Daily Preparedness

By special request, here’s an addendum just for those with little ones in the house. Before proceeding, be CERTAIN that you consult your baby’s pediatrician as to current guidelines for the introduction of semi-solid, solid and finger foods. Let your physician know of any family history of food allergies. NEVER leave a baby or young child alone while they are eating!

Loving parents of Little Ones are the perfect targets for the savvy marketeer. The Ad Guys know that parents who want to do what is best for their baby are often chronically tired, over-worked and short on time. This combo plate of weaknesses allows those Ad Guys to convince you that you need to part with a greater portion of your hard earned cash to keep your baby well fed, happy and ‘in’ with the other babies. Ah, but you are smarter, aren’t you?

Let’s start with the littlest of babies, the beautiful little newborns. Newborn humans cannot tolerate solid food and must be fed with either breast milk or a formula designed to replicate breast milk. The health benefits of breast feeding are well established. However, have you considered the economic benefit? Conservative estimates are that the breastfed baby costs at least $1500 a year less to feed than the formula fed baby. The savings takes into account the added calories required by the nursing mother.

As baby progresses to semi-solid foods, the marketing gurus go into high gear! Buckle up your wallets and protect yourself from the slings and arrows of ads especially tailored to pierce your financial armor.

The first weapon in your self-protection arsenal is the knowledge that you can prepare at home nearly any baby food your Little Darling will ever need. The ingredients are easily accessible, quickly assembled and DO NOT have to come in cute packages with little chubby baby faces. Recipes abound on multiple reputable websites for everything from baby cereal (whirl some instant oatmeal from the adult grocery aisle in the blender, add hot water and you have ‘baby’ cereal) to combination meals for older babies.

Is your baby ready for applesauce? Purchase a large jar of unsweetened, all-natural applesauce from the ‘adult aisles’. Freeze the applesauce in ice cube trays for single serving portions. When frozen, pop out the ’sauce’ cubes and store in ziploc bags. Going out for the morning? Pop a frozen portion in a small bag or plastic bowl and allow to thaw. Difference in cost? ‘Baby’ applesauce is $2.18lb. ‘Regular’ applesauce in small containers is $1.32lb. In a large jar? 87 cents a pound.

Bananas? Smoosh a ripe one and you have baby bananas. Again, freeze the excess or eat it yourself for a healthy snack. Baby food bananas? $2.49lb. ‘Regular’ bananas? 39 cents per pound.

Veggies? Mash up a baked sweet potato. Purchase salt-free canned vegetables and smoosh them up! Canned lima beans, peas, green beans, sliced beets, asparagus and other soft vegetables become baby food quickly and offer you a huge savings. If baby can’t eat the entire can within a day or two, freeze the left-overs in ice cube trays. Baby food peas?  $2.18 per pound. ‘Regular’ peas? 45 cents per pound.

Fruits? In addition to bananas and applesauce, don’t forget the wide variety of canned (in juice, not syrup) fruits available as well as frozen fruits (without added sugar). Thawed frozen strawberries are mushy already! Canned pears are easy to mash or cut up for a baby ready for finger foods. ‘Baby’ pears? $2.18+ per pound. Canned pears? 60 cents a pound.

Proteins? Scrambled eggs, smashed up hard-boiled eggs, mild white fish (microwave a small piece), boiled or canned chicken can be reduced easily and quickly to a moosh that baby can swallow. ‘Baby’ chicken & noodles? $6.33 lb. ‘Regular’ chicken noodle soup? 76 cents per pound.

Carbs? Baked sweet potato, soft cooked pastas, canned beans, rice, quinoa, oatmeal and other grains can be cooked and pureed for your spoon fed baby. Frozen cooked carbs without added salts, fats or preservatives are a great alternative. Cooked items can always be pureed and frozen in individual-sized portions. ‘Baby’ pasta? $3+ per pound. ‘Regular’ pasta? As little as 69 cents a pound. ‘Baby’ oatmeal? $3.19 pound. ‘Regular’ oatmeal? 98 cents pound.

If you want to speed up the mashing process, purchase an inexpensive baby food mill. Many fresh fruits can be easily ground in the baby mill. Watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, ripe mango, strawberries, kiwi and any other soft fruit can be processed quickly and easily. AGAIN, CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT FEEDING GUIDELINES AND HOW TO INTRODUCE NEW FOODS. BE ESPECIALLY ALERT TO REACTIONS TO HIGH ACID FOODS SUCH AS ORANGES!

