It can be terrifying to realized that when your kid is ready to eat solids you have to get out of that safety blanket of breastfeeding or formula. Having already raised one child I was under the impression that I was an expert. Just when you least expect it life kicks you in the ovaries. Having a child with several allergies was an eye-opener. I was scared to start my 2nd one on solids. I was walking into an unknown world of allergies that I was not ready for. I stalled it as much as I could, but my 2nd one was so enthusiastic about food that I started feeling guilty. I started her off with the basic baby food which I knew contained the most basic ingredients.
Most of the grocery stores have a baby food section full of shelf stable options for parents. But be very mindful of what you pick, many baby foods contain one or more of the top 8 allergens (Milk, egg, tree nuts, peanut, selfish, soy, wheat, & fish). When it comes to buying food for kids with allergies reading labels is one of the most important things you can do to better educate yourself. I went to the grocery store to get myself familiarized with allergy friendly foods and ended up spending 3 hours reading labels after labels.
I literally had a meltdown in the snacks aisle as I was so overwhelmed by all the information I was taking in and how much more confused I got. I later realized that this feeling came from me dwelling over all the foods my child couldn’t eat and experience. As she started advancing in her diet I noticed that the higher-level baby food had ingredients that she couldn’t eat like dairy, coconut, & sunflower. I kept giving her vegetable pouches, out of fear of running out of options to feed her. Having the baby food around was so convenient the thought of not to have that convenience around was scary. I knew her diet needed more diversity which is why I decided to cook everything for her myself.
Every trip to specialty stores or your local grocery store I make a point to explore new items and read new labels to familiarize myself with different products. My daughter now has a healthy appetite for food & for life and as a mother I want to be able to feed that. I found myself experimenting with recipes to come up with ways to give her the opportunity to try foods that she is otherwise unable to eat. I hope that my recipes are a gateway for you and your family to explore with ingredients outside your comfort zone and to ignite those curious palates.
