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Simple baby food recipes

Roasted butternut squash, ready to be scooped out of the skin and pureed to make baby food.

Making your own baby food is easy, economical and carries health benefits for your baby. There are many web sites and cookbooks dedicated to baby food recipes (see "For more information" below). Many baby food recipes are so appealing that you just might want to save some for the rest of the family to eat (without pureeing, of course). Here are just a few recipes and ideas.

• Roasted butternut squash: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, wash two medium-sized butternut squash. Slice each in half lengthwise, then use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds. Put a little bit of water into a baking dish (just enough to cover the bottom), then put the squash halves, cut-side down, into the dish. Roast in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until you can easily prick the squash with a fork. Remove the dish from the oven and let cool for half an hour. Then, scoop the flesh of each squash half out of its skin and puree. (You may need to add some water to the blender or food processor to thin out the puree.)
• Stewed apples: Wash, peel and core four apples (any variety you like). Chop the apples, then place  into a heavy-bottomed pot with lid. Add just enough water to the pot to cover the bottom (to prevent scorching only -- the apples will release their own juice while cooking). Cover the pot, then cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes, until apples are tender. You may need to turn down the heat halfway through the cooking time. If you wish, add a dash of cinnamon. Remove from heat, let cool for 15 minutes, then puree. (Note: You can also use this method to cook pears. Reduce the cooking time by about 10 minutes.)
• Peas: Cook a bag of frozen peas according to package instructions. Drain and let cool, then puree. (You may need to add some water to the blender or food processor to thin out the puree.)
• Sweet potato and cauliflower. Wash, peel and chop two small sweet potatoes into approximately one-inch chunks. Wash one cup of cauliflower florets. Steam the sweet potatoes (either in a steamer, or by putting an inch of water into a pot with lid, bringing to a boil, then adding the sweet potatoes, covering the pot and reducing the heat to low) for 15 minutes. Then, add the cauliflower florets and continue steaming both the sweet potato and the cauliflower for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat, remove steamer inset (or drain water from the pot) and let cool for 15 minutes. Puree.
• No-cook dessert. Mash one ripe banana with half of a ripe avocado. If necessary, thin out with a little water. (This may sound -- and look -- unappealing, but most babies love it. The avocado adds a delicious creaminess to the sweetness of the banana, and packs numerous health benefits.)

Once you get started, you'll realize that the possibilities are endless: Add some pureed apple to baby oatmeal, and you have a delicious breakfast for your baby. Need a quick snack? Stir pureed, cooked blueberries into yogurt. Stir pureed broccoli into mashed potatoes, add some cooked ground turkey (broken into tiny pieces or pureed), then sprinkle on some cheese for a healthy, filling meal for your baby. You just might find yourself sneaking a few bites of your baby's food. Happy pureeing!

Note: Always follow your pediatrician's guidelines about when to introduce your baby to solid foods and any foods to avoid.

Article by: Beverly O'Neal

More on Baby Foods by Beverly O'Neal:

• A complete guide to making your own baby food 
• How to make and store your own food

How to make and store your own baby food

Pureed butternut squash being transferred to a baby food storage container for freezing.

Interested in making and storing your own baby food, but don't know where to start? Here's what you need to know.

Equipment

You probably already have most of the special equipment required to make baby food. You'll need:

• Food processor or blender for pureeing. Many parents opt for a Magic Bullet or mini food processor, but a plain old blender will also do the job. If you want to splurge, the Beaba Babycook, available at Williams-Sonoma, is a do-it-all machine that steams, purees, defrosts and warms food.
• Ice cube trays for freezing pureed food. Any type of  stackable ice cube tray is fine, and you can't have too many (you'll want at least six). Flexible silicone trays make for easier removal of the frozen cubes. Ice cube trays with lids help prevent messes in the freezer (but you can achieve the same effect by putting foil or plastic wrap over any ice cube tray). You could also invest in a set or two of pricier Baby Cubes, a stackable tray of individual freezer cube containers -- you can freeze, defrost, warm and serve in the same container. Note: If freezer space isn't a concern for you, you could also drop spoonfuls of pureed food onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, then freeze the cookie sheet.
• Quart- and gallon-sized freezer storage bags, for storing the frozen cubes of puree.

