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| First Time Moms |
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| Does anyone here make their own baby food? I've started feeding my daugther Carrots. (Just steaming them and blending them). I now want to start giving her squash and maybe in about two weeks, some fruit. Just wondering if anyone here that makes their own food can help w/ tips and/or advise. I also wanted to know if you buy organic fruits and veggies for your baby? |
| Posted by April on 02/16/2009 03:48 PM
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| Our daughter is 3 1/2 months old and when we start her on solids in a few weeks, we're going to make her baby food. Not only is it healthier, it's a LOT cheaper. I haven't looked into the in's and out's of it all, but it can't be too difficult. I mean, the ingredient list on the back of baby food is 'peas and water' or 'bananas and water'. The only additives are some vitamins which were most likely removed while the baby food was processed. I've been meaning to look into it, so I'll let you know what I find. |
| posted by Caryn on 02/16/2009 04:11 PM
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| I have given my little one home made baby food from about 5 months old. I try him out on a new food every 3 to 4 days, added to the one he's already had before. I began with all the green veggies and then started the fruit and other colour veggies, so he didn't get hooked on the nice sweet stuff lol!!! The more food he tries the more varied meals you can give - like 1 week I tried him out on pasta for 3 days, then tomato for 3 days, then chicken for 3 days - so now he can have a nice pasta tomato chicken meal. I always make a bit extra and then freeze the rest in ice cube trays, and then store them in zip lock bags. Like 1 bag of chicken cubes, 1 bag pasta etc. He's still only 8 months so lots more foods to try out! I also did buy a couple of the baby food jars - only 25 cents in Big Lots for the larger jars - I only use them for car journeys if the journey overlaps his feeding schedule. The empty jars are also handy for storing your homemade baby meals in them. I use a Cuisine Art handheld electric blender for blending all the food, which is a LOT less to clean up than a big food processor, does it quick and effectively, plus with the handheld blender you can just blend the cooked food right there in your saucepan. I had one of those munchkin hand non-electric food blenders but it takes forever if you're making lots of food to freeze. I don't buy organic food, only because its way more expensive - if you can afford it buy it because less chemicals etc. so I just buy regular fresh veggies and wash them well. With the squash you could add the carrot and a little cinnamon, apparently a fave with babies! Hope all this helps :-) |
| posted by billie on 02/16/2009 05:14 PM
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| I made my own food the first few months carrots, squash, applesauce, sweet potatoes ect... but it's sort of a lot of work well at least for me since I'm not much of a cook. I ended up going to jarred food. I guess there really isn't a difference nutrionally speaking but it will save you a lot of $$$ if you make your own. Make a lot extra and freeze it in a ice cube tray. You can nuke it for 15 seconds or so (but becareful with "hot spots" when microwaving). One butternut squash goes a long way. |
| posted by Suzanne on 02/16/2009 05:40 PM
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| Thank you! I notice Ice Cube trays was mentioned more than once & that was a tip given in "What to Expect the First Year". Is this just for the convinience of having the small portions already measured? I bought little plastic containers w/ the plan of freezing the baby food in there. Would this work the same? I figured this would be easiest for me as she is fed once at the baby sitter's house so I have to be able to put food in her diaper bag every day. Oh and how many times a day did you feed your baby at first? My baby is 5 months. She's been eating cereal twice a day now, about 10 hours apart from each feeding. Should I substitute one feeding of rice w/ one of veggies (which is what I've been doing) or feed her veggies on top of the cereal twice a day? |
| posted by April on 02/16/2009 06:48 PM
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| The plastic containers will work fine, same concept. I would start giving her more veggies. |
| posted by Suzanne on 02/16/2009 06:55 PM
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| I've been making my own food for months now, and it's not too difficult. The worst part about it is peeling and chopping the fruits and veggies. My sister got me into doing it and passed down all of her stuff. I don't use a processor, but I hear that it makes things a lot easier, if you're making a big batch. I use the hand blender that connects to a container, so if I just want to make a little bit, I can use it without the container. I make a lot at a time though, and then just freeze it in ice cube trays. It's really easy that way, all I have to do is cook it for about 30 seconds. Like Suzanne said, watch out for hot spots! We like to mix and match the fruits and veggies, like sweet potatoes and spinach, and apples and pears (YUM!). Sweet potatoes are good with just about anything. We've mixed sweet potato with apple and chicken and it turned out really good. I know jar food would be way easier, but I think it would cost a bit more. I went into it just as an experiment, and now I'm hooked. It's exciting to see Finn's reaction when he tries a new food, or food combination. It does take more time, but I have the time to spare. Plus, if there is ever a food that he doesn't like, my husband and I just end up eating it! It tastes WAY better (to us) than the jar food |
