How to Make Nutritious Baby Food

As a new parent of a growing baby boy, I began looking into adding baby food to my son's diet to supplement his formula. The importance of baby food to little people cannot be overstated. If introduced at the right age, baby's get additional vitamins and nutrients, their bodies are allowed to slowly adjust to the food they eat, and they are not as set in their ways and are more willing to learn to eat from a spoon compare to an older child who only nurses or takes a bottle. According to Dr. Denmark, babies should be slowly introduced to baby food a quarter of a teaspoon at a time at the age of three months. It is best to introduce fruits, then vegetables, then protein. I started my son on rice cereal with formula and then added apples, bananas, squash and carrots. To ensure your baby is not allergic to the foods, introduce foods a quarter of a teaspoon at a time over four days. Carefully monitor your baby and note any reaction he has (runny nose, out of the ordinary fussiness, gas, etc.) to the new food. If he has a reaction, remove the food from his diet and repeat the process over the next three months to determine if he has a lifetime allergy or a temporary one. Dr. Denmark recommends that your child be allowed to eat as much baby food as he wants, and then be given a bottle after the baby food (if nursing, nurse then feed).

To make the baby food, I use fresh apples, fresh bananas, frozen carrots, and baby rice cereal. You will also need a large pot (at least 2qts) with lid, a blender, a sharp knife, a potato peeler, a large mixing bowl, and about 7 small canning jars (I use Ball's 8oz size). To begin, set the 16oz bag of frozen carrots to boil on the stove and allow them to simmer until they are very tender and can be mashed with ease. While they are boiling, peel about five medium to large bananas and slice them into chunks. Take four medium sweet apples, peel, core, and chunk them and set them aside. Your carrots should then be about done. In your blender (or food processor) blend the carrots and enough water to yield a smooth consistency. Pour the carrots into the mixing bowl and set aside. Next, blend your bananas and apples with water to yield a smooth consistency then add about one cup of baby rice cereal and blend. Combine this mixture with the carrots, mix together, and you have your baby food! To get rid of any bacteria, boil your baby food for about five minutes stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn, but be careful because the food splatters as it boiling. I always cover mine with a lid between stirring. At the same time, prepare your canning jars as directed on the box (mine say to wash in hot soapy water and then boil the jars). While your canning jars are still hot, add the baby food leaving about a half of an inch of room in the jars between the food and the rim. Place the lids on the jars and twist on the caps till finger tight. I then leave my jars on the counter and let them cool. The lids will vacuum seal themselves over the next few hours. I store my jars of baby food in the fridge for extra preservative measures for up to 10 days.

It will take your baby a bit of time to learn how to swallow when eating from a spoon. Just be patient and keep a large stock of baby bibs on hand. Don't feed your baby in an outfit that you adore because the carrots in the baby food can stain. Serve the food to your baby warm as you would do with a bottle. I feed my baby three times a day with baby food (10am, 2pm, and 6pm) according to Dr. Denmark's schedule for three month olds. For a variation of this you can add powdered formula to the mix right before your baby eats it to thicken the food and add additional sweetness. Do not however add sugar, honey, or any other artificial sweetener to the food. Honey especially is very bad for babies and can make them quite sick. As your baby grows you can begin to add protein to the food. Beans and chicken are a few examples. Always be sure that the protein is thoroughly cooked. For chicken, you can grill a lean chicken breast, cube it, and then boil it in water. This mixes in well with the baby food and even though it sounds and looks gross, as long as it has a smooth consistency and is mixed with enough fruit to sweeten it, your baby won't mind. When you add new foods to your baby's diet, allow his body time to adjust.

Baby food has done wonders for my son. He has gained weight and feels much more sturdy. I also have noticed an increase in his energy and playfulness. He is able to stay awake for longer periods during the day and play happily, while he is now sleeping more soundly at night. I enjoy making my son's baby food because I know he is getting the nutrients and vitamins he needs without the huge expense of store-bought baby food.

Madia Bowman. Dr. Denmark Said it!. Caring for Kids Inc.