Been thinking about trying your hand at making your own baby food? Looking for a beginners guide to making your own baby food? Don’t see what you like on the back of those baby food jars at the store? Want to save time and/or gas on running to the store for more baby food? Thinking you can save a lot of that money in your pockets by making your own baby food?
Personally, I love to save money any way I can and if you are the same than keep on reading. Growing up I always heard babies are expensive and everything else that followed that sentence. It really doesn’t have to be that way if you learn ways to save and cut back on unnecessary things. Now don’t get me wrong even if you cut back and save babies can still be expensive but it doesn’t necessarily have to feel that way the entire time. I’m going to start here and give you some basics with my beginners guide to making your own baby food.
The Beginners Guide to making your own baby food
Not only are you going to save money by making your own food. You also know what is going into your baby’s food.
I started out making my own baby food very early on. My son had his fair share of baby food but it didn’t take me long to get moving on saving time and money.
The groceries in the house and the glass baby food jars we had already shared the same ingredients so why not make my own. After my son finished off the last jar of baby food I was determined not to go back to the store to purchase more.
I took out my mini processor and some mixed vegetables, heated the vegetables up on the stove and let it cool. After the food was cooled off, I added it to the mini processor and blended it to a nice smooth texture that you see with the store bought food.
Wholah! He loved it and I would even say it taste way better than store bought (have you ever had store bought food? YUCK!).
Pros and Cons of homemade baby food
Pros
- Easy
- Affordable
- Freezable
- You know what is in it
- Less space is needed
- Less packaging/environmentally safer
- Customizable
Cons
- Time consuming
- More clean up
- Shelf life is shorter
How to get started with making your own baby food
What you will need:
To get started at home making your own baby food you don’t need much. A blender and some steamed vegetables and/or some fresh/frozen fruit will do the trick.
Now if you don’t have a blender around your home try using a food processor it will give you the same result (I promise). The last item(s) that I would recommend would be small or medium containers to store the baby food in once its made.
You could use your everyday containers that you already use or if you have some baby food jars that you have already used or will use just clean those out and recycle them (win win situation right). If you want to freeze the food, adding it to ice cube trays does the trick too!
Your fruits and veggies:
If you are using frozen fruit just let it thaw out in the refrigerator. For the vegetables if fresh or even frozen just put the veggies on the stove in the steamer and once done let cool down. As for the seasoning of your vegetables (which I am a fan of) you can either leave them plain or just sprinkle a tad bit of seasoning of your choice on the veggies.
I have read that some advise against the seasoning of the food until the baby is about 8 months. This is because they don’t want to risk their digestive system getting upset. You can always wait four days in between introducing new spices just as you do with every new food.
After your veggies are cooled down go ahead and add them to either your blender or food processor and mix until creamy (stage 1). If you find that the consistency is too thick add a little water, breast milk, or formula. Voila! Your done! See how easy that was? Always start with one type of veggie first then once you know your little one doesn’t have a reaction to it after your four day wait you can mix together the veggies.
For your fruits you throw it in the blender or food processor (fresh or thawed) and just mix adding water (breast milk or formula) to get the smooth consistency you are looking for (stage 1). I would recommend starting with the less tart fruits like peaches, bananas, apples, and pears. Remember to pit and or peel your fresh fruits too.
Tips for Success in making your own baby food
- Don’t overthink the process
- Always make more than enough (meal prep)
- Label each container with its contents and date made
- Remember that you can always freeze extra servings and thaw out when ready (just thaw, heat, cool, and serve)
Common Questions/FAQ About Making your own baby food
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Should I purchase a fancy baby food making system
- Personally I would say if you have a food processor or a blender skip it! Why spend the extra money on it when you won’t need it in a few months anyway. I mean I did mention saving money right?!?!?! 🙂 If you do need one because you don’t have one I would recommend either finding a used one maybe either on Facebook marketplace, the thrift store, or a friend or purchasing a blender or food processor seeing that you will have use for it after your diy baby food journey.
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What consistency should the baby food be?
- At this point you are more than likely just at the stage 1 phase. Assuming your baby is at the 4 to 6 month range the consistency should be as smooth as can be. No chunks should be present in the food as the baby is not able to chew or digest it correctly.
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How do I store the baby food?
- After you have cooked and prepared the baby food it is best to keep in mind how long to store it. Fruits and veggies in the refrigerator is best between 2 to 3 days. If you decide to freeze your baby food it can stay in the freezer up to 3 months. Always start with small batches and refrigerate and if you are prepping large batches go ahead and package it up and freeze it.
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Is homemade baby food healthier than store bought baby food?
- Homemade baby food gives you the confidence of knowing exactly what is in your baby’s food. Store bought baby foods tend to have not only the preservatives but the extra salt and sugars. You can also be sure that your baby is getting more nutrients in the homemade version vs the store bought version.
Making your own baby food can be a process but doesn’t have to be a headache. Do your research and go for it. Not only are you saving your money for other things baby will need but you are putting a smile on your baby’s face. Start out with one or two foods and work your way up.
Let me know if this beginners guide to making your own baby food was helpful and how it turned out for you.