I think that making your own baby food is one of the most rewarding things you can do in terms of providing for your baby. I really enjoy it, it doesn't take a lot of time and I know that my baby is getting fresh and healthy food. I decided to makemy own baby food when I started reading about the different things that were in store bought baby food. Baby food bought in the store has a shelf life of approximatly one to two years. Everyone thinks differently and I understand that but I do see how baby food that has been sitting on the shelf for that long can be healthy or fresh. Also when you make your own baby food you are able to give your baby a variety of fruits and vegetables that you won't be able to buy premade on the shelf. But putting that aside making your own baby food is so easy heres how you do it:
I have the baby bullet system which comes with the baby bullet serving cups pictures above as well as freezable batch trays, the blender and so on. However, it is not necessary to have these items..
What you will need:
A blender
freezable batch tray ( you can also use ice cube trays)
fresh fruits or veggies (can be frozen as well but I would stay away from canned fruits and veggies)
sharp knife (for cutting up or peeling fruits and veggies)
spatula
freezer bags
permenant marker
steamer or pan with a strainer placed over it
After I choose the fruits and veggies that I want to use (keep in mind that just one sweet potato can make between 12-14 servings so you will not need a lot of one particular set of veggies/fruits. I will put a guideline at the end of this post ) I will steam them, however if it is a soft fruit such as bananas, avacados, mangos, etc then you don't have to steam them if you choose not to. Once steamed place the food in a blender and add water. There is not set amount of water however, I usually start with 1/4 a cup. Depending on the consistancy of the food you may add more or less water. I then blend the food till it is completely smooth with no chunks.
Infants 4-6 should have pureed food that is somewhat runny. When you pour the purees into the batch tray or freezer tray it should be able to run out. 6-9 month pureed food can have a little texture you may find the pulse method to be more suitable for making this puree.
I then put my batch tray filled with the pureed baby food in the freezer. I wait till they are frozen (6-12 hrs) and then I transfer them into a freezer bag and write the day they were made on the outside of the bag.
You can keep the baby food frozen for a maximum of 3 months. Thawed baby food in the fridge should only be kept for 2-3 days. Keep in mind that it takes a while for the baby food to thaw. Place food inside container in a bowl of warm water for 20 minutes if thawing. Otherwise it should only take 3-5 minutes to warm up already thawed food.
First Year No-No List ( none should be fed to your child without pediatrician approval)
- Honey
- Peanut Butter
- Nuts
- Citrus Fruits
- Raw Strawberries
- Raspberries and Backberries
- Corn
- Egg whites
- Whole Milk-as a drink
- What
- Shellfish/Crustaceans
- Beans
- Legumes
- Berries
- Buckwheat
- Cabbage
- Chocolate
- Cinnamon
- Citrus Fruit
- Coconut
- Corn
- All Dairy
- Egg whites
- Mango
- Melon
- Mustard
- Nuts
- Onions
- Papaya
- Peanuts
- Pork
- Rye
- Semolina
- Shellfish
- Strawberries
- Soybeans
- Tofu
- Tomatoes
- Wheat
- Yeast
- Additives
- Artifial Foods
- Applesauce
- Apricots
- Asparagus
- Barley
- Beets
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Millet
- Oats
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Rice
- Tapioca
- Sweet Potatoes
- Avacado
- Brown rice cereal
- Peas
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Apples
- Pears
- Bananas (can cause constipation)
SIGNS OF AN ALERGIC REACTION
Gas Diarrhea Nausea
Vomiting Stomach Pain Coughing
Wheezing Difficulty Breathing Lip/Face Swelling
Rash Clear Runny Nose Itching
Irratability Fatigue Eczema
Eye Swelling
How Much Will It Make????
1 avacado = 4 baby bullet servings or 8 ice cube tray slots
1 squash = 10 baby bullet or 20 ice cube slots
1 banana= 4 baby bullet or 8 ice cube slots
1 sweet potato = 10 baby bullet or 20 ice cube slots
1 cup peas= 4 baby bullet or 8 ice cube slots
1 zucchini= 5 baby bullet or 10 ice cube slots
1 pear= 4 baby bullet or 8 ice cube slots
1 cup brown rice cereal = 16 baby bullet or 32 ice cube slots
1 apple = 3 baby bullet or 6 ice cube slots
20 spears of Asparagus = 4 baby bullet or 8 ice cube slots
1 carrot = 4 baby bullet or 8 ice cube slots
1 cup of green beans = 5 baby bullet servings or 10 ice cube slots
1 white potato= 8 baby bullet servings or 15 ice cube slots
1 peach = 5 baby bullet or 10 ice cube slots
How much will I actually save??
Depending on what brand of baby food you buy, 1 small jar of first stage baby food can range from 50-95 cents a jar. One of these jars is less than one baby bullet serving or 2 ice cube tray slots.
So if you take a banana for example which typically is 99 cents a pound you could make approximatly 21 "jars" of baby food for 99 cents and maybe 5-10 minutes of your time. If you were to buy this off the shelf you are looking at approximatly $13.65.
Of coarse the amount save with fluctuate depending on what you are buying but trust that you are saving a significant amount of money in the long run.
** for those of you that are concerned about not having the time to do this, it takes more time for you to pack up the baby, drive to the store, unload your baby, walk to the baby food aisle, pick out your baby food, pay, and drive home than if you were to just make it in the comforts of your own home.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT AND I WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER!
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