Making your own baby food--Getting Started

Simplicity. Isn't that a wonderful word??

I would have never imagined that the word "simplicity" would come into my life in such a major way AFTER I had kids. Kids DO make things more complicated, but simplifying your life is imperative after having children. So, don't do what I do. I've been making my own baby food for almost 2 years--but I didn't start all at once, I started small. I started with bananas.

Just like the "Fly" Lady says, let's get this done fast so we can get back to loving on our babies!

Get out your blender.
Peal 3-4 bananas. Add a little water.
Puree until creamy.
Pour into containers. Screw on lids.
Stick in the freezer.
Wash the blender.

That's it. You're done. You just made your own baby food. How long did that take? My guess is 10 minutes, tops. How much did it cost? I'm betting less than $2.00. How much did you get? Probably about 7 days worth. Quick. Easy. Cost-effective. Environmentally friendly. Simple.

To serve, just stick in the microwave for a minute or so (You know your microwave, I know mine. Let's make smart choices here, ladies), stir it up good--remember those "hot spots" and serve to baby.
If all you ever make is bananas for your baby, I still think it's worth the time for the money saved. BUT there's much more, and it's really not that hard, I promise.

Making your own baby food--Equipment

Making your own baby food really isn't all that hard or time consuming. A big part of it is having the right equipment. Here's what I use:

Rubbermaid "Takealongs Twist & Seal" are perfect for baby food. They have little lines that I fill the baby food up to (great for consistency!), and the lids, logically, twist on and off. I use the small size for baby food. They freeze well, are microwave safe, and I've never had one leak. They also don't stain & come 4 in a pack. These little guys aren't expensive, and there are often coupons for them. Their only down fall that I've discovered is if you drop a frozen one from a high shelf in your freezer, they often shatter. Other than that, I love them and use them for everything. I bought them a few at a time and have about 20 now, maybe more!!

The next thing you'll need is a decent blender. After the one I registered for ended up being a dud, Matt & I purchased a Hamilton-Beach Stay or Go blender during what we like to call our "Smoothie" phase. It's great and we really like it. I can puree anything with this blender. Back when I purchased it, I would have never imagined using it to make baby food, but that just shows you that God is good all the time.
If all you want to make is pears, apples, and bananas, that's all you'll need. To make most vegetables, you'll need a steamer (like the one above) and simple baking dishes. I purchased a simple steamer at Wal-Mart after we discovered the deliciousness of fresh steamed-broccoli a few years ago. I think it was about $10.

Beyond that, you'll need a paring knife, a good vegetable peeler, a large cutting board. We'll talk more about recipes here and getting started here.