Maybe this post will get some readers upset with me. Yep, I cook a big pot of porridge, freeze them, heat them up for G everyday - a cube a day. I've been doing this for a week, and so far, G is fine. No tummy upsets or whatsoever.
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| Brocolli-potato-carrot-egg yolk puree |
You see, my mum stopped taking care of G last month. Now G is sent to the nursery downstairs of our condo - for the sake of our convenience. No own-cooked food allowed, not Chinese operated, there, I think I've said enough and you get the gist.
Ok, why a nursery and not a nanny. Don't ask.
I can only give them G's cereals (Cerelac) and basically G's surviving on milk and cereals only the whole day. They cook soft rice (and soup) too, but I don't think G's ready for rice. They agree to cook porridge for G, but I never asked what type of porridge, just have to trust them I guess.
Ok, why a nursery and not a nanny. Don't ask.
I can only give them G's cereals (Cerelac) and basically G's surviving on milk and cereals only the whole day. They cook soft rice (and soup) too, but I don't think G's ready for rice. They agree to cook porridge for G, but I never asked what type of porridge, just have to trust them I guess.
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| Brocolli puree added into porridge |
The only way I can think of is freezing porridge using baby cubes. I want him to have home cooked porridge everyday at least for one meal (until he is ready for adult solid food which he can eat in the nursery). And there's no time to cook porridge by the time I reach home from work everyday. So the only way is to freeze & reheat (in a hot water bath).
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| Chicken-fish-pumpkin-carrot-egg yolk puree porridge |
Ok, you may say - use the slow cooker. Errr, 13 hours cooking in the slow cooker, from 6am til 7pm? (I leave the house at 6.30am and back to the house at 7pm). The porridge would have turned sourish & "out of taste" (believe me, I've tried that).
And.... It's just two tablespoons of porridge. 13 hours boiling. Go imagine.
Pick a good nursery where they cook good, wholesome nutritional meals for the kids and the caregivers are trained to do their job.
ReplyDeleteMany fly by night places...all out to make money and corporal punishment is the order of the day...and yet there are many irresponsible parents who are only too pleased to find some place to dump the kids they have produced, never mind the consequences - immediate or in later years. Not easy being parents these days.
Yep, agree, not easy being a parents.. Not easy to find a nanny too.. The previous one, if you read my story, was a problem, so we stopped her service and asked for mum's help.. Mum surrendered after taking care of G for 3 months. Now still finding a suitable nanny - fingers crossed..
DeleteWhy not go around some nursery, survey them, see which one is better....
ReplyDeleteMost nurseries around my area only accept toddlers above 3. 3 is the minimum age. Others are too far. The rest opens at 8am - too late (we leave the house at 6.45am). Meantime, this has to do, still looking for a nanny currently.
DeleteHope this nursery pays some attention to your kid. Did baby G cry when you left him there on the first day? I am sure he did.. sigh.. As working mothers, we will face this problem, huh... but during my time, it was easy to find babysitter around my area. Most aunties there like to jaga babies.. but nowadays, most ladies are working and not many aunties around anymore to do babysitting..
ReplyDeleteI am not sure whether the porridge can maintain its goodness after a week or not, not a food nutritionist but I can imagine what my mom will say if I do that... hahahaa.. .
Morning dear. My mum and MIL would have said the same thing, so I didn't let them know.
DeleteHubby is ok with this arrangement becoz we have no other choice. He suggested cooking fresh porridge every evening, but I asked one question - you need to cook dinner, and then cook the porridge too, you have the time? Then go ahead, coz I'll be back after 7pm+
Yep, not easy finding a nanny. I think this my-mum-and-nanny thing have been going on before CNY til now. I also fedup actually, hehe..
Well, we can store our breastmilk in the freezer, thaw and reheat to offer to babies. Why can't porridge be the same? In my opinion, as long as the porridge is properly heated up, it should be okay. Babies of less than 6 months can take reheated frozen breastmilk, why can't the porridge be the same. Doesn't make sense. I support you. Frozen and reheat homecooked porridge is even more nutritious than outside "cook now" food which could be having too much salt and "ajinomoto".
DeleteMorning, twin! There is nothing wrong with freezing the porridge. Very practical and G gets nutritious home cooked food. My cousin's wife did the same thing for their kiddo. When he was able to digest more complex food, she add choi sum and flaked fish to the porridge. So when time to makan, just defrost and heat up. Their boy is very healthy. It's great that you found a nursery just downstairs your condo. Hopes that they take good care of G and everything works out well.
