Hi mamas! I've read a few times on here that some moms make rice & pasta over the w/e to have it ready for a throw-together dinner during the week. Rice I have no problem with, but how do you store pasta without it getting all dried & sticky & nasty?
My 9mo old eats regular table food already and loves those little pre-packaged pasta/rice meals in a cup (ex- spaghetti-o's, chicken & noodles, chicken & rice, turkey, veggies & rice). I'd really rather make them myself or have them prepped for the nanny so she (who doesn't cook anyway) doesn't have to try to cook with our 9mo old & her own 12 mo old under foot during the day. She has no problem cutting up fresh fruits & veggies or fixing up some oatmeal in the microwave, etc for the little ones, but since she doesn't cook I don't want to put too much pressure on her to start now. We figured he'd still be mostly eating jar food through the end of the year when her time with us will end, so it wouldn't have been an issue.
Any other ideas for quick & healthy meals for the little guy? I feel like we feed him the same things all the time & he needs some variety! He does eat a lot of leftovers too.
I 'revive' leftover pasta by putting in in a strainer over boiling water steam until hot. it is like 'just cooked'
The pasta you cook, then let cool down and place in a ziplock bag and store in the fridge. Then all you need to do to get it warm is run under hot water, or toss in pan of boiling water just for a quick minute.
Add a little oil to your cooking water and rinse with cold water. It helps to cut down on some of the stickiness.
I cook my pasta with a tiny bit of olive oil. When I have some leftover, I store it in a glass or tupperware container and it is never too stocky to use. When you reheat it, if it is a little gunky, just drizzle a tiny bit more olive oil on it. Olive oil is good for you and the little guy both!
Your baby should be able to eat pretty much whatever you are eating, unless it is very spicy. Just puree it or mash it down or whatever you need to do to make it small enough for him to safely eat.
Remember that all those processed 'baby meals' and things at the supermarket have tons of preservatives, and artificial ingredients in them. You'll know exactly what healthy fresh food your little guy is eating if you are eating the same thing!
Try corncakes (like making pancakes with cornmeal, only savory instead of sweet) or polenta with tomato sauce. My whole family loves it and it's nice and soft and easy to eat!
if i'm going to freeze pasta i freeze it with the sauce mixed in.
pasta freezes surprisingly well. just toss into boiling water and it's back!
khairete
S.
