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4.09.2013


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For those of you who follow us on
{Facebook} or {Instagram}
 I mentioned that I would be filming a segment with Good Things Utah on The Baby Food Breakdown! For those of you who missed the segment, here is the video below!


    


bfbreakdown1

When our doctor gave us the okay to start introducing baby food to Bentley when he turned 4 months, I knew I wanted to make my own. It was important for me to feed Bentley food that was as nutritional and fresh as possible. I wanted to do something that I felt would benefit him and also be a good transition to what we normally eat on a day to day basis. I didn’t feel that he would get that from a jar. To be completely honest though, I found myself putting it off for weeks thinking it was going to be such a hassle! I thought it was going to be so time consuming and as moms, extra time is not something we have a lot of! It wasn’t until I actually did it that I realized how wrong I was.


There are so many ways you can make your own baby food. I went with the way I found easiest and most convenient for our family. Experiment and try what works for you! It may take some trial and error but it will all be worth it, I promise!



I think I can speak for most families when I say that saving money is a top priority. In those weeks that I put off making my own baby food, I could not believe the amount of money we were spending! With my husband being a full time dental student and me being a stay at home mom, we needed something that would be cost effective. I had never realized what a difference it would be. Which was one of the major deciding factors for me. 

Let me put this into perspective for you
1 4 oz jar of baby food costs roughly .50-.65 cents and is maybe enough for one meal

I paid $4.50 for a bag of carrots from Costco and made 50 days worth of "dinners" for Bentley 
{on average 3 cubes}

Seriously, almost 2 months worth of food for under $5!? There is no comparison how much money you save by making your own baby food. Once I realized how dramatic the difference was, there was no way I could justify not doing it myself.



Tips
  • Everything I bought was Organic; which is completely personal preference. I do suggest however if you are using one of the {Dirty Dozen} to go with Organic. It may cost a little more but I think it's worth it for those babies!
  • What worked for me was buying everything at once and spending a day or two during nap time or whenever I had free time cooking, blending, and freezing everything! After a few hours spent, I usually have stocked up enough food for a couple of months! Nice right!? :)
  • When starting your baby on solids start with one fruit or vegetable at a time and feed them only that one for a few days. That way if your baby has a food allergy you will be able to better determine what it is. 
  • I never pre-mix my purees. That way I feel that I'm not restricted to that "one" flavor for the next month.
  • Once your baby has gotten used to a lot of different fruits and vegetables, start mixing the cubes. The options are endless! A few of our favorites have been apple, pear, and squash. Sweet potato, apple, and carrot. Green Peas, squash, and pear. 
  • Some purees are thinner or thicker than others. If they are too thin, I add rice cereal/oatmeal to thicken them. If they are really thick, I will add water to thin them out.
  • If you are doing a different fruit or vegetable than I listed below, a good guideline to follow how to prepare is simmering fruits and steaming vegetables.




Here’s What You Need:



- A Blender
Some brands will lead you to believe that you need their product in order to make your own baby food. Do not believe them! All you need is a blender!
(a food processor or stick blender will work as well)

- Ice Cube Trays

- Ziplock Bags

Let’s Get Started!

1. Prepare your produce!
Apple & Pear- Wash, cut out the core, cut into cubes, simmer on low until fork tender 
(around 20 minutes)
{I do not peel these, I just wash them really well and that saves me a lot of time!}

Squash- Cut into half, scrape out the seeds, bake at 400 degrees until fork tender
(around 30 minutes)

Sweet Potato- Bake at 400 until fork tender
(around 30 minutes)
{It's optional to wrap them in foil. I tried both ways and the potatoes not covered in foil cooked faster}

Carrots- Peel, cut into quarters, boil until fork tender

Green Peas- Heat in microwave for 4 minutes 
{I used frozen peas}

2. After cooking, transfer the fruit/vegetables to a blender
{This is why you want everything to be as soft as possible so your blender can easily do it}. We are lucky to have this blender I mentioned in {This Post} but you can also use a food processor or a stick blender. Whatever you have will work!

3. Once you have thoroughly blended the fruits/vegetables, evenly distribute the puree into an ice cube tray. Let freeze for at least 3-4 hours.

4. Once frozen, transfer cubes into ziplock bags with as many cubes that will fit! I usually double the bag up to make sure they stay as fresh as possible.

When your ready to feed your little one, grab as many cubes as you want and microwave for about 30 seconds.


Here is a quick tip for using these on the go! Without a doubt, the store bought food pouches are so easy and we love them too! But if I don't have time to run to the store or I don't have any on hand here is a little trick we do. 

Did you know the tip of a bulb sucker will fit into the opening of any pouch!? Once you have warmed up the food cubes just enough that they can be sucked up into the bulb sucker (make sure your bulb sucker is all clean inside) squeeze it in to pouch. We've taken these out for snacks and they've always stayed good for us. Just make sure the puree is still pretty cold when you do it. And there you go, a pouch on the go without having to buy one :)
Honestly, I cannot tell you how happy I am that I did this, as well as how happy Bentley is. Every time we feed him he says "Mmmmm" over and over. He really loves it!! I'll have to record it for you guys to see, it's so adorable!


