Mommy Goes Green

I don’t enjoy cooking all that much.  I do it, but not with much glee.  So I was totally surprised at how much I enjoy making my infant’s baby food.  It’ SO easy and I love knowing exactly what is in his food – which isn’t much – organic fruits, veggies and water.  I like the versatility that I can make changes when I need to.  At 6 months, I started with thin purees but quickly realized that my son could handle chunky so I changed the texture.   I also love coming up with new concoctions – and seeing my son squeal with delight – for a little guy, he LOVES to eat.

If you haven’t ever made food for your baby, I promise you it’s EASY PEASY.   I make a new batch of food every 2-3 days, it takes about 15 minutes.  Here’s the method I use:

1.  Buy fresh or frozen fruits and veggies.  You can make the whole process even quicker by buying pre-cut items like broccoli florets or baby carrots.  I’ve also found butternut squash at Costco that is already cut and sliced apples. 

2.  Cut into small chunks unless they are pre-cut.

3.  Put fruits and/or veggies in a steamer basket until you can pierce with a fork – depending on the item, it’s anywhere from 5-12 minutes.   Save the water used to steam the food.

4.  Put the steamed items in a food processor and puree them until you get the texture your baby needs.  The thinner the puree, the more water you add.

5.  When you’re done, pour it into ice trays and put into the freezer.  Once they are frozen, put them into a freezer bag or freezer container to store. 

6.  Take cubes of food out when you need them and defrost in the microwave or refrigerator.

There are a dozen or more ways you could modify this to make it work for you.  There are tons of recipe books, I reference one called The Petit Appetit.  Better yet, there are great websites dedicated to making baby food, like Weelicious.   You can also find tools made just for making baby food like food grinders and baby food mills but if you have already have a handheld blender, blender or food processor then there is no need to buy something new – any one of these will work.  There are many ways to store baby food from the simple, like ice trays to the classic, like jars.  Again, you can buy storage made just for baby food but I’ve found that ice cube trays are easy to find and inexpensive – just make sure they are BPA free.

I’d love to hear how you make food for your baby!  What works for you?

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Buying produce at the grocery store often requires those awful plastic produce bags that are hard to clean and reuse because they are so flimsy. There are many options to reduce your use – find one that works for you:

1.  Choose paper produce bags.

2.  Take a large basket, bag, or wagon to the farmer’s market and store produce there until you get home.

3.  Encourage your local grocery store to carry the BioBag– a biodegradable, compostable produce bag. Compared with plastic, they have a greenhouse effect reduction by up to 49%.

4.  One of choices I’ve made to get rid of plastic produce bags is to use reusable bags. I’ve been using Bag the Habit bags, courtesy of Abe’s Market, for several months now. They are heavy duty – they’ll hold several potatoes – without breaking or stretching. They have a wide opening for bigger items like a head of lettuce and a draw string to keep everything inside. Not only are they great for putting your produce in, but you can also use them for your bulk purchases like beans, raisins or pretzels. My only complaint is that I don’t have more of them!

5.  If you’re crafty, make your own reusable bags with these instructions from Mother Earth News or Instructables.

If you do use plastic produce bags, here are some options to reuse them:

• Packing material
• Pick up doggy doodoo
• Put in the diaper bag for dirty diapers
• Line garbage cans

If you don’t want to reuse them, make sure you dispose of them properly by recycling them. If your curbside recycler doesn’t take these bags, many grocery stores take them back like Fred Meyer, Walmart, and Whole Foods – search for local locations here. Every couple months, I drop off any plastic bags I have ( shopping, produce or packaging ). The collection bin is usually near the entrance.

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Let me start by saying that NO LEVEL OF EXPOSURE TO LEAD IS CONSIDERED SAFE. So it was incredibly frustrating to read the news this morning that the Environmental Law Foundation “ELF”, found lead in children’s fruit juices and packaged fruits. And not just in one brand or a few brands, but in a lot of brands and many of them organic!   Unfortunately, there is likely lead in many other products containing fruit but these are the only ones currently tested by ELF.  Even more frustrating is that while by buying organic, we may avoid pesticides, it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re avoiding lead.  UGH.   This is the kind of stuff that just makes people give up.  No win situation.

