RESOLVE TO GIVE BABIES HOMEMADE, NOT STORE-BOUGHT,
FOOD IN NEW YEAR, AUTHOR URGES

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Dec. 23 -- Here's a twist on the new
year's resolution to diet and eat right:  give babies homemade food.
	Although the convenience of commercial baby foods is
tempting, Susan Tate Firkaly, author of the recently published "Into
the Mouths of Babes," advocates making food at home for nutritional,
economic and health reasons.  
	An assistant professor in the University of Virginia's
School of Medicine, Firkaly believes that homemade food offers
nutritional quality that is superior to commercially produced
items.  Homemade food also does not contain preservatives that
lengthen shelf life of commercial items, she notes.
	Some commercially produced foods contain a modified starch
to keep ingredients from separating and to act as a thickening
agent.  "The starch is treated with acids in the process of being
made into an unnecessary additive.  When food items are made at
home, parents gain control of the ingredients going into their
children's mouths," said Firkaly, who is also associate director for
health promotion in U.Va.'s Department of Student Health.
	If food allergies develop in children, parents who give
their offspring homemade food often have a less frustrating
experience in determining the allergins than those who rely heavily
on convenience or commercial items.  Some of the most common foods
that cause allergies, such as milk, wheat, corn and eggs, may not be
obvious in commercial food products.  In addition, commercial foods
often contain artificial additives and dyes that are frequent causes
of allergies, said Firkaly, who researched and updated information
for the new edition of the book, first published in 1984.
	Foods least likely to cause allergic reactions include such
grains as rice, oats and barley; fruits such as peaches, pears,
bananas and grapes; and vegetables such as squash and sweet
potatoes, she notes.
	Making baby food at home saves money, notes the author and
frequent lecturer.  "When parents make their baby food, there is no
added expense for labor, bright packaging or advertising.  The cost
of a baby food jar alone often comprises one-third of the amount
passed on to the consumer," said Firkaly, who has raised two healthy
children on a homemade natural-foods diet.
	Although acknowledging that it is easy for time-strapped
parents to rely on prepared foods, Firkaly notes that steaming
vegetables and cooking pre-ground grains will not take many
minutes.  
	Few additional kitchen items are needed to prepare homemade
food easily.  She suggests having a blender, grater, steam basket
and pressure cooker, and highly recommends using a baby food grinder
when preparing foods for infants.
	Babies can follow a natural, nutritious progression eating
foods that Firkaly breaks down into five major categories: beginner
recipes for babies around 6 months of age, intermediate recipes for
those 7 to 9 months, advanced recipes for 10- to 12-month-old
babies, and "toddle food" for infants aged 1 to 3.  For households
with children older than 3, she offers a variety of "whole family"
recipes such as baked apple pancakes, spaghetti squash and peanut
butter balls. 
	The economical, easy-to-make, vitamin-packed,
preservative-free recipes come with time saving tips.  "It shouldn't
be hard to feed a hungry child healthfully," Firkaly said.
###
December 22, 1995
	FOR MORE INFORMATION, Susan Tate Firkaly can be reached
before Jan. 2 at (540) 456-8659; after that date, she'll be at (804)
924-1509.