Welcome to the World of Homemade Baby Food!
Welcome to Simply Baby Food Recipes! This site will give you simple and easy instructions for making wholesome and delicious homemade baby food. If you can boil water, turn on the oven, and work a blender then you can make baby food!
Moms and Dads, are you stressed from wondering what you are going to feed your baby? Do you cringe at tasting jarred baby food, and you only give it to your baby because you think he or she doesn't know the difference? Then try making homemade baby food. Babies will know the difference. As soon as they taste fresh baby food made with goodness and love they will turn their heads at the jar just like you! You can have a couple months worth of baby food stored in your freezer by the time the Iron Chef is over on the Food Network!
You are a busy parent and you want convenience. We have all the tools you need to help you whip up fresh homemade baby food on demand, on the run, and for months to come! Put on your chef's hat and apron and lets get started!
Sweet potatoes and apples taste great together, and the caramel sauce just really sets this recipe off. This could be given as a desert or side dish. Suitable for toddlers. For babies, omit the caramel sauce.
Ingredients:
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 medium sweet potato (baked)
1 tablespoon butter
Dab of cinnamon
Carmel dessert topping (I prefer Smuckers).
Directions:
Bake sweet potato in oven until nice and soft (about 45 minutes) on 375 degrees. Meanwhile, saute diced apple in a saucepan with butter and cinnamon until tender. Slit the sweet potato open down the center and stir the inside away from the skin. Top with cooked apples and add caramel desert topping. Serve Warm. Yummy!
Hygiene in the Kitchen
Here are a few tips to practice to reduce the likelihood of food contamination.
Always wash your hands before, during, and after preparing food.
Wipe all surfaces with soap and water or mild detergeant. Especially surfaces that have been exposed to raw food.
Use separate cutting boards for fruit/vegatables and meats. Wash them immediately after use.
Use clean towels for drying
Basic Equipment
Food Mills
Great for young babies as it removes any indigestible skins for baby (blueberries, peas, appricots, etc.) The Wean Machine and the Kidco Food Mill are examples.
Blender
Blenders make a smooth consistency for purees and are great for small and large quantities.
Food Processors
Food processors can puree foods that are more coarse in texture.
Sieve
A metal sieve takes the chunks out of purees.
Steamers
A steamer or steaming basket makes it simple to steam food. Multiple-tiered steams allows you to steam greater quantities at once.
Preparing Homemade Baby Food
What is the best way to prepare baby food? Here are a few methods in cooking baby food:
Baking
Baking is the one of the best ways to cook food for your baby as it preserves the most nutrients over boiling and microwaving. Baking food requires a lot more time than some of the other methods, usually about 30 - 60 minutes for many foods.
Steaming
Steaming is another great way to cook baby food and it also preserves the most nutrients and antioxidants than boiling or microwaving. It is quick, easy, and many fruit and vegetables can be steamed.
Boiling
Boiling is the least preferred method to in cooking food for your baby because many of the nutrients in the food seep into the water in the pan. However, you can add some of those nutrients back into the food if you add the liquid to your purees. Use minimal water and take caution not to overboil.
Microwaving
Microwaving is fast and easy. However, according to recent research, it destroys antioxidants found in fresh produce.
Slow Cooker
You can prepare your favorite one pot meals in a slow cooker such as soups, chowders, casseroles, etc and then puree to a smooth consistency. However, cooking in a slow cooker is similar to boiling so it can destroy nutrients.
Tools You Need for Batch-Making
Here are a few tools
you will need to get
started with making
up to 2 months supply
of homemade baby food.
1 Blender or
Electric Food Mill__________________
8-10 Ice Cube Trays
or
10-12
freezer trays w/lidsor
12-16 sets of
Baby Cubes__________________
Deep Freezer (optional,
but highly recommended)
Baking Dishes
2-3 Pots
Storing and Freezing Homemade Baby Food
There are many ways to store homemade baby food. However, I am going to tell you the best way to freeze and store homemade baby food to keep things simple.
The best and most economical way to freeze baby food is using ice cube trays and freezer bags. It is very nice to have the ice cube trays with lids because it keeps out air and they stack better, but they are more expensive. If you have regular ice cube trays, don't fret! You are still in business. You can store fresh baby food in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Simple Instructions for Freezing Baby Food
1. Once you have blended the food into a puree that has cooled to room temperature, scoop out the food with a spoon and add to each ice cube square. It is important that you label each tray so that you can remember what the food is if you have a variety of purees.
2. For regular ice cube trays, you will need to wrap it into its own freezer bag. Do not use aluminum foil. Aluminum foil is a pain to take off when frozen and it sticks easy, leaving little foil pieces that are even harder to remove.
If you have ice cube trays with lids, simply snap them on. Freeze for 24 hours. Once firm, pop out all the cubes from each ice cube tray into separate fresh freezer bags, label them, seal tightly, and freeze up to 8 weeks (12 weeks in a deep freezer). When you are ready to use the puree, take out as many cubes as you need and heat them up in a microwave or stove top until hot. Allow it to cool down before serving. Always use a microwave safe dish. If you are not sure if the dish is microwave safe, do not use.
Homemade Baby Food On Demand
Are you an on-the-spot kind of person? Do you prefer to whip up food for your baby as he or she wants it? Well, you can certainly make fresh baby food on demand with these simple instructions:
1. Keep an Electric Food Mill/Blender Handy. If you keep this appliance on your counter, it will be easy for you to throw in cooked fruit/veggies or no cook foods for a quick and easy puree. You don't need to prepare very much, since you are only making enough for one feeding. 1/2 cup of food should give you a nice puree that makes 1-2 portions of food for baby. The food mill on the right prepares up to 2 cups worth of food and is small enough to not take up precious counter space.
2. Invest in The Wean Machine™. This handy little gadget is perfect for feeding on demand, and it even has a bowl for feeding, a spoon, and a lid all included! It makes no mess. Just fill it with your desired food, give it a sqeeze, and feed your baby. Talk about on demand! You can feed your baby anytime, anywhere. You can get The Wean Machine at TheBabyChefStore.com.
3. Mash with Fork. You can also use a fork to mash up foods for your baby. Foods that can be mashed with a fork include bananas, baked sweet potatoes, baked white potatoes, ripe pears, and avocado. Mashing with a fork is not the best method because not all foods are fork friendly!
Food for Thought: Our ancestors did not have the use of blenders or other gadgets for making baby food. How do you think food was prepared for babies?
How To Thicken or Thin Homemade Baby Food
To thicken homemade baby food, add more food or baby cereal. Do not add cornstarch or flour! Those ingredients are not suitable for babies.
To thin homemade baby food, add breastmilk, formula, cool boiled water, 100% natural fruit juices. Do not use cow's milk unless your baby is at least 12 months old.
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