Competition corner

The Homemade Baby Food Recipes Competition

Isobel Harris from the United Kingdom was the winner of April's Homemade Baby Food Recipes Competition with her recipe for Veggie Sandwich Spread - a creation that's been a big hit with her baby and with other Mums!

Thanks for sharing, Isobel - and congratulations on your win!

The winning recipe - plus other recipes for

• Naner/Cado Tropical Mash
• Fruity Toddler Smoothie
• Avocado Chunky Delight
• Tarragon-ific Peas

Do you have an original baby food recipe you'd like to share with other Mums?

Then send it in using this simple form - you could be April's winner of a $20 voucher from Amazon!


Baby of the Month

Thank you SO much for all the wonderful entries last month for our Baby of the Month competition.

You can visit this month's winner and see more of our favourite entries on our Baby of the Month page. You'll also find the entry form and details you need to submit YOUR baby's photograph!

Join Us on Facebook

If you haven't done so already, don't forget to visit our new Homemade Baby Food Recipes Group on Facebook.

We will be regularly updating all group members with what's happening on our site - and it's a great way to connect with other parents going through the ups and downs of introducing solid foods.

Join now!

Discount Diapers and More (US)

So we recommend checking out the great deals available at Diapers.com, the largest online specialists offering baby care accessories in the United States.

Diapers.com carries items at lower prices than most stores because it's able to offer bulk sizes that bricks and mortar stores simply don't have the shelf space to accommodate. In addition, the growing volume of the company has allowed it to negotiate huge discounts with shipping carriers - meaning fast, free shipping on orders over $49.

What's more, there is a great offer from Diapers.com available right now...

$10 Off Your First Order of Diapers With Code: AFF10 ($49 Minimum Total Order)

Diapers.com carries both disposable and cloth diapers, wipes and changing accessories, plus lots of other items including toys, books, clothing and feeding equipment.

And they guarantee the lowest prices on the web...

Best Online Price Guarantee! If you find a better deal online (including shipping), Diapers.com will match it!

Safety Recalls

Here's a round up of recalls and warnings posted to our blog since our last newsletter. If you (or someone you know) has any of the items listed below, then please click on the link to visit our blog for more information.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to anyone else who you believe may be affected by these recalls.

Fisher price 3-in-1 High Chair to Booster (UK)

Children's Toy Boxes (US)

Evenflo Majestic Highchairs (US)

Evenflo Envision Highchairs (US)

Sunkids Convertible Cribs (US)

Zoo Pacifiers (US)

Simplicity Play Yards (US)

Monell's Teething Cordial (US)

'Cars' Children's Shoes (US and Canada)

Mother's Choice Kensington Cots (Australia)

Tupperware Toy Maracas (US)

Evenflo Highchairs (Australia)

Warning over Teething Gels containing Salicylate Salts (UK)

Organic Puffed Rice (UK)

Bambino Reale Cribs (Canada)

Jolly Good Food Products (UK)

Dinosaur Play Sets (US)

Packs of Spinach (Wisconsin/Chicago/Minnesota)

babyGap Children's Coats (US/Canada)

Jardine Cribs (US)

Featured Product - Laptop Lunch System

When is a lunch box NOT a lunch box?

When it's the brilliant Laptop Lunch System from BabyEarth!

This totally groovy kit is designed to be waste-free, by reducing the amount of plastic wrap you use when packing food for daycare, or just for a day out with your little one!

The system includes an insulated carrying case which holds 5 removable containers, with a dip container for your little one's favorite dip or sauce. It also contains a water bottle and stainless steel cutlery (perfect as your tot grows), and even comes with a users' guide, containing kid-friendly recipes!

What's more, the entire set is free from nasties like BPA, lead and phthalates - and comes in your choice of five striking color combinations.

The The Laptop Lunch System is available from BabyEarth, priced at $37.99.

Featured Website - Do Just About Anything Yourself!

One of the main benefits of making baby food (besides the obvious one - it's better for your baby!) is that it's so much cheaper than buying the commercially prepared variety!

And isn't it a great feeling, to be able to make something that's better than the store bought variety and to save money at the same time?

Well, there are many aspects of running the household to which you can apply the same principle - and a site we recently stumbled across - doityourself.com - shows you how!

Doityourself.com is packed with useful 'how-to' articles for a very diverse range of products! Topics include...

• Gardening with children

• Natural household cleaners for everyday chores

• How to save on fuel consumption

• How to get control of debt

• Installing new kitchen cabinets

... plus lots, lots more! In fact, there seemed to be an article on just about every subject we looked up!

There's even a Did It Myself section, where you can take a look at before and after photographs that other users have shared, after undertaking various household projects - and you can read just how they did them. It's addictive stuff and very inspiring!

One drawback to the site is that you do have to skip through a lot of ads to get to the actual articles, but we still recommend it as an excellent source of information on a huge variety of subjects. With 'doing it yourself' becoming more and more important as we all tighten our belts, it's a site we're sure to be visiting again soon!

Recipe of the month - Baby's Beany Burgers

These yummy Beany Burgers make a great alternative to beef burgers for babies following a vegetarian diet - but they taste so nice and are so packed with goodness that your meat-eating baby will enjoy them too!

This recipe is intended for older babies who are feeding themselves, as the burgers require chewing and could present a choking hazard to younger babies just getting to grips with finger foods.

To make Baby's Beany Burgers you will need...

1 small onion, chopped finely
1 small carrot, grated
1 oz (1/4 cup) whole wheat breadcrumbs
8 oz (1 cup) cooked kidney beans (or salt free canned kidney beans)
6 oz (3/4 cup) cooked cannellini beans or navy beans (again, you can use the salt free canned variety)
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
handful of chopped, mixed, fresh herbs or 1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F (200 deg C).
Saute the onion in a little oil until tender, then add the carrot and saute for another 3 minutes.
Put the onion/carrot mixture into a mixing bowl and add the breadcrumbs.
Using a fork, mash the beans thoroughly (if you're using canned beans, give them a good rinse first and drain them well).
Stir the beans into the mixture in the bowl, adding the freshly ground black pepper and herbs. Mix well.
Using your hands, form the burger mixture into 6 small burger shapes.
Place the burgers on a well oiled baking sheet and bake for 10-12 mins, or until done.

Tips:

• To keep the burgers moist, baste with a little vegetable stock as they cook!

• If the burgers don't seem to be holding together well, add an extra teaspoon or two of breadcrumbs. Another option is to add one small beaten egg (1 year+).

• Try binding the burgers with oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs.