Making homemade baby food is one of my favorite things to do for my kids. I started when my oldest child was four months old, and I am still going strong for my youngest who is eleven months old. I love knowing exactly what goes into every meal – and more importantly, what doesn’t! Even if a jar says “preservative-free” or “all natural,” that still means the once healthy whole fruits and veggies have been super-heated and processed beyond recognition, removing tons of nutritional value and flavor. If it was simply a nutritional benefit to make baby food at home, that would be enough of a reason for me; but it is also a huge financial benefit! In the beginning, you may think a one dollar jar of store baby food bananas is way cheaper than getting set up with steamers, blenders and a month supply of organic food… but you’re wrong! PishPoshBaby has all of the products you need to get set up at amazing prices. Check out the Beaba Babycook Pro and Multiportions storage tray. For larger batches, you’ll want to look into the Sage Spoonfuls system. It’ll only take you a month or two to save the money you would have been spending on store bought… ESPECIALLY if you planned to buy organic baby food. I’ve got money saving tips to turn you into a baby food pro. Soon your friends will want to know all of your secrets!
- Plan ahead – buy seasonal items in bulk to prep and freeze. Organic strawberries get very pricey certain times of the year – buy a lot when they are on sale! Experiment with local, fresh fruits and veggies. You’ll be surprised to see all the foods your baby is willing to try, and love!
- Ice trays, aluminum foil, and freezer bags – these are some of the cheapest things in your grocery store and they will save you a fortune! Spoon your delicious purees into the ice tray, cover tightly with foil and freeze for a couple hours. Once solid – pop the cubes into a labeled and dated freezer bag and you can take out one or two at a time. Fruits and veggies will keep 4-6 months when frozen this way! Just remember to press as much air out of the bag as you can to preserve the flavor.
- Bananas and avocados – some of the most expensive baby foods to buy organically and the EASIEST to make. You can get three 2 ounce servings from one banana. Please note – these don’t freeze well so just mash and serve!
- Picky eater? No problem! I put baby spinach in all of my purees. Baby won’t notice the flavor and they’re getting tons of vitamins and minerals.
- Start out with one-ingredient purees. Bananas, apples, carrots and sweet potatoes are safe beginners! Talk to your pediatrician about possible allergens and how to introduce one new food at a time. As baby gets older, get creative! My son’s favorite is apples, zucchini and spinach all pureed together.
It may seem like a lot of information and effort at first, but I promise it won’t take you long to decide you’ll never buy jarred baby food again! Now get cooking!