Mush 101

While introducing solids is both rewarding and hilarious, be warned: It’s a lot more fun in theory than it is in reality. Be prepared to clean sticky rice off the floor and rinse yogourt out of your hair three times a day for the next little while.

First things first: Doctor’s orders change as often as fashion trends, so the recommendations you receive today may be a distant memory by next season. With that in mind, start slow. Trust your chosen physician and your tiger-mama instincts. This stage should be (at least moderately) enjoyable, so don’t let it turn you into an anxiety-filled baby-food freak.

If you’re a keener, rest assured that there are plenty of books out there with a plethora of ideas for your new dining guest. For the rest of us, make a quick list of basics to start with. Steam them, mush them up, and ta-da! Baby food.

Here are a few professional (if we do say so ourselves) life hacks for solids:

• Invest in an all-in-one steamer/blender contraption (check your local baby store). You’ll use it round the clock, and you can travel with it easily. Stove-top drama is a thing of the past! Shout out to modern technology.
• Your baby will love certain things one week and hate them the next, or vice versa. Don’t worry about it, but remember to never make too much of any one thing at a time; it will just result in a shit-ton of wasted food. Buy less, and get in the habit of making smaller portions.
• Ice-cube trays are perfect for portion control. Blend up some mush, pour it into trays, freeze it, then transfer those frozen bad boys into a giant freezer bag and warm them up as needed. Start with half a cube at the beginning, then work up to one, two, three, and so on. Mix and match them for added variety.
• Start with veggies before moving on to fruit. If you were offered dessert first, wouldn’t you say, “To hell with dinner”? Get the more unappealing foods happening early, and you’ll be humble bragging about your toddler eating raw kale before you know it.
• Buy whatever is in season (extra points for local produce); it will keep you from falling into a food rut and force you to think of some interesting new combos to try on your little guinea pig.
• Don’t automatically assume your spawn will hate something. Babies don’t know spinach is healthy and gross until you tell them so.
• Don’t shy away from spices. Curry, dill, garlic, and yes, even a little salt and sugar will keep them interested and ready to be future foodies.
• As the weeks pass, make their food slightly chunkier until they are full-blown texture pros. It won’t be long before they can chomp on baby pasta and baked goods with their little gums. Finally, a purpose for all those rotten bananas.
• Making smoothies is a lifesaver. It’s an easy way to get your babe to try pretty much anything that can be sucked up through a straw. You can sneak in super foods like kale, blueberries, acai, cacao, lentils, broccoli, avocados, prunes, and anything else your heart desires. Sweeten things up with dates, mangos, or bananas if you’re going heavy on the greens.

Our biggest piece of advice is to keep this whole experience a positive one. Don’t get frustrated if on Monday your kid gladly eats an avocado, and on Tuesday it’s the most horrifying thing you could possibly offer. Patience is the key ingredient when feeding babies.

There will also be days when your child will barely eat at all—days when you will wonder how in the hell they survived twelve hours on half a croissant and two raspberries. Let it go. Tomorrow is another day. It’s almost impossible to starve your child at this age. You will know [insert screeching sound here] when they are hungry.

One last thing: allergies. The rules around all the things your babe is not allowed to come near can be daunting. The most recent recommendations say to expose your little ones to the scary potential allergens sooner rather than later to avoid developing allergies in the first place. Always talk to your doctor first before you introduce any food, especially scary potential allergens like peanuts and shellfish. And watch for symptoms of allergic reactions, such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting.

Reminder: We are not medically trained professionals! All of the above is simply what worked for us. Don’t sue us if something doesn’t work out, okay? Always talk to your doctor first. (For a refresher on the topic, refer to our disclaimer here.)

Getting Started (Things You Will Need):

• A fork (for mashing)
• A blender
• An awesome steam and blend system (bonus)
• Lots of bibs
• Patience
• Fine wine (for you, not them)

First Menu Ideas:

• Avocado and banana (mashed)
• Sweet potatoes with butter, garlic, and dill (cooked and mashed)
• Lentils with lime (cooked and puréed)
• Carrot and apple (steamed and puréed)
• Warm cereal (rice, oatmeal, barley) with mashed or blended fruit
• Apricots and plums (slow-cooked and puréed)
• Peach and zucchini (steamed and puréed)
• Pear, parsnip, and kale (steamed and puréed)
• Apples with cinnamon (steamed and puréed)
• Puréed meats and low-mercury fish
• Yogourt with homemade unsweetened “jam”

Bonus Tips:

• Expect a mess. Don’t be a rookie and serve puréed cherries over a white shag carpet.
• In the beginning, you’re just introducing food for fun. It’s more of a taste test than a culinary experience. Keep the breast milk/formula going strong until your doctor tells you otherwise.
• When something works, jot it down. Make a list of breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas that you can refer to. It’s easy to get into a cycle of making the same stuff over and over, and that’s boring.
• There are lots of great ready-made mush options these days. Buying the organic stuff will probably make you feel less guilty (worked for us), and these little pouches of love are great to have on hand for busy days on the go and any time you’re travelling or away from home.