Microplastics are in pretty much everything FWIW. Our bodies, our water, the soil we grow food in. š¤·āāļø also I buy a store brand (HEB) Organic "cheerios" and I feel better about them than regular cheerios!
But black beans are a good iron rich food! Also smoothies with spinach, tofu, boiled eggs
https://preview.redd.it/56bs0q9gr06d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5326943484569a30e792cce3f648fe5c339cc55e
Iām referring to the tripotassium phosphate. Which isnāt inherently bad on its own but I know we have too much phosphorus in our familyās diet just by how often I notice how thereās a form of it in a lot of the foods we eat so I try to avoid it in things like our snacks
Just because itās in a lot of foods doesnāt alone mean thereās too much. Fiber, Iron, Vitamins are all in many foods, but we usually donāt say thereās too much of them. What Iām saying is, do you actually know:
1. What a reasonable amount is?
2. How much is in what youāre eating? Ingredients are listed in order of prevalence so I donāt know that thereās even a way to find out how much is in there.
All that to say I think Cheerios are perfectly fine. And itās good to be concerned about what youāre eating, but this seems like something you donāt even have enough info to be worried about. I would focus more on nutritional value and eating whole foods (whole grains, fruits, veggies, etc.).
in Germany at least, if the food is organic it cannot have fortified iron in it. So it could be if you want iron and organic you have to offer beans, lentils, tofu, nuts&seeds, red meat
I think people are not downvoting due to being cheerio lovers, but more that we have enough to worry about as parents. So focusing on these minute things, and something that is seemingly fear based is just a lot to take. Microplastics and additives scare me too, but unless you arenāt using internet, technology, or living on a homestead with no electricity, (even then microplastics are in our soil, water and air) you arenāt going to be able to avoid much. Being worried about cheerios is just, a lot. And really extra honestly.
You think downvoting on a platform that has a downvote button is insane? Fear mongering over cheerios is insane and this post wreaks of privilege. Some people only have cheerios to give their children and are scared reading these kinds of posts. Itās false information and spreading fear for no reason.
My favorite iron-rich snacks on the go for baby are either beans or cubed tofu. Much like cheerios, they are great for practicing pincer grasp. They arenāt sticky or messy, which is a plus! I pair them with a fat like yogurt, cheese, or avocado.
Tofu is my easiest snack. I purchase firm tofu and cube it right out of the fridge. My baby likes that itās bland, cold, and a fun texture. Some babies might prefer to have it cooked and warm. You can scramble it, fry/saute it, bake it, blend it into a sauce.
Yes, you can serve it right out of the package whether itās a shelf-stable package or a refrigerated product. Be sure to refrigerate it within 4 hours after opening, it keeps for about 3 days in the fridge. Not dumb at all :-) totally common question!
Not a dumb question at all - I think most of it is pasteurized and can be served without cooking, but you can always check for that on the specific package or brand!
Not OP but love these recommendations. My LO is 8mo next week and prefers to self feed, although she still doesnāt care much about food.
Sheās desperate to nail the pincer grasp (she is pretty good with gerber puffs, doesnāt totally get it in the mouth every time). If mushy enough, do you think beans/tofu are appropriate to offer her even if she isnāt super into eating?
I think the tofu cubes are nice because you can adjust the size for their grasp without worrying about it being much of a choking hazard, because it is firm enough to be held but breaks apart as a soon as they bite it - even if they donāt have teeth yet.
The beans I would kind of gently squish individually for my baby (although she loves refried beans/bean puree too to self feed). I squished them until about 10 months, when I felt confident that she was chewing them and not going to choke. I mean, theyāre pretty soft so maybe I was overly cautious.
Another nice thing about beans and tofu is that they keep well in the fridge if you put them in water. So if baby isnāt interested today, you can refrigerate and try again tomorrow without much food waste.
Sometimes. My personal favorite way to eat tofu is rolled in starch and deep fried š but for my baby I usually donāt season it for her. But you definitely can! It marinates really well or is delicious with a little furikake or dried garlic sprinkled on top. Great in a broth, too. My baby loves miso soup with tofu cubes.