At this point, it doesn’t sound like anyone is saying where the lead comes from.  It could be the fruit or the manufacturing process. When we know more, we’ll pass it on.  In the meantime, stay away from the products listed below and pass this information on to your family and friends.  You could also send an email to your favorite brands expressing your concerns.    

 APPLE JUICE    

• Beech Nut 100% Apple Juice
• Earth’s Best Organics Apple Juice
• First Street 100% Apple Cider from concentrate
• First Street Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
• Full Circle Organic Apple Juice
• Gerber 100% Juice Apple Juice
• Great Value 100% No Sugar Added Apple Juice
• Hansen’s Natural Apple Juice
• Kroger 100% Juice Apple Juice
• Langers Apple Juice 100% Juice
• Minute Maid Juice Apple – 100% Apple Juice
• Motts 100% Apple Juice
• O Organics Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice Not From Concentrate
• Old Orchard 100% Apple Juice
• Parade 100% Juice Apple
• Raley’s Premium 100% Apple Juice not from Concentrate
• Safeway 100% Juice Apple Cider
• Safeway 100% Juice Apple Juice
• Stater Bros. 100% Juice Apple Juice
• Sunny Select 100% Apple Juice
• Trader Joe’s Certified Organic Apple Juice, pasteurized
• Tree Top 100% Juice Apple Cider
• Walgreens Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
• Walnut Grove Market 100% Apple Juice

GRAPE JUICE  

• 365 Everyday Value Organic 100% Juice Concord Grapes
• First Street Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
• Gerber 100% Juice – White Grape Juice
• Great Value 100% Grape Juice
• Kedem Concord Grape Juice 100% pure grape juice
• Kroger Grape Juice 100% Juice
• Langers Grape Juice (Concord)
• Langers Red Grape Juice
• O Organics Organic Grape Juice from concentrate
• R.W. Knudsen Just Concord Grape Juice
• R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Concord
• Raley’s 100% Grape Juice
• Safeway 100% Juice Grape Juice
• Safeway Organic Grape Juice
• Santa Cruz Organic Concord Grape Juice
• Stater Bros. 100% Juice Grape Juice
• Stater Bros. 100% Juice White Grape Juice
• Sunny Select 100% Grape Juice
• Trader Joe’s Concord Grape Juice made from fress pressed organic concord grapes
• Tree Top 100% Juice, Grape
• Valu Time Grape Drink from Concentrate
• Walgreens Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
• Walnut Acres Organic Concord Grape
• Walnut Grove Market Grape Juice
• Welch’s 100% Grape Juice (from Welch’s Concord Grapes)
• Welch’s 100% Red Grape Juice from Concentrate

PACKAGED PEARS  

• Best Yet Bartlett Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup
• Del Monte Diced Pears in Light Syrup
• Del Monte Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup
• Del Monte Pear Halves, Bartlett Pears in 100% real fruit juice from concentrate
• Dole Pear Halves in Juice
• First Street Diced Pears
• First Street Sliced Bartlett
• Full Circle Organic Bartlett Pear Slices
• Gerber 3rd Foods Pears [Baby Food]
• Great Value Bartlett Pear Halves in 100% Juice
• Great Value Bartlett Sliced Pears in Heavy Syrup
• Market Pantry Diced Pears in Light syrup
• Maxx Value Pear Pieces in Light Syrup
• Polar Pear Halves in light syrup
• S&W Natural Style Pear Slices in Juice
• S&W Sun Pears Premium
• Safeway Lite Bartlett Pear Halves in Pear Juice
• Safeway Pear Halves in Light Juice
• Sunny Select Pear Halves in Pear Juice
• Trader Joe’s Pear Halves in white grape juice
• Truitt Brothers Pacific NorthWest Bartlett Pear Halves, in pear juice from concentrate
• Valu Time Irregular Bartlett Pear Slices
• Walnut Grove Market Natural Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup

