration.

How does the canning process affect the nutrients in fruits and vegetables

A widely quoted report published in 1997 by the University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition found the nutritive quality of canned produce to be comparable to that of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. The research was carried out on behalf of the Steel Packaging Council of the American Iron and Steel Institute, a part of the canning industry (which, of course, may make one a little skeptical of the results). However, the findings did seem to suggest that, although some vitamin loss occurs during the canning process, there may be some positives to consuming canned produce. This is a view supported by the American Institute for Cancer Research.

The University of Illinois report stated that

• The fibre content of fruits and veggies is unaffected by the canning process. In fact, the heating process seems to make the fibre more soluble, helping the body use it more effectively.

• The vitamin A levels in canned produce are similar to those of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Researchers also found that the vitamin A levels in some vegetables were higher (pumpkin, for example).

• An important carotenoid (antioxidant) - lycopene - is more useful to the body after it is heated or canned. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is why many experts suggest that canned tomatoes may actually be MORE nutritious than fresh.

• Although some loss of vitamin C occurs during the heat treatment of fruits and vegetables, the vitamin C levels of the produce AFTER canning remains consistent (in other words, no further loss of vitamin C occurs) over a 1-2 year period. Fresh produce, on the other hand, DOES decline in nutritional quality with time.

Other advantages of canned fruits and veggies

• They are convenient (the peeling, chopping - even the cooking - has been done for you!).

• They enable your baby to experience a wider range of fruits/vegetables than may otherwise be available either fresh, frozen or in season.

• Because the fruits and vegetables have been washed, peeled and processed, pesticide residues are greatly reduced as compared to non-organic produce. Whereas fresh, non-organic fruits and vegetables often receive further pesticide treatment AFTER harvest, this is rarely the case with produce destined for the canning plant. This is because the time between harvesting and processing is so short.

• Canned produce is often cheaper than fresh.

So what are the disadvantages of using canned fruits and veggies in your baby food recipes?

But before you go filling your shopping cart with lots of steel-clad produce, there ARE some negatives to consider, too!

• Canned vegetables are often high in sodium. This helps preserve them and is used as a flavouring (sadly, many consumers find unsalted vegetables too bland!). Some experts recommend rinsing canned vegetables to remove the sodium - but this only removes about 40% (merely draining the produce is even worse, of course, and removes only a third of the sodium). Rinsing the veggies washes away many water soluble vitamins, too.

• Canned fruit is often packed in sugary, heavy syrup.

• Canned produce is undeniably 'squashy' in texture. On the whole, it does not allow your baby to experience the true texture of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Many of the nutrients retained by canned produce end up leaching into the canning liquid.

• Some canned produce (tomatoes in particular) may contain bits of peel and core. This is less common in more expensive, well known brands - but it does make it important to check the contents very carefully before serving them to your baby.

Tips for buying, storing and cooking canned vegetables and fruits for your baby

• Check labels thoroughly. Look for salt (sodium) free vegetables, which are becoming more widely available as consumer demand grows. Some brands even make organic, canned produce. Choose fruits packed in their own juice - not syrup. Even canned vegetables may contain sugar - ensure yours are sugar free. Check, too, for other additives/preservatives.

• Avoid vegetables canned in sauces. These will usually contain salt.

• Make sure that the cans you buy aren't bulging, leaking or badly dented. The contents will likely be spoiled and could be very dangerous to consume.

• Make sure that veggies/fruits in glass jars are tightly sealed with no sign of tampering.

• Unopened cans should be stored in a cool place, with temperatures not exceeding 75 deg F. Rotate the cans on your shelves (putting new ones behind the old) to ensure you are storing them for the least time possible.

• Once you've opened a can, put any unused fruits/veggies into a suitable container and refrigerate immediately for a maximum of two days.

• Canned vegetables have already been cooked - they do not need cooking again, as this will cause further nutrient loss. Instead, they should be gently warmed to serving temperature, then immediately removed from the heat.

• Warm vegetables in their canning liquid, to make the most of any nutrients that may have leached into the liquid during storage. Use excess canning liquids in soups, stews etc instead of water, to further utilise these nutrients.

To sum up...

But when fresh produce is simply not available, frozen - and THEN canned - fruits and veggies would make acceptable alternatives... as long as the guidelines above are carefully followed.

New and updated pages

• There's a special extra little someone to think about this Valentine's Day - and we help you make sure he doesn't miss out on all the fun with our yummy...

  Valentine's Day Baby Food Menu.