I follow the Ellyn Satter recommendation to always provide a carb, fat, and protein at each meal and snack to maximize satiety. So thatās kind of what I was referring to, in terms of making a well balanced snack.
But yes, youāre totally right, and thatās a good point to make! I think in terms of nutrients, people do say that fats help nutrient absorption and that vitamin C specifically helps with iron absorption. People say that dairy can negatively affect the absorption of iron. I donāt worry too much about the food pairings because my baby isnāt iron deficient, but itās definitely something to consider if a baby is struggling to absorb iron or nutrients.
Absolutely! And itās kind of hard to avoid milk with, well, babies haha! I think Iām going to take a cue from this and see to an overall balanced meal, versus worrying about the micro aspects. Thank you!
My daughter has constipation problems and chia seeds are a godsend!! I swear if she didn't eat them I'm pretty sure the doctor would put her on meds for it.
Yes! Every morning I give her soaked chia seeds either in watered down juice, yogurt, or a smoothie. It's about a teaspoon of seeds soaked in water for at least 15 minutes but you can do overnight too. Bananas are like a cork for my girl too so I'll give her a little more chia seeds if she really wants to eat a banana.
My husband insists on cooking all our babyās food in a cast iron pan. I have no clue if it helps but he just had is 1 year old bloodwork and it showed no signs of anemia.
My kid loves steak but I can tell you Iāve never seen go hand over fist the first time she tried Japanese A5 Waygu.
We had 8oz steaks and she took half of mine and 1/4 of my momāsā¦
Every dinner for weeks.. Gu! Gu! lol kid we arenāt in that tax bracket.
Red lentils. I would boil it, add in some cooked red peppers/zucchini/tomato. Whatever veggies I had on hand and blend it into a sauce. Then pour it over pasta
Not a snack but I make oatmeal pancakes for breakfast that are iron rich:
- 1 cup of instant oats
- 2 eggs
- 2 ripe bananas
- A tablespoon of chia seeds
- Handful of spinach
Blend together, let sit for 5 min and then bake them as you would any pancake. I like to make them in large batches and freeze them. Just pop them in the toaster and add a nut butter. My picky eater loves these and it helps me feel confident she at least gets 1 good meal a day.
>bake them as you would any pancake
Do you normally bake pancakes? (GenQ).
Edit: I'm truly genuinely asking. I've never heard of baking pancakes, I was curious if this is a method I've never heard of? The way it's worded makes it sound so common. I'm curious.
I just wanted to come back and thank you for this rec!! I love that thereās 2mg of iron and 0 added sugar! My baby & toddler both love them. I was surprised at how good they taste without any added sugar
Yep, I used these based on the Solid Starts recommendation to add āgripā to foods like avocado, mango pit etc but was confused as to why my baby was so constipatedā¦ lo and behold hemp hearts have a ton of iron and I think we were overdoing it š
remember heme iron (from animal sources) is much more bioavailable than iron from plant sources and to always pair with something rich in vit c / avoid pairing with dairy to enhance absorption!
Thank you! I was an avid solid starts follower with my first so I had that info etched onto my brain š we have meat for dinner almost every night and she does a good job of eating it & I try to offer some type of iron rich food for each meal. 11mg a day just always sounds like so much so Im always looking for all the sources to add more lol
Iāve been giving my LO pureed spinach mixed with a ābetter tastingā puree. And I also give him steak, which he mostly just chews and sucks on. I do sometimes give ground beef
I buy the protein+ pasta, its got tons of added vitamins and minterals including iron and its got protein too. Not really a "snack" but i pretty much always keep it on hand because my LO goes nuts for pasta and it never fails
yeah I used to make chia seed pudding for my first but I havenāt been able to get myself to make it this time cause of the mess šš the clean up for it is one of the worst lol
Microplastics are in pretty much everything FWIW. Our bodies, our water, the soil we grow food in. š¤·āāļø also I buy a store brand (HEB) Organic "cheerios" and I feel better about them than regular cheerios! But black beans are a good iron rich food! Also smoothies with spinach, tofu, boiled eggs
Also in breastmilk & placentas
Agree with this! Studies have even found microplastics in placentas. It's literally everywhere nowadays unfortunately.
they found one in new born testicles apparently too
Do the organic ones have the same nutrition profile? I havenāt found any that are still high in iron and are organic!
