With new parents frequently on a tight budget and food
quality concerns on the rise, many parents are opting to
make their own baby food and really enjoying the results.
Baby gets healthy foods that mom or dad make for them and
mom and dad get to save money either for college or
vacations or a new house or whatever makes sense for the
growing family.

The Supplies

The most important supply for making your own baby food is
a good blender or baby food mill. At the beginning, your
baby is going to need her food very finely pureed. You will
also need a storage option. Frequently, moms will initially
freeze the baby food in ice cube trays and then transfer
the cubes to freezer bags. Your favorite retailer will have
ice cube trays if you do not have one.

The Food

You will probably start your baby on produce, and there is
no right or wrong produce to use first. Choose produce that
is fresh and in season as very few babies have allergies to
vegetables. Keep in mind that corn is hard on a baby's
tummy and can be an allergen. Cruciferous vegetables such
as broccoli and cauliflower can be particularly gassy and
you may need to avoid them with your baby. Try to use the
fruits and vegetables you buy within two days if they are
fresh. You can use frozen varieties as well.

Watch for Nitrates

Some vegetables, such as carrots, green beans, spinach,
squash, and beets, contain nitrates, which in high levels
can be dangerous for your baby. Because you do not want to
avoid these foods, you need to make sure that you are not
increasing the nitrates that are found in them. Use only
bottled water or water that has been tested for nitrates in
your baby food preparation. Also, avoid storing these foods
for long after they have been cooked, unless you are going
to freeze them, because this can increase the number of
nitrates they contain.

Making the Food

Wash your fruits and vegetables before you begin. If there
is a skin on the food, peel it. Foods such as apples or
squash can be cooked prior to being pureed. Baking,
boiling, or steaming is the most nutritious way to do this.
You then add a little liquid to the food, which could be
breast milk or the water the food was cooked in, and grind
or puree the food until it is the desired consistency.
Avoid chunking foods if your baby is just starting on
solids. As he adjusts to this new way of eating, you can
make the food chunkier. Keep out the amount of food you
need for no more than two days, and then freeze the rest in
ice cube trays. When you are ready to introduce meats, make
sure they are cooked thoroughly, and use the same process.
Soon your baby will not need the food to be pureed, but
until that time, you can feed her food that you know is
fresh, healthy, and tasty by making it yourself.