The Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker

Before having my baby, I never thought for a moment that there were people in the world who made their own baby food. Doesn't baby food come in jars? I see them in the grocery store - hundreds of brands and types, all so very cute and compact and just the right size for baby. Why would anyone make baby food when you can just buy it?

And then I had my son, Zhane. The moment he opened his big, blue eyes, I knew he was going to have the best of everything. I looked up information on making baby food for your baby and it didn't seem so impossible, and lots of moms were doing it. It did sound like a lot of work, however. When my mother mentioned that she saw a neat little gadget called the Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker, I knew that was the product for me. All I had to do was flip a switch and it was done! Perfect.

While researching this product, I came across many positive reviews of this product. When I asked other moms with babies my son's age, some told me that they wouldn't waste their money. They told me:

"It's just as easy to steam the veggies on the stove and mash it yourself, and it's free".

"Just use your blender".

For a moment I though, "Maybe I can do it the old-fashioned way!", but who was I kidding? I'm a mom who works outside the home full-time, hates cooking, hates cleaning pots and especially hates cleaning small appliances. I knew I would flake out after a month of steaming, straining and mashing food, and I would end up with hundreds of tiny glass jars taking up room in my already too-small kitchen pantries.

I thought of the many other appliances and gadgets we have in our home that are not "necessary". For example, who decided that a microwave is a necessity? Doesn't the oven, or even toaster oven, work just as well (or better)? And I thought of all the baby items that I owned that may seem unnecessary, but would be missed if they were gone (yes, a wipes warmer sounds silly but I love mine now; and having three bottle warmers may sound excessive but I have used them all and they have been useful).

So, with encouragement from my husband, I bought my Beaba machine. I proudly unpacked it at home and marveled at its small and compact size. It was easy to set up (plug it in), and I ran my first test with sweet potatoes. I peeled and diced one and all of the chunks fit in the steaming basket. I added water according to the directions and turned it on.

Fifteen minutes later the machine turned off on its own - a wonderful option for me, since I constantly forget things heating on the stove and end up overcooking or burning food. I pureed the sweet potatoes and they came out beautiful and thick, the perfect consistency for my baby. I had about a weeks' supply of potatoes for my son and when I fed it to him, he smiled and ate every spoonful.

Since then I have prepared peas, green beans, apples and bananas for my son, and each time I have been happy with the results. The recipe book that comes with the machine is not very impressive, but it has given me ideas of what to try, and it shows how useful it will be even when my baby gets older. I have also used the machine to puree sweet potatoes for my casserole to serve to adults, since it is so much easier to clean than any of my other appliances, and the consistency was so smooth.

Overall, I believe that this gadget is worth the money that I paid for it. Without it, I doubt that I would have the motivation and stamina to continue making baby food. I love having control over the texture of the food, and I appreciate its small size, since I'm convinced I have one of the smallest kitchens in New York.

As a new mom, I enjoy all the new gadgets and toys that I now have a great excuse to purchase! The Beaba Babycook is a fun and motivating appliance that fits in perfectly with my busy schedule.