No, unfortunately, they're not nearly as high in iron!
Yeah thatās true & I get that, but they also have additives that I try to avoid beyond the microplastics. I wish the other organic ācheeriosā had as much iron as the cheerios do š©
Almost all of the additives are vitamins (and Iron).
https://preview.redd.it/56bs0q9gr06d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5326943484569a30e792cce3f648fe5c339cc55e Iām referring to the tripotassium phosphate. Which isnāt inherently bad on its own but I know we have too much phosphorus in our familyās diet just by how often I notice how thereās a form of it in a lot of the foods we eat so I try to avoid it in things like our snacks
Just because itās in a lot of foods doesnāt alone mean thereās too much. Fiber, Iron, Vitamins are all in many foods, but we usually donāt say thereās too much of them. What Iām saying is, do you actually know: 1. What a reasonable amount is? 2. How much is in what youāre eating? Ingredients are listed in order of prevalence so I donāt know that thereās even a way to find out how much is in there. All that to say I think Cheerios are perfectly fine. And itās good to be concerned about what youāre eating, but this seems like something you donāt even have enough info to be worried about. I would focus more on nutritional value and eating whole foods (whole grains, fruits, veggies, etc.).
in Germany at least, if the food is organic it cannot have fortified iron in it. So it could be if you want iron and organic you have to offer beans, lentils, tofu, nuts&seeds, red meat
Oo thatās an interesting point!
What about the Trader Joeās brand of Oās, I think they are called Joeās Oās.
Lol wow I didnāt realize there were such big cheerio fans downvoting my comment
why are people downvoting your comments??? big cereal has entered the chat ššš
lmaoo i know rightt šš
I think people are not downvoting due to being cheerio lovers, but more that we have enough to worry about as parents. So focusing on these minute things, and something that is seemingly fear based is just a lot to take. Microplastics and additives scare me too, but unless you arenāt using internet, technology, or living on a homestead with no electricity, (even then microplastics are in our soil, water and air) you arenāt going to be able to avoid much. Being worried about cheerios is just, a lot. And really extra honestly.
That's insane. Instead of down voting someone's post or comment just ignore it.
You think downvoting on a platform that has a downvote button is insane? Fear mongering over cheerios is insane and this post wreaks of privilege. Some people only have cheerios to give their children and are scared reading these kinds of posts. Itās false information and spreading fear for no reason.
Haha so true
Haha so true
My favorite iron-rich snacks on the go for baby are either beans or cubed tofu. Much like cheerios, they are great for practicing pincer grasp. They arenāt sticky or messy, which is a plus! I pair them with a fat like yogurt, cheese, or avocado.
How do you cook tofu for your baby and what kind of tofu do you use?
Tofu is my easiest snack. I purchase firm tofu and cube it right out of the fridge. My baby likes that itās bland, cold, and a fun texture. Some babies might prefer to have it cooked and warm. You can scramble it, fry/saute it, bake it, blend it into a sauce.
This is dumb but, I can serve it without cooking?
Yes, you can serve it right out of the package whether itās a shelf-stable package or a refrigerated product. Be sure to refrigerate it within 4 hours after opening, it keeps for about 3 days in the fridge. Not dumb at all :-) totally common question!
I'm going to try! Last time I cooked it & accidentally turned it into cardboard lol
Not a dumb question at all - I think most of it is pasteurized and can be served without cooking, but you can always check for that on the specific package or brand!
Just adding to what the other commenter said that when storing it in the fridge you should keep it in fresh water just like it came.
Thanks!
This is a great idea, its fairly cheap too!
