Home Made Baby Food

This is another post that contains more of a method, rather than a recipe.  I've seen stuff like this floating around pinterest, so there is obviously a need for it somewhere.

Though I am out of the baby food stage, I have been through 3 kids and have used this method for making my own baby food each time around, and I have loved it.  Healthier and cheaper than purchasing those expensive little jars, and with a few seconds in the microwave it is easy to mix up your own concoctions.  

I've also included a list of my favorite foods to use.

Home Made Baby Food

For vegetables, remove skins and rough chop.
Steam and boil until cooked and tender.

For fruit, remove stems, if applicable, and rough chop.

Puree individual foods until smooth.

Pour into ice cube trays.

Freeze.

Relocate to freezer bags/containers.

I love those little ice cube trays I found at Target for $1.  I bought them specifically for making baby food.  They are about 1 Tbsp. each, the perfect size to mix and match different meals.

Here is a list of my favorite baby foods:

Vegetables

sweet potato

acorn squash

butternut squash
spaghetti squash

carrots
peas
onions
parsnips

I've found that these vegetables don't puree as well, but are good to use when trying to add in different textures:

broccoli

green beans

cauliflower

corn

These vegetables don't have to be cooked first, just add water if needed to puree:

spinach
kale
zucchini
summer squash

Fruits

strawberries

blueberries

blackberries

raspberries

banana

peach

pear

avocado

apricot

cherries (diarrea alert)

mango (can be stringy)

plum (cook first)

I also used home made grape juice or apple juice to thin out other foods and to add sweetness.  This also works well with pureed melons.

Meats

I love using canned meats, they are very tender and puree the best.

roast beef

chicken
pork

fish

Grains

Fully cook grains according to package directions before pureeing.  Add water/broth as needed.

oats

quinoa

rice (adds some texture)
barley (texture)

pasta (Acine de Peppe is perfect for texture - no pureeing required)

millet (perfect texture - no pureeing needed)

Other
Yogurt
Beans (black/pinto, etc.)

I will also puree full meals and freeze for when the baby gets older and more advanced with food.  Soups, stews, and casseroles always work pretty well.