Making Infant Food

VERY VERY HELPFUL...I don't know why I was thinking it was so hard...guess it is easier than I thought....

What did you decide about going overseas? Sorry if I missed that post earlier....

Still no definite answer or decision....doing some meetings and getting more info...leaning towards a yes.

Ann,

I made Jackson's food.  I have a Magic Bullet, and would just puree food in it.  Many times I would put fresh fruits or vegetables in it with some water and microwave until soft or boil on stove until soft, then puree to desired consitency.  Always use the water from cooking for thinning becuase it has nutrients in it.  Some fruits would brown so you need to add a little lemon juice or something acidic to stop that. Also to the tart fruits I would add a little bit of 100% no sugar added apple juice to sweeten if needed.  I would make big batches and freeze in ice cube trays and then thaw out what I needed.  I have a book titled Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel.

For meats, I would do the same thing and thin with broth.  Jackson liked homemade food much better, and transitioned to regular food very easily because I just adjusted textures until he could pick up what he wanted (around 9 months).

Hope this helps. PM me if you want my number to call and ask questions, or if you would like to borrow the book.  I don't live too far from you.

Jackie

Hi Jackie!!!!

This is very helpful and I may just borrow that book...I have no idea where you live though :( I am thinking we do the meet up in a few weeks and then do another one when the new girls move to GA....then I can get the book to borrow and MEET YOU :)

I am still a little lost on the ice cube tray thing on how you defrost or use later and how do I make stuff to take to daycare....

Thanks again!!! I look forward to meeting you soon...

Ann

Ann,

I am not a mommy yet but soon to be of triplets and I too will try to make there own food.  This is the only suggestion that I really have.....When you introduce a new food  try it for 3 -5 days straight to watch for any type of allergy.  With all the damn food allergies out there if you try three different new food sa day you won't know which one could possibly be an allergy.  Just a tip....Hope that helps!

Carroll

I second that, and want to add, you want to have a food blender that is ONLY for baby food, since cross contamination with things like honey, nuts or eggs could be a problem for little ones. I got one pretty cheap at BRU, it is small but works really well.

You aren't ignorant... you are a new Mommy. 

I bought a book called Super Baby Foods - and there is a website www.wholesomebabyfoods.com  both are good because they tell you what age is appropriate for the fruits/veggies/dairy etc...

Bananas & avocado don't have to be cooked - just mash and give them to him. All the rest I just cut the fruit or veggies up in cubes and steam them. Then mash... I strained the first few fruits/veggies to make sure any pieces of stuff that shouldn't be in there was out and the consistancy was good. I bought bpa free cube trays at BRU and leave a few days worth of food out and then freeze the rest. I wait 4 days to try anything new to see if he has a reaction...

I try to buy everything fresh and organic but what I can't find fresh I will get from the frozen section like peas and green beans.

I hope this helps!!

It totally helps....I am thinking it may save me some money and really be better for him....are you doing any meats?

I still don't get the cube tray thing you all are talking about....sorry...stupid here....do you feel like it takes you more time to do this and how do you bring to daycare?

smoochies!!!

No meats yet - but my dr. said it was ok. I will probably do it when I get back from VT.

Its like an iced cube tray ( go to bru and type in food cube tray) Freeze it and what I do is I take a few out and put it in a container and let it thaw in the fridge OR I let it thaw in ho****er right before I feed him. I give daycare a baggie of whatever frozen cubes and she thaws then daily and feeds him. 

You should definitely get that book I was talking about - it is so helpful!

 Libby HATES homemade meat, so I make her veggies and fruits and just buy the meat stuff.  wholesomebabyfood.com is an AWESOME site.  I even made my own baby cookbook and printed it out so I could always have it available.  Start with apples, bananas, pears, peaches, etc.  (yes, I started with fruit and my baby girl still loves her veggies too)  Apples - boil until they are super duper soft and put them in a food processor.  Spoon them into an ice cube tray, freeze, store in ziploc bag.  To defrost you just put in the microwave.  We then add baby cereal to it because the cereal is really good for them.  You pretty much just do that for everything.
Sweet Potatoes - boil, puree, freeze
Pears - boil, puree, freeze  (easier to buy canned in its own juice and puree and freeze)
Peaches - I buy canned in their own juice, puree, freeze
Super super easy.  Look at that website though, it is everything you ever needed and wanted to know.