Homemade Baby Food

There are lots of good, high quality, organic baby foods out there, but making your own from scratch means that you'll know where it came from and what went into it. It's not difficult; just a little time consuming, but it can also give siblings, dads and grandparents something to contribute when they may be feeling left out of dealing with your new infant. You can make your own baby food easily using a food grinder or food processor. It's a fun way to make your baby a meal!
   

1. Homemade baby food looks better because it comes from fresh, homemade food. Factory packed baby food can't hold a candle to the broccoli that you steamed just ten minutes ago! And cereal products will be tastier made at home from ground oatmeal, cooked and puree barley and other whole grains. Just steam them and grind with a little water.

2. The colors are fresher, and you don't have to add preservatives. Just keep it in the fridge or make a lot at once and freeze it in tiny containers. Fill up ice cube trays with the pureed food, freeze them solid and then store in ziplock bags. Label the bags so you'll know what's in them in a month or two, and if you're keeping track of potential food allergies, write the ingredients in magic marker right on the bags. When you're ready to feed the baby, take 2-4 cubes from the freezer, microwave them (usually 30-60 seconds, depending on the power of your microwave), check they're the right temperature and serve.

3. You can go organic without paying such high prices. A little baby sized bowl of your home made, organic, pureed spinach will cost you about a nickel instead of $2.00 or more. And it will taste good enough for even grownups to eat!

4. You can choose the ingredients! Spice up a recipe for ground carrots by adding a little apple or orange juice instead of blending the carrots with plain water. Make baby food from soft fruits like strawberries with yogurt. Don't bother with bananas, though. It's as simple to mash a banana on the spot as it is to create a banana puree that will just be watery and brown after processing and freezing. You can cook and puree meats, veggies, grains and fruits of your choice, knowing that your baby is getting the best baby food ever for less than half the cost of store-bought foods.

5. You can control your baby's nutrition and overall health better when you know what's in the baby food. With no preservatives, no added sugar or food colors, your baby food will be les likely to cause stomach upsets or allergic reactions in your child. And you can ease your baby into eating solid foods by grinding the baby food coarser over time.