Puffs have been a longtime favorite with moms of babies delving into the world of finger foods. They're small, yummy, and melt in the mouth! HappyBaby makes a line of Puffs that are not only organic, but also composed of whole grains and with half the sugar of many other brands. Their packaging is composed of 25% recycled materials and fully recyclable making them not only good for baby but good for the Earth.

HappyBaby Organic Puffs come in three flavors - banana, apple and greens. A six-pack of the two-ounce packages generally retails for $24 on Amazon but is currently marked 23% off for $18. Combine offers and the savings really add up: You can save an extra 15% if you sign up for Subscribe & Save, and HappyBaby Organic Puffs also qualify for Free Super Saver Shipping. - Jenn

If you are planning a shower for a soon-to-be-mom, here's a great reusable and practical gift idea. The small-sized recycled plastic plates that Preserve makes are perfect for both the shower (for cake and munchies) and for the young eater that will be sitting in a high chair, demanding more crackers, in less than a year.

My friend did this for me and it was great. She bought the 7" plates for the shower, and afterwards I got all of them as a little after-gift, neatly cleaned and placed into a ziplock bag so I'd be able to store them easily. Once my little boy got old enough for finger foods - usually between 8 months old and a year, or so - I pulled those little plates back out and he loves them. They are the right size for him, top-rack dishwasherable, non-breakable, and brightly colored. Everyone wins. And at less than 50 cents a plate, if we take one to a friend's house or a restaurant and accidentally lose it, it isn't the end of the world. I think in the last 8 months we've lost four out of the original ten - not too bad.

These plates are #5 plastic (polypropylene), which is BPA-free and durable. My local natural food store carries the plates, but you can also order them online from Preserve directly. I'd be willing to bet the plates-cups-utensils set is a great deal, although I haven't tried it myself. - Leigh G.

A few recent articles on the web (both NYTimes and Slate) left me wondering - is it really that easy to make your own yogurt? Can I really save money by doing this? And maybe most of all, is it worth the effort?

So I embarked recently on my virginal yogurt-making adventure, and it was all I hoped for and more. By following the NY Times' recipe, I was able to make very nice whole milk yogurt in about 10 minutes out of my day. Total cost was just about half that of my regular, plain, whole milk yogurt that I buy for my baby. And the slightly different texture and taste were accepted readily by my sometimes picky child.

I discovered two pitfalls from the mom and baby perspective. First, as a mom, remember that milk boils over really quickly. Don't try to heat it up while doing any hardcore multitasking - it will almost certainly boil over and make your house smell like burnt stovetop residue for an hour or two. However, overheating the milk seems to have had zero effect on the finished product. Now, for the baby, I realize I should have tried the draining technique (referred to ask making it more like "Greek Yogurt" in the recipe) because my end product was a tad runny. Not in a bad or dysfunctional way, but in a way that thwarted my budding spoon user and created more of a mess than usual. Draining the yogurt, which might add 5 minutes, seems like it will make a sturdier, more baby spoon friendly, product.

The verdict is that I felt this was totally worth it. It is fast, easy, and saves money. I plan to make yogurt regularly from now on. Maybe you should give it a shot! - Leigh G.

Amazon is currently offering $15 off Bella Baby organic frozen baby foods plus a free Earthwise Grocery Shopping bag when you spend $59 or more with the code EARTH222. Add to that the fact that Bella Baby products are eligible for free shipping, and you've got a pretty sweet deal. Two packages of their mix and match flavors would generally run you around $70. During this promotion two packages will total $55, a 22% savings off the regular price.

If you aren't familiar with Bella Baby products, they're mix-and-match organic foods for babies. Each selection is flash frozen to ensure freshness and protect nutrients. The unique packet design protects against freezer burn and order while defrosting quickly, making it a great choice even for parents on the go! Bella Baby Mix & Match flavors come in four varieties - Apricot, Mango & Pear; Green Bean, Carrot & Peach; Pumpkin, Spinach, & Apple; and Green Pea, Banana & Corn. - Jenn

Once a baby can handle foods with a bit of texture (somewhere around 7 to 10 months old), it is a great idea to get familiar with the bulk aisle of a natural grocery store. This aisle, which is often intimidating for someone not used to cooking with whole grains, is chock full of nutritious, easy to cook, and very inexpensive foods for your baby.

Below, I've compiled some favorite recipes for cooking bulk aisle picks for babies. All of these recipes involve simmering, which as a bonus means that if you transfer the final product directly into the fridge, the food will easily keep for 3 or 4 days. I always make at least 1 cup (dry) of whatever at a time, which typically yields 3 to 5 cups cooked. For easy of translating these recipes into different quantities according to your needs, I listed all the amounts as ratios instead of cups or pounds. The one caveat to this is that once you get below about 1 cup of liquid, recipes tend to go haywire. So, for instance, if your recipe is 1:4 grain to water, cook at least 1/4 (and preferably 1/2) a cup of grains so that you are at or over 1 cup of liquid.

Here are a few bulk aisle picks that my baby loves:

Beluga lentils

• Ratio: 1:4 lentils to liquid


• Directions: Bring to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes. Drain if desired.


• Tasty tip: Extra flavorful if cooked in dilute stock.

Steel cut oats

• Ratio: 1:4 oats to water


• Directions: Bring oats to a boil, then simmer very low for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.


• Tasty tip: Especially tasty with a tiny dash of maple syrup (for moms and dads)

Pearled barley

• Ratio: At least 1:4 barley to liquid


• Directions: Simmer in water or dilute chicken or vegetable stock for 35 to 40 minutes. Drain if desired.


• Tasty tip: Great if cooked in the same pot as the beluga lentils!

Quinoa

• Ratio: 1:2 quinoa (KEEN-wa) to water.


• Directions: Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 10 to 15 minutes. Quinoa will be soft and translucent when done.


• Tasty tip: Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top for extra flavor.

Polenta-style cornmeal

• Ratio: 1:3 polenta to water or dilute stock


• Directions: Simmer very low for 25 minutes.


• Serving tip: Make sure to let it cool adequately before serving - polenta will retain heat more than the other recipes here.

Whole wheat couscous

• Ratio: 1:1.5 couscous to liquid.


• Directions: Boil liquid, stir in couscous, return to a boil, then cover and set on the counter for about 5 minutes.


• Tasty tip: A mixture of tomato soup and water is really tasty for the liquid portion.

Bon appetit! - Leigh G.