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 Make
Your Own Homemade Baby Food Making your own baby food can sound overwhelming, but
with a little planning, it can be a rewarding experience for both
you and your baby. Baby food is simply grown up food that’s been
smashed or ground up so that the baby can eat it. They can eat what
you eat if it is prepared for them.
There are many benefits to making your own baby food. If you’ve
looked at the price of baby food lately, you
might be surprised at how high it is. Making
your own food eliminates that cost and the need
to recycle those little jars. Want organic?
If you want your food to be organic and not full
of preservatives, you have to pay more at the
grocery store. No problem, making your own baby food
can be the solution you are looking for.
Most of the equipment you need is probably already in your cabinets.
Adding what is missing is not expensive and may actually save you
money in the end when you factor in the cost of the commercial food
you won’t be buying. You can also go for a baby food maker
like the one from
Kidco. they are not very expensive.
Things you’ll need:
- Food mill, sieve, potato masher, or baby food grinder to
puree
- grain mill or food processor to grind your own rice, barley, and
oatmeal for hot cereals
- blender or hand blender (we like the
Vita-Mix)
- ice cube trays to freeze extras - Unless you want to cook up
food for your child everyday, freezing is the way to go. Instead of
having to make new, you can just pop it in the microwave and be
ready to go in no time. Ice cube trays are a great way to store food
and make convenient portion sizes.
- freezer storage bags or containers
- storage jars or containers
- vegetable steamer - Don’t boil baby food; it takes away
nutrients from your baby’s food. You can get an inexpensive steamer
that cooks quickly and leaves all the vitamins and minerals your
baby needs
- plus pots, pans, colanders, etc.
A portable baby food grinder will help take the hassle out of eating
at a restaurant or at grandma’s. They are inexpensive and easy to
use and most restaurants will be happy to bring you a plain baked
potato or sweet potato or any other steamed veggies. You could even
take them to a daycare if you needed to.
Infants start out eating cereals and pureed fruits and vegetables.
The first step is to wash and skin fruits and vegetables then cut
them up into small pieces. This will make them easier to use later. Steaming the veggies makes them soft and easy to smash and retains
vitamins and minerals lost in the boiling process. Once you’re done
steaming, keep the water. You can add it later to thin out your food
to the right consistency. If you’re preparing meat or pasta, just
cook it on the stove as normal, but don’t add any oil or spices.
As baby grows,
she can eat the same meals as the family, just mashed or pureed to
her needs, allowing her to learn the family’s tastes. There won’t be
any issues introducing table food to her since the flavors will
match what she’s eaten all along, not the flavors of the little jars
in the grocery store.
After your food is prepared, pour it into the ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen,
put 4 of them into a Ziploc back and put them back into the freezer.
At first, you should keep the same kinds of foods in the same bag,
but eventually you can start mixing and matching. For example, put
in two meat cubes and two pasta cubes for a mixed meal.
When you’re ready to go, just take a baggie out of the freezer and
pop it into the microwave; simple as that. If you don’t use
microwaves, you can heat in hot water on the stove; just be sure not
to melt the bag or cook the food more.
Making your own baby food is a rewarding and fun experience. Knowing that
you are in control of the product and your baby’s nutrition will
make the small hassles worthwhile. You will know EXACTLY what is in
the food and that is comforting. When you make your own baby food,
you always have options.
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