Food for the Baby

In high school I took a few child development classes. One of the lessons we had was about baby food. We taste tested home made vs store bought foods and then talked about the pros and cons of each. It was from that moment that I decided I wanted to make my own baby food.

Now it seems like the trendy thing to do, but for whatever reason you do it, even if you decide not to...you are doing what you feel is best for your babe. I've learned not to judge (or to speak before I experience) when it comes to babies and being a mama. I've already eaten my words on numerous occasions.

I am not a food blogger so I did not photograph this process. At first you'll be kind of bummed, but I promise, you should really be grateful. I am not good at that type of thing!

I took a pretty basic approach when it came to making Hiccup's food. I didn't use anything big or expensive, I did my research to make it financially efficient for our family. I used this hand mixer that we got for our wedding (first time I ever used it) to puree the food.

I first started making baby food on Thanksgiving day because I wanted Hiccup to have something yummy to eat like the rest of us. I have been doing it ever since. I usually pick one or two days a week to make a few different things.

So far I have done several different foods but used basically the same technique for each of them. I have incorporated a few spices here and there; mostly those I ate frequently so I figured he was used to with breast milk and while I was pregnant. Babies have taste buds just like we do and I'm sure get bored of foods just like we do. Some foods taste just fine on their own and some need a little help. :0)

Frozen:
Peas (I added pear juice and pepper) They were such a pretty green color!
Carrots (I added apple juice and garlic) They took a lot of extra pureeing, they weren't Hiccup's favorite
Green Beans (I added apple juice and salt and pepper) Not as pretty as the peas but still nice
Lima Beans (with pear juice) These smelled terrible! Hiccup spit them out and I wasn't pushing for him to have any more. Yuck!
Butternut Squash (with apple juice) I also added some marinara sauce to a batch and Hiccup loved it!
*Strawberries (no liquid needed) I added rice cereal to one batch to thicken it up
*Blueberries (no liquid needed) I added barley cereal to one batch to thicken it
*Mango (no liquid needed)

For the frozen produce I thawed them per the instructions on the bag and added a little apple juice or pear juice. I heard that the juice would help take the bitterness out of some of the veggies. Hiccup has a hard time digesting foods so the juice also helps to not back him up. If your babe is pretty regular then I would recommend using water. I pureed them in a dish and then used a small cookie scoop to transfer the food to these freezer trays. Each compartment in the tray was one ounce so it made it easy to know how much food Hiccup was eating.
*For one batch I added these fruits to some plain non-fat yogurt to make little frozen yogurt cubes. It thaws a little runny but is still yummy. They turned out so pretty, and if your little one doesn't like it they are perfect for smoothie making.

Canned:
Peaches
Pears

I bought no-sugar-added canned fruit. I drained part of the liquid and then poured the rest of the contents into a mixing bowl. I used the mixer to puree the fruits and then transferred them to the trays. I also just bought plain no-sugar-added apple sauce. The only ingredient was apples so I figured I'd take advantage of someone doing the work for me :0)

Fresh:
Sweet Potatoes (added apple juice and pepper) These were so yummy we steal bites while we feed Hiccup!
Avocado (added lime juice and garlic powder) These were not a hit. He actually gagged several times while eating them. I thought I could use the rest for guacamole but avocados do not freeze well. They looked like drops of muddy fertilizer. Totally gross.
Bananas (added apple juice) These brown a bit after they are frozen and thaw but they are still yummy.

I bought the sweet potatoes in the ready-to-cook wrappers and popped them in the microwave. I cooked them a minute or two longer than recommended so they mashed easier. Then, same steps as before: puree, add liquid to thin if need, transfer to trays. With the avocados and bananas I bought overripe fruits and mashed them up with a fork.

Protein:
Chicken (added pepper and a bouillon cube with a little water)

I bought ground chicken and cooked the entire package. Once it was cooked I drained most of the liquid and pureed like normal. It looks kind of like cat food but it tastes so good.

I usually freeze things over night or during most of the day to make sure they won't lose their shape. I label freezer bags with the contents and date and transfer the little food cubes to the bags and stick them in the freezer. I get the cubes out the night before I plan on using them and let them thaw in the fridge over night.

I give them to Hiccup one food at a time, for a few days in a row to see how he reacts. Once he has tried a few of the foods on their own I mix two (or more) different cubes together. Some of his favorite combos are
sweet potatoes & chicken, peas & carrots, fruit smoothie combos with any of the fruits/frozen yogurts.

I let Hiccup try anything I am eating (within reason). If he seems to like it I find a way to make it baby appropriate for him. He has a healthier diet than anyone in our house.. maybe I should take a cue from what I'm feeding my baby and incorporate it into our household menu.

This has been a blessing financially for our family. What packaged baby food we do feed Hiccup, we have been gifted. I am in no way against feeding him store bought food, I just can't afford it. We've each got to do what works for our budget, babies, and sanity. This is what works for us.