Our littlest Belle is growing up fast already six months old and up to mischief just like her sister. She's at the stage where she wants to touch everything, which unfortunately involves a lot of hair pulling. I had been out of Strands just 30 minutes before I had to put my perfectly blow-dried hair up. It was either that or lose it entirely to her vice-like grip. One of Chloe's favourite stories is the classic “Guess how much I love you?” and we regularly tell her we love her “all the way to the moon and back”. We'll tell Belle the same thing, but I will also tell her I love her enough to ruin my blow dry. I know it sounds fickle, but as a chronic sufferer of humidity hair, that is A LOT of love.In other domestic developments, Operation Pacifier is in full swing. Convinced that Belle is waking multiple times a night for her soother, we are trying to take it away. She's doing well so far, but now sucks so hard on the ears of her fluffy bunny that I'm worried she will develop a fur-ball. I've been told infant toys are built with this in mind, but I am not so sure bunny will hold up. Still, perhaps I should just view it as part of the weaning process. The pureeing frenzy has begun and Belle is currently exploring the delights of slightly odd but nutritious combos such as pumpkin and mashed banana.Of course, as a nutritionist and a mummy, I am obsessed with what goes in my child's mouth. Chloe had nothing but homemade, usually organic baby food for her whole infancy. I would love to say that I am doing exactly the same for Belle, but this time with only so many hours in the day, and with the more relaxed attitude of a second-time parent, I confess I use the odd jar or pouch. If you happen to see me in Lindo's sweeping the entire contents of the Ella's Kitchen shelf into my cart, it's not because I use it every day, but because Ella's baby food is like gold dust in Bermuda and when you see it, you have to buy as much as you can carry. I know that perpetuates the supply problem, but there you go.Fortunately, to appease those of us who feel guilty about not making our own, and to please those of us that don't, there are several fantastic brands of top quality baby food available widely in Bermuda. Move aside Gerber and make way for a new generation: Ella's Kitchen, Healthy Times, Hipp and Happy Baby are all here and all organic. Of them all, Ella's Kitchen and Happy Baby are my favourites Ella's (Lindo's) provide pouches which are pasturised at a lower temperature for a shorter time and therefore, retain more nutrients. All cooking, even home-cooking, depletes some nutrients, but these are designed with maximum nutrient retention in mind. Happy Baby (Miles) have some pouches but also some cubes in the freezer section. These hold their nutritional value well too and the small cube size makes them perfect for the first few weeks of weaning. You can also mix and match cubes to your heart's content and according to your baby's preference.But let me clarify something. There is of course absolutely nothing better than making your own, especially if you are on a budget. I bought a large butternut squash last week and now have enough puree for 20 babies. There's barely room in the freezer. But the biggest benefit, in my opinion, is that when you make it yourself, you know exactly what's in it. If you have a look at the fine print on the Earth's Best organic sweet potato and chicken dinner for example, you will see that the chicken is mechanically separated. What does that mean? Well, according to the USDA, mechanically separated chicken is “…a paste-like and batter-like poultry product produced by forcing bones with attached edible tissue through a sieve or similar device under high pressure to separate bone from the edible tissue”.Didn't have time to make your own before? You may now. Yes, the chicken is organic, but I still don't like the idea of giving it to my baby (or anyone else for that matter). Fortunately, manufacturers are legally obliged to state that their meat or poultry is mechanically separated, so do read your labels carefully.Whether you make none, some or all of your own baby food, there's no judgment here. I know how incredibly hard it can be to juggle work, home and kids, and I have several friends who just don't cook, pure and simple. But if you do decide to give it a try, good on you. www.wholesomebabyfood.com is a fantastic resource for weaning schedules and recipe tips. Making puree is easy, quick, cheap and it's kind of satisfying watching your baby wolf down something you made yourself. On the other hand, it's mortifying when they spit it out and reject it but in those cases (and it happens to everyone), there is a solution. See below for some quick tips. Homemade baby food is more versatile than you might think!Versatile uses for baby food (my top 5)1. Feed the babyThis is after all what baby food is for. Feel proud of yourself if it's accepted but don't get too disheartened if it's not. See below.2. Trick your toddlerHiding vegetables in sauces is an age-old trick and the hallmark of the now infamous ‘Deceptively Delicious' book. If your baby rejects pureed spinach or pumpkin it doesn't have to go to waste. Stir a few spoons or frozen cubes into bolognaise sauce, pizza sauce or mac ‘n' cheese (a healthy version please!) for your fussy toddler.3. Trick your spouseThe lovely husband hates spinach and refuses to eat it, point blank. I'd have to drug him if I wanted to get it past his lips…. Or I'd just have to hide spinach puree in his beef and lentil chili. Which I have done almost every week. For years.4. Make a smoothieIt's unlikely that any fruit puree you make will get rejected, but if it does just add frozen cubes to a little natural yoghurt and banana in a blender, and hey presto, a healthy smoothie. Alternatively, try mixing it with something else your baby may not like something in isolation, but love it in combination with another fruit or vegetable.5. Make cementIf all else fails, baby food can be used to make glue or cement, depending on your household needs. Any combination with potato is especially useful for this purpose. I found a wayward splash of sweet potato puree on the kitchen counter a few days after introducing it to Chloe. It took five minutes of maximum arm power and a scrubbing brush to get the bugger off. Contact a construction company if you have a batch of rejected potato puree in your freezer, they will probably buy it off you.The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda[AT]gmail.com