How to Make Baby Food at Home

Want to give your baby healthy meals but struggle to find the time? Learn how to make baby food at home easily and conveniently. 

How to Make Baby Food at HomeIf there’s anything I geeked out on in the baby stage, it was making baby food.

I made baby food for all three kids, poring through recipes and blending and storing their meals. I even tracked all the food they ate and loved watching their reactions as I offered new varieties.

Sure, it wasn’t always smooth—I still remember my baby’s scrunched face when he tasted broccoli. But the decision to feed them homemade baby food came easily, especially when I found so many benefits, including:

  • More variety. I wasn’t locked into a handful of flavors from store-bought jars. Cooking my own baby food meant many combinations and possibilities to offer my kids.
  • Less picky eating. With so many flavors to try, my kids learned to be open and accept all types of meals, right from the start. Even now, they eat a variety of food and are willing to try new flavors.
  • Healthy eating habits. Because all the food I made was fresh, I avoided processed food. I knew the exact ingredients that went into their meals. Fresh food also meant more vitamins and nutrients.
  • Easier transition to table food. As baby food became more complex the older my babies grew, I was able to transition them to the same meals the rest of the family was already eating.
  • Saves money. Those jars add up! Just like cooking your own food at home, homemade baby food can save you money compared to buying premade ones at the store.

How to make baby food at home

Maybe you’re considering giving your baby solids but want to prepare your own at home. Perhaps this is the first time you’re trying and are afraid to make mistakes. You’re not sure what food to start with (and at what age). Or you have an idea what to prepare but don’t know if you need particular kitchen equipment.

I hear you, friend. Below, I share my best tips on how to make baby food at home, even as a working mom of three kids. These are simple to prepare and don’t require special equipment other than a way to store excess portions of baby food purees.

I’ll go over best practices for preparing fruits, vegetables, and other meal items. Then, we’ll talk about how to offer baby food as well as how to store them for later use.

1. Preparing fruits

Guess what: You don’t have to start with cereal as the first food to introduce to your baby. I suggest starting with simple fruits and vegetables as his first baby food. Here’s how to prepare fruits like apples and pears:

  • Peel and core. Except for berries, start by peeling the fruit and removing its core.
  • Slice into sections. Slice the fruit into sections to make for easier blending.
  • Place into a steamer. Fill the bottom half of your steamer with about one inch of water, then set your fruit on the top steamer basket. If you don’t have a steamer (I didn’t have one), fill a regular pot with water and set a fitted colander on top, then cover with a lid. Steam the fruit anywhere from 20-30 minutes until they’re tender.
  • Blend. Place the fruit in the blender or food processor, then add enough water, breast milk, or formula to blend well. Add more water for younger babies who prefer a thinner texture and less for older ones who can take chunkier meals.

If you want a smooth texture, press the puree through a sieve or strainer to separate larger chunks.

Any food that was prepared with heat needs to be cooled to a reasonable temperature before offering it to your baby. And a few fruits—such as bananas and avocados—don’t need to be steamed and can simply be mashed with a fork or potato masher or blended.

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2. Preparing vegetables

Like fruits, cook the first few vegetables your baby eats. Down the line, she can take to raw finger foods like peas, corn, and carrots, but for now, cook and blend vegetables as you would fruits.

You may not have to peel vegetables with thin skin like you do with fruits. Vegetables like zucchini and summer squash can be steamed and blended directly.

Any fruits and vegetables whose skin you wouldn’t eat need to be removed, such as pumpkin, butternut squash, pineapples, or bananas.

And finally, root vegetables like sweet potatoes and yams taste better when roasted. Wrap the vegetable in aluminum foil and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove the skin and scoop the insides into the blender. Add some water to liquefy, and blend.

Again, offer cooked vegetables once they’ve cooled to a reasonable temperature, erring on the side of cooler than warmer.

3. Preparing meat, grains, and dairy

As your baby gets older, you can introduce more complex flavors and textures. Yogurt makes a wonderful baby food—blend fresh fruit like peaches, then stir it into whole-milk yogurt.

Prepare meat like chicken or pork as you normally would, such as baked, grilled, boiled, or on the stovetop. Start with no seasoning at first and keep the meal plain. Then, take the cooked meat apart and place it in the blender. Finally, add some water and blend to the consistency your baby likes.

Mix grains like baby cereal, rice, and oatmeal with a liquid, whether water, breastmilk, or formula, and follow the instructions on the package.

Offer food one at a time

Your child may react to certain foods, or solid food in general. Reactions can include allergy symptoms, rashes, fussiness, or gas.

The best way to see which ones may be causing a reaction is to offer only one food every two to three days, especially in the beginning. Once you can see that the new food doesn’t seem to affect her, introduce a new flavor.

You can also pause offering solid food for a few days if you notice a reaction. When I first introduced solids to my eldest, one of his reactions was constipation. I stopped offering solids for a few days until he was able to pass regular bowel movements again.

Store food correctly

Homemade baby food can stay in the freezer for 1-2 months, in the fridge for 1-2 days, and at room temperature within 2 hours. When storing in the freezer, pour them either into ice cube trays (where one cube typically equals one ounce) or baby food storage containers.

Once you thaw frozen food, don’t re-freeze any that your baby didn’t eat. Instead, toss it in the trash or organic waste bin.

Source: How to Store Baby Food, Happy Family Organics

Conclusion

Making homemade baby food takes more time than adding premade jarred ones into your shopping cart.

But preparing and storing food can still be done in a reasonable time. And let’s not forget the plenty of benefits of feeding your baby fresh, homemade food—even if he scrunches his face after eating a spoonful of broccoli.

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for the tips.

    1. Nina Garcia says:

      You’re welcome! Thanks for letting me know <3