• Lentils are nutritious little legumes, packed with goodness for your baby and very easy to incorporate into your recipes. Learn more about how to choose and cook lentils for your little one - and how to avoid them giving your baby gas - on our

  Lentil Baby Food Page

• We've recently updated our 'Free Stuff' page with more links to companies that offer samples, coupons and discounts to parents with young children. Most offers apply to the US, UK and Canada - but some are available internationally. So why not visit our 'Free Stuff For Baby' page and see if there's anything you may find useful!

• Is your baby on a wheat free diet? If so, you'll be pleased to hear that we now have a page full of birthday cake recipes just for him.

  Visit our wheat free birthday cake recipes here

Would you like to see a forum on our website?

This month, we're asking for YOUR input to help us plan a potential new development to our site!

We are thinking about setting up a forum for our visitors, to allow you to easily share questions and ideas with other members. Using a forum can be lots of fun - and it can also be extremely useful, particularly when other forum members are going through the same ups and downs of introducing solids as you!

Before we go ahead with this change, we'd love to hear your thoughts!

Would you find a forum a useful addition to our website?

Would you enjoy making contact with other parents, in order to share tips, ideas... or just to let off a little steam?

We'd very much appreciate it if you'd take a moment to let us know, by casting your vote here.

You will see on the voting form that we would also be looking for volunteers to act as moderators on our forum. A moderator's job is to make sure that nothing unsuitable is posted on the boards and that everything stays friendly! A moderator also helps out other members where they can (directing them to useful resources, for example).

We would, of course, go through the details more thoroughly with anyone who'd like to volunteer!

Being a forum moderator is not only fun - it can be really rewarding to help other parents! So if you'd be interested in moderating part of our forum for us, then please include your email address in the relevant section of the voting form!

We really look forward to hearing your thoughts - thank you for helping us make our site as 'parent-friendly' as possible.

Review Baby Products and Win!

This month we launch our new Baby Product Reviews section - where we ask YOU to tell us about your favorite baby products... and the best review each month wins a prize!

This month's prize is the gorgeous Leapfrog Rhyming Reflections Crib and Floor Mirror - we LOVE this toy that will keep your little one happy for ages as he enjoys admiring his reflection!

We also hope that this page will become a handy resource to turn to when thinking about buying new items for your baby - with so many products on the market to choose from, it's nice to have some personal recommendations from other parents!

Submitting your review is easy... and if you're chosen as the winner, we'll notify you via email at the end of the month!

Come and join the fun and get reviewing now!

Tip of the month

We think this is a great idea! We do actually include the Tovolo Perfect Cube Trays on our Homemade Baby Food Accessories page, which produce nice square cubes that don't break uo when you remove them.

The advantage of using cupcake liners is - of course - their size! Once your baby's meals become a bit more substantial, then the ice cube sized portions become a little small and you may need to use two or more at a time. Cupcake liners, on the other hand, will hold a far more generous serving - and we even found this handy Silicone Muffin Mold that would be perfect for the job, too!

What's so good about silicone?

Silicone is also non-stick and very supple, making it REALLY easy to work with (we're slowly replacing all our bakeware with silicone at the moment for that very reason!).

A good investment

And that means that you'll get plenty of use out of it - even AFTER your little one has moved on to big people food!

Thank you, Christina, for sharing your tip!

This month's winners

Sending in your little one's photograph is easy - and you'll find the entry form at the foot of the page!

If you want to see your baby on our site...

you may also like to start a baby food blog, or simply make a 'one-off' page to show off your little one!

Get started now

Sarah from the US was the winner of our $20 Amazon voucher this month, with her delicious recipe for Baby's Italian Chicken Stew. She told us... "How exciting! I'm on amazon.com about every other day so this will come in handy!

For YOUR chance at winning, please send us your original baby food recipe using our Competition Entry Form. Remember - you don't have to be Gordon Ramsay... we're looking for nutritious and delicious recipes that babies will enjoy, however simple they may be!

Come and see Sarah's recipe - plus the 'runner-up' recipes for 'Speedy Scrambled Egg' and 'Two Minute Breakfast' on our Baby Food Ideas page.

Safety Recalls

Here's this month's round up of children's products that have been recalled. Please check through to see if you have any of these items - then click on the link to go directly to our blog for more details of the recall and how to return the item if you have it. Please pass this list on to friends and family who you feel may be affected.

