There are a lot of scenarios that can go down when visiting your extended family during the holidays. Here are a few we’ve encountered:

  • Aunt June passes Baby a Nanaimo Bar, with an inch of icing and sugar sprinkles.
  • Uncle Jerry (who’s had a few) decides that Baby likes his turkey with heaps of gravy.
  • Your mom thinks Baby’s first Christmas should be celebrated by feeding her ice cream.
  • The herd of small children are eager to pass Baby a bowl of nuts.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know: Stressful. But it doesn’t have to be. With the help of PC Organics Baby, here are some ground rules to establish for holiday dinners so that you can relax and enjoy some eggnog without being on HIGH ALERT. (Well, we can help with the food recos, but you have to handle Uncle Jerry.)

Turkey Time

Turkey is a great food for babies, is rich in iron, and it can be a first food! You can either cut into small pieces or, for first-time eaters, puree the meat with a hand-held blender. If you think the consistency is too thick, add a bit of breast milk, formula or water. Sorry Baby, no gravy or cranberry sauce for you. These are too rich in sodium and sugar. Maybe next year!

Veggies

One great thing about holiday dinners is that there is usually tons of veggies. However, request that the chef put aside small amounts of sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, peas etc. before they drizzle on butter and add in bacon, cheese, or anything else that could be too high in sodium. Pureeing veggies from items like green bean casseroles or glazed carrots is also an option for the wee ones just starting.

Know the Ingredients

You’ve been eating Aunt Jean’s magic sauerkraut for a decade, but DO YOU KNOW WHAT’S IN IT? Ensure you know what’s in all the splendid holiday dishes before you serve to Baby. Things like nuts, heavy cream and spicy seasonings can be hidden from the naked eye in casseroles and stuffing. Be sure to double check with your host on these items ahead of time. To be safe, bring along your own baby-friendly food options like PC Organics Mashed Potato and Turkey or any of the delicious strained veggie combinations. 

Sweet Treats

I know, we all want to give Baby a piece of the pie, but like everything else, be weary of the ingredients. Tasty treats like homemade pumpkin pie can be easily transformed for your baby. For babes between 6-8 months, you can puree with breast milk or formula to thin out the texture. You can also skip the effort by offering Baby a sweet treat like the PC Organics Blackberry Cobbler Flavour Pouch.

Everyone wants to include Baby, especially at this festive time of year, but just remember to keep sweet servings super small when introducing him or her to some of your favourite holiday traditions.

And take lots of pictures! Baby’s first Christmas only happens once. (Welp.)

Share a photo of your little one during one of their exciting firsts (i.e. first steps, first time eating solids, first Christmas) on your social platforms using the hashtag #PCBabyFirst. We can’t wait to see your holiday cuteness!

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