What do you need?
*A steamer, or the old fashioned, on the stove steaming method (which works great and is cheaper).
*A Good Blender.
*Containers to store the baby food in the fridge and freezer.
If your looking to invest some money in this process, The Baby Bullet is a great set to invest in.
It's only $60 for the basic set and works great! www.babybullet.com. Ok that was my commercial....now to making that healthy food!
Feeding them fruit first can make it harder for them to take to Veggies, just keep that in mind. I waited a month until I introduced fruits of any kind and now they eat EVERYTHING!
Solids start between 4-6months.
Ethan started at 4mths but Aubrey didn't start till 6mths. Don't feel like you have to rush them to start eating, your Dr. will tell you that they truly don't need to start solids until 6mths. They will let you know when they are ready, because they will stop pushing it out of their mouth and start actually eating it!
Safest First Foods:
Sweet Potatoes
Avocado
Peas
Zucchini
Squash
Apples
Pears
Bananas
Bananas
Butternut Squash
Chicken
Low Risk Allergy Foods
Apricots
Asparagus
Barley
Beets
Carrots
Kale
Leeks
Millet
Oats
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Hi Risk Allergy Foods
Beans
Legumes
Cabbage
Coconut
Mango
Melon
Onions
Papaya
Pork
Rye
Semolina
Soybeans
Tofu
Tomatoes
Yeast
Additives(artificial foods)
First Year NO-NO List
Honey
Peanut Butter
Nuts
Citrus Fruits
Berries
Corn
Eggs
Whole Milk
Wheat
Shellfish/Crustaceans
Signs of an Allergic Reaction:
Diarrhea, Vomiting, Wheezing, Difficulty Breathing, Lip/Face Swelling, Rash, Clear Runny Nose, Itching, Irritability, Eye Swelling
Making your own baby food is very simple once you know what to feed them and when. Each time you introduce any new food, always do it by itself. Example: Do not mix green beans and butternut squash if they have not had either. Just feed them green beans alone to make sure they do not have an allergic reaction to it. Do this each time you introduce a new food so that you will always know if they are allergic to something, even with their first foods.
With anything you make, steam a small amount.
1 Lg Sweet potato will give you about 20oz(8to10 servings)
When you blend anything just add water, a small amount of water so that when it is completely blended it will not be to runny or to thick.
1 Lg Sweet potato would get 1 cup of water to blend it.
As my twins get older the thicker I make their food. I also always add Baby Oatmeal to their food before bedtime, it knocks my kids out every time!
This is just really basics. My kids mean EVERYTHING to me and with that I make sure I do as much research about their food as I can. I encourage you to take a few minutes to understand the nutritional value you are giving them when you make your own baby food for them. They deserve unprocessed, no preservatives in their food.
Example:
Kale has Vitamin A, C, D, E, K, Calcium, and Iron to just name a few of the benefits.
Saving benefits are pretty amazing as well! I bought a bunch of Kale for $1.65 and it made 12 jars! I add baby Oatmeal to give it thickness, which is about $2 a box. I saved over $10 just making my own instead of buying baby food from the store! That's a WIN for everyone, specially a baller on a budget!!
Good Luck! And remember, you decide the eating patterns of your children, do your best to make Healthy Happy Babies!!
A good website for recipes!
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/
