Foodie Firsts: Part 1 – This is a welcome #kaufMOMcollab with Little Spoon.

I’m either making Ezra’s baby food from scratch – straight from my kitchen – or I’m serving up the purest, most delicious blends from Little Spoon.

And in his short time of eating anything other than milk, the cutest critic has taught me a lot about food.

1. Food should be able to double as a face mask.

If it’s gentle enough for his tummy, I know it will be gentle enough on his cheeks. He ends up reaping the benefits – like Vitamin C – from carrots and sweet potatoes in more ways than one every single time he eats. I try to remember this when I dive into a container of ice cream that I would NOT use as a face lotion. 

And for the same reason we’re all saying no to parabens in our face lotions, I’m saying no to preservatives in Ezra’s baby food. I love knowing that everything I make or buy for my baby’s first bites will be enjoyed within 14-days…from farm to face.

2. The # of ingredients shouldn’t match your age.

When we started introducing food we started with single, and then multiple, pure ingredients. I can always count the number of ingredients in my son’s meals on two hands. Makes me think twice about my own choices when I grab a protein bar with enough ingredients for an excel spreadsheet.

Ezra’s favorite bites so far have included 3-7 ingredients. He’s all about our homemade Broccoli + Carrot + Cauliflower and Little Spoon’s Kale + Carrot + Pear.

PS: You can use the discount code KAUFMOM for 20% off your first order from Little Spoon so you don’t have to second guess the number, sources, or the ingredients in your own baby’s blends.

3. Goldie Locks & The Three Bears Were onto something…

No wonder I’ve burnt the roof of my tongue on countless soups and pasta dishes throughout my 30 years of life. My son reminded me that his food needs to be served just a tad over room temperature, and be the perfect consistency for utmost enjoyment.

If he isn’t enjoying a meal and he’s hungry, chances are I haven’t made it just right.

He’s a stickler for temperature and density. So for him that means lukewarm, soft-but-not-soupy, or it’s a no go. I’ve been told that every baby is an individual food critic, so yours might like it hot or ice cold ;).

4. “Full” is just a mindset

He’s full when I stop feeding him, not when he says “Okay thanks, I’m good” (because he can’t talk yet). 

I always thought that when people said they were “full” they were all in on some sort of inside joke that no one ever shared with me when I was little. And I still think I’m right.

That said, he’s eating different amounts at every meal. And still learning how to swallow. So I’ve become more and more preoccupied with the variety of vitamins and nutrients I can pack into each bite. So far, I’m just aiming for a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and colors.

But next week I’m sitting down with the nutrition experts at Little Spoon. What should I ask them?

And what has your little one taught you about food?