In our latest podcast episode, I invited Jenny Best Founder of Solid Starts to talk all about baby led weaning, the process of transitioning a baby to solid foods using a finger food first approach. Jenny is the mom of 3, including a set of twins, and Solid Starts grew out of her own challenges of introducing solids to her little babes. From fears of choking to lack of information around what foods are best for babies, she started documenting all of it herself.

 

Now Solid Starts features an ever-growing food database offering parents incredibly pragmatic information on hundreds of foods, all for free. Each ingredient has a nutrition rating and nutritional information, when and how it should be introduced, if it’s an allergen or how it can be a choking hazard, and so much more. It’s such an incredible resource. 

 

In this episode we also dig into some of the biggest questions parents have when starting their babies on solid foods, such as:

 

1. Why baby led weaning and is there still a place for purees with a finger food first approach?
2. What are the signs that a baby is ready for solids?
3. How do you start a baby on solids? What do you need?
4. What makes a food a choking hazard and what steps you can take to prevent it from being one?
5. What are some great on-the-go snacks and solids for a baby?

 

Even though I’m a mom of 3, I learned so much from this episode and wish I had had this interview 4.5 years ago when I was starting Neko out on solids for the first time. Clearly, it all ended up fine but I would have had a lot more context and a clearer process (and I love a good clear process!). Talking to Jenny has given me great inspiration to dig into the database and introduce even more variety into our family’s diet!

 

For all the links in today’s episode, head to www.cooksmarts.com/podcast/28

 

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