making your own baby food

Rebecca - posted on 01/20/2009

Teresa i use that web site a lot when i am making food for my son. Also a FYI the carrot water should not be use due to the high nitrates in them.

Kezia - posted on 01/20/2009

Thanks for the ideas on apples and pears. Never thought of that. Great idea! I have a Green Star juicer that can make applesauce but didn't want to get it out unless I was making a whole lot. HA HA! Thanks again!

Denise - posted on 01/20/2009

I just grate the apple and the pear they come like a puree without adding anything else to them and without loosing their vitamins...great idea believe me...just grate them before giving it to them.

Kezia - posted on 01/20/2009

Thanks for the advice. I have been mixing his fruits and he seems to do fine with it. Didn't know about the veggie thing. I will have to remember that. Yes, I will stick with the fresh or frozen - since you are right. There are food coloring and even in the organic there is sea salt or cane juice - Thanks again!

Amy - posted on 01/19/2009

Yeah you are right about the seasoning babys have very sensitive taste so they can taste all the natural flavours and dont need anything extra.

I read somewhere that you should only mix vegies after bubs has tried it by itself I think this is because if there is a reaction to the food you know what it was but if they have tried the foods and there is no problems then there is nothing wrong with mixing them it gives bubs some variety.

If you have to choose go for the fresh or frozen as they are pretty much the same now days with the frozen being snap frozen I personally would avoid the cans just because most arent just the food they have added salt and colouring added.

Kezia - posted on 01/19/2009

Thanks! I will have to try it. Thanks for your help. I have read up on making it but haven't tried it yet since we are still trying new things - one at a time. didn't know if it was worth trying at this point since we are still eating small. I am at the last of the single veggies and plan to try sweet peas and/or sweet potatoes this week. I know there are alot of the jars are mixed veggies and fuits and I didn't know if I wanted to get into all that yet. Will try the fresh and frozen since I know the canned probably has salt, unless maybe some of the organic doesn't have salt, etc. I have read that you shouldn't use any seasoning. Is that correct?

Caroline - posted on 01/19/2009

A lot of the recipes say you have to have a food processor, but I just use a blender and add a little water if I need to.  I give it with oatmeal/rice sometimes, but I also give it plain too. 

Melissa - posted on 01/19/2009

I just blend what we're eating ( it's easier ) just make a little extra, blend the left overs and freeze it.

Carla - posted on 01/19/2009

If feeding solids like veggies you can buy fresh, frozen, or canned! if buying can I would rinse before processing. You will need a food processor to blend the food so that it is smooth in texture. You can add a teaspoon of water if need be! I use fresh and frozen. Never feed foods that are citrus till they are a year old!! 

Kezia - posted on 01/19/2009

Thanks ladies for all the advice for making baby food. I haven't tried it yet since I was afraid I wouldn't have the time. But you all make it sound easy and less expensive than buying all the jars. Do you all just give your baby the sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli by itself or do you mix it with oat cereal or fruit? My baby is just over 6 mons. old and I wasn't sure about broccoli?

Caroline - posted on 01/18/2009

I have been making homemade carrots and squash (haven't had to try anything else yet) and it is so easy and a lot cheaper than buying it.  All I do it steam the carrots unti they are nice and tender (about 30 min) and then put them in the blender until it is very liquidy.  I add a little of the water from the steamer and that helps.  For the squash I just cooked it in the over for about 45 mins, scrape it out with a spoon, put it in the blender until smooth (no solid chunks).  I have gotten a few baby food cookbooks from amazon.com and they were pretty cheap.  (one was only $1).  I think you can get baby food recipes on allrecipes.com too. 

Maria - posted on 01/18/2009

I made some baby food the other day and it was really easy. The one thing that I decided was that apple sauce was not worth making, it would cost more to make homemade applesauce for my baby than to buy a jar of "adult" 100% natural applesauce, even the organic ones.

Shannon - posted on 01/18/2009

You can use the whole thing of broccoli...just make sure the bottom is cooked thoroughly.

Amy - posted on 01/18/2009

I have a question regarding broccoli, what part do you use? Is it the tops or the bottoms or the whole thing?

Sarah Jane - posted on 01/18/2009

i make nearly everything....i make soup, fish pie u name it i make it! iv got the annabel karmels - feeding your baby and toddler, its really good xx

Kay - posted on 01/17/2009

For 6months my baby boy Carson loves sweet potato:  Poke fork holes in the skin of a sweet potato. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 425F.   Remove skin and mash with breast milk or formula until you get the desired consistency.    This makes about 6 servings, which you can freeze.  Easy!  And so much tastier than out of the jars.

This is from Annabel Karmels 'Feeding you Baby and Toddler".  It has baby food for each stage.   I would recommend any book by her too.

Amanda - posted on 01/17/2009

I've just started making my own too and I thought it would be harder than it is.  I've just been mixing mine with water, not any breast milk.  I boil or cook it for awhile, then puree it.  I also freeze it in ice cube trays--they say it's good for 2 months.

Shannon - posted on 01/14/2009

I have been making my own babyfood and it is really easy and inexpensive. Just blend the fruit or veggies up really good with about an ounce of your baby's breast or formula milk and you can even add 1tbs of butter to make it more creamy. Try mixing broccoli and sweetpotatos together. All you have to do is steam them together in the microwave for a few minutes will a little water then mix in the blender. Bananas and avocado are really easy because all you have to do is mash them with some of your babys regular milk. For storage put the prepared babyfood in an ice cube tray and cover with foil and place in the freezer. When you are ready to feed your baby heat it up (on the stove if made with breast milk or microwave if made with formula)



Hope this was helpful. Happy baby food making :)

Teresa - posted on 01/13/2009

I am making me own baby food and have found that the following website was useful.

www.wholesomebaby.com

It even gives you different recepies depending on the age of the baby

Kelly - posted on 01/13/2009

Just blend the vegetable after teaming (ie. sweet potato, carrot, parsnip) you can add a bit of water from the pot it it is too thick.

A great book for baby food is Annabel Karmel's "Top 100 baby purees)

For apple or pear you cook it in a saucepan with a little bit of water or apple juice (6-8 minutes apples and 4 min pears).

the above are suitable for freezing.

To add variety you can add baby rice and some of your childs normal milk to the vegetable puree or the fruit puree.

Banana, papaya and avocado are all fruits that don't need to be cooked. and can be mixed with your babies normal milk.