For over 75 years, my family has owned and operated a small Italian restaurant in New York. As a young child, I'd watch in awe as homemade pasta was shaped into little spinach and ricotta ravioli, or deep purple eggplant was sliced, breaded and fried in olive oil and fragrant garlic. I was always offered a taste, and elicited loud cries of enthusiasm whenever I accepted. I strongly believe that my love for trying new tastes and flavors stems directly from those early days in which I was encouraged to experience such a broad array of new and interesting ingredients in the kitchen of their restaurant; I was never fed 'typical' baby food and I think that positively shaped me into the adventurous, joyful eater I am today.
When my son, Cooper, was born prematurely, I was inspired to learn all I could about infant and child nutrition in order to give him the very best chance at a healthy beginning. I made all of his food myself, using fresh, organic produce from local farms. As a self-proclaimed 'foodie,' I took great pleasure in creating a full menu of delicious and nutritious meals for him and watching him thrive on the joy and sustenance of a truly great meal made of farm-fresh ingredients. As soon as it was developmentally appropriate, I made sure that nothing he ate was ordinary; he got early tastes of many food and flavor combinations normally considered "too sophisticated" for a baby's palate.
At first I was surprised at how enthusiastically Cooper gobbled up my creations - I just assumed I'd been blessed with one of those rare 'good eaters.' But over time I had the opportunity to share my food with some friends' growing families. It was amazing to see the pleasure on each parent's face as their normally-picky children suddenly became voracious eaters when exposed to such unique baby meals. I realized that the range of tastes and textures we expose kids to — and not some predetermined pickiness scale — is the real determining factor of how their palates and appetites will develop.
Inspired by what I saw as an opportunity to help parents expose their young children to a wonderful variety of tastes and textures that would set the stage for a lifetime of healthy and joyful food experiences, I created Taste Bud Organic Baby Food.
My sincere wish is that our foods can help you introduce your own children to one of life's simple pleasures, and encourage them to understand and enjoy the benefits of delicious, whole foods creatively prepared and presented.
So get out there and Nurture Good Taste. Naturally.
Sincerely,
Tracey L. Scronic
Founder/CEO