ReplyDeleteHi sweetie twin. If you read my story, you know I've been struggling with this whole mum-nanny-nursery-kindy-begging-neighbors-begging-mum-and-mum-surrendered thingy.. I'm fedup too. Meantime, this solution has to do, we are still looking for a nanny.
DeleteIn US, I saw several day care centres specially for old invalid parents and small kids in the city. I watched the cars dropping them off early each morning from the bedroom window of my boarding school and found it very clever & innovative business to cater for modern needs. They will pick them up after work like 6-7pm. We should open such outlets here in KL and you will sign up, right?
DeleteWow, if we have this kinda centers here, I would sign up without thinking for a second, really! The problem with daycare is they don't open early.. They open at a fixed time, nomatter how much you beg them..
DeleteHope you will find a better nursery that cook for your kids. More convenient.
ReplyDeleteI understand your predicament. Hard and yet we have to go through all these stuff. Be strong, Louiz!
Thank Rose.. Yeah, I'm going thru it now, a little at a time.. Still getting used to the routine, after mum suddenly ask me to take back G asap, gosh!
DeleteNo worries....you are doing what you have to do for your children. Only mother knows the best (like what my son said). I don't think freezing baby food is wrong. When it is frozen, basically, the food are kept fresh. When he grows, you can change his menu already. Gambatte .....
ReplyDeleteI've done a lot of researches and browsed thru the internet and mummy forum before I decide to freeze my porridge.. Seems ok (fingers crossed) and nothing happened yet.. It's just for short term, like for another few months.. Once he is older and ready for adult food, he will eat what the others are eating, and will eat what we are having for dinner..
DeleteEeeeeeyer .. eat this daily ?? Being them to mcd la. Lol
ReplyDeleteAdoi what a horrible papa! Eat junk food and hair will drop la.
DeleteDropping already .... middle got ozone hole liao !
DeleteHi Chris, you and your McD! Hahahaha.. G eats porridge in the nursery too, that's what they tell me.. He's not ready for rice yet, else, I can give him whatever we are having for dinner everyday..
DeleteYour idea of convenience is definitely good and easy but I might spoil your mood now..... I was told by old wives tales that frozen porridge is not healthy even though we heat them up to boil the next day. They say there will be lots of wind accumulated up in our body system which is not right for health. Most sifu chefs in restaurants will not keep left over porridge in the fridge and save for next day unlike cooked rice. They will throw them away or probably let the staff take home. Maybe you can save them in slow cooker that will keep them warm for next few days without getting cold. It won't turn sourish if kept warm enough. Their theory is when it gets hot, cold and hot again, the wind sets in. I sound like a grandma this morning. Muahahaha
ReplyDeleteYep, I know.. My mum and MIL will nag about this, that's why I never let them know.. Well, my mum has no right to nag, she's the one who doesn't wana take care of G now.. If she dares to nag, I'll ask her to shut up. Yes, really! Call me rude, I don't care, I'll ask her to shut up.
DeleteI tried the slow cooker, but it's just two tablespoon of rice wor.. Cook from 6am til 7pm wor.. Okok, maybe I'll give the slow cooker another try..
oh, i think you mentioned about this before in one of your posts.. you mashed all you want and cooked porridge for G, then you freeze them and then give it to your mum to feed G.. but that time your mum was still taking care of G, now you are giving the frozen porridge to the nursery..
ReplyDeleteNo la, previously, I prepared the purees (steamed vege+meat) for mum. Mum dumped into the porridge when she cooks it every morning. G is of coz more "hou meang" when he is with my mum. He eats fresh food everyday.
DeleteNope, not giving these frozen porridge to the nursery. They don't allow outside food. They will cook their own porridge for G. But being a kiasu mum, I want G to eat MY food, so I reheat these frozen porridge in the evening after I come back from work..
Deleteahhh.. i see, hehehe!! a bit blur this morning lah, though it's Wednesday already but because of the holiday yesterday, it feels like Monday today lor.. okay okay, now you elaborated in more details, i am clearer already.. :p
Deleteoh, no own-cooked food allowed in the nursery ah?? hmm, that makes me curious what they feed the kids lor.. sounds like restaurants not allowing outside food lor.. gives me the impression that they are so strict with the hygiene and nutrition of the food they served the kids woh, so have you asked them what kind of food they feed the kids, and what are the ingredients?? hmmm, surely won't be as "bou" as your all-in-one porridge or puree that has everything inside lor..
ReplyDeleteNot Chinese operated, so must be "H" food.. So they don't allow us to bring own cooked food inside la.. Yep, call them everyday.. In fact, just gave them a call when I'm typing this comment.. They fed G with brocolli+potato porridge today..
