Baby Food 101

Food everywhere and upside down spoon

I'm sure some of you roll your eyes when you hear someone say "I make my own baby food."  Well before I give you a quick tutorial on how to prepare baby food let me give you my reasons.

1. It actually taste like real food. Have you tried baby food? Some of them taste just like they should but most DO NOT.  Would you want to eat a chicken that didn't taste like chicken? Didn't think so.

2. No preservatives and totally fresh.  The shelf life on some of that food makes me wonder if my baby is eating a 4 month old banana.

3. Super quick and easy. When I tell you it takes me less than 30 minutes to make 2 weeks worth of food- I'm not kidding.

4. When my pediatrician asked me if I was making my own food she was very pleased!  She mentioned that she preferred home made vs store bought when it came to introducing meats.

Step 1: Wash and Peel your fruit or veggie! In some cases, as in apples, you will also have to core or remove seeds.

Step 2: Boil or Steam. I try to steam most however sweet potatoes or anything really dense definitely get boiled!

Step 3: Add in your fruit/veggie to food processor/blender. Slowly add in water. I usually add in 1/3 of the amount of water at a time I'd like to add just so I don't accidentally make it too runny.

Step 4: Freeze or Store.  If you plan on freezing I suggest using ice cube trays.  I currently have the baby blender system and it comes with a 6 slot freezing tray with a cover. I love the cover part. I have seen other retailers selling similar trays so don't worry you aren't forced to get the baby bullet one.  After your food is frozen, move cubes to labeled freezer bag and keep for a max of 3 months. If you decide to refrigerate remember that most food is only good for 2-3 days so don't refrigerate too much.