You know that fall is approaching and the holiday
season is right around the corner when you start seeing pumpkins in the
grocery stores, craft stores, and gardening supply stores. Pumpkins are
used in a variety of ways, but did you know you can feed your baby
pumpkin? This is just one of the beautiful benefits of making homemade
baby food. There are a lot more fruits and vegetables available to give
to your baby than what the traditional commercial jars of baby food can
offer.
What is Pumpkin?
Pumpkin is considered to be a fruit and is part of
the gourd family which includes cucumbers, melons, and squash. Anything
that has seeds is considered a fruit. Pumpkins are a great source of
Vitamin A and beta carotene and are potassium rich. They are also low
in fat and calories, and high in fiber. So pumpkins are an excellent
choice to give your baby!
By all means, go to town and find a pumpkin to
puree for your baby. Pick a small cooking pumpkin (also known as sugar
pumpkins). Smaller pumpkins, about 4-8 pounds, are more tender and have
less fibrous strings.
Cooking Pumpkin
This is the fun part. You can go semi-homemade
(canned pumpkin) or you can buy a whole pumpkin to make purees and
other pumpkin recipes. If you are going the semi-homemade route, which
is what I like to do, be sure to by 100% canned pure pumpkin ant not
pumpkin pie mix. If you are buying a whole pumpkin, cut it open and
remove all the seeds the strings, cut it into pieces and bake (baking
is most desirable), steam, poach, or boil it. As with any other fruit,
the longer you cook pumpkin the more it loses nutrients. You must cook
the pumpkin immediately after opening it to prevent mold. Chill the
pumpkin immediately after cooking and fr/eeze it.
You can give your baby pumpkin anytime after 7
months old. Feel free to puree it, add cinnamon and butter to it, or
mix it with other foods such as yogurt and cereals. You can also add it
with meats.
Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/make-homemade-baby-
food-with-pumpkin-1206768.html About the Author
Tamika is a devoted wife and mother of 2 beautiful
children. She is the owner and editor of an homemade baby food website,
www.SimplyBabyFoodRecipes.net, and an ecommerce store,
www.TheBabyChefStore.com, which offers products to make homemade baby
food, baby shower favors, gifts, and high-quality wood play kitchens
& playsets. Tamika hopes to inspire moms on ways to save money
by making homemade baby food and other small things that can be done to
get more for less. Her homemade baby food recipe website and blog
features tons of homemade baby food recipes that can be made at home
and are very nutritious for infants and toddlers. | 