Making your own baby food.

Let me encourage you to make your own baby food! It is much easier than you think!

It takes just about 15 - 20 mins per week to make 2 or 3 varieties of food.

I learn all I know about making my own baby food from an excellent book called SUPER BABY FOOD by RUTH YARON

Here are just a few simple tips to make your own baby food.

Sweet potato:

Bake at 400 for one hour (baking maintains more nutrients than boiling or microwaving).

Let cool slightly.

Peal and puree in blender until smooth adding water until you get right consistency.

Peas:

You can use frozen peas but I have found the skins too tough to puree. I buy a bag of split peas (found in the isle with other dry beans). Cook as packaging instructs and puree!

Ta-da!

Carrots:

NOTE: Since these are made fresh the baby must be 7 months old before they can eat them. It has something to do with it being a root. Read more about it in SUPER BABY FOOD. The store bought carrot are altered to be safe for babies of any age.

Steam carrots until super soft. Drain water and set water aside. Puree carrots adding bits of water that you steamed them in until desired texture.

Using the same water adds more nutrients cause some of the nutrients go into the water when steamed.

Broccoli:

Steam until super soft. Drain, set water aside. Puree adding just enough water that has been set aside until desired texture.

See how easy it is!

I did not puree apples... I bought a large glass jar of unsweetened applesauce.

I also found that other fruits like pears when pureed is much to watery and does not produce much. You would have to buy tons of pears to make it worth your while. I bought jar baby food for most fruits....EXCEPT bananas!

Bananas:

Bananas are the easiest! No pureeing required!

Peal, fork mash, serve!

Yes you can freeze bananas. They do brown because of oxidization. All this means is they have had contact with air! Still good to eat just a little brown.

These are the main staples I kept in my freezer for my babies. It is just enough for variety and still saves the pocket book!

NOTE: when serving, if you find the pureed food is too runny, add a little rice cereal to thicken it. It does not alter the flavor at all.