How did I know that my baby was ready for whole foods? Will has been an amazing eater, he never misses a meal. He has been breastfeeding five times a day and two times at night since he was three months old. The addition of the whole foods to his daily routine allowed him to satisfy his need to hold a spoon and sippy cup copying my eating and drinking habits. At four months he kept trying to take my spoon, grab my plate and hold my cup. He would watch me as I was eating with his mouth open and get excited every-time I would take a bite reaching for my folk only to grasp air. I confirmed my finds with Will's pediatrician and got he go ahead to start whole foods.

With my son starting to eat whole foods, eating organic was my main concern. We have options living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having great weather all year round we are fortunate to have choices when it comes to eating seasonal foods. I had planned on taking advantage of my options.

1. Farmer's Market is a great place to find locally grow, organic foods. This way you support your neighbors and get fresh produce. This is a great option for those that want to eat organic seasonal foods but are not interested in growing your own organic fruits and vegetables.

2. Supermarkets are now offering more organic produce so look for the organic labels or organic section when purchasing fruit and vegetables.

3. Limited space in your yard? Start with a small garden on your balcony or porch perhaps a herb garden or try a dwarf citrus tree. We have dwarf lime and lemon trees by our back door. It is also nice to have an herb garden so that you can take clippings of an herb and throw it in your meal. Always nice to add a cut of fresh cilantro for my Enchiladas.

4. Large backyard? If you are lucky enough to have the space for a garden and you want to grow your own food, talk to locals who have established gardens in your area. This way you can learn what grows best and learn from their past mistakes.

In our backyard we have an apple, an asian plum and a pear tree all producing edible fruit. We also have tomatoes and strawberries growing. Next we are looking to remove some concrete from our driveway to make room for a large vegetable and herb garden.

Will’s Eating Schedule at 4 months

We introduced smashed bananas, smashed avocados and Rice Cereal. I just peel the banana place it in a bowl and mash it was a fork until the banana resembles a glossy liquid without chunks. This meal is very easy for Will to swallow. I do the same for the Avocado, mash it until it is smooth. This was an easy meal for me to prepare since you do not have to cook the bananas or avocados. I choose to feed him these as an afternoon snack.

As for the Rice Cereal I choose the brand Earth’s Best Organic Rice Cereal with no GEI (Genetically Engineered Ingredients) as his 8 am morning breakfast.