Due to popular request and for general how-to information, this is a detailed "how-to" guide to making your own delicious baby food. I have, in my opinion, simplified and perfected how to make it since I started a couple of years ago when Jack needed baby food. It is an extremely easy task and one that I don't find to be bothersome at all. I have friends who don't seem to believe me when I tell them how easy and inexpensive it is. Trust me, you will save a lot of money and this won't take you forever. (Before you roll your eyes and say to yourself, well she isn't working, of course she has time...I made the baby food for Jack while I was working!) Ok, here I go. (I even took pictures to make sure it all makes sense.)
First, pick out what fruit or vegetable you are going to prepare. Remember that when you first start, you should only make single fruits or veggies so if there is an allergic reaction, you can pin point the offending food! There are also different fruits and veggies that can cause more gas, etc, so skip the peas and broccoli until the little tike is a bit older.
I used pears for this example.
Step 1: Chop up the fruit or veggie. These pears were already ripe, so I didn't cut them into tiny pieces. I also left the skin on because that is where a lot of vitamins are and it is going to get pureed anyway. (And, it takes less time!) If, I were making sweet potatoes, I would take off the skin because it is papery. Just use your judgement.
Step 2: Put all of the fruit or veggies into a pot with a steaming basket. They make some out of silicone too if you need a non-stick one. You should try to always steam when you can, because it leaves more of the nutrients in the fruit or veggie. (There is about 1-11/2 in of water under the steam basket.)
Step 3: Let the fruit or veggie steam. It depends upon the food and your range as to how long it takes to steam. For instance, pears don't take long at all. Maybe 5-10 minutes. Carrots, which I did before the pears, take much longer, 20-25 minutes. Just take the lid off, and pierce the fruit to test for tenderness. It needs to be tender enough to easily puree. (Don't throw away cooking liquid!)
Step 4: Take the fruit and put it into what you got! I have a blender, food processor, and this magic bullet. I happen to prefer the magic bullet. Use what you have. You don't need to buy something special. Puree!!! (You may need to add a little liquid. Use the liquid from the cooking process. It has more vitamins from the food than using tap water.) The older your baby gets, the less finely pureed it needs to be. This is part of what is nice about this process. You can custom make the babyfood based on your baby's growth and development.
Step 5: Put the pureed food into a strainer of some sort. I use a fine wire mesh basket. Use a spatula or ladle to push the food through into a bowl underneath. Use spatula to scrape underneath the strainer.
PS: You don't need too much space. See!
Step 6: Yuck! Look at all the extra peel, etc. that is left behind. That is why straining it, is an important step in the cooking process. Babies who are still very texture sensitive will not like any of that. They will gag!
Step 7: This is the gorgeous, velvety pureed pears that you have lovingly, and thankfully easily and economically made for your baby!
Step 8: This is all the mess left over besides my big cooking pot. See, not too bad at all. Clean it up.
Step 9: Feed it to your baby! Henry likes his with a little formula and oatmeal mixed into it. (You can thicken it with oatmeal or rice cereal or thin it with formula or pumped breast milk.) That by the way, is a boon spoon. It is super handy for one handed feeding.
Step 10: You will make lots! Put the pureed food into some containers like this. Mine are found
here.
Again, it doesn't really matter what brand. I found mine at a consignment sale for a couple of bucks for both of them, so that is what I use! I love them and wish I had two more.
Step 11: Put them in the freezer for a couple of hours and go play with your baby for a while!
Step 12: Pull them out of the freezer. If they don't pop right out, run them under the water for a few seconds and that should loosen them right up.
This is what you should have! Gorgeous little fruit or veggie ice cubes! Pop them into a freezer bag. Label them and date them and you are good to go. They should last for a couple of months in the cold part of the freezer, but I usually go through them before I need to even worry about them going bad. In my freezer, I have carrots, butternut squash, pears, and carrots. I want Henry to have a little variety. :)
So, how much did it cost to make all of this????? $1.99 for a bag of organic pears! You can't beat that. How long did it take me to chop and cook? It took about 20 minutes from start to finish. After I pop the frozen cubes out, I put the rest in and repeat.
