If you are planning on venturing into making your own baby food, this post will help you learn all you need to know about doing just that. We’ll explore the most commonly asked questions, and by the end, you’ll be ready to start preparing and making your baby’s first foods. Be sure to save this post and pin it to your favorite Pinterest board.
All You Need to Know About Making Your Own Baby Food
Keep the following tips and advice in mind as you journey on to learning how to make your baby’s first foods.
What do you need to start making your own baby food?
One of the most important things to understand besides knowing when to start feeding your baby anything other than breastmilk or formula is what will be needed to start making your baby’s first foods. In most cases, all you’ll need are a few basic ingredients and supplies, such as:
- A good blender
- Water, breastmilk, and/or formula (for thinning as needed)
- Chopping knife
- Spoons
- Bowls
- Trays, bags, and containers for freezing and storage
- Fresh produce, fruit, and seasonings
Anything in addition to this will be according to your own discretion. There are several things you can find on the market that help make baby food prep much easier. But it typically doesn’t take much more than the aforementioned.
Is it hard to do?
Most moms would agree that making your own baby food is not hard at all. The most tedious part is dicing up the fresh foods, pureeing them, and deciding on how to store them. Overall, this can be done in as little as an hour and give you food for several days or weeks, depending on how much prep you’ve done.
Is it worth it?
In my honest opinion (and those of others who actually do it), it is absolutely worth making your own baby food. For starters, homemade baby food tends to be more nutritious because it is free from fillers and ingredients that make it “shelf stable.” Another pro is financially speaking, it can be less expensive than picking it up in jars from the local grocery store – especially when prepared in bulk.
Most homemade baby food lasts 2-3 days when stored in the refrigerator and up to 1 month when frozen. So, when you’re making it, keep this in mind.
When should you start?
Before you start making your own baby food, you’ll first want to make sure your baby is ready for solids. Most healthcare professionals suggest that babies do not need any form of solids until they are at least 6 months of age. Until then, they can get all the nutrients they need from breastmilk and/or formula.
Physical indicators that your baby may be ready for solids includes their ability to maintain head and neck control, shows interest in foods by reaching for food on your plate, and opening their mouth when you approach it with a spoon.
With those milestones reached, it’s pretty safe to start making your baby’s first foods. Other things to keep in mind are:
- Make the baby food/puree according to the recipes you’re following.
- Keep the prepared food in proper storage containers.
- Label the food with the appropriate name and date to prevent spoiling.
- Use the oldest prepped food first.
How to Easily Make Your Own Baby Food
Now that we’ve gotten the other most-asked questions answered, let’s look at just how easy it is to make your own baby food.
First, always work in a clean and sanitized area. This is simply washing your hands, the countertop you’ll be working on, and any utensils you’ll be working with. Next, prepare your ingredients. Make sure any grains and cereals are cooked, produce is steamed, baked, or broiled, and meats/poultry are skinned and cooked completely.
If you want to add any flavor, keep in mind that your baby’s tastebuds are still developing so it’s best to stick with healthy herbs such as cinnamon. Also, a little bit goes a long way.
Last but not least, you can serve your homemade baby food the same day (once it has cooled down) or store it for a later feeding. Some options include using an ice tray to freeze small serving sizes. Once frozen, they can be added to a freezer-safe bag or container. Be sure the food is defrosted completely and at least room temperature before serving.
Final Thoughts
This guide is a clear cut way to learn all you need to know about making your own baby food. There isn’t much to starting this journey other than making the choice to try it. The good thing about it is you can try it and if it seems to be too overwhelming, you can possibly purchase some from another homemaking mom or find organic brands to purchase from the grocery store.
Have you ever made your own baby food? What are your favorite things you’ve made?
I love the idea of making homemade baby food. It’s the only real way to know what’s really going into the kids.
It really is so easy and cost-efficient to make your own baby food. I love this idea and wish I would have done this when my boys were babies.
Perfect tips for making your own baby food. It’s great to really know what is going inside your baby and the ingredients. My friend made her own baby food for both her boys and enjoyed the process.
I feel like making your own is so much easier than folks think it is. And this is a great guide for getting started!
Great tips for making your own baby food. It’s so much healthier for babies than store-bought.
I love these tips! I wish I would have done more of this when both of my kids were younger.
I agree, it really is worth making your own baby food. This way you know what’s in there and can tailor foods to your child’s taste. Even better, you can freeze some for use so you don’t need to make it daily.
I absolutely loved the comprehensive guide on making homemade baby food! The step-by-step instructions and helpful tips made it so easy to understand and follow. This article has given me the confidence to provide nutritious and delicious meals for my little one. Thank you!
I made my daughters baby food and really loved it! IT was such a fun experience!
This is a really great and very informative post, I’m gonna share this with my friend who has a baby
I couldn’t agree more! Making your baby food is worth it. Not only is it more nutritious than store-bought options, but it can also be more cost-effective in the long run. Plus, it’s not difficult to do with just a few basic ingredients and supplies. As long as you have a good blender, fresh produce, and some storage containers, you’re good to go. So, if you’re considering making your own baby food, don’t hesitate to give it a try!
Very informative post. I am totally for making your own baby food. When my sister had her child I made baby food everyday for my nephew and I enjoyed it. Maybe it was easy for me because it wasn’t my baby, don’t know how my sister would be able to do it (her first child) because I saw how much goes into caring for a young baby.
Ooohhhh…alright then! You have shared very good pointers on solid foods a baby can do with. I will bookmark this post for the future!
Homemade baby food is indeed safer, healthier and perhaps tastier. Passing this post to all my friends with babies. They would surely thank you.