Bon Appetit Baby: How to Make Your Own Baby Food

You don't have to be Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray to make your own baby food. Creating it is really quite simple. By following a few simple steps you can go from the produce department of your local grocery store to delicious, nutritious baby food in no time.

Supplies

Before you begin, you will need a few things to get you started. First, you will need a blender or food processor that has the ability to puree food. If you choose to make food in advance and freeze it, you will also need a few ice cube trays and some freezer bags.

In addition to supplies, you will also need the food! It does not have to be anything fancy. You can purchase whatever produce you normally would for your family. Mild fruits and vegetables are best. Take a stroll down the baby food aisle at your local grocery store to see what types of foods are best for baby's palette. The smaller 2.5 oz jars are things you should start out with sometime between 4 and 6 months. These include things like green beans, carrots, and pears. Once baby's palette accepts these you can move to more interesting food combinations.

Food Preparation

Once you bring your food home, clean it thoroughly. Use water and a vegetable brush to thoroughly scrub each piece Even if you are going to be peeling your food, clean it anyway. The dirt and other residue will get on your fingers as you peel it and end up in the baby's food. If you prefer, you can also buy a fruit and vegetable wash at your local health food store.

Most foods should be cooked prior to pureeing it for baby. These include vegetables and some fruits. Some advocate that babies should begin eating raw fruits at 6 months. While it is healthier to eat raw apples, pears, peaches and the like, it is not recommended by all. For my children, I cook everything except bananas because we have multiple food allergies to raw fruits that run in our family. Talk to your pediatrician and decide what works best for you and your baby.

When cooking the food, you can cook it as you would your own family's food but without adding any seasoning. You can steam, bake, boil it or even microwave it. Save the water the food cooks in to use in preparation later.

You can also cook meat for your baby. You can bake it or cook it on the stovetop. Do not, however, fry it or use any kind of oil to prepare it. Fats are hard for the body to break down and better to feed to a child once they start eating table food. This should be around their first birthday.

Once you have your food prepared as you desire, cut it into small pieces (if it isn't already) and place it in the blender or food processor and puree it. For most vegetables you will need to add some amount of water. Use the water you used while cooking the vegetables as it contains many valuable nutrients. The amount of water needed varies from vegetable to vegetable. Begin by adding a little water and add more as needed until you get it to a consistency that is appropriate for your baby. Meat requires a substantial amount of water.

If you are unsure what consistency to make the food, buy a jar of baby food at the grocery store that is appropriate for your baby's age (stage 1, 2, etc) and try to duplicate it's consistency. As baby gets older and is able to chew, you can leave the food lumpier and a thicker consistency.

Once your food has at the right consistency, you have officially made your own baby food!

Storing the Food

Now that you have your baby food, you have to determine how you will store it. The food will keep in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. If you have made more than a two day supply, you have the option of freezing it for later.

Standard ice cube trays are perfect for freezing baby food. Not only do the trays freeze the food in manageable cubes, they also freeze it in one ounce portions. These small amounts make it easy to get the perfect portion for your baby. Once cubes are frozen, you can transfer them to freezer bags for storage. Food cubes will safely keep in the freezer for up to two months. Date each freezer bag to ensure food is fresh.

Thawing each food cube is easy. Determine the amount of food you want to use. Warm it up in a microwave safe bowl on a low power so food does not get overly hot. Stir the food and test the temperature. Once the food is the right temperature, you are ready for your eager little taste tester to do his or her part. Eat!

Although making your own baby food may sound a little overwhelming, it is really very easy. With a few supplies and a little cooking ability, anyone can make their own baby food.
Source: "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron (F.J. Roberts Publishing Company, 1998)