Why should you make your own baby food?

There are many reasons why moms and dads make baby food for their babes. First of all, it lets you control the ingredients. True, baby food manufacturers have greatly improved in the last 20 years, now there are many sugar-free, salt-free, even some organic varieties of baby food available. However, the selection of vegetables and food combinations is really quite limited, particularly for vegetarian families, or babies with special dietary needs. Also, when you make your own baby food, you determine the texture of the finished product. Making your own baby food is cheaper than buying all those little jars, and there's usually less waste. And to mention the obvious, homemade baby food just tastes better!

What equipment do you need?

The essentials:

A blender or food processor - if you need to buy a blender, look for one where the sides of the jar go straight down to a wide base (KitchenAid and Cuisinart both make this kind), rather than the tapered jar. It's much easier to get consistent blending and you can make larger batches with this type of jar.

A baby food mill - for meats and beans (if you try to blend meat, it usually just shreds it, although a food processor may work to grind the meat into small bits). One note, don't waste your money on a compact baby food grinder, at least the one I tried was plastic, the holes were too big, and it just didn't do a good job. Click on the picture for the type that really works, you'll be amazed at how quick and easy it is. Actually if you don't want to prepare a lot of food ahead of time, this food mill can be your best friend, you can put almost anything in it to make instant baby food!

A potato masher - for potatoes and other vegetables where you don't want a blended texture. (If you blend potatoes it breaks down the starch and you get a sticky mess.) You can also just use a baby food mill for starchy vegetables.

Ice cube trays - The average ice cube is about 1oz, which is a nice size for freezing portions of baby food. If you can find the kind with lids, that's even better, your baby food won't absorb any freezer odors.

Freezer zipper bags or other suitable freezer containers - for storing the cubes of wonderfully nutritious homemade baby food.

The Basic Method

1) Decide what kinds of baby food you want to make - fruits, vegetables, meat and vegetable combinations

2) Use fresh food whenever possible, although frozen vegetables are a close second nutritionally, there may be added salt, so read the label.

3) Cook the food thoroughly with some liquid, but overcooking is not necessary or desirable. Steaming is a great way to cook vegetables. Meat should be stewed if at all possible, cooking slowly with some liquid in a crockpot or in the oven.

4) Puree, mash, or put the food through the baby food mill until it is the desired consistency.

5) Pour finished food into ice cube trays, cover with plastic wrap or tray covers and freeze. Cover and refrigerate any food that didn't fit in the trays, use or freeze within a day.

6) When the cubes are solidly frozen, pop them out and store in freezer zipper bags or containers. Label with contents and date. Use cubes within a few months for best flavor and nutrition.

7) To use your homemade baby food, just take out the desired food and let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm by your usual method.

This may sound like a lot of work, but you can make a month's worth of good nutritious food in just a few hours.

Now on to the recipes...

Fruit and Vegetable Baby Food

Meat, Beans, and Meat-Vegetable Dinners