Homemade Baby Food Made Easy
Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active
blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and
all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people!
To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore
From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26
When I was a new mother, I wanted the very best for my little
one. I used cloth diapers and I did everything that I could to make sure that
my baby was free from exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. However, when
my daughter grew old enough to eat solid foods, I wondered how to give her the
highest quality baby food. I did a bit of research, and I found that even those
baby foods that are labeled as "natural" or "organic" may contain undesirable
ingredients.
I wanted to know exactly what my daughter would be consuming, so I decided that
the best way to ensure that she got the highest-quality baby food is to make it
myself! It didn't take me long to learn
to prepare baby food, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how simple and
inexpensive it really can be. Before
you make any changes to your diet during your pregnancy, make sure to double
check with your doctor. My doctor was
great and was able to give me advice on birthing styles, cord blood banking options, swaddling and
more!
Making Baby Food Cereals
I found that baby food cereals are quick and
easy to create from items that I already have in my pantry. To make baby food
cereals, you just grind up plain, organic cereals like oats, barley or rice in
food processor. This allows the grains to turn into a powder. Then, mix ¼ a cup
of cereal powder with one cup of water in a saucepan. Whisk it until smooth,
and simmer it until you have the right consistency. You can add fruit purees to
flavor your baby's cereal.
Making Baby Food Fruits
Baby
food fruits are simple to make. Some fruits, like peaches or bananas, are
easily mashed in the food processor without any need for precooking. However,
other fruits, like apples or pears, need to be softened by cooking. Wash, peel
and dice the fruits and put them in a small saucepan with just enough water to
cover them. Boil the fruit until it is very tender, and then, you need to only
puree it in the blender. Dried fruits, like apricots or prunes need extra water
to soften them. Just soak the dried fruit in warm water until they are plump.
Next, cook and puree them. Feel
free to taste everything along the way- it’s pretty delicious!
Making Baby Food Vegetables
I wanted my daughter to acquire a taste for nutritious vegetables early in
life. Therefore, giving him plenty of green and yellow vegetables is important.
Green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, zucchini, summer squash and carrots are all
prepared in the same way. You will need a steamer basket that fits into your
saucepan and a tightly fitting lid for your pot. Clean these vegetables
thoroughly and, for carrots and sweet potatoes, peel and dice them. Cut the
green beans, zucchini and squash into uniform pieces. Place the veggies in the
steamer basket, and cook them over boiling water until they are very tender.
Use a blender to get the smoothest puree of these veggies, adding a bit of the
water in which they were cooked to make a smooth puree. For winter squash,
split the squash in half and remove the seeds. Then, place it in a baking pan
and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. Scoop out the baked squash, and
puree it well, adding extra water if needed.
Now that I know how to make baby food at home, I spend just a few hours each
weekend preparing the entire family’s food. I freeze single-serving portions in
ice cube trays and store them in zip-top freezer bags.
Visit Katie at moorefromkatie.blogspot.com
Special thanks to Katie for writing this awesome post.
If you'd like to submit your tips for making baby food
please comment at the bottom. I'll be on an adventure soon
with making my own food and I can't wait!
Stop by and visit Katie!
Any homemade baby food makers?