Baby Food Schedule

I made our son's baby food. I used http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ and http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-infants-toddlers/making-you-own-baby-food to get ideas and learn how to make things. I think the bottom line is to make sure there is plenty of liquid, otherwise it can cause constipation. (I learned that the hard way!) :) I think they suggest organic until they reach their first birthday, but the following site http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ gives a "top ten."

Feeding at a glance

Birth to 6 months
Breast milk and/or iron-fortified formula satisfies all nutritional requirements • Designed to suck, not chew, rooting reflex; searches for food source, tongue-thrust reflex pushes out solid foods, sensitive gag reflex

6 months
Bananas, pears, rice cereal, applesauce • Tongue-thrust and gag reflexes lessen; accepts solids Sits erect in high chair; begins teething

7 to 9 months
Avocados, mashed potatoes, peaches, barley cereal, carrots, squash, teething biscuits, pear and apple juice • May drink from cup, finger foods begin, pureed and mashed foods, holds bottle, thumb-and-forefinger pickup begins, fascination with tiny food morsels, begins mouthing chokable food and objects (parents beware!), bangs, drops, flings, reaches for food and utensils, munches food

9 to 12 months
Lamb, veal, tofu, poultry, noodles, bagel, beans, rice cakes, peas, egg yolk, yams, cheese, oatmeal, yogurt • Lumpier consistency, finger foods mastered, bite-sized, cooked vegetables, melt-in-mouth foods, holds trainer cup, self-feeding skills improve, points and pokes, smears, high-chair gymnastics increase, tries to use utensils

12 to 18 months
Whole milk, papaya, cottage cheese, apricots, ice cream, grapefruit, whole eggs, grape halves, beef, strawberries, tomatoes, fish (salmon, tuna), pasta, graham crackers, broccoli, wheat cereal, spinach, honey, cauliflower, pancakes, melon, muffins, mango, kiwi • Participates in family meals, eats chopped and mashed family foods, begins self-feeding with utensils, tilts cup and head while drinking, holds spoon better, begins walking

18 to 24 months
Sandwiches, stews, puddings, sauces, smoothies, shakes, dips, toppings, spreads, soups, peanut butter • Grazes, weans from bottle, uses spoon and fork, molars begin, begins rotary chewing, spoon-feeds self

Other helpful information

Suggested vitamin intake for children
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T045500.asp

Juice
Do not begin before six months, preferably nine months. White grape juice is the most intestinal- friendly juice. Dilute all juice with equal parts water. 6-12 mo: 4 oz./day. 1-4 yrs: 6 oz./day. 4-12 yrs: 8 oz./day.