Moms have you ever thought about making your own baby food? I know, too time consuming. I need special equipment. Let’s have a little baby food making info session today.

First thing, commit time and effort. It can become a chore if you don’t stay on top of it but as your child begins to eat chunkier textures then things begin to slow down.

You will need to purchase a good food processor if you don’t have one already. You will also want to have several sturdy ice cube trays, preferably ones that have a cover. You can use plastic wrap if not. That’s really all it takes. I found having small divided plastic plates that have lids a huge bonus.

There are several great websites on the internet that will give you information you need in great detail. So I won’t go into all of that. I will say that as you prepare foods; make enough to freeze for later. This is where the plates came in handy for me. I had twelve plates, three for each meal for four days. Every fourth day I would take my frozen foods out and placed the amount of food in each plate corresponding with the meal the plate would be for. Labeled the plates, placed them in the refrigerator. This helped to have the convenience of prepared meals and helped me to see what I needed to cook in the next few day.

Remember, as you are cooking supper, put an extra pot on the stove and have the cooking part done. A couple of things you can do if you want to give your child a few things but not go all out, mash ripe bananas or avocado, use canned pure pumpkin, and all natural jarred applesauce.

Food and recipe blogs seem to be all the rage these days, and new ones pop up on the internet all the time. Here are some pointers to starting your own food blog.

First, remember that capturing clear, vivid pictures is always a good thing. One of the greatest parts of cookbooks are the photos, whether of the process or the final product. I wish most cookbooks included photos for every recipe. Make sure to take pictures of the whole process; especially techniques that might not be familiar to novice cooks, or things you think might need a visual aid. Always, always include a picture of the finished dish!

Make sure your recipe directions are clear and concise. Easy to follow, step by step instructions are always a plus. Laying out the instructions from start to finish works great, and then adding in any tips or hints, or even modifications at the end.

Another great tip is to catalog your recipes by category on your blog. This way they are easier for people to find, especially if you do all different types of recipes. You should also leave comments open for your readers. Have them give feedback (even if it's not great!) on the recipes as they try them. Sometimes a reader might have a great suggestion for a substitution or modification for a dish, to make it diabetic friendly, or lower in fat, or for someone with a food allergy.

Finally, remember why you started the blog in the first place, to share a love of cooking with others. While everyone may not love every recipe you post, it's sometimes the constructive criticism that can make you a better cook! Keep cooking, and keep posting those recipes!

Most kids will avoid vegetables like the plague, especially if they are used to living on sweets like cookies, candy, and cupcakes! So how can you possibly get your child to consume enough vegetables to be healthy? A well balanced diet isn’t impossible. It just takes a little creativity on your part and maybe a little dose of sneakiness too. The next time you are trying to convince Junior to eat his peas, try one of these tricks.

1. Sneak in a Vegetable Puree

Do you remember feeding your kid all of the pureed vegetables during those months before he had teeth? It’s time to pull out the baby food again. Sneak in pureed vegetables into your regular recipes. Add a small jar of squash, carrots, or even green beans into your spaghetti sauce and your kid will never know it.

2. Sweeten it Up

If your child refuses to eat peas, try adding just a pinch of sugar to them. This tiny bit of sweetness will make the peas a little more palatable while your kid is adjusting to the texture and natural taste of them.

3. Grow It Yourself

Kids will be more likely to eat something that they had a hand in making. Try growing your own vegetables in the summer! It’s a great way to teach science and your child will be more likely to try new things if he has been eagerly waiting all summer for the vegetables to appear on the vine. You can also let your kid help in the kitchen. By helping with meal preparation, your child will be less likely to turn his nose up at the dinner on his plate.