How do I make baby food from scratch?
It is very easy to make baby food. Bananas are easy to mash. If they aren’t soft enough, place them in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up. Fresh apples make a great applesauce. I buy a sweet potato and bake it in the oven or boil it. Once it’s done, I freeze part of it and keep the rest. I mix it with mashed bananas or applesauce. Apples can be baked as well with a little bit of sugar. My babies always loved the combinations. I bought fruits and veggies during the summer when they are cheaper and froze those that can be frozen. It is recommended to bake veggies to keep as much vitamins and minerals as possible. If you don’t have time, boil or steam it in the microwave.
Homemade baby food is pretty simple: steam or boil veggies until they are soft, then puree them in your blender. Add water to thin them to an appropriate consistency: slightly thicker than breast milk for new eaters, and gradually thicker as your baby grows and experiences more foods. Fruits can be lightly cooked or served raw, as can avocado. Avoid typical allergens such as strawberries and nightshade family veggies (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, etc) until your child is old enough not to need pureed foods. I stored mine in ziplock bags in the freezer — an ice tray is handy because you can freeze the foods in 1oz servings. I usually made enough at one time to use for about a week with my two older children. Unless you know how to can properly, don’t use the saved baby food jars — fresher is healthier and safer by far than canned. Also, keep in mind that babies don’t necessarily need pureed foods at all. My youngest child went straight from exclusively breastfeeding to managing soft
