Living Cheap with Kids Part II

My kids are no longer eating baby food. I have a preschooler and a toddler so we have long since left that behind but here’s what I know about living cheap with kids when you have to buy baby food. When my kids were that age, I learned a few tricks few tricks of the trade. I mean how could you not. For those who are actively in the throws of rearing children and babies especially, I know you have figured out how to cut a few corners. The very first and I consider to be the most obvious way to save money on a new baby is by nursing your baby. That saves you money on formula. Our babies were both breastfed so I don’t even know how expensive or inexpensive formula is but I’ve been told by many, many mommies that it is outrages. Breast feeding is extremely economical and also comes with amazing health benefits. However economical and healthy, it isn’t easy. Plenty of women have shed plenty of tears over just trying to nurse their little newborns. Also, while doing some shopping recently I found out that the popular store Big Lots, sells baby food now and for less than .50 per jar.

A really good tip for saving money on baby food is by couponing. You can Google search gerber baby food coupons or baby food coupons or beechnut baby food coupons. You get the idea. Whatever baby food you choose to feed your child, just Google search for that brand followed by the word coupon and you should pull up a good offering for a great way to save. Here’s one thing that I did and moms are beginning to do more and more. Don’t buy “extra” food. Look in your pantry or refrigerator and pull out anything in there that can be boil and/or cooked to mush and serve it up! I used to take all of the hard fruit we had in the house, cut them into small pieces, boil them in nothing but water, combine it with softer fruits like bananas and strawberries and feed it to my kids. They loved it and it didn’t cost our household any extra money. Not only did the children love it, but because it was full of fiber, it kept their bowel movement regular and softened their stool. For dinner or lunch, I’d cook potatoes and mash them with other soft vegetables that I already had in the house. Another favorite for the girls was sweet potato. I’d cook it and mash it and when they were ready for finger foods, I’d cut them into fries, sprinkle cinnamon over them, drizzle a little olive oil and bake them in the oven. One thing that I learned is that kids don’t need a buffet of foods to eat and they are not requiring new fare every night, they just want to eat. So don’t get hung up on variety. Do it if you can, but know that you little baby doesn’t really care about it all that much as long as it’s good. My daughter ate the “fruit medley” that I made almost every morning for several months and never turned it down once.