Making your own baby food is really very simple and to have complete control over what you are putting into your little ones delicate system is wonderful. Now there are a few contraptions you can purchase to make this a little easier, but if you are on a budget and already have a food processor and some unused ice cube trays, you have all you need.
It is common for pediatricians to recommend rice cereal as a first food, but that does not mean you can’t introduce fruits and vegetables too, you just need to be careful not to introduce too much too soon. Its best to try one thing, give it a few days or week, and make sure your baby’s digestive system is handling it well. This will help you pinpoint any possible allergies if they should arise. I started Evalee on sweet potatoes, sweet peas and apples, not all at once of course.
For the sweet potatoes, I peeled and cubed 2 or 3 0f them and boiled them until fork tender. I then strained them leaving just a bit of the water in the pot, maybe a few tablespoons. I then transferred the potatoes back into the pot and used a hand masher to smooth them out. If they still seem too lumpy, just add a little more hot water. Once I achieved the right consistency (you’re looking for smooth, not runny) I spooned the potatoes into ice cube trays, covered them with plastic wrap and froze them. When it was time to serve them, I popped a couple cubes out, “nuked” them for a minute or so and then cut them with some breastmilk to get the perfect consistency, depending on the stage Evalee was in. Now I make them much thicker with a little butter and brown sugar and she devours them.
For the apples you want to do the same thing as you did with the sweet potatoes only you need to core them to remove the seeds. To achieve the right consistency you will need to use a blender or food processor since apples don’t mash well like potatoes. I didn’t freeze all of the apple sauce, instead I kept some aside in a jar to use for a few days and froze the rest in small plastic containers that would be enough for a few days as well. When I would empty one I would pull a new one from the freezer and it would be thawed by morning, ready for breakfast.
Sweet peas can be a little time consuming if you want to use fresh peas since you’ll need to remove the outer “shell”. But I have found organic canned peas that are very soft and do not require the “shell” to be removed. With these you don’t need to cook them. Just put them in your food processor or blender with some warm water and blend to a smooth consistency. I use ice cube trays to portion these as well. When it is time to serve them just pop out a cube or two, “nuke” for about a minute and your ready to go.
Yes, making your own baby food can be a little time consuming, but if you plan it out, set aside an hour or two one day a week, you can make enough for a week or two. Not only will you have complete control over what is going into you baby’s tummy, you will save a lot of money. Quality jarred baby food can be very expensive.
To see the complete system that I use to make my own baby food click here.
Using cloth or canvas shopping bags for your grocery shopping is one of the easiest, cheapest and fastest methods for living green and helping the environment.