Our son has recently started solids.
It’s difficult to say that because I feel like he was just born, but it’s true.
When our daughter first started solids, we decided to make all of her baby food. I thought it would be difficult to keep up with, but if you make the food in bulk, it is actually quite simple and cost effective.
The very first food both of our children tried was oatmeal. After that, we moved on to other Stage One foods.
Stage One foods are single ingredient foods and they are blended down into a very thin puree or mixed with water, breastmilk, or formula to get a thin consistency. These can be an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and grains.
What are some of the more simple Stage One foods?
Grains
Sweet Potato
Squash
Applesauce
Bananas
Carrots
Green Beans
Peas
Avocado
Pears
Peaches
Some of the foods you can just mash with a fork, like the bananas and avocados. I prefer to blend everything down into a thin puree since small strings can be left behind.
Do I need certain equipment on hand to use to make my own baby food?
If you are looking to make your own baby food, here is a list of some of the equipment you may want to have on hand to use.
1. Large Pot – I prefer my large stock pot because it is deep and cooks everything really well. Make sure you have a lid to keep the heat in.
2. Blender – I highly recommend a smaller blender that is used for smoothies and shakes. We tried using our Ninja Blender and while I love using it for myself, it just doesn’t seem to puree the baby food thin enough for my liking. We invested in a Magic Bullet and it works great for getting the baby food puree very thin. You can purchase your very own Magic Bullet on Amazon.
3. Ice Cube Trays – This is the best way I have found to measure out each serving of baby food. When your baby is ready to eat, you just pop one of the ice cube tray foods out of the freezer and heat it up.
Should I only go with Organic fruits and vegetables? I personally do not buy only organic ingredients. As long as I thoroughly wash the fruits and vegetables when I get home, I am not concerned with if it is organic or not. If you are making your baby’s food, you know what you are putting in the food. I would not stress over if the food is organic or not, it will still be great for your baby.
Is making my own baby food cheaper than buying baby food jars and pouches? I guess the question is “What is more valuable to you, money or time?”
This is actually a serious question since there are only so many hours in the day and do you want to spend it making baby food?
With my daughter, I made homemade baby food in the beginning and then we started to purchase jars and pouches of baby food. This was not because I was lazy or didn’t care about my daughter’s health anymore, but because we just felt that it was time to introduce more foods. She started to eat a lot more and we wanted to widen her options.
If you want to make your own baby food, you could always make a few batches of different foods for your baby to try out, and then once the homemade food is gone, you could start purchasing baby food. This is all completely up to you and what you feel is best for you and your baby.
How long do I have to wait between foods? The CDC recommends waiting 3-5 days before introducing a new food because of possible food allergies. It is important to only introduce one food at a time so you know if your child is having a reaction to anything.
When should I start giving my child baby food? You should talk to your pediatrician before introducing food to your baby. It is suggested that smaller babies start baby food at 4 or 5 months old, but only follow instruction from your pediatrician.
Our pediatrician had us start baby food with both of our children around 5 months old to help with weight gain since a lot of the people in mine and my husband’s families are built smaller.
Continue to follow this post to directions on how to make puree sweet potatoes, applesauce, and more.
You can also leave a comment below with any homemade baby food tips or tricks.
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