Apple Chips

I am always looking for healthy, easy and affordable snacks for my boys. One of my new favorites is apple chips. I grabbed some apples at the Farmer's Market and used our dehydrator we purchased fairly inexpensively at Walmart to make these. This apple was a Granny Smith, but any type would work fine.

I used my peeler to core and my mandolin to slice the apple. I sliced them on the thinnest option.

I then layered the chips in the dehydrator. We got it to use for beef or deer jerky, but it has proved to be awesome for making dried other things as well.

I let these chips dehydrate overnight. It took around 14 hours for them to be completely crunchy.

 

The kiddos really enjoyed munching on these with sandwiches instead of greasy chips. I let them dip them in caramel and it made them extra yummy. I also served some the next day sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar and they were great as well. This method also works great for peaches and bananas.

Ten Reasons Not to NOT Breastfeed

I hear stories from moms almost daily about why they are choosing not to breastfeed. Some are legitimate reasons. Most are not. This post is intended to debunk some of the misconceptions I often hear and hopefully provide some truth about breastfeeding.

Ten Reasons not to NOT Breastfeed:

1. "I have to go back to work."

Many moms are able to successfully go back to work and breastfeed. Being away from your baby obviously requires a little more effort at breastfeeding than having her right with you does, but it can be done- fairly easily even, in most cases! There are also laws in most states protecting your right to breastfeed at work, so that can be a great advantage to you.

2. "My mom didn't make milk."

Every breastfeeding situation must be addressed individually. The lack, abundance or just the right amount of milk is determined by many, many factors. And generally, what your mama had or did won't effect you.

3. "Everybody I know uses formula."

Though it may seem like formula is prevalent in our country, there are lots of breastfeeders out there! More than you think! You never know who or where you may find a breastfeeding advocate. And, most importantly, regardless of what others are doing, be confident that you are doing what's best for your baby.

4. "Nobody else can feed him if I breastfeed. I will have to do all the work!"

Let me be honest with you. Breastfeeding is a commitment. That does not mean, however, that you can never have help. There are many ways that you can be helped as a breastfeeding mother. If you choose, you can pump milk and have a helper feed the baby. My husband and I tag-teamed night feedings and he would change the diaper and I would do the feeding. I, personally, loved being the only one able to comfort and feed my child, especially in those first few days when everyone seems to want their hands on them. This is not true for everyone, however, but just know you do have options!

5. "My doctor, grandma, mother, friend, sister... told me formula is just as good."

I hate to argue with your grandma, but she's just plain wrong on this one. There are a zillion reasons that breastmilk is the best food for your baby. You can read more about some of them here.

6. "Breastfeeding isn't really cheaper for me. I'll just get WIC to buy me formula."

I hear this all the time and it is a huge misconception. WIC is an amazing program for people that need it. BUT, it is a supplemental program. Moms only get 25% of the formula they use through the WIC program. That leaves 75% that will be bought from YOUR money. Seriously $1,000- $3,000+ per year out of your pocket. That is not to mention additional healthcare costs of babies fed formula as mentioned here or here.

I also hear that the amount not covered by WIC can just be bought with food stamps. That might be true, but would you not rather buy food for yourself than baby formula? I would personally rather be eating lasagna than spending my food money on formula. Do your research before you assume you will have help in buying formula.

7. "If I did it, I would only do it for a few weeks anyway."

Any breast milk is better than none at all, so go ahead and try! And, once you have gotten through the first few weeks, you have gotten through the hardest part, so you can make goals that work for your baby and you as time progresses.

8. "My boobs, nipples, body... are too big, small, flat..."

There is no perfect body for breastfeeding. Your parts are perfectly made to feed your baby. No matter what size or shape. If there is an actual medical condition, there are many times that it can be easily corrected to ensure breastfeeding will work, but don't worry unless it is determined by a medical professional that there actually is a problem.

9. "I read this article that said if I breastfeed, my baby is going to get BPA through my milk."

Unfortunately, BPA is all around us. There have been some studies linking BPA to mother's milk, however, formula feeding mothers also face this challenge in the bottles that they choose to use and other environmental factors. I can promise you that the benefits of breastmilk are HUGE and we need to do lots more research before we start worrying about BPA in mother's milk.

10. "My diet is not good enough to give her all the nutrients she needs."

What you eat does not determine what your baby eats. Your milk is perfect for your baby no matter what your diet is. Though there are some suggestions for maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle while breastfeeding, your baby will still benefit greatly from your milk, no matter what your diet.

Be confident in knowing that breast milk is the best thing for your baby, no matter what your circumstances are. Your body was made to feed your baby and I can't promise that it will be easy, but I can promise it will be worth it.

Toddler lunches- what will these little humans eat?

I have been blessed to always have babies that are really good eaters. However, within the last several months, I have begun watching a couple kids in my home while their mommies live busy lives and these kids are not quite as willing to try different foods. So, I have found myself getting creative to keep these babies eating well and I wanted to share some ideas with you.

My first tip for getting your little one to try new things is to get them involved. My little one loves to pick fresh veggies from the garden and snack on them right there in the yard. He loves watching the plants grow and is delighted to pick the fruits of our labor. Secondly, let them cook with you. In this picture, my toddler is simply sprinkling cheese on top of baked whole wheat spaghetti, but he couldn't wait to tell his dad that he helped with dinner and was also happy to eat two servings!

 

 

The next suggestion I have for you is to play with their food! If it looks fun, they are more likely to eat it! Even simple things like using fun plates makes my little one want to eat to get to the picture at the bottom.

 

 

I would also encourage you to change up your venue. My little ones love to eat snacks on the porch or on a picnic blanket at the park. Packing a lunch and taking it somewhere fun gives me kids willing to eat.

 

 

 

Lastly, I would encourage you to take foods and make them kid-friendly. My toddler will not eat a whole sweet potato or a slice of ham, but when I cut them into bite-size pieces, he can use his toddler-size fork and will devour an entire plate. I love foods like this, too, because I can use my food mill to make them into puree or "baby-led weaning size" pieces for my littlest one.

 



 

What are your suggestions for getting toddlers to eat healthy foods?

 

Baby led weaning and how it works for me!

Everybody wants to know what you baby is eating, how much they're eating, if they can feed them, etc. etc. and then wants to give you advice on how to do it "the right way." This is not that post.

I read a book when my son was around one year old called Baby Led Weaning and it blew my mind! It sounds crazy, but these people were telling me to give my six month old a whole carrot and I thought it was a good idea.

To give a little disclaimer, this is not for everyone. Lots of people tell me I am crazy for doing this and I am not trying to create another aspect of mommy wars. It is working for my family and that is why we do it. Do what works for your family and know you are doing the right thing.

With that being said, I would love to share our adventure with baby led weaning with you.

My little one has just turned six months old and we are beginning to experiment with feeding. These mesh bags are our starting point. He has done whole carrots, celery, etc., but I also like the ease of these bags because whatever we are eating, I can place in the bag and he controls the feeding. I can put whole green beans, peas, bananas, strawberries, soft meats, anything really!

My other disclaimer would be the inevitable mess. I am an extremely laid back mom, so the mess doesn't effect me much, but if this is something you decide to try, know that your baby sucking blueberries through a mesh bag is not a very clean process and plan accordingly.

There is some great new research about delaying feeding and I love that we are just experimenting at this stage instead of forcing purees. I am excited to see where this journey takes us and hope you will follow along as we go!