Baby O started solid food 3 months ago but the baby rice & oatmeal cereals only lasted a month. He started refusing anything with baby cereals in it at 7 months. The dog ended up eating more than baby food than the baby did. I was at lost at what to feed him for days. Then, I read about Baby Lead Weaning online and decided to give it a try. Lets just said, all foods ended up everywhere except in baby O's mouth as expected. It was just too painful to watch and not efficient enough for this full time working mom with engineering background. So, the experiments begin....
It would certainly better if he eats what we eat, but I didn't find much Asian baby food ideas.
The first task was figuring out how to feed him brown rice, which is what we have for lunch and dinner almost everyday.
1st try -- I rolled little grains together into tinny rice balls and put it on the high chair tray for him to pick up and eat. He would eat a little but it really lacks flavor to keep him interested.
2nd try -- Dipping the rice balls in pumpkin sauce... he pounded the balls flat with his palm and "juice" squished out on his sleeves & hands. Then, smudge all over his face & chair. It was messy fun but I don't think he ate any of it. The rice grains either stuck to his fingers and he played with it till it was all over his shirt and pants or face down flat stuck to the chair tray.
3rd try -- The half mushed rice porridge. Mom-in-law happen to made some chicken stock for soup. I added some stock to brown rice and blended in a food processor to a thick porridge consistency. This way I can add other vegetables and chicken to it and spoon feed Baby O. Bingo!! He was opening his mouth for more spoonful of the brown rice porridge while playing with other foods in his high chair tray. I can finally finish feeding him within 40 minutes.
As days go by, I kept thinking about a blog and share my mommy experience doing it the American-Asian way. So here we begin...The 1/2 Asian Way.
I love your creative-ness in making mini rice balls. I had the same problem with my son - he tends to squish all the rice and it sticks everywhere, so much that he can't get it in his mouth.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Asian babyfood ideas I think the easiest thing is porridge and it's the easiest to make. Although my son doesn't like plain porridge. I think you can try to cook it with chicken and mix in other items - like sweet potato, regular potato, fish, egg yolk, kabocha, carrot, spinach.
There is a japanese brand powder by wakodo or pigeon that you can buy that is fine powder - i think it is freeze dried fish or veggie or carrot & sweet potato that you can mix with porridge! It's convenient for on the go go go working mom!
I feed my kids tofu a lot which is really easy. But again, gets squished.
Some other ideas - I do shabu shabu a lot in the winter time. So that everyone can eat it - and baby can eat the soft stuff - like tofu, udon, veggie, all cooked in the yummy broth that has everything in it.
We should start an Asian baby food recipes page! =)