| posted by Andi on 02/17/2009 02:19 PM
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| Ok, so far, I've just made carrots and squash. Steamed the veggies, then put them in 1 of those hand blender machines. (I didnt use our blender only because I use it for chili & stuff like that & although I wash it, I just dont feel comfortable using it. I'm thinking of buying a blender cup just for her food. Does anyone use an electric blender to make it? I guess I could stick to the hand blender I'm using & get a work out while making her food :) I dont add anything but water and just yesterday made a batch to freeze. I put her food in individual containers. I read its good for 2 months if her food is frozen, however I only made about 2-3 weeks worth. The ice cube thing. How do you do that? Do you put the whole tray in a bag and freeze? Then how would you defrost? Can you do one Ice cube at a time? Also, do you strain the food once blended? I've been doing this and wonder how soon I can stop (6 months, 7 months, etc) |
| posted by April on 02/18/2009 01:22 PM
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| I keep the water that I cook the food in, and add a little when I puree his food. The rest of the water I cook his new food in, that way none of the nutrients are lost. I let the cooked pureed food cool and then put it in icetrays, freeze and then pop out, put in zip lock bag and label, throw back in freezer. To defrost I leave whatever cubes (about 6-8 cubes a day right now - like 2 oatmeal, 2 fruit for brekkie/lunch, and 2 veg/2 meat cubes for dinner and last meal) he's having in the fridge overnight and then heat in microwave when he's ready to eat. As to when to stop, I suppose when enough teeth are through for baby to start chewing? My baby has 2 teeth and 1 coming out now as we speak...his food I make a little bit lumpy as he knows how to chew now. After a year I hope to have tried him out on everything and then can just blend what me and his dad eat - without all the salt and spice of course. |
| posted by billie on 02/18/2009 01:40 PM
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| I try to buy organic vegges and fruit. It's pricey, so I don't always buy it. I have my own garden , to can control what we put in our bodies. My doc told me to not push fruit for the 1st year, expose my son to them, but get him to eat veggies 1st. I always steam the veggies, because a lot of veggies lose nutrients faster with contact to water. Also I use the cooking liquid to puree his food. I freeze everything in ice trays, popping them in a zip lock, label and date, and throw them back in the freezer. I always defrost in the fridge and try not to use the microwave. Making your own baby food isn't too hard, and it's so much healthier then jarred. The store bought, is heated to high temps, killing a lot of the nutrients. Also you can expose your children to many more fruits, veggies and combination's. I've never seen parsnips, rutabaga, rhubarb, collard greens, etc. For me I want to expose my child to many different tastes and textures, but food is my life. |
| posted by cecilia on 02/18/2009 06:08 PM
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I was about to post this website to share- but as I scrolled down it was here!! It really is a great site!!
Good luck!! My little one is almost 9 months and has been mostly onn homemade baby food. We just finished making spinach and potato :)
So far my freezer contains baggies of frozen cubes of:
Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans
Peas
Plum/Peach/Banana mix
Zucchini
Acorn Squash
Spinach and Potatoes
Peaches
We have not tried meats yet.
Also when i made the last batch- i cut some of them into small pieces and placed them in serving piles in a large vaccum ziplock(gallon) and then vaccum sealed them. I am hoping that once it un-seals they will come out in little clumps (like play food). That will cut the cost of gerber graduates when we are eating something she can't- or simply needs a veggie or fruit. |
| posted by Annie on 02/26/2009 04:24 PM
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I made my oldest daughter's baby food and plan on doing it now for my second. It's great because we know what's in it. The only time I used jar food is when we were traveling and even then, I would go to Wholefoods and get their baby food. I made sweet potato, green beans, peas, squash, applesauce, pears, peach, carrots. You can also season up the food too as the baby gets older so he/she can get used to it. Good luck and have fun! |
| posted by Yvette on 03/23/2009 09:23 AM
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