The golden moment for many parents is when Baby is old enough to sit in a high chair and feed themselves. Hooray! You can now (hopefully) get a bite or two into your mouth while Baby is happily eating independently. Even better, Baby can be entertained and contained while you take care of nearby tasks. Independent eating is not only important for your sanity, but Baby develops eye hand coordination, fine motor skills and a host of other developmental necessities. Ignore the mess and let Baby have at it as soon as it is safe.

Nearly any food that you have been grinding for the spoon fed baby can transition into finger foods. Introduce new flavors, textures and tastes to avoid developing a picky eater. Eventually, Baby will be enjoying the nutritious, economical meals that you prepare for the rest of the family.

It is important to carefully watch your baby as they begin to feed themselves. The ability to masticate foods and swallow them is a learned behavior. Be certain that early finger foods are cut into small pieces, are easily mashed without molars and won’t choke Baby if they slide down without adequate chewing.

Finger foods are a Golden Egg for companies that want to separate you from your money. If smooshed baby foods are silly expensive per pound, ‘junior’ and ‘toddler’ foods are absolutely absurdly expensive!

Early finger foods that require nearly no preparation on your part could include thawed frozen peas (they are easier for baby to pick up than canned peas), small well cooked pastas such as alphabet pasta or ditalini, canned or cooked fruits in small pieces (fruit cocktail packed in juice is a good choice though some babies have trouble with the ‘cherries), scrambled eggs, any soft fruit cut into small pieces, canned green beans, other beans, etc. that are soft. Merely cut the food up into small pieces and put on a clean high chair tray. Remember that you can freeze meals and thaw quickly in the microwave or by immersing the container in hot water. ALWAYS double check the temperature of Baby’s food before serving.

Combo meal? Try draining a can of low-sodium, natural soup such as chicken noodle, vegetable or alphabet soup. This is a great way to transition Baby to the tastes and feel of table foods. Small size cans may be more expensive per serving, but are ideal for quick baby meals and meals out of your home. ‘Toddler’ meal? $3.25 per pound. ‘Regular’ soup? 50 cents a pound!

Meats and proteins? As soon as it is allowed, small pieces of canned chicken, fish, cheeses and tofu can be quickly chopped up into bite sized pieces. Canned meats will be soft enough for baby to chew without molars, are thoroughly cooked and easy to have on hand. Thoroughly cooked and drained ground beef in small pieces can be eaten by older babies. Eventually, Baby will transition to small pieces of baked chicken, turkey and other meats. ‘Baby’ chicken ’sticks? $8.90 per pound. (And do we really want to know what is in a chicken stick?) ‘Regular’ tuna? $1.75 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breast? $1.99 lb.

Carbs? Small pieces of lightly toasted bread, canned beans, pastas, cubed sweet potatoes, little clumps of rice or other grains are all easily eaten. ‘Baby’ pasta with cheese? $3.79 lb. ‘Regular’ pasta with some fresh cheese? $1. per pound.

Snacks?  Baby ’snacks’ are a relatively new and OVER-PRICED, OVER-PROCESSED, UNDER-NUTRITIOUS ploy to separate you from your money!  Everything that goes into their mouths should be highly nutritious, as minimally processed as possible and contain little or no processed sugar. Whole grain, unsweetened dry cereal is an easy snack on the go. At home, Baby may be a ‘grazer’ requiring many small meals throughout the day. Give Baby a small portion of fruit, cheese, veggies or other ‘regular’ food rather than an over-priced, nutritionally challenged ’snack’. Not only will your wallet thank you, but Baby may just grow up thinking that ’snacks’ are for healthy foods! ‘Baby’ snack ‘banana puffs’? $10.81 per pound. (What snack do YOU eat that is $10.81 per pound?) A real banana? 49 cents a pound and MUCH more nutritious! ‘Baby’ snack ‘blueberry yogurt melts’? A WHOPPING $47.84 per pound! Organic frozen blueberries? $3.75lb. Baby ’snack crisps’? $23.65 lb. Whole grain oat cereal? $2.27 lb. Difference in nutritional value? Every ‘baby snack’ item showed the predominate nutritional contribution to be SODIUM with a bit of fat. That’s right! Up to $47.84 lb for SALT!

Feed your baby healthy, simple, nutritious snacks and save your money for their college education!

And you will have MORE MONEY in your bank account!

