Making Baby Food

A week or two ago I started making baby food for Scarlette.  It is so fun and EASY.  I always thought people who made baby food were crazy and that I did not have the time.  Apparently I was wrong.

Last year about this time my friend Kristina came and visited, she told me she made all her baby food.  I couldn't believe it, she had twin babies and a older toddler at that time, she works as a teacher full time and her husband travels for work a lot.  Well, if she can do all that and still make baby food, I thought I better give it a try. 

I ordered a couple of baby food cook books, got some ice cube trays and off I went.  I started with apples and pears, then moved on to mangoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, peas and broccoli.  It is fun, quick and super easy.

I started out with my small food processor and then along the way my friend Jenny(Napa) gave me a immersion blender, that I LOVE.  The immersion blender is not necessary, the food processor or blender works perfectly, just more clean up between batches.

Here is what you need to get started:

Ice cube trays at least 6( don't bother getting the special baby ones with lids, I have the ones with the individual lids, the ones with the lids that cover the whole tray and regular ice cube trays.  Ice cube trays are the way to go!)

Large freezer/storage bags

A sharpie

 one of these: food processor, blender, food mill, immersion blender

a steamer basket- the little metal thingy that folds up like a flower and fits into a pot to steam veggies.

A little bit of time and some fresh fruit and veggies.

I did use frozen peas, but everything else was fresh and organic. I also made my own baby oat meal in the food processor.

The amount of food you get is amazing:  You could get more or less depending on how much you thin it out.

1 bag of baby carrots= 18 servings  (servings= 1 ice cube= 1oz)

1 butternut squash= 3 ice cube trays full= 36 servings

1 sweet potato=18 servings

1 bag of frozen peas=18 servings

The money saved is huge. 

This is the peas I made today....isn't the color amazing, so different from the grayish jarred baby food.

Before I freeze them I shove the whole thing in a storage bag and then when they are frozen I pop them out into the bag and label with the date and food type.

A peak into my freezer.

Next on the list is:

Corn

Prunes

more apples and pears

Chicken

Green Beans

can't wait for melons, peaches, berries to get into season!

Here is a link to a great site that a friend gave me. I am so going to make the teether biscuits too. 

A lot of my friends have or are making their own food... funny how things have changed since I had Gab 12 years ago.