There are many benefits to making your own baby food, and it doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. A major advantage is that you can guarantee the quality of the ingredients you use. You can also make large quantities and freeze individual meals to use later, which can be very convenient. Here are some suggestions that will help you on your way to preparing your own baby meals.
Begin with a trip to your local fresh fruit and vegetable store. Babies love fresh food and it’s also very healthy for them. You could even try organic produce – it might not be too expensive when bought in larger quantities. Wash all ingredients well to remove all traces of soil and pesticides.
To preserve all the beneficial vitamins and minerals, use a steamer to cook instead of boiling. Make sure that the fruit or vegetables are soft enough when cooked, especially if baby is young and is new to solid food.
Once the food is cooked, you will need to use a baby food grinder or baby food processor to blend it. These are products designed especially for processing baby food, and give you the right amount of control to vary the consistency. Go for one that is portable but can still blend a good quantity for freezing.
Mix up the cooked food (add some meat if your baby is mature enough) and grind until it reaches the desired consistency, depending on the age of your baby.
Now strain the food so that any small bits such as pips, seeds or peel are removed. The food is now ready to eat! Babies have very sensitive taste buds, so there is no need to add salt or pepper or other flavorings. In fact the baby will enjoy the natural flavors of the fruit or vegetables you have prepared.
The baby meals can now be stored, either in a refrigerator or freezer. Use specific freezer bags or plastic containers designed for storing food. Ice cube trays can be useful as each section can store a small portion of blended food. Once frozen the cubes can be popped out and put into plastic food bags. Make sure the frozen food is heated thoroughly before use, and of course check that it isn’t too hot for baby. Refrigerated food can be heated using a baby food warmer
And finally, vary the meals so that baby experiences a wide range of tastes, as these early experiences go a long way to help baby develop their tastes when older. The more flavors that baby experiences at this stage, the less likely baby will be a fussy eater when older.
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