Any ideas on serving babies???

[ShawtyCat]

Do you think this is risky business? Blender food? Pureed bananas, apples, pears, melon etc. No preservatives. No additives, no chemicals, no dyes, all REAL. They are lots of families coming into our restaurant everyday with babies. How about offering to make the baby something instead of watching them eat that disgusting gerber or some of mom's cheeseburger? I always cooked for my 2 babies. The only gerber they ever touched was the juice and cookies.

What do you think???

[thebighat]

I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot aubergine, unless I was somehow trained and/or certified as a nutritionist. I worked for a brief period in a nursing home that had lots of special diets, all of them were overseen by a staff nutritionist. And I'm not saying this because I think it's a lousy idea, it's just that people find lawyers to be too handy....

[Pete]

As great as that sounds, I would stay far, far away from that one. I think it has the possibility of really backfiring on you. Just one baby gets sick after eating at your establishment (even if it wasn't your food) and you would have a PR nightmare on your hands. Best to let mom and dad take care of baby. As a side note, no kids yet, but when we do, I also plan on making my own baby food. Any suggestions or tips and making and storing?

[ShawtyCat]

Whenever you are making baby food, make enough for that feeding. I bought a blender just for the baby food, and after cutting the veggies into really small dice and steaming them, I would puree. You can add a little salt but it is not recommended.

After I got to know the baby's eating schedule, I would steam chill in a ziploc bag in the fridge and then puree later. Stuff like carrots, potato, pumpkin, squash, green beans, etc. Fresh applesauce is also well loved.

As for baby food in the restaurant.....Im sure the sushi bars have the same risks. But I guess babies are a touchy issue, since people have been known to go off the deep end (myself included) if something happened to their kids. I really meant to serve the safe food with serilized equipment. Only purees, or steamed diced veggies.

[thebighat]

They don't call them parents for nothing. That's their job.

[chrose]

Any ideas on serving babies???

Braised, slow roasted, smoked and grilled?

(Sorry, but someone had to say it, so it might as well have been me!)

[Suzanne]

Well, Jodi, I think it's a good idea! In fact, there is a chef here in NYC who started making his own line of baby food for use at his restaurant, because there was such a need from his customers. (Maybe Scott Campbell? somewhere on the Upper West Side, I think.)

If you do it a la minute, and dedicate a blender to it, I don't see what the problem would be. Of course, the parents would decide which item you're offering that they want -- so it's not as though you're forcing any baby to eat anything. And it certainly sounds as though you know to keep up good sanitation.

Besides, if you keep the parents happy, they're more likely to keep coming back as customers! How is that not a win-win situation?

Note to chrose: yeah, well, better you than me, although I thought about putting in a reference to Swift's "A Modest Proposal."

[Pete]

I am sure that you would keep very good sanitation and that there would be no problem with the baby food you would serve. But what if the parents fed the baby something before or after dinner that made him/her sick or something happened to the baby. The first culprit considered would be your restaurant, and though you would eventually be cleared, the bad press and PR would cause you nightmares. Believe me, I think that this would be something that would best be steered clear of, to keep your a** covered. (Yes, it is a sad commentary on the state of our society today)

[shroomgirl]

18 years ago I bought a small plastic baby food grinder that went to restaurants with us.....
Small child food was always welcome, look at kiddy menus, it's all brown.....little to no veggies and maybe a token applesauce. I just grimaced every time a server asked my toddler or small child what soda they wanted with dinner....
100% juice is such a nice addition
quick finger foods that can be a great respite until adult food is served.
non-fried shtuff
***babies can have nasty allergies as they are manuvering through the food world, beware....

[ShawtyCat]

I planned on consulting with the pediatric nutritionist that I know at the hospital. I know that caution is needed because of the propensity of people to sue in this country BUT I have to do that anyway with more complicated food. I mean, in this industry you could get sued tomorrow but does that mean you should stop cooking and say "Sorry sir, I can't serve you the water."

I personally think it is a good idea. I plan to make this stuff ala minute and that shouldn't be a problem. And thanks for the juice idea, I remember going to McDonalds and ordering orange juice (yeah I was desperate). My baby was 5 months old and when I got it to put in her bottle I found out it was HI CI! I was so upset.
So Id like to offer another option.

[mermaid]

Originally posted by Pete
[As a side note, no kids yet, but when we do, I also plan on making my own baby food. Any suggestions or tips and making and storing? [/b]

Pete;
this is something I know well - my daughter never had any commercial baby food - not even cereal. There's a really good book called "SuperBaby Food" It gives great guidelines on when to introduce new foods, the all important four day rule, healthy snacks you can make and lots more.

I found making my daughter's food quite easy and not time consumming at all. I bought serveral ice cube trays just for her food and would make up a batch, pour in to the ice cube trays, freeze then pop out into freezer bags. The cubes made portioning easy and I would thaw them in the microwave (and stir forever to make sure there weren't hot spots)

hope this was helpful!

[nancya]

Thanks chrose...I've been thinking that all day....

but you notice I restrained myself.