Provident Living Pointer—Compassionate Cuisine

By Anne Lawver

The warm casserole, a colorful salad and a loaf of homemade bread all delivered by loving hands—do you see it in your mind’s eye? The preparation of meals for others seems to be interwoven with our role as women and as compassionate human beings. All of us have most likely either prepared or received a meal in a time of crisis, after a new baby or during a move. To do so expresses our concern for others and often fulfills an immediate need. With food and fuel prices rapidly rising, it is wise to think about how we can fulfill these warm-hearted desires in a more economical manner. To that end, I present to you “Top Ten Ways To Serve And Stay Sane”:

1. Be certain that a meal is what the family really needs. If you are asked to provide a meal by the person organizing assistance, it is safe to assume that the need has already been established. If you are the  caring friend or loving neighbor, do not hesitate to ask the family exactly what they do need. Maybe they need childcare, lawn work, someone to run an errand or a bit of laundry done instead of a meal. A new Mom might prefer someone to rock a baby or play with a toddler for a few hours so she can shower and take a nap. A family that has suffered a death might need disposable plates, cups, flatware or sodas more than a meal.

2. Ask the family if they have food allergies, intolerances or strong dislikes. Honor the answers you receive as serious health consequences often go along with ignoring such warnings. You also do not want your valuable time and resources tossed out because the family cannot eat them.

3. Be considerate of meal times. Ask the family when they would like to eat. If you can’t deliver the meal ready to eat at that time, drop off the food early with re-heating instructions. Be certain someone will be home at your delivery time.

4. Package as much of the meal as possible in disposable containers. Many caring folks keep plastic dishes, paper plates, disposable pans, plastic bags and clean containers from other foods for just this purpose. If you absolutely must use a ‘real’ dish, be certain to mark it with your name and offer to pick it up in a day or two.

5. Think it through!! Think through the family’s situation and let it guide you. A family with an intestinal illness does not need a plate of bean burritos nor does a family under stress need highly spicy foods or a ‘grease bomb’ of fried delight.

6. Keep it simple! Simple, nutritious meals are the best. This isn’t the time to surprise the unknowing with your “Eggplant Surprise” or “Secret Sauce Tuna Noodle Stuff.” Some good choices might include rice with chicken, vegetable soup, stew, sloppy joes, lasagna, pasta with red sauce, tacos, pita sandwiches, scalloped potatoes and ham, quiche, or turkey and dressing. One-dish dinners are good so long as the ingredients are recognizable and generally liked.

7. Know your limits! If you are asked to provide a meal and your budget, time or personal situation won’t allow it, gracefully decline. You might be able to offer to do just part of a meal–a plate of cookies, a salad or a dozen rolls. Do not be shy, be your own advocate and don’t let compassion (or embarrassment) keep you from maintaining your budgetary health and sanity. As demands on our budgets continue to escalate, we may be forced to continue ‘down-sizing’ and streamlining how we do things.

8. Be Super Safe! Be certain that you prepare the meal extremely carefully with the highest standards of cleanliness. Follow safe food handling rules more strictly than you would for your own family. We tend to be ‘used to’ our own germs, but those same germs can easily infect others. Those who are already ill or stressed may have weakened immune systems that will be more susceptible to food-borne illness.

9. Consider asking the family if they have a favorite recipe or a piece of meat they would like you to prepare. This is particularly helpful for long-term illnesses and ongoing needs. One summer, a neighbor was bedridden with pregnancy complications. For several months, I prepared the family dinner using the meats from their well-stocked freezer and their recipes. If I were going out for the day, I would stop by and put dinner in their crock-pot. They enjoyed eating familiar things and felt that they were not imposing as much as if I were providing all of the ingredients. If I had proposed providing all of the ingredients, this self-reliant family would never have agreed.

10. Finally, prepare yourself so that you can not only serve others, but also be self-reliant. Always have several meals in your freezer that can be easily warmed up. Think through simple menus that anyone in your family can prepare. One wise woman keeps several grocery bags in her pantry filled with the ingredients and the recipe for a ‘quick to do’ dinner. If you know you are having surgery or a new baby—PLAN AHEAD!!! Freeze, can, purchase, label and organize so that your family is as self-reliant as possible! And, be certain that all family members old enough to safely cook know how to prepare at least a simple meal.

By special request, this week’s pointer is all about making your freezer the go-to-spot for Fast Food. We all have days when we cannot or do not want to cook a meal for our families or our selves. On those days, it is tempting to drive through the closest over-priced, over-processed, calorie laden ‘dining’ establishment or pick up the phone to order in. With current price increases, a ‘dinner’ at most fast food restaurants (which will lack balance but be calorie, fat and sugar laden) will cost the equivalent of 3 or 4 healthy dinners at home. Instead, why not have on hand meals that you have prepared with fresh, healthy and economical ingredients?

