Hi xbliss,
No need to envy me. Dream & u will get what u want. It's abt the power of mind.
I also only stopped worked after my #2's maternity leave last yr. So still learning to b a SAHM. :b
Personally, I'm more cautious abt introducing new food to Jb, esp those highly allergic ones, as my older son, Jx, had inherited our allergic genes & I can't bear it if Jb were to suffer unnec., like Jx did. Ultimately, the kids will enjoy different types of food if we introduce different tastes & textures at appropriate windows. So there's no need to rush.
However, it's ok if there is no family history of allergies.
Actually babies r not tired of eating the same food day-in,day-out. In fact, they r happy to gulp down vast qty of the same old boring milk every day. It's us adults that find it boring to keep cook the same old thing.
hahahaa... :b
Toddlers might get choosy abt their food tho, & that's when more variations r required. So I find there's no need to precipitate the process.
Lazy mummy lah~
Not sure how old is your bb, but min ard 1yo rt? Since it's almost end 2008 now. *How time flies!!*
U can use the same ingredients as porridge to cook mee sua, kway teow, bee hoon soup etc. I always prepare fish/pork stock w carrot, celery & corn from scratch every 4-5 days & freeze them in portions in those hospital glass milk bottles so that there is always ready stock.
Its natural sweetness doesn't even need any other seasoning. I want e kids to enjoy & appreciate the natural flavours of the food like us do. They can eat their share of junk food & heavily seasoned food when we eat out.
hahahaa... :b
Jb loves his plain Quaker Oatmeal as breakfast/snack too. U can adjust the texture w qty of water if bb doesn't like it too thick.
Eu Yan San brown rice is another quick & easy alternative that is suitable for babies who can't chew yet. U can give it plain or add ingredients as baby grows bigger. Jx used to eat that once a day when he was <2yo but these days, I grind brown rice for Jb instead, as EYS' is getting too expensive. Almost doubled its price 4-5yrs ago!! *gasp*
Since Jb was ard 1yo, I started to give some of our table food for his dinner, else he will b v unhappy not being able to eat the same thing as us & will refuse his own boring food. So he is now eating abt 1/3 bowl of soft rice along w the dishes of the day.
A good site on solids for different age-groups & recipes:
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/startingsolids/
Happy cooking!!