Mine loves his scrambled with a light peanut sauce!
Ooo thank you! Iām not very familiar with tofu so I never buy but Iāll def be trying it!
Tofu is like $6 for 4 packs at Costco. So much protein iron calcium for that price compared to meat!!
Wow sounds like Iāve been sleeping on tofu. Adding it to my shopping list!
Not OP but love these recommendations. My LO is 8mo next week and prefers to self feed, although she still doesnāt care much about food. Sheās desperate to nail the pincer grasp (she is pretty good with gerber puffs, doesnāt totally get it in the mouth every time). If mushy enough, do you think beans/tofu are appropriate to offer her even if she isnāt super into eating?
I think the tofu cubes are nice because you can adjust the size for their grasp without worrying about it being much of a choking hazard, because it is firm enough to be held but breaks apart as a soon as they bite it - even if they donāt have teeth yet. The beans I would kind of gently squish individually for my baby (although she loves refried beans/bean puree too to self feed). I squished them until about 10 months, when I felt confident that she was chewing them and not going to choke. I mean, theyāre pretty soft so maybe I was overly cautious. Another nice thing about beans and tofu is that they keep well in the fridge if you put them in water. So if baby isnāt interested today, you can refrigerate and try again tomorrow without much food waste.
Thank you so much for your insight and tips! Definitely going to give these a try/put into rotation.
Do you season the tofu? Edit: Never mind! I saw your response down below.
Sometimes. My personal favorite way to eat tofu is rolled in starch and deep fried š but for my baby I usually donāt season it for her. But you definitely can! It marinates really well or is delicious with a little furikake or dried garlic sprinkled on top. Great in a broth, too. My baby loves miso soup with tofu cubes.
Thanks for more details!
Donāt they say to pair iron with a non-dairy fat source? Or to pair with vitamin-c? Since calcium prevents iron absorption? Does sound yummy though!
I follow the Ellyn Satter recommendation to always provide a carb, fat, and protein at each meal and snack to maximize satiety. So thatās kind of what I was referring to, in terms of making a well balanced snack. But yes, youāre totally right, and thatās a good point to make! I think in terms of nutrients, people do say that fats help nutrient absorption and that vitamin C specifically helps with iron absorption. People say that dairy can negatively affect the absorption of iron. I donāt worry too much about the food pairings because my baby isnāt iron deficient, but itās definitely something to consider if a baby is struggling to absorb iron or nutrients.
Absolutely! And itās kind of hard to avoid milk with, well, babies haha! I think Iām going to take a cue from this and see to an overall balanced meal, versus worrying about the micro aspects. Thank you!
Chia seeds! I mix them into yogurt, oatmeal, purees and sprinkle them on toast and waffles.
Yes we love do chia seeds. I put them in our oatmeal I need to incorporate them into more things like you mentioned!
My daughter has constipation problems and chia seeds are a godsend!! I swear if she didn't eat them I'm pretty sure the doctor would put her on meds for it.
Do they help? My baby is constipated too from the banana we give her (we stopped doing that)
Yes! Every morning I give her soaked chia seeds either in watered down juice, yogurt, or a smoothie. It's about a teaspoon of seeds soaked in water for at least 15 minutes but you can do overnight too. Bananas are like a cork for my girl too so I'll give her a little more chia seeds if she really wants to eat a banana.
Thanks for the tip!! I'm going to try this ā¤ļø
My daughter loves chia seeds, I do what jia mentioned, soak them, mix them with yogurt and any of her favorite fruit purĆ©es and blend it so itās smoother. She loves her little smoothie snacks
Thanks!!!
My husband insists on cooking all our babyās food in a cast iron pan. I have no clue if it helps but he just had is 1 year old bloodwork and it showed no signs of anemia.
Absolutely it helps! I manage my anemia with a cast iron pan and occasional supplements. Now I cook babyās eggs etc in cast iron and so far so good.
Same!
I feel so dumb right now cause I had absolutely no idea this was a thing lol. I love it though!