Personally, when I am eating healthy I am at my best and I can perform to my best. Wouldn’t we want that for our children as well? It’s so important to give them that head start when they are young! Once you try it, you will not go back! 

Happy cooking mommies!
{If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask :)}


58 comments:

  1. cute cute cute blog!
    my mom made all my baby food just like this many years ago. I might try and do the same for my one-day children. Looks like you did an awesome job!

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  2. Loving your blog!! This is so great! I needed this post! My son turns 4 months in 3 weeks and I've been toying with the idea of making his own food which seems like the best option! I looked for you on Instagram but didn't find you!

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  3. Thank you for stopping by my blog the other day!! You have the cutest little family!! And you're making me want to eat baby food! ;)

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  4. The pouch and sucker is a genius idea! I've been making my own baby food the same way as you for months now too. It's so easy! I found silicone ice cube trays to be easiest. I also just ordered a munchkins baby food grinder online since I cannot find one anywhere! I love being able to serve Levi what we are eating for dinner too. Very convenient and healthy! Loving your bright beautiful blog. Thanks for stopping by mine.



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  6. That that above comment was mine but then I realized I was logged in under my husbands account. Anyway, I have to try this with the next baby. Maybe it tastes better than the food in a jar.

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  7. Really great ideas here! When my kids were little, I had a little hand crank grinder and used to grind up whatever we were eating for dinner. That was when they got a little older.

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  8. I need to try this! Did you get all of your food at Costco? Also, do you use yellow squash or butternut squash? Thanks for the tips!

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  9. What great tips! I'm definitely planning on making my own babyfood when I have kiddos! :-)

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  10. I tried making my own baby food but didn't stick with it. I never thought about freezing it! Maybe I would have done better if I had frozen it.

    Amy

    Fashion and Beauty Finds

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  11. i can't wait to make my own baby food! I hope I can do all that like you did!! and your baby is SOOO cute!!

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  12. So glad you commented on my blog so I could find yours! Your family is absolutely adorable :) and those are some great tips! happy to be following along!

    xo samantha

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  13. I used to make my own baby food cubes "back in the day"~ it made me feel like such a good mom! But I didn't have the awesome blender or photos or graphics that you've put together. What a creative little thing you are!

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  14. Wow, I'm so impressed that you are making your own baby food! It's all so colorful. :-)

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  15. Great job momma! I made all of Drew's baby food too and was SO glad I did! I loved knowing what was going inside his body at all times. Don't you LOVE being the momma of a baby boy? It's the BEST!


    Check out my Stella and Dot Giveaway:
    www.sarahandderek.blogspot.com

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  16. That is awesome! My mother in law used to just blend up whatever they were eating for dinner and feed it to her babies once they were old enough. I think making your own food like that is such a great idea, and using ice cube trays? Genius!

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  17. amazing. making my own baby food is definitely something i want to look into after marriage and kids start coming. ;)

    xo
    purposelyathome.blogspot.com

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  18. wow this is so smart! I love this- brilliant idea!
    Helene in Between

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  19. Ok my kids are bigger (12,10 & 8) but they love those apple sauce pouches. I've heard you can re-use them, what an easy tip! Good for you for making all that yummy baby food, and for saving so much moola!

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  20. OK your blog is thee cutest thing EVER! I LOVE it! What a cute family you have! And I love the baby food ideas :)

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  21. I love this post! I'm pinning in case I ever do get pregnant.

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  22. I loved making my own baby food when my kids were infants! I love how green the peas are, it's a pretty green :) Finally made it over to your lovely blog via instagram! New follower thru bloglovin'! Hope you have a lovely weekend!

    xo,
    Shio aka: sweetnessaboos :)

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  23. What a great idea. Good for you for going through all the effort of making your own baby food, I cant see that being muchmuch healthier!

    xoxo Bree
    The Urban Umbrella
    http://www.theurbanumbrella.com

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  24. Such a fantastic idea for a healthy happy baby :) and actually, I just got my wisdom teeth out... do you think I could be a healthy happy Sarah and eat these myself, they look yummy!

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  25. So this may be a silly question, but basically you thaw the cubes and then suction them into the little pouch so that you can put them on ice to carry them until needed??

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  26. Pinnnnnnnnned this!! I will definitely be making food for Mia and I'm so glad you broke it down for me!

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  27. i LOVE making matthews food its so much fun, its not always cheaper but hey its fun and its healthy thats what matters :)!!

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  28. I just started my baby on solids and I totally want to do this! Thanks for the advice. I will definitely be doing this.

    shanleyandmitch.blogspot.com

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  29. I do the same thing for my babe...organic and 100% homemade! I've found the ikea ice cube trays work wonderfully for popping the food out once frozen. The bulb and packet idea is genius!! I wrote a similar post here...http://babysaiz.blogspot.com/2013/02/feeding-hungry-little-monster.html?m=1

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  30. Loved this post, will be so handy in the future!