PACKAGED PEACHES    

• Best Yet Yellow Cling Peach Halves in Heavy Syrup
• Del Monte Freestone Peach Slices in 100 % Juice
• Del Monte Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in 100 % Juice
• Del Monte Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in heavy syrup
• Dole Diced Peaches, Yellow Cling in light syrup
• First Street Yellow Cling Peaches in heavy syrup
• Gerber 3rd Foods Peaches [Baby Food]
• Golden Star Peach Halves in Heavy Syrup
• Great Value Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches
• Libby’s Yellow Cling Peach Slices No Sugar Added (Sweetened with Splenda)
• Market Pantry Diced Peaches in light syrup
• Polar Peach Slices
• Raley’s Sliced Yellow Cling Peaches in Heavy Syrup
• S&W Natural Style Yellow Cling Peach Slices in Lightly Sweetened Juice
• S&W Premium Peach Halves Yellow Cling Peaches in light syrup
• Safeway Diced Peaches in Light Syrup
• Safeway Yellow Cling Peach Slices in Pear Juice
• Simple Value Yellow Cling Peaches in light syrup
• Stater Bros. Yellow Cling Peach Halves
• Stater Bros. Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches in heavy syrup
• Sunny Select Yellow Cling Sliced Peaches in Pear Juice
• Trader Joe’s Yellow Cling Peach Halves in while grape juice
• Valu Time Yellow Cling Peach Slices
• Walnut Grove Market Natural Peaches Sliced Yellow Cling in Light Syrup

FRUIT COCKTAIL  

• Best Yet Chunky Mixed Fruit in Pear Juice
• Chef’s Review Fruit Cocktail
• Del Monte 100% Juice Fruit Cocktail
• Del Monte Chunky Mixed Fruit in 100 % Juice (peach, pear, grape, etc.)
• Del Monte Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup (peach, pear, grapes)
• Del Monte Fruit Cocktail No Sugar Added
• Del Monte Lite Fruit Cocktail in Extra Light Syrup
• Dole Mixed Fruit in Light Syrup
• Eating Right Fruit Cocktail packed in Sucralose
• Eating Right No Sugar Fruit Cocktail
• First Street Fruit Cocktail in heavy syrup
• Golden Star Mixed Fruit in Light Syrup (peach, pineapple, pears)
• Great Value No Sugar Added Fruit Cocktail
• Kroger Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
• Kroger Lite Fruit Cocktail in Pear Juice
• Kroger Value Fruit Mix (Peaches, pears, grapes)
• Libby’s Fruit Cocktail No Sugar Added (Sweetened with Splenda)
• Market Pantry Mixed Fruit in light syrup
• Maxx Value Fruit Mix in Light Syrup (peach, pear, grape)
• Mrs. Brown’s Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup (peaches, pears, grapes)
• Polar Mixed Fruit
• Raley’s Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
• S&W Natural Style Fruit Cocktail in Lightly Sweetened Juice
• Safeway Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
• Safeway Light Sugar Fruit Cocktail
• Safeway Lite Fruit Cocktail in Pear Juice
• Stater Bros. Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup
• Sunny Select Fruit Cocktail in Juice

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Tonight, as I was packing my daughter’s lunch, I realized that without even thinking about it, I was packing a waste free lunch.  Just by keeping a couple things on hand at all times, it has become second nature.  Most of these things you probably already have, it’s just getting into the habit of using them every day. If you are missing a few things, I’ve provided some of my favorite options.

LUNCHBOX – When I was in school, we used paper bags for our lunch everyday.  I cringe when I think of how many of them we just threw away.  Now, I pack my kid’s lunch in a reusable lunchbox.  There are tons of options like the PlanetBox Stainless Steel lunchbox, old school metal lunchboxes, plastic bento style lunchboxes,  or theKids Konserve insulated lunch sacks made from recycled bottles.  Just make sure that whatever you buy is PVC Free – oftentimes you’ll find that fabric lunchboxes have a PVC lining - check the tags.

