Making Baby Food at Home

It is quite simple to make your baby's food at home yourself and there are numerous benefits for doing this. Store bought processed baby foods tend to be expensive for what you get and usually contain lots of preservatives. You can choose only the ingredients you want, and make it in small batches at mealtimes or make larger quantities and store it for later. Here are some helpful hints for making batches of baby food in advance.

You will want to start with fresh fruits and vegetables. Don't use canned food. Frozen is OK if fresh is out of season, but fresh is best. It is very important to wash away any dirt or pesticides, so clean them thoroughly.

Steaming the produce is greatly preferred over boiling it, so it retains its natural vitamins and minerals. The age of your baby will determine your cooking times. For babies that are just starting to eat solid foods, it is better to cook the food longer, until it is very soft. Cook the food less for babies that are already used to solids.

Next you will use a food processor or blender to puree the food you have cooked. The best thing to use for the job is an actual baby food grinder or baby food processor. Their smaller size make them easier to use and clean. Most models are small enough to be taken with you and used to make food while you are away.

Using the tool of your choice, grind the food until it reaches a consistency appropriate for your baby's stage of development.Take your baby food grinder and blend your fruits and vegetables (and meat if your baby is old enough) until it is your desired consistency.

Strain the food next to rid it of peels or seeds that remain. There is usually no need to add sugar or salt. Your child shouldn't need any, and many times added seasonings are too strong for their taste buds at this age.

Small plastic-ware containers or old baby food jars work very well for storing your home made baby food. For your baby's safety, you should use proper canning methods if you are planning on storing food for lengthy periods.

Another good option is to use ice cube trays to freeze the food you have made. Remove the cubes and place them in ziploc bags in the freezer until needed. Then thaw them out in the fridge or microwave them when you are ready to use them.