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Homemade Baby Food: Healthy Feeding Made Easy
When it comes to feeding our babies, it’s natural to be a little nervous. “Am I giving them enough? What exactly is in this stuff? Why is baby food so expensive?” Well don’t worry; there is an easy way to control costs and make sure only the best ingredients go into your baby’s meal: make your own baby food! Although the thought of preparing your own food seems overwhelming, it is actually very easy. Baby food can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it, from fruits and vegetables to stews and casseroles.
Most babies will start out with cereal and then move on to vegetables and fruits. This makes it easy for us moms learning the baby-food-making ropes!
Here's what you will need to get started:
- fruits and vegetables of your choice (we'll use pears and sweet potatoes as examples)
- an ice cube tray
- a small pot
- a small food processor
To make baby food vegetables:
- wash and peel sweet potato
- place in small pot of boiling water until soft
- remove from water and allow to cool
- mash potato with fork or puree in food processor until consistency is smooth
- separate out desired amount for baby to eat (about 2-3 oz or ¼ cup)
- Portion the remainder in the ice cube tray and freeze. When frozen, remove from tray and put in plastic freezer bags for later use. Simply re-heat when you want to serve again.
To make baby food fruits:
- wash and peel pear
- place in small pot of boiling water or bake until soft
- remove from heat and cool
- puree in food processor until consistency is smooth
- separate out desired amount for baby to eat (about 2-3 oz or ¼ cup)
- Portion the remainder in the ice cube tray and freeze.
- When making fruits that are naturally soft, such as bananas, kiwis, etc., there is no need to boil or cook these fruits. Simply mash with a fork or puree and serve!
Once you have mastered the world of fruits and vegetables and your baby’s taste is more sophisticated, you can move on to making soups and stews. The best advice I can give parents here is to make it easy on yourself. Make a soup for the whole family; as long as it’s not very spicy or salty, babies are generally good about eating what mom and dad eat.
The easiest way to prepare soup or stew for baby is to separate out a portion from the pot before you add a lot of the spice and salt. Let it cool for a few minutes, puree in a food processor, and you’re done! Baby will have a complete, nutritious, homemade meal!
Time-Saver Tip:
- A handheld blender also works great for soups; you can blend it right in the pot, there is less clean up, and it takes only a few seconds to reach a pureed consistency.
The last bit of advice I can give is to have fun. This is just another great way to bond with your baby and provide him or her with the best ingredients to grow strong and healthy. Here’s to good food, good times and good health!
Test your baby food IQ
- Which of these foods should I avoid giving my baby during the first year?
- Honey
- Avocado
- Broccoli
- Is it okay to put any seasonings in my baby’s food?
Answer: Yes, (babies have tasted different flavors through the amniotic fluid during pregnancy and through the breast milk if you nursed. As long as its not too spicy or salty, using herbs and seasonings during cooking is perfectly fine)
Maria is a registered and licensed dietitian in Chicago, IL. She received a master’s in Nutritional Epidemiology from Tufts University and is currently working as a Nutrition Services Manager for a non-profit company. She and her husband are expecting their first child in August.