Freeze-ahead meals are also ideal for those times when you know you will be preoccupied or unable to cook–a new baby, an upcoming move, surgery, house guests, vacations, extra commitments, celebrations, etc.

In addition to saving time and energy prepping and cleaning up, freezing meals ahead allows you to take advantage of grocery store sales, stick to a budget, reduce waste, cut your utility bills AND have a variety of dishes for every meal available at a moment’s notice.

I first learned the joy of freezing ahead soon after marrying. Growing up, I was accustomed to cooking for as many as 14 people every night. Even without guests, our dining room table always had a minimum of 8 people around it. The first few times I cooked for my new husband and myself, we had such a large number of leftovers that I was forced to package the food into meal-size portions and freeze it. There was no way we were going to waste the food or eat spaghetti for 6 nights in a row. I felt foolish until I realized that coming home from work at the end of a long day, dinner was in the freezer! A few messes and cooking sessions yielded us dinner for weeks.

Since those early days, I have continued to cook ahead and freeze entrees, breakfast items, sandwiches, baked goods (cakes are better if frozen while warm), lunch-sized portions of leftovers, cheese, baby food, diced onions and even chopped garlic. Items that are much cheaper in bulk (like chopped garlic) can easily be divided down into smaller portions and frozen.

There are multiple methods for freeze-ahead cooking. Whichever methods you choose, there are some fundamentals that you should adhere to:

1. Review the information found at the National Center For Home Food Preservation, found at http://www.uga.edu/nchfp This site is well researched, easy to use and scientifically sound.

2. Label your food with contents & date prepared!

3. It can also be helpful to keep a list of what you have ready in the freezer.

4. Always practice safe food handling! Thaw your food in the refrigerator, cool in the refrigerator before cooking or cook directly from the frozen state. Keep your hands and work surfaces spotlessly clean during all prep work, cooking and clean up.

5. Don’t hesitate to save a single portion of food. Wrap it, label it and put it in your freezer. These are great for off-schedule dinners, lunches and meals in a hurry. It can also be fun to have a ‘cafeteria’ night when you heat up all of the small portions and everyone gets to have their favorite. We used to play restaurant with one child taking orders from the available meals.

6. You don’t have to start with ‘once a month’ cooking. Simply double a recipe and freeze half. If you do this a few times a week for a month, you will soon have a great treasure in your freezer.

7. Simplify your clean up by using disposable pans or lining baking dishes with a layer or two of foil. Once your food is frozen, you can remove the foil ‘packet’ from the pan, ensure that it is well wrapped, label it and freeze. When it is time to thaw, simply place the packet back into the pan for baking!

8. Don’t mass-produce a recipe you haven’t tried.

9. You can cook and freeze just the meat of a recipe, such as hamburger, chicken, etc. This is a great way to take advantage of sales (especially marked down items nearing their expiration date), while cutting down on prep and clean up. I can cook 30 pounds of hamburger, seasoning with the ‘basic’ seasonings I use in nearly everything, divide it into meal size portions, package it and have it ready for the freezer in less than an hour. When it is time to prepare a meal, having the meat cooked cuts cooking time and mess by at least half. For meats such as pork chops, cook the meat until it is just barely done. Cool and freeze quickly. By doing so, you won’t over cook the meat or cause it to dry out.

10. Nearly any meat that is served in a gravy or sauce does well in the freezer. One exception is a sauce heavy in sour cream, which might separate when frozen.

11. Freeze small amounts of left over vegetables and meat trimmings in a bag. When you have a bagful, boil into a stock that can be used to flavor rice, make soup, gravy or added to recipes calling for stock.

12. Most cookie dough and bread dough can be frozen. Many baked goods freeze beautifully!

As with most things having to do with living providently, freezing ahead conserves your resources today and prepares you for whatever tomorrow brings. To find more information, helpful hints, recipes and even message forums, check out these websites:

http://members.tripod.com/~lotsofinfo/index.html

http://www.once-a-month-cookingworld.com/

http://snider.mardox.com/OAMC.htm

http://busycooks.about.com/od/makeaheadrecipes/a/cookOAMC.htm

There are tons of great sites out there devoted to this topic, so do a google search if you don’t find what you want here!