Benefits of Making your Own Homemade Baby Food

Benefits of Making your Own Homemade Babyjarswith lids serve the same purpose and stack
Foodeasily. Label and datethe packages rotate them
Making your own homemade baby food willputting the most recently frozen foodsbehind the
ensure that what your childis eating is fresh,previously frozen ones. Frozen baby foods can be
nutritious and free of additives. By makingstoredfor up to two months.
yourown baby food, you'll be saving money. Also,5. When you take frozen foods out for baby,
you will have totalcontrol over what is put intowarm the food in a cupplaced in a saucepan of
your baby's food. You can thereforetake theboiling water with a lid on. If you use amicrowave
extra steps to ensure that only high quality foodsto thaw or warm baby food, be sure to stir the
areselected and used. You will be able to feedfood wellto avoid hot pockets.
your baby according tohis or her needs because6. Cereals are typically the first foods given to a
you will know what foods are best suitedfor yourbaby becausethey contain lots of iron. You can
baby from experience.prepare your own, by runningoatmeal through
Making your own baby food also ensures thatyour blender. Fruits are generally given next.
your baby is exposed toa greater variety ofExcept for raw, mashed banana, you will need to
tastes and textures. This will help your babywhencook all otherfruits till they are soft.
making the transition to table foods and also help7. Try making your own apple sauce and pear
him or herdevelop healthy eating habits. See for asauce; don't add anysugar, as these fruits are
collection of articles on babies andtoddlers.sweet enough on their own. You can alsopeel
Baby Food Preparation Tipspeaches, plums and apricots and boil or steam
1. As babies are susceptible to digestive upsets,them.
always work withclean hands and use clean8. Buy and use organic fruits and vegetables. Use
cooking utensils, preparation surfaces,pots andfresh and organicvegetables whenever possible in
pans etc., when making home made baby food.order to provide the best nutritionand flavor for
Prepare foodsimmediately upon removing themyour baby. Your baby deserves pesticide-free
from the refrigerator and freezeimmediately afterfoods.
cooking any foods you want to store.Frozen vegetables are better to use than canned.
2. Steaming vegetables is the best method of9. Yogurt, mashed cottage cheese, mashed
preparation. Thissoftens them, makes them easierpumpkin, baked potato,avocado and tofu (oriental
to chew, and preserves more of thevitamins andsoy bean curd) are all popular withbabies. One
minerals than boiling. A steamer basket is cheapgood idea is to blend together cottage cheese,
and bycooking fruits and vegetables in it, you'll bebananaand fresh orange juice - delicious!
sure of keeping thenutrients in the food, instead10. Meats should be added slowly. They can be
of in the cooking water.boiled or broiled,then put in the blender with a little
3. To puree your foods, you can use a fork, amilk and perhaps banana orcream of rice to get
food mill or blender.the right consistency. Chicken is generallythe first
A blender quickly purees almost anything into themeat baby is introduced to and usually goes down
finestconsistency. When your baby first starts onfairlywell.
solids, you'll bepureeing things to a very fine11. There is no rush to start your baby on solid
consistency and, as baby gets alittle older, you willfoods. Milk is hismost important food. Your
make foods a little coarser. You may wish tobuydoctor's recommendations and your ownintuition
a food mill which comes in large and small sizes. Itwill help you to know when to begin introducing
is veryhandy and inexpensive. The food millsolids toyour baby's diet. Introducing solids
strains most cooked foods to avery smoothprepares the baby for thetransition to adult food
consistency, although meats can be a problem asand offers further vitamins and minerals asthe
theywill have a coarser texture. Remember all thebaby grows. Always remember to be patient with
tools you need to makebaby food are probablyyour baby andallow at least a few days between
already in your kitchen.newly added foods to make sure thebaby doesn't
4. You can prepare large amounts of foods atsuffer any reactions.
once and freeze them.Copyright © 2005, Bridget Mwape writes for
Take your prepared foods and plop by spoonfulsthe Baby Shop UK: which features baby
onto a baking sheet.informationincluding articles and discounts on baby
Freeze the plops right away and then take themproducts, gifts and advicefrom other parents. This
off the sheet whenthey are frozen and put themarticle may be republished as long as allthe above
into plastic bags. You can also freezethe food inlinks are active and clickable and this author box
plastic "pop out" ice cube trays. Small tupperware(byline) is not edited.