Parents, we admit it: we all want the best for our baby. Best clothes, best bed, best food. And guess what? You can’t beat homemade! Those jars of baby food they sell in the store mean you only have to open a little plastic packet and pop it in their mouth. It’s great for when you’re rushing when everyone has gone to bed, or out, or whatever: no cooking, washing dishes, or chopping.
But wheezing up your own baby food can be as easy as pie (Oh look, here comes Baby’s first homemade pie!) No added sugar, no weird vegetable oil, nondescript preservatives. You know exactly what’s going into every single bit of that loveliness. Save, save, save. So much wholesome goodness for half the cost. Easy, frugal, healthful, and kinda fun. Yes, kinda.
So, ready to roll up your sleeves and get cooking? Let’s dive in!
Why Homemade Baby Food Is Totally Worth It
Before we start with recipes, I want to discuss why this is a good idea.
1) Food purchased in stores is ONLY packaged to stay FRESH.
2) Store-bought food often includes excessive amounts of sugar, salt and chemicals.
You control the ingredients: You know that your baby is eating exactly what you’re putting in his mouth, no secret sugars or salts or other additives sneaking in there
It’s cheaper: Starter foods can be expensive and offer little choice. You could make so many different foods so much more cheaply at home.
Fresh is best: You’ll give your baby fresh food packed with nutrients.
Customizable: ‘You can adapt individual meals to your baby’s tastes, gradually introducing her to different flavours: before you know it, she will be enjoying her own mini-brunch of baked eggs, pea shoots and olive-oil roasted potatoes’
Now that you’re convinced (hopefully!), let’s start with the basics.
What You Need to Make Homemade Baby Food
Chill out – no fancy kitchen machinery is required. Here is my abbreviated catalogue of stuff you probably already have:
Blender or food processor: To make smooth purees.
Steamer basket: For softening fruits and veggies.
Freezer trays: You can freeze extra baby food in small portions for later.
Storage containers: To store the food in the fridge or freezer.
That’s it! Now, let’s get cooking!
Easy Homemade Baby Food Recipes
To begin with, we will start with some quick, easy, and healthy recipes that are easy for even a beginner to cook. These recipes all use very few simple ingredients and don’t take much time!
1. Banana and Avocado Mash
Mashed banana and mashed avocado are the answer. They’re a great first food for a baby and super-delish due to the banana’s sweetness and the avocado’s heart-healthy fats.
Ingredients:
– 1 ripe banana
– 1/2 ripe avocado
How to make it:
- Mash the banana and avocado together in a bowl to form a smooth paste. (You can use a fork for this.)
- If your baby likes his pureéed food, mix it with a little water or breast milk.
- Serve immediately!
Babies love it. It is sweet and creamy and a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain development.
2. Sweet Potato Puree
Sweet potato is a classic baby food ingredient. It’s naturally sweet and often has added vitamins, which are good for a rapidly growing baby.
Ingredients
– 1 medium sweet potato
How to make it:
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into small pieces.
- Steam the pieces for about 10-15 minutes or until they’re soft.
- Blend the sweet potato with a little water or breast milk until smooth.
Why babies love it: It’s sweet all on its own, but even more so with additions such as cow’s milk, broth, disposable soothers or mum’s saliva — all of which babies pursue with gusto. *Why it’s good for them:* Bananas are the most nutritious (and thus the healthiest) of all foods.
- Apple and Pear Puree
Fruits – apples and pears go great together.
Rule:
Paraphrase without citations and quotes.
Ingredients:
– 1 apple, peeled and chopped
– 1 pear, peeled and chopped
How to make it:
- Simmer the pieces of apple and pear in the water for 10 minutes or until soft.
- Blend them together until smooth.
What makes it so popular? *Why babies like it*: The natural sugars make it super tasty and gentle on the stomach.
4. Carrot and Pea Puree
A match made in baby heaven – the carrots’ sweetness and the peas’s earthiness. A great blend to get your baby to like veggies.
Ingredients:
– 1/2 cup peas
– 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
How to make it:
- Steam the peas and carrots for about 10-12 minutes until soft.
- Blend with a little water until smooth.
Why babies love it: It’s bright, colourful, and packed with flavour!
5. Chicken and Veggie Puree
This handy chicken and veg puree should help your baby stay nourished when focusing on proteins.
Ingredients:
– 1 small chicken breast
– 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
– 1/2 cup peas or green beans
How to make it:
- Steam the veggies until soft.
- Pocook it either in boiling water or in steam.
Why kids love it: This filling, warming meal has the familiar taste of chicken mixed with veg.
Pro Tips for Making Homemade Baby Food
- Cook in bulk: Prepare batches of these dishes ahead of time and freeze them in ice-cube trays. On the night, pop out a few weeks’ worth and heat!
- Keep it basic: Start off with purees made with one ingredient. It will help you track any allergies and see what he or she prefers.
- Vary the consistency: For very young infants, make it thin, soft, and easy to swallow. As your baby gets older, add thickness and chunks to help with chewing.
- Use breast milk or formula: If you’ve started weaning your baby and are offering purees, adding a little breast milk or formula can provide some familiar flavours and extra nutrition.
- Wait: Babies don’t always like a new food the first time. Try it several times before deciding that they don’t like it. Babies’ tastes change quickly!
How to Store Homemade Baby Food
After making your baby food, store it in the fridge or freezer. Here’s a quick chart:
In the fridge: Store in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
In the freezer: Freeze in portions (ice cube trays are great!) for up to 3 months. Thaw a portion overnight in the fridge or warm it up.
FAQs About Homemade Baby Food
Q: Can I use frozen veggies and fruits?
A: Yes!! Frozen fruits and veggies are also often picked at their peak (rather than trucked all the way to market), and just as nutritious as fresh ones. Just steam them before you blend.
Q: How do I know when my baby is ready for solids?
Q: When should we introduce solids for our new baby?
A: Around 6 months. The first sign is that they can sit in a high chair. If they’re keen to eat, that’s also a big sign. It’s important that they’ve lost the tongue-thrust reflex (they can move food around in their mouth and send it a distinctive way).
Q: What if my baby doesn’t like a certain food?
A: Try, try and try again! Babies’ tastes can change very quickly. Offer the food several times over those days or weeks before you determine you have a THUMBS DOWN.
Final Thoughts: You’ve Got This!
In short, three-quarter-bound volumes of recipe advice on how to homestead your baby, feathering the nest with homemade meals that, in theory, will give your baby his best chance in this world.
Making your own baby food is a lot easier than one might expect. With a few key ingredients and some basic culinary equipment, you, too, can whip up good, satisfyingly healthy meals for your little darling to guzzle.
Now, try some of these recipes yourself! You’re doing a fine job on the flavour front, and your tiny tastebuds will love you for it. Chef Roxanne!