Baby Food 101

Making homemade baby food can feel like a daunting task.  Fear not, these simple steps will make preparing your own pureed baby food fool-proof, and relatively mess-free!

You’ll need:

Steamer
A Blender and/or Food Processor (for a smooth puree)
Masher (for larger chunks)
Strainer
Containers
Ice Cube Tray

Let’s get started!

1. Wash fresh fruits or vegetables thoroughly. Remove peels, cores, and seeds. Do not use any type of detergent as it can leave chemicals on the food.

Tip: Avoid homemade pureed beets, turnips, or spinach. They contain nitrates that can cause anemia. Avoid using eggs. Eggs can cause allergic reactions to babies under the age of one.

2. Bake, boil or steam until soft. A microwave can also be used and is the faster option

Tip: Boiling can cause a loss of essential vitamins and minerals. To prevent this from happening, steam or try to use as little water as possible.

3. Avoid using canned fruits and vegetables since they may contain preservatives or added salt and sugar.

4. Use a food processor or blender to puree into a smooth consistency.

Tip: Add the leftover water to the mix if food was boiled. This will restore lost vitamins and minerals.

5. Puree can be refrigerated for 48 hours or kept frozen for 6 – 8 months.

6. When freezing food, be sure to attach a label with the name of the contents and the date prepared.

Tip: Try using an ice cube tray to freeze puree in single portions for easy serving. You can buy fancy trays made expressly for baby food but you can also just use the ones you’ve got. Wrap them in plastic wrap while the purees freeze. Store in a container or zip lock freezer bags once frozen.

7. Always thaw frozen baby food in the refrigerator before re-heating.

8. Test warmness of heated baby food against your own lip to make sure it’s not too hot for baby.

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