How to Make Homemade Baby Food
I know what you’re thinking: I have a baby screaming for attention, there is an ever-growing pile of laundry in the laundry room, the breakfast dishes haventt been done, my three year old is sampling the cat’s dinner, and you expect me to make baby food?!
Believe me, I know that you don’t feel like you could possibly fit an extra chore into your already hectic life, but you can! Making your own baby food is not a labor intensive process and is worth the little bit of effort required when you consider the benefits:
- Over the course of your child’s infancy, you can save hundreds of dollars by making your own food.
- Commercial baby foods can contain starchy additives or preservatives.
- By making your own baby food, you can mix and match your baby’s favorite foods for increased variety.
- When you make baby food yourself, you know what goes into it and how fresh the ingredients are.
Baby Food
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The Cost |
Frugal Makeover |
| At this writing, a 4 ounce jar of Earth’s Best organic peas costs $1.29 at peapod.com. This comes to about $0.32 per ounce. If your baby consumes 400 jars of baby food during his infancy, your approximate total cost will be $512. | Also at peapod.com, a 32 ounce package of frozen peas costs $3.19. This comes to about $0.10 per ounce. If your baby consumes the equivalent of 400 jars of homemade baby food, your approximate total cost will be $160. |
Intrigued? Here’s how I do it in just a few minutes a day:
While I’m cooking dinner (and therefore am already in the kitchen), I pour about a pound of veggies or fruit into a microwave safe bowl. I either use frozen (considered to be as healthy as fresh by most nutritionists) or fresh that I have washed, peeled, and cut into chunks. I add about two tablespoons of water and cover the bowl with a lid. Then, I just pop the bowl into the microwave and cook on high until the fruit or vegetables are very tender. I let the steamed produce cool and then pour the contents (including the water which now contains valuable nutrients) into a blender. I then puree the fruits or veggies to the desired consistency, adding a little water to thin it out, if necessary. I reserve enough of the pureed food for baby’s meal and then I pour the rest into an ice cube tray and freeze (you could also use baby food storage containers). When the cubes of food are completely frozen, I pop them out and store them in labeled freezer bags. When I need them, I just pull out a cube or two and warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to thaw. Repeat this process every night for a couple of weeks and you will have enough baby food for a couple of months!
Tips for Homemade Baby Food Success
- Always talk to your pediatrician to determine which foods are safe to introduce to your baby (click here for some popular first foods).
- Don’t bother buying a baby food maker or a food mill. This is The Frugal Baby! Use an appliance you already have on hand like a blender or food processor. For finer purees or to eliminate strings or skins from some foods, push the pureed food through a fine mesh strainer.
- Soft foods like bananas, avocados, and even watermelon do not need to be steamed prior to pureeing.
- Breastmilk, formula, or even water can be added to baby food to thin it out, if needed.
- Do not add seasonings to your baby’s foods. It is much healthier to get your child accustomed to the natural taste of vegetables.
- Check out which foods are appropriate for which ages.
Photo by Ross Catrow, Creative Commons license
