Healthy Eating Habits for You and Your Baby

Offer variety to ensure a balanced diet

All foods contain different vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Eating a variety of healthy foods will naturally lead to a balanced diet. When your baby first starts eating, quantity is not as important as variety.

Don't be in a rush

Many babies are slow eaters, and this is a good habit to encourage. Many of us do not plan enough time to eat meals and often finding ourselves shoveling food in -- this is one of the worst eating habits that you can teach your baby. Instead, plan on of plenty of time for meals so you and your baby can relax and enjoy the experience.

Have a feeding schedule

Baby's have small tummies and fluctuating appetites, so four to six mini meals in each day are recommended over three large meals. Establishing set times for these meals will help your baby learn a routine.

Never force babies to eat or finish all their food

Your baby will eat when he is hungry. And he will eat the types of food his body needs most. During meals allow him to eat as much or little as he wants.

Make mealtimes a family event

Whenever it is practical, the whole family should eat together. This will encourage your baby to interact with others at mealtime and to begin experiencing a sense of social interaction.

Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby. Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it's better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Fresh Baby's breastfeeding accessories and baby food making supplies provide parents with practical knowledge and innovative tools to support them in introducing their children to great tasting, all-natural foods - easily and conveniently. Visit them online and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits!