How To Make Healthy Homemade Baby Food

 Healthy Homemade Baby Food

So it’s time to start feeding your baby solids. Now you need to decide if you buy the jar baby food or just make your own purees. Making your own baby food is a great option for many reasons. Most importantly you will know exactly what’s in it and how much, but also because you can save money by making your own baby food out of the foods you’re already buying and preparing for your family. However, if you are pressed for time or space in your refrigerator or freezer you might find making your own homemade baby food to be not right for you. If you decide that you do want to make your own baby food here’s what you need to make your own healthy baby food.

Supplies To Make Your Own Baby Food

The good news is when it comes to making your own baby food you don’t need a whole lot of different tools to do it with. And it’s not expensive stuff either. You might already have these items in your kitchen as it is.

* A method to steam the food (this is the best method of cooking because it preserves the most nutrients).

* A food processor. If you don’t have a food processor though, have no fear a potato masher or blender will do the trick.

There are plenty of products out there specifically for making your own baby food. Including one which steams and purees everything all in one machine, but you really don’t need all of these expensive devices to make your own healthy homemade baby food. And it doesn’t need to be a matter of buying things that you’ll never use again or don’t already have in your home.

6 Steps To Make Your Own Baby Food

1. Wash the fruit or vegetable.

2. Peel fruits and vegetables.

3. Steam until tender. Baking or roasting is fine too, but you preserve the most nutrient with steaming or microwaving.

4. Puree with your food processor or blender with a little liquid. You can use water, breastmilk, or formula for the liquid in your baby puree. For older babies who can handle more texture you can mash instead of puree.

5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

6. When you’re going to serve reheat and allow to cool so you don’t burn your baby’s mouth.

And there you have it. It doesn’t get much easier, or does it? If you need something in a pinch and have some fruit that’s particularly ripe don’t let it go to waste. Mash it up and skip that steaming step. Share the food you’re eating with your baby in some circumstances. When you eat healthy you can include your baby in that too. Are you making homemade mashed potatoes? Reserve some before you add the milk and butter to what you feed the rest of the family. Add a little spice and butter to these potatoes and serve. Giving your child a modified version of what you’re already eating will help him/her get used to what you’re eating so there’s less struggle as your child gets older.

Making your own baby food can be a great option for many families. Not the only option, but definitely a great one to consider. Make sure you get the right consistency for your child and always discuss with your doctor about starting solids.