2/24/11 – Adventures in Baby Food – Pears

Well, last night was much better. We had one of those rare only-up-once nights, thank goodness. That, I can deal with! Today was just an ordinary kind of day. Nothing too exciting going on. So, I won’t bore anybody with the daily details today!

Tonight I made a batch of pears! Pears are high in fiber, potassium and Vitamin C. High in fiber, Pears like other fruits, are great aids in reducing the risks of cancer and heart attack and sustaining healthy cholesterol levels. They are also a great fruit to offer as a remedy to help alleviate baby's constipation. Pears are gentle on the tummy and thus are wonderful for babies who may be suffering from reflux. Pears contain no sodium, saturated fats or cholesterol. They contain two types of sugars, glucose and fructose. A pear is very nutrient dense meaning that there are more nutrients per calorie than calories per nutrient. There is no need to peel a pear unless feeding one to a small infant. A pear's skin is easily digestible. Pears make a good choice for one of Baby's first fruits.

Pears do not need to be cooked as when they are ripe as they are very soft and easily made into a smooth puree. Steaming fruits is typically recommended for babies under 8 months old to help breakdown sugars and fibers in fruits. However, as pears are gentle on the digestive system and very watery to begin with, use your own discretion based on your baby's digestive system. If you will be offering pears as a baby food to an infant who starts solid foods prior to the age of 6 months old, give them a gentle steaming.

Take your desired number of pears (I did 3 for my first batch). Peel and de-seed the pears, and proceed with mashing or pureeing, as needed for your baby's preference.

Cost Savings:
- 3 Pears = $1.89 – Makes Roughly 11 Jars
- 11 Jars of Gerber Stage 2 Pears = $6.55
- Cost Savings of $4.66

AND, with that, I have officially paid for my Baby Bullet with the money I have saved by doing my own food (and, I have completed the foods she should have at this point). More to come closer to 8 months. I have currently spent $25.02 on fresh and frozen fruits and veggies for baby food (and have a good stock in the freezer still), whereas I would have spent $87.61 to buy the same amount of food from sir Gerber. WOW! That is a savings of $62.59. Pretty nice, right?!

Here are some before and after pics of the pears. And, one of our little lady cat, Chloe. She’s cute.