Early Learning Centre Face Paint Colours (UK)

Metal Toy Wagons (US)

Morrison's Own Brand Yogurt (UK)

Woolworths Chad Valley Wooden Construction Train (UK)

Fish Coin Banks (US)

BabyTown Pacifiers (US)

Toy Wrestler Figures (US)

Recall of Inflatable Rings (Australia)

Play Stoves By Kmart and Sears (US)

Large Cans of Green Beans and Garbanzo Beans (US)

Toy Racing Cars (US)

Magnetic Construction Sets (US)

Toy Wooden Block and Train Sets (US)

Organic Baby Cereal (Canada)

Asda Microwaves (UK)

Baby Einstein 'Baby Neptune Soothing Seascape' Crib Toys (US)

Sterling Silver Teethers (US)

Our featured product review

When our son was a baby, there was one piece of music that was GUARANTEED to stop him crying - even in the midst of a major tantrum! It may sound odd, but that piece of music was 'My Heart Will Go On' by Celine Dion (remember it from Titanic?). I remember taking that CD everywhere I went - particularly in the car, where I knew I would have a peaceful trip as long as I pressed 'repeat'!

When you find some music that your baby really LOVES, then it can be a real life-saver! I must admit that poor Celine did get a bit tedious after the hundredth time of playing, though - so this month we're pleased to tell you about a fantastic CD that seems to be delighting the little folk AND the big ones, too!

The African Playground is a compilation of music from African artists, with enthralling rhythms and beats that get everybody's toes tapping! The CD is described as "...an entertaining and educational musical expedition to Africa for children and families", although at this stage, of course, your baby is a little young to appreciate the cultural information provided!

What he WILL appreciate is the lively tempo and catchy tunes... and he won't be the only one!

Several parents have recommended this CD to us after seeing the magic it worked on their babies. One told us

"We tried every baby CD you could think of in the car until a friend lent us this one! It was great... instant peace (William hates the car!) and we're telling everyone about it now!"

A CD compilation that appeals to babies and GENUINELY appeals to adults, too, is a rare find! If you'd like to give this musical miracle a try, then the Putumayo African Playground CD is available from Shop.com.

Let us know if it works for you!

Website of the Month - FreeRice

This month's featured website has a brilliantly simple concept - you play an entertaining vocabulary game and earn grains of rice that are distributed through the UN to help end world hunger.

Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?

Yet this simple idea has achieved amazing success and, since its start in October 2007, has raised over 15 billion grains of rice. It is estimated that 1 billion grains will feed 50,000 people for one day.

So how does it all work?

When you visit FreeRice.com, you'll see a word, with four possible definitions. Click on the one you think is the correct answer - if you're right, 20 grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program.

So who pays for the rice?

Each time you play a new word, an advertising banner appears at the bottom of the screen. Those advertisers pay for the rice. FreeRice.com makes no profit whatsoever from this game.

Apart from the fact that playing this game is actually doing something worthwhile, it's really good fun, too! If you spend a lot of time at home with your little one, you don't always get the opportunity to exercise your vocabulary!

This game lets you feel smug for a little while (we got lots right and were feeling very proud of ourselves) - then it moves you to harder levels and you begin to learn some great new words!

For instance, we now know what a 'porringer' is (it's actually a shallow bowl with a handle from which the Europeans used to eat their porridge!). So if, on our site, we start suggesting you serve baby's breakfast in a porringer, you'll know we've been busy earning rice!

Come and join in the fun by playing the game here - and don't forget to recommend it to all your friends! The more people that use this site, the more quickly it will achieve its very worthy aim!

Recipe of the Month - Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fish Cakes

A good, homemade fish cake tastes nothing like its store-bought counterpart - and, in our opinion, fishcakes are sadly underrated as a delicious and satisfying food.

This recipe combines the goodness of both fish AND sweet potato - creating a meal that's nutritious and perfect for babies who like to feed themselves!

You will need...

8oz (1 cup) cooked sweet potato*
8oz (1 cup) cooked white potato*
10oz (1 1/4 cups) boneless white fish
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
8 fl oz (1 cup) milk
around 2tbsp flour
little oil

*The easiest way to prepare the potatoes for this recipe is simply to bake them in their skins. Put the white potato into the oven before the sweet one, as it will take a little longer to cook.

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F (200 deg C).
Cook the fish by gently simmering it in milk until it flakes with a fork.
Once cooked, drain the fish (reserving the milk it was cooked in) and flake it thoroughly with the fork, double checking carefully for bones.
Mash the cooked white and sweet potato in a bowl, then beat in the butter, 3tbsp of the reserved milk and the parsley.
Add the cooked, flaked fish and mix well.
Grease a baking pan and spoon little mounds of the mixture on to it.
Flatten each mound, sprinkle with a little four and drizzle with oil.
Bake for around 20-30 mins, until the fish cakes are golden brown.

If you wish to prepare these fish cakes in advance for future use, divide the mixture into portions and freeze it BEFORE you cook it in the oven. Then you can just thaw the portions and cook them as needed.

More fish recipes
More sweet potato ideas