Two Delicious Smoothies for You and Your Baby

Smoothies are a great and tasty way to introduce fruits to your baby or toddler. They are packed full of nutrients as they are fresh, stuff that just doesn't exist in baby food bottles. As smoothies are pureed, there's no danger of choking on anything small like seeds or rinds. Probably the best part is you'll also be able to enjoy a smoothie with your baby.

Here are two of our favorite smoothies:

Banana Smoothie

• 1-2 ripe bananas (if its just your baby having the smoothie, go with one)
• 4 Tbs of applesauce (Not the kind that's red, pink, or green! Even though they say it's "natural flavors," you don't want those chemicals going anywhere near your kid. Also avoid applesauce with sugars and other fruits added.)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of warm water (As in typical smoothies, you don't want to add any ice as this can be too cold for baby's gums)

Add applesauce and pour in water. Blend until you have a nice, liquidy consistency, then blend your banana(s).

You can also add some baby cereal to the mix if you'd like.

Pineapple Smoothie

• 2-3 cups of frozen or fresh pineapple, chunks
• 4 Tbs of applesauce 1/4 cup water

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy.

You can mix these recipes up and try new concoctions. The important thing is only using fruit that you know your baby's digestive system can handle. For instance, most parents stay away from strawberries until the baby's a toddler. This is due to the acidic content of strawberries. Same goes for oranges and of course lemons and limes.

Editor's note: Josh Day is a work-at-home dad who enjoys spending time with his son James. He and his wife Leah have written a practical guide to parenting for realistic people called Moderation Parenting. Learn more about their book and parenting method at http://moderationparenting.com

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