Alternative to PAPER for baby to eat?

[Limabean1975]

Like so many babies, she loooooves to eat paper. It keeps her occupied for ages. Has anyone found something just as appealing to a baby, but, you know, something that is actual food? I figure at least I could get some bleach-free-ink-free-organic paper or something, but it's still not going to be meant for human consumption!

[mamadelbosque]

If your feeling rich theres edible paper

[Kimchee]

What about sheets of nori (seaweed)? It softens when it gets wet and might 'stick' to her skin, so the down-side is that you might have to pick nori off her hands/face when she's done... But it is nutritious!
Cheers,
Kim

[AllyRae]

Yep, I was going to suggest Nori too.

[Limabean1975]

Great idea! I will try Nori and report back. Off to Google edible paper, too.

[littlemizflava]

its funny first thing i thought of is something like puff pastry baked on a cookie sheet or some other really flakie thing like croissants.

[rainyday]

One of those sheets of rice paper (for wrapping wontons and so forth)? That might be papery enough!

[Limabean1975]

So, she liked the Nori to snack on, but I don't think it's going to do as a stand-in for paper/cardboard. The reasons:

1: It dissolves too easily and doesn't give her the right texture.
2: A little messy. No biggie, but bits stick all over her skin that are hard to wipe off.
3: She stinks like fish!

[proudmomof4]

Gotta love that sushi baby!

[Koalamom]

This is just what I needed to read. My baby (9 months) loves paper. I try to keep it away from him, but he always gets a hold of some somehow. I did try thicker seaweed (kombu) and he liked it, but lost interest quickly. Is there something he is subconsciously craving that is in paper?

[bright_eyes]

Thought I'd chime in as well to say that I have a baby that LOVES paper, as well! I've been meaning to try out nori but, given your review of it, I'm not sure it would work.

[kdescalzi]

So happy to hear that dd is not strange. She loves paper...if she is quiet for a long time we know she has found paper. I was starting to get worried about her. Is there really such thing as edible paper?? I will be looking into that. I have no advice because to my dd diserning paper palate, nothing is better than the real thing

[mommy212]

phillo (or phyllo) dough, baked. Not the most nutritious thing in the world as it only comes in white but it does a very good job as a stand in for paper.

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by bluebirdmama1

Is there something he is subconsciously craving that is in paper?

In my completely unprofessional opinion, naaahhh. IN an older child or adult, paper eating can definitely be a sign of some nutrient deficiency (Dr. Google says so!), but babies just like to eat so many things, I would not assume it was a cause for worry all on it's own.

Kdescalzi, there really is edible paper, but I gather that it is very rapidly dissolving and therefore would not meet the discerning requirements of our little paper connoisseurs. Apparently it is commonly used novelty cakes - print a photo in edible ink, place the paper on the cake, it dissolves in and voila, icing with a photo on it.

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by mommy212

phillo (or phyllo) dough, baked. Not the most nutritious thing in the world as it only comes in white but it does a very good job as a stand in for paper.

Oh! I must try that one.

[Koalamom]

Originally Posted by Limabean1975

In my completely unprofessional opinion, naaahhh. IN an older child or adult, paper eating can definitely be a sign of some nutrient deficiency (Dr. Google says so!), but babies just like to eat so many things, I would not assume it was a cause for worry all on it's own.

Yes but the insanity that comes with them going crazy for paper and leaping out of our arms to get it is crazier than anything else I have seen. It is like the local grocery flyer is laced with some kind of baby drug. Or the toilet paper... We keep that out of reach now as large portions have gone missing and the only one around is baby.

[blumooned]

I think I read somewhere that tortillas might work for little paper-eaters. I'd think flour would be more papery than corn. We usually but whole wheat flour tortillas, & they do kind of separate into papery pieces.

[StrongBeliever]

Does anyone remember eating paper as a kid? I wasn't a paper eater, but I did do a lot of licking the fold on paper to get it to tear along the line thing... And honestly, it tastes kind of good... I think it leaves a whole mouth aftertaste/feeling. Maybe that taste/feeling comes from chemicals. Anyway, I think maybe you could make your own paper, a la craft tutorial. Blenderize a while bunch of dried fibrous herbs... Alfalfa, nettle, maybe put some mint in there for the weird taste/mouth-feel and maybe some other longer stringier things like wheat grass or something. I think you just... Oh hey, wait! I'm not a loon... Look at this. If you left out the caustic soda I think it would be a marginally nutritious choice for a baby to chew on. Maybe just cook the stuff, blend, drain on mesh, let dry, give to baby.

ETA: Imagine how much a baby would go after that if you make it into a book with cotton string or something. Then they would feel like they were eating a catalog or magazine, just like the real deal. *haha*

[mouso]

DD loved paper and now DS does as well. The list at the grocery store? OMG, he has a fit to try to get it. Paper crinkles, of course, so I think the noise is a big draw as well.
He ate part of a catalog yesterday. I'll have to try tortillas...I hate seaweed and fish so a baby that smells like fish...No. Just...no.

[Limabean1975]

DH tried giving DD tortillas the other day (before I read the idea here) and...DING DING DING! We have a winner! It's not paper....but it is pretty darn good. Next I just might go so far as to make homemade herbal paper. But maybe not.