Deleteoh i see, understand now that they worry the parents brought in non-halal food and this is a disrespect to the Muslims.. haha, so they have different kinds/flavors of porridge to feed the kids everyday?? okaylah, not bad also lah..
DeleteLei jau seong lor.. Lei jau hoi wai, everyday different flavours?
DeleteInitially, it was just plain white porridge. But I kinda bodek and made some noise, so they added potato and brocoli this week..
Bigger kids eat better.. Morning cereals with milk or bread.. Lunch they have rice with fish, soup and vegetables.. Tea time they have fried bihun or pasta.. But G's not ready for all those yet..
Hi Louiz,
ReplyDeleteMe upset with frozen porridge??? Nay! I strongly believe that all mums need sanity and convenience. Yes yes yes... Freezer is one the greatest invention in the world and I can't live without it :D
Go ahead... Just cook anything freezable and freeze them.
Zoe
OMG Zoe, you made my day! Reading this comment is enuff for today :)
Deleteerrr, why upset leh?? i am not upset with your frozen porridge lah, because i am not the one eating, muahahahahaha!! sorry, just kidding lah.. but then you have very valid reasons why you want to do that.. you aren't such a free full-time staying-at-home mommy who can cook every meal for the kids mah, do whatever comes most convenient for yourself lor.. as long as you don't go too overboard like you one shot cook one month's porridge for G.. haha!! :D
ReplyDeleteOne shot cook one month's porridge? I laugh until my "pei see" and "pei tai" (nose shit and nose goo) all oozed out man !!!!!
Deleteyierr, so gory lah.. i hope you are not laughing when you are cooking the porridge for G lor.. else all your "pei see" and "pei tai" dropped into his porridge leh.. errr, or maybe your "pei see" and "pei tai" are very "bou" one?? haha~~ :D
Deleteyalah, where got people cook porridge for 13 hours geh?? haha, not everything can be cooked in slow cooker one.. for example ABC soup if cooked in slow cooker, sure kaput one.. maybe only expensive ingredients are more qualify lah, the cheap things like ABC just big fire "guan yat guan" (boil one boil) already very nice jor.. that's why lor, we understand where you come from lah.. but hor, if your office is more flexible that type, cook it in the office microwave before you go home lah, haha~~ bring back just nice for G to makan :D
ReplyDeleteYou are very clever SK.. Yeah, not everything can be cooked in slow cooker.. Try boiling certain soup (like ABC) and it taste like plain water!
Delete13 hours cooking habis la your electricity bill. meletup loh
ReplyDeleteat least he will have home cooked porridge la. If you keep it clean then should be no tummy upset la. i did that before. Just heat up when needed.
ReplyDeletecan question the principal and also see parents there what food the kiddie give to the kids lor.
ReplyDelete1) 13 hours cooking 2 tablespoon of porridge
Delete2) I am still thinking of alternatives, if I can't think of anything else, then "kak ngang" feed our white rice with gravy kua, a few biji also nevermind lor.. Train him up to eat rice?
3) I call everyday to check.. Seems ok kut, porridge with potatoes and brocolli and other vegetables.. Have to trust lor..
I've been making big batches of food for my baby boy and freezing them into cubes too! It's totally fine as long as you don't refreeze it and use it within 24 hours after thawing.
ReplyDeleteElo trishie, nice to see you here.. Good to see your idea too, at least I know I'm not alone :)
DeleteI think freezing them are fine as long as you don't freeze them for a very, very long time. One to two weeks for one batch should be ok. Don't worry about this too much. Soon G will be older and can get the food cooked by the nursery.
ReplyDeleteBeen thinking to train him up to start eating rice (with soup or gravy) now.. If I can't think of anything else, then I will feed him soft rice with gravy every evening to start with.. Even he can take in a few biji also good enuff liao kua..
DeleteWell, I truly understand your condition. Don't feel bad or blame yourself, I am sure you have think of whatever possible ways!
ReplyDeleteJust make sure you taste the frozen porridge before giving to G. Though sometimes we think it's safe but it's frozen food afterall, don't take the risk.
Gambateh mummy!
Yeap, I test every meal that I feed him, coz I wana know how it taste like too..
DeleteStill thinking of alternatives, won't be long term.. I hope he eats rice soon..
There's no love like a mom's love. And you're a wonderful mom, Princess. Keep up the spirit. *Like*
ReplyDeleteWooaahh... i have always wanted to try slow cooker for porridge in the morning but till now i haven't doing them.. haha..
ReplyDeleteread this post from Rose's post :)