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  31. Love this post!

    xx

    http://unromanceconlamoda.blogspot.com/

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  32. My six month old just started solids and I did tons of research before hand and I've never seen that bulb syringe/pouch idea....brilliant!!! I've loved checking out your blog and look forward to following along! Feel free to stop by: luckytwenty-eight.blogspot.com

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  33. This is such a good idea, I wish we had decided to do this. We have a baby food processer and everything and we never used it! Kinda frustrating when you think about all the money we could have saved. I'll need to remember this for next go around! Thanks!

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  34. I would like to pin this to pinterest. Is this an option???

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  35. There's a brand of reusable pouches called Squooshi that have a zipper on the bottom which makes filling & cleaning even easier. They have cute characters too ;-)

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  36. I'm so glad you make all your own baby food-I do as well. I feel its crucial to a baby's development to have fresh, organic food in their diet. I use the Squooshi pouches for my daughter when we are on the go-or at least I did-she lately won't eat anything purred, only finger foods! I posted a lot of healthy recipes for my daughter on my blog as well-its fun to get creative and and experiment with their food. Great job!

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  37. This is so cool! I just started introducing food to my 6m old yesterday. Thank you so much!

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  38. How much of each do you buy and cook at one time?

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  39. Is the freezing necessary? Or only to make large batches? I do not like to microwave food and do not even have one but the only prep for baby food I have seen so far includes freezing.

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  40. Wondering what the freezer life is on these?

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  41. Lasts for several months in the freezer. .it is much easier to freeze them amd set them in contai ers the night before to thaw that way you dont have to jeat them much..I dont think it would be a good idea to leave in fridge for more than 3 days especially not heating. Do your research on this, there are details left out of this post such as cooking.. a lot of the nutrients will be cooked out into the water if boiling them so it is important to cook in little water and use it in your puree

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  42. Lasts for several months in the freezer. .it is much easier to freeze them amd set them in contai ers the night before to thaw that way you dont have to jeat them much..I dont think it would be a good idea to leave in fridge for more than 3 days especially not heating. Do your research on this, there are details left out of this post such as cooking.. a lot of the nutrients will be cooked out into the water if boiling them so it is important to cook in little water and use it in your puree

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  43. Even if you only make 1 pear or 1 sweet potato, they make more food then your baby will consume in 3 days, especially in the beginning. If youre worried about freezer space you dont have to do big batches but you still may need to freeze some. Honestly i like the big batch idea and it works well for me too as my little guy eats more and more. When you consider peeling, coring, and steaming...it can be overwhelming if youre always having to make it. Does anyone have a trick they use to clean out the pouches...it seems like drying it out would be hard? I also like the silicon squeeze spoon that munchkin makes for when I'm running errands with my son or if were out for dinner because its easy fill and I don't have to take along a separate spoon and the food.

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  44. Even if you only make 1 pear or 1 sweet potato, they make more food then your baby will consume in 3 days, especially in the beginning. If youre worried about freezer space you dont have to do big batches but you still may need to freeze some. Honestly i like the big batch idea and it works well for me too as my little guy eats more and more. When you consider peeling, coring, and steaming...it can be overwhelming if youre always having to make it. Does anyone have a trick they use to clean out the pouches...it seems like drying it out would be hard? I also like the silicon squeeze spoon that munchkin makes for when I'm running errands with my son or if were out for dinner because its easy fill and I don't have to take along a separate spoon and the food.

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  45. Did you ever try letting them thaw in the fridge? We're living in an apartment with no microwave right now until we move in a few months and having to buy a new microwave would definitely negate any savings gained from making my own food.

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  46. When you say squash, what kind do you mean?

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  47. This is the best information I have found yet on making your own baby food so thank you! I must say that since they tell you not to warm breast milk in the microwave because it will kill the antibodies that baby gets as well as it doesn't evenly heat creating hot spots, you should probably use your bottle warmer and/or boiling water to heat the food. I have the Nuby bottle warmer and it heats food as well. I am also thinking instead of straight up boiling certain vegies/fruits, you should steam them to lock in more of the nutrient content. Baking as you mentioned works great. Thank you for this great resource! :)

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  48. Are you suppose to add any water?

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  49. So so so smart! My little one loves eating out of the packets and if I could refill them with homemade stuff - what a cost saver!

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  50. I've made both my girls homemade baby food. However when I make the peas I use my immersion blender to get a smooth puree and it always goes in the trays looking deliciously smooth and silky but when I reheat it seems to separate and look chunky and icky. Any tips on keeping it smooth after defrosting?

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  51. I'm really excited to try this! I love the simplicity of not mixing foods until you're ready to serve them.

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  52. How long are the purées good for in the freezer??

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    1. My question as well :) Would love to get a jump start on storing food for when my 3 month old starts eating solid foods, but wondering if its too early.

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  53. how did you clean the pouch before inserting the food?

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  54. can you use breast milk to mix in with the puree before you freeze?

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