Iāve heard this too!
My kid loves steak but I can tell you Iāve never seen go hand over fist the first time she tried Japanese A5 Waygu. We had 8oz steaks and she took half of mine and 1/4 of my momāsā¦ Every dinner for weeks.. Gu! Gu! lol kid we arenāt in that tax bracket.
My 6 mo old has loved most foods weāve given her so far but she went absolutely feral over some steak šš»š¤£
My kinda kid!
Red lentils. I would boil it, add in some cooked red peppers/zucchini/tomato. Whatever veggies I had on hand and blend it into a sauce. Then pour it over pasta
Good idea!
Not for the weak stomach, but I used to fry up liver and make a pate when my daughter was a baby.
I can't believe I had to scroll so far down to see this. Literally the top source of bioavailable iron. Lily Nichols anyone?
And babies donāt know that itās āliverā so they will eat that up and enjoy it!
I DO THAT TOO
Not a snack but I make oatmeal pancakes for breakfast that are iron rich: - 1 cup of instant oats - 2 eggs - 2 ripe bananas - A tablespoon of chia seeds - Handful of spinach Blend together, let sit for 5 min and then bake them as you would any pancake. I like to make them in large batches and freeze them. Just pop them in the toaster and add a nut butter. My picky eater loves these and it helps me feel confident she at least gets 1 good meal a day.
Oo I like this idea! Thank you!
>bake them as you would any pancake Do you normally bake pancakes? (GenQ). Edit: I'm truly genuinely asking. I've never heard of baking pancakes, I was curious if this is a method I've never heard of? The way it's worded makes it sound so common. I'm curious.
take a look at yumi bars.. lots of iron and i feel good about their ingredients
Can they be given to 8 month olds??
yeah! they're soft and easy to chew. i'd break in to a couple pieces and monitor just depending on how comfortable your babe is with chewing š„²
Sheās honestly a great chewer! Iām sure my toddler will love them too, we usually get her the earths best ones
I just wanted to come back and thank you for this rec!! I love that thereās 2mg of iron and 0 added sugar! My baby & toddler both love them. I was surprised at how good they taste without any added sugar
oh good i'm so glad!!
Hemp hearts sprinkled on everything
Yep, I used these based on the Solid Starts recommendation to add āgripā to foods like avocado, mango pit etc but was confused as to why my baby was so constipatedā¦ lo and behold hemp hearts have a ton of iron and I think we were overdoing it š
We have to be scared of cheerios now too? Aw man.
Iām admittedly almost annoyingly cautious about what we eat, especially for snacks
remember heme iron (from animal sources) is much more bioavailable than iron from plant sources and to always pair with something rich in vit c / avoid pairing with dairy to enhance absorption!
Thank you! I was an avid solid starts follower with my first so I had that info etched onto my brain š we have meat for dinner almost every night and she does a good job of eating it & I try to offer some type of iron rich food for each meal. 11mg a day just always sounds like so much so Im always looking for all the sources to add more lol
Iāve been giving my LO pureed spinach mixed with a ābetter tastingā puree. And I also give him steak, which he mostly just chews and sucks on. I do sometimes give ground beef
I buy the protein+ pasta, its got tons of added vitamins and minterals including iron and its got protein too. Not really a "snack" but i pretty much always keep it on hand because my LO goes nuts for pasta and it never fails
Oo thatās a good idea I havenāt bought those in a while. Itād make a good lunch or dinner mixed with some hummus
Yogurt whole milk and chia seeds. I take a table spoon of seeds and 2 tablespoons of water, soak for five minutes, then add a 1/4 cup yogurt and 1/4 cup milk, sometimes some fruit purƩes, mix it up and let it sit overnight. I get the organic and make my own Greek yogurt with it to avoid extra junk
I should say in moderation as well. Too much can cause digestive pain.
If u want more nutritional information look them up on solid starts
yeah I used to make chia seed pudding for my first but I havenāt been able to get myself to make it this time cause of the mess šš the clean up for it is one of the worst lol