5 Tips for Allergy-Free Cooking

[Guest Post by Sandra from Baby Insider]

Babies need all the nutrients that they can get. This is why smart parents choose to cook for their babies, rather than opting to buy commercial baby food. Unfortunately, not all home cooked baby foods are safe to eat. There are a lot of common ingredients that contain allergens which might harm the baby.

To help you do allergy-free cooking, here are 5 easy tips to follow:

1. Cook Simple Foods

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While you might have cooking skills worthy of a Michelin-starred chef, when it comes to introducing solid food to your baby, you might want to keep it simple. Use as little ingredients as possible, and you might want to try using only fresh ingredients. There is absolutely no need for you to use exotic herbs and spices, as your baby might prefer natural tastes rather than seasonings.

2. The 4-Day Wait Rule

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Basically, you need to use one ingredient for four consecutive days before adding another ingredient, or before using a different one. While giving the baby food made from one ingredient, you need to check your child regularly for any signs of allergy. This will help you to easily find out what food item your child is allergic to.

3. Be In The Know

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Potential Allergy Foods.

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When introducing solid food to your baby, make a list of the food items that can typically cause allergies in babies. Try to avoid food items that are on the list and opt to use ingredients that rarely cause allergies, or ones that are not known to contain any allergens. This will allow you to give your child nutrient-rich meals, without the worry.

You should also know how to read the product information on food labels, and you should never hesitate to contact a health provider just in case you have questions about the ingredients that you are about to prepare for your child.

4. Opt For Fresh Ingredients

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As a parent, you should make sure that your child gets the best especially when it comes to his or her food. This is why experts suggest that when you want to cook something healthy and allergen-free for your baby, you should try to buy the freshest ingredients available.

Steer clear from ingredients that contain preservatives, instead, buy fruits or vegetables that are in season. This is because preserved food items might contain chemicals or other ingredients that can cause an allergic reaction when consumed by your baby.

5. Know What To Do If Your Child Has An Allergic Reaction

Aside from using caution when choosing the ingredients, it helps to know the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. It also helps to know what to do just in case your child is having an allergic reaction. Contact your baby’s pediatrician just in case you notice something different after feeding your baby. If your baby has a severe allergic reaction, call a paramedic or take your child to the nearest Emergency Room (whichever is quicker),

Finally…

Cooking meals for your baby is a fun and exciting process that will not only help you know your baby better, but will also support your child’s growth and development. Introducing solid food is a journey towards a myriad number of different flavors for your baby to experience and enjoy. But because this is just the beginning, you need to make sure that you do things right.

Parents who plan on giving home cooked food for their babies, should start with simple meals made from fresh ingredients. Focus on the child’s nutrition and safety by opting to use ingredients that are allergen-free and rich in vitamins and minerals.

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Author Bio:

Hi, thanks for reading my post. I’m Sandra, founder of Baby Insider.

I started this blog in order to help new parents understand and take care of their children better. This is also where you can find useful instructions and advice for almost everything that is related to mommy and baby as well as top products every mom should own. Such as, the best backpack diaper bag for baby or top pacifier for toddler. Hope you enjoy reading.