Make it Monday #3: Baby Food

How I make baby food:

1.  Cut desired food into chunks.  If using frozen food, not need to cut.  This particular picture is pears.

2.  Cook your food, if needed.  Personally, I use my Pampered Chef Mircrowave Steamer because it is A LOT easier that doing it on the stove.  I simply add some water and microwave for 4-6 minutes depending on the hardness of the food.   Some foods, like bananas or avacados, don't need to be cooked first.





3.  I had read online, that when you are trying to make peas into baby food, it's best to soak them in cold water right after you cook them.  For some reason, this helps the shells be easier to puree.  Don't ask me why... but I found that doing this to any food helps just because the food isn't boiling lava hot after a good soak in some cold water!  So, after I drain my food, I pour it into a bowl of cold water.  For this picture, you will see peaches.  I was really bad at remembering to take pictures of each step, so that is why it's not all the same food!

4.  Put your food into a BLENDER and use the puree setting.  Blend for a few seconds until you don't see anymore large chunks.  Now, I say blender with enthusiasm, because I have tried using my food processor, and it DOES NOT work as well.  The puree setting on my blender works FANTASTICALLY!  For some foods, like carrots or peas, you can add a little water to help with the consistancy.  I usually use cold water, but sometimes I save the water I cooked the food in.  However, for some reason you are NOT supposed to do this with carrots... dunno why... something about nitrates... so use new water when making carrot puree. 

Now, of course, I forgot to get a picture of my blender... but I think you get the idea anyway!

5.  Pour the pureed food into ice cube trays.  I had read this idea online and a recent new-mommy friend of mine also suggested it, so I went with it!  This makes it very easy for storing and defrosting.  This particular picture shows some cubes of zucchini and some cubes of a peas/carrots mixture.

6.  Wrap your ice cube trays in plastic wrap and put them in the freezer.  Once they are frozen, transfer the cubes into freezer bags.  I keep a freezer bag for each type of food. 

7.  When you are ready to serve the food, simply pull out a couple of cubes and defrost them in the microwave.  Each cube is about one ounce of food, and Thomas usually eats 3-4 cubes per meal. 

What I really love about making my own food is that it gives us the chance to feed Thomas different foods in each meal without having to open many containers of baby food.  I like to make LOTS of food in one day, then I don't have to worry about it later in the week.  I just have to pull out some cubes and defrost! 

I also like that sometimes I can make the food a little less "smooth" so that he gets used to different textures in his food.  He likes to get a bit of soft peach and "chew" it a little! 

I have used a variety of frozen and fresh fruits and veggies, and each one has been pretty easy... even the peas!  I will say the peas were nearly IMPOSSIBLE in the food processor, but in the blender, no problem... they purreed easily.

So far, I have cooked, purreed and frozen these foods:

Carrots

Peas and Carrots

Sweet Potatoes

Pears

Peaches

Zucchini

I am planning on trying squash, broccoli and green beans soon...

Happy (almost) Fourth of July and THANK YOU to all the men and women who have served and are currently serving our country in the armed forces!