I will be the first one to admit that since actually becoming a mother, I do things a little differently than I ever THOUGHT I would. Wow was I a misguided “pre-mom.” Haha!!
There are many decision that I have made over the past year that are completely contradictory to what I thought was a “given” when you had a child. Disposable diapers… NOPE! We’re using cloth! Canned baby food? Not this mamma.
I’ve not only shocked and surprised my own mother, but I have shocked and surprised myself with the amount of research that I put into the every day little things. Not only do I want what is best for my little man, but also what is best for my budget!
My son LOVES squash, so we have been experimenting with all varieties. This is carnival squash. Simply cut it in half, remove the seeds, place face down in a pan and cover with about 1 inch of water. Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Should be nice and soft when it is removed.
Making my own baby food I think has been one of the easiest, healthiest and most cost effective decisions I have made yet. So I thought I would share the method I use when making wholesome/fresh baby food. There are many ways… this is just the method I chose 🙂
Choose a “first food”: So far we have ventured into sweet potatoes, butternut squash, beans, summer squash (just to name a few)… I always use organic foods or foods off of the Clean 15 list. Use whatever first foods you want to have your baby try. We have enjoyed perusing out local farmers market for ideas 🙂
After cooking the food without any seasoning, simply throw it into a food processor and add a little bit of water (or in my case …because I was a pumping fool and have 500 ounces of breast milk in the freezer… I use breast milk!). Puree the food until it is a good consistency. Try making it runnier by adding more liquid for younger babies just starting out with solids.
Spoon the puree into an ice cube tray. Put it in the refrigerator to cool (you don’t want to put warm food directly into the freezer). After it is chilled, throw it in the freezer overnight and the next morning pop the “cubes” out and put them in a freezer bag! That’s it!
Scoop out the “fleshy” party of the squash. Puree with breast milk or water and spoon into ice cube trays. This tray is flimsy so it is easy to pop the food out. I also measured the holes and each cube is 3T of food.
Whenever I need to feed my little guy, I pull a cube from the freezer, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to thaw it and feed him. It really is THAT easy!
I have found that 2-3 weeks worth of food only costs me a couple dollars AND I know that what my son is getting contains no preservatives and is healthy for him. WIN-WIN in my book!
This is my stash of frozen baby food! 🙂
I found a lot of my inspiration from Wholesome Baby Foods.
crock-pot applesauce is a fall favorite for baby & family :: a real food recipe
October 12, 2013 at 10:05 am[…] one of my friends knew that I was on a baby-food-making journey and suggested I make some applesauce with them for my little man. If I had known how easy it […]
Ginny
September 28, 2013 at 10:21 pmShanda, I’m on baby #3 and I NEVER thought I’d make my own food. I didn’t with the other 2, why would I start now? Well, cuz the cost of baby food is outrