Why Make Your Own Baby Food?

Making your own baby food is easy and economical, often costing less than buying jarred baby foods at the grocery store—especially if you choose to go organic. When you make your baby’s food at home, it exposes him to a wider variety of foods. In addition, using fresher ingredients means that your baby’s food is more nutritious. Whether you choose to use conventional or organic fruits and vegetables is up to you, but no matter which you choose you will always know exactly what is in your baby’s food. Best of all, you are preparing your baby for a lifetime of good health.

When and How to Introduce Solid Foods

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends introducing solid foods between the ages of four and six months. In fact, many pediatricians recommend waiting until your baby is six months old before introducing cereal. Your baby will begin by eating a single grain cereal such as rice. Remember that breast milk or formula should remain the primary source of nutrition for at least several months after solid foods, including cereal are introduced. Once your baby is comfortable swallowing and eating rice cereal try giving her oatmeal baby cereal.

When your baby has mastered cereal introduce one new fruit or vegetable every 3 to 4 days, followed by chicken, fish, or beef, which are usually introduced last to your baby. Watch your baby carefully for signs of an allergic reaction, typically a skin rash known as eczema.

After a month or two, start combining fruits and vegetables such as squash and apples with oatmeal cereal, or blueberries and pears with rice cereal. You really don’t have to follow any specific recipe just add expressed breast milk or formula to the puree until the consistency is thin enough for your baby to handle. Later when your baby is older, you can transition to thicker, chunkier purees, until eventually your baby reaches the finger food stage.

While you are introducing new fruits and vegetables, it is important that you continue to feed your baby at least 2 servings of baby cereal fortified with iron especially if you are breastfeeding. Breast milk does not contain iron and by the age of six months your baby’s iron reserves are nearly depleted.

Try not to get frustrated when your baby doesn’t eat everything, even if you feel like you went the extra mile in making a delicious meal for her. Remember food is brand new concept to your baby. Don’t overwhelm her by introducing a whole meal of new foods, but include foods that are familiar to her and that you know she likes (or at least she did yesterday!).

A Couple of Tips

1. Use organic fruits and vegetables (either fresh or frozen) if possible.
2. Start with peas, carrots, sweet potato, acorn and butternut squash, blueberries, peaches, apples, pears, and prunes
3. Strawberries, oranges, and tomatoes often cause allergies so wait until your baby is a year old to try these.
4. Avoid strong tasting foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, and onions until you baby is older.
5. Ripe bananas and avocados are not cooked, but are mashed with a fork. Add breast milk or formula to make a creamier consistency.
6. Buy a couple of extra ice cube trays just for your baby’s foods.
7. Do not add salt, sugar or fats such as butter or olive oil to start. These can be incorporated later when your baby is older.
8. Don’t be afraid to mix and match fruits, vegetables, and meat or fish. For example, peaches with chicken and rice cereal.

Basic Recipes

Fruit or Vegetable Puree

For fresh fruits and vegetables, peel, remove seeds, and chop the entire vegetable or fruit into small cubes (or use part of it for your meal). Add water to cover plus one to two inches. Boil until tender.

For frozen vegetables or fruit, add 1/2 cup of frozen to saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover the vegetables or fruits. Microwave or boil until tender.

After cooking, strain and conserve cooking liquid. Puree a little at a time in a blender, adding water as needed. Puree should not be too watery or too thick or your baby will not eat it. Pour the puree into ice cube molds and freeze. When completely frozen, transfer the individual cubes to zip-lock sandwich bags and label with a sharpie marker.

Chicken, Beef or Fish Puree

Boil boneless chicken breasts until tender. Stew beef can be cooked in a little oil over medium-high heat to seal in meat juices, then add water to cover plus one inch and simmer until meat is tender. Stir occasionally and add water if needed. Poach mild tasting fish such as flounder by barely covering the fish with water in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Immediately remove from heat, cover and let sit 5 minutes.

Puree chicken, beef, and fish in a blender. You will need to add a larger amount of water to meat than you did for fruits and vegetables in order to make a puree or lightly shredded mixture. Let cool, then pour into ice cube molds and freeze. When completely frozen, transfer the individual cubes to zip-lock sandwich bags and label with a sharpie marker.

Fruit Parfait (8 months and older)

Peaches or other fruit

Whole milk vanilla yogurt (substitute expressed breast milk or formula prior to one year of age if you feel more comfortable)

Rice cereal

Defrost 2 cubes of peaches or other fruit. Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt and 2 tablespoons of rice cereal to thicken. Your baby will love it!

Baby Beef Stew (10 to 12 months)

Beef

Potatoes

Carrots

Green beans or peas

Alphabet pasta or elbows

Cook pasta as directed on the box. Defrost one cube of each ingredient. Mix together and heat in microwave. Stir and serve.

Butternut Squash Casserole (10 to 12 months)

Butternut squash

Chicken (optional)

Brown rice

Grated cheddar cheese

Cornmeal

Defrost 2 cubes of squash and 1 cube of chicken (optional). Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of brown rice. Fold in grated cheese. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Let cool. Can also be used as a finger food by adding more rice and rolling into small balls.

Baby Smoothies (12 months and older)

2 tablespoons of whole milk vanilla yogurt

1/2 ripe banana

1/4 cup of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, kiwi, or mango

1/2 cup of whole milk

Add all ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth, then frappe for 5 seconds. If mixture is too thick dilute with whole milk. If your baby refuses to drink milk, these are guaranteed to work!

Heleigh Bostwick is the editor of Parenting Multiples.

External Links:

• All Info About Parenting Multiples -