REUSABLE BAGS – This is one of the places where you can really cut down on waste, particularly if you are using plastic baggies for sandwiches and snacks.  Lunchskins makes reusable bags both in sandwich and snack sizes.  They are made with a cotton fabric that is coated with a food-safe polyurethane liner.  I currently have 2 but am planning to get several more because I’m always using them!  I can use them for more than just food and I love that I can throw them in the dishwasher.

REUSABLE CONTAINERS – Another way to replace your plastic baggies is to use a reusable container.   It can be as easy as using a plastic container, stainless steel Lunchbots or Kinderville silicone storage jars. 

UTENSILS – For older children, you can grab a  fork and/or spoon from your silverware drawer.  If you’re concerned they might not make it home, stop by Goodwill and pick up some 10 cent utensils for lunches.  No worries if it accidentally is left at school (dirty. in the locker. never to be seen again.).  For younger children, buy kid-size plastic or metal utensils that are the right size for their mouths.  We use metal utensils from Pottery Barn Kids and have been really happen with them.

CLOTH NAPKIN – Paper napkins may be cheap but they are also wasteful.  We’ve been using cloth napkins for a year and they aren’t any more work – I just throw them in any load of laundry that is being done. 

DRINK BOTTLE -It seems like everyone has jumped on the stainless steel drink bottle bandwagon, but if you haven’t – now is a good time.  You can find them EVERYWHERE – we happen to use KleanKanteen for our kids but you can pick them up anywhere from Starbucks, to the grocery store, to toy stores.

Once you start packing your own waste free lunches, you might inquire about a school wide program. It has been estimated that on average a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year.   That is over 800 pounds of waste over 12 years of school - JUST FOR 1 CHILD!  That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for one average-size elementary school – PER YEAR!  Over 225,000 pounds of lunch waste over 12 years of school.  For a great resource to help you start a waste free lunch program at school, visit WasteFreeLunches.org.

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

This post was originally posted by Stephanie Lynn on her blog, Under The Table and Dreaming.

Nothing like a quick and easy ice cold treat to cool you down on a hot summer day. As a kid freeze pops were a summertime staple ~ we loved them and my mom always had them on hand. I still enjoy a good ole’ icy pop, {blue would be my favorite} however I needed to come up with a healthy alternative now that I am more conscious about what’s going into my little guys body. Sure it is less expensive to buy a gigantic box of these at your grocers, but most are packed with high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors and dyes. By making your own you’re in complete control of what’s inside and you can even sneak in some added nutrients and vitamins as well! I have a set of reusable pop makers {which are probably a bit greener to use} but sometimes it’s nice to be able to give my son a treat that looks like what the other kids are carrying around instead of always telling him it’s something he can’t have.

To make your own freezer pops you’ll need a food sealer {I used my FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer}, 8 Inch wide roll of packaging, and fruit/vegetable juice of your choice. From the roll of packaging I cut a strip measuring 2 1/2 tall. {the roll itself is 8 inches wide}.

You are actually only going to use the ‘sealing strip’ for this, as you do not need to vacuum seal these shut. Lay your cut piece of packaging on the sealing strip and seal one side, then flip over and seal the other.

Since the edges of the packaging already come sealed you should now have a complete enclosed rectangle.

Cut one end off…

…and fill with juice. {I used a mix of organic juice and water for these} Organic vegetable juice or homemade purées are also favorites. If my son didn’t have allergies I would definitely make some using yogurt or pudding. {yummy}

Carefully holding the pop upright, the last thing to do is seal the open end back up. I put the Food Saver close to the edge of the counter so the pop could hang vertical and simply bent the top over to seal.

FINISHED PROJECT!!

Just to complete this great project, you can make Stephanie’s Freezer Pop Holders - keep those little fingers warm!

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.