If you have a steamer or steamer insert, that will also come in handy.

Preparation

There are many great baby food recipes out there (read "Simple baby food recipes" for a few ideas, or see "For more information" below). Most recipes follow these general preparation guidelines.

• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly. (Wondering whether to buy organic produce for your baby? Read this article.)
• Most fruit should be peeled and cooked (either by stewing, steaming or baking) before pureeing. Bananas are an exception -- they can be mashed and served to baby (thin out the banana mash with water, breast milk or formula if necessary for a younger baby).
• To retain maximum nutritional value, roast or steam vegetables in their skins whenever possible. Vegetables lose more nutrients when they are boiled.
• Don't add any salt, sugar or other condiments to baby food. This is the time for your baby to learn to appreciate the real taste of food. Plus, a baby's body can't handle much sodium.
• After cooking, wait for the food to cool a bit before pureeing. After pureeing the food, promptly serve or store.
• If a puree turns out too runny, add some baby rice or baby oatmeal before serving. If a puree comes out too thick, you can add a bit of the cooking liquid or water before storing it.
• Always check with your pediatrician about when to introduce certain foods to your baby, particularly if you have a family history of allergies. Pediatricians often advise waiting until babies turn one (or older) to introduce nuts, citrus and eggs.

Storage and Use

After pureeing, promptly transfer the baby food into ice cube trays (or whatever containers you're using for storage). Freeze the food for several hours or overnight, then (if you're using ice cube trays) transfer the frozen food into quart- or gallon-sized freezer bags. Be sure to label and date the bags -- after a while, summer squash, sweet potato and apple start all look the same!

Frozen baby food can keep in the freezer for up to six weeks.

To serve, simply place the desired number of frozen cubes into a small food container, then defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Or, you can place the frozen food into a microwave-safe bowl and defrost in the microwave (always stir the food and check the temperature before serving microwaved food to your baby, as hot spots may have formed). If you want to use homemade baby food while you're on the go, just throw a container of the frozen or defrosted food, along with an ice pack, into a plastic bag, and you're all set.

Even if you decide to make all of your baby's food, it's still a good idea to have a stash of jarred baby food on hand for emergencies, outings, or those days when the refrigerator is empty and your baby wants to eat now.

For more information:

• Baby food recipes from Wholesome Baby Food
• Ask Dr. Sears: Tips for making your own baby food
• Annabel Karmel's web site (recipes, guides, books and products for babies and children)

More on Baby Foods by Beverly O'Neal:

• A complete guide to making your own baby food 
• Simple baby food recipes

Article by: Beverly O'Neal

A complete guide to making your own baby food

Colorful cubes of frozen homemade baby food

The moment is finally here: After months of breast milk and/or formula, and a few weeks of baby cereal, your baby's ready to try "real" solid food. Sure, you could buy jars of food at the store, but why not try making your own baby food? There are many benefits to making baby food at home, including:

• It's easy, especially in the first month or two, when your baby's eating single fruits and vegetables or two-food combinations. You can also make and freeze two weeks' worth (or more) of baby food in one afternoon or evening.
• It can be easier on the wallet than buying jarred food, which can cost up to $1 per jar (more for third-stage, chunkier foods).
• Homemade baby food often has more flavor because the food has not been cooked at ultra-high temperatures in order to preserve shelf life.
• If you're feeling that all-too-common (but unnecessary) "mommy guilt" for whatever reason -- weaning, working outside the home, etc. -- making your baby's food can be emotionally satisfying.

Plus, it's just plain fun to see a freezer shelf stocked with colorful cubes of baby food.

For more information about feeding solid food to your baby, including when to start, what to feed and how to transition from the breast or bottle, see:

WebMD's guide to solid feeding | BabyCenter's guide to introducing solid foods

Article by: Beverly O'Neal

More on Baby Foods by Beverly O'Neal:

• How to make and store your own baby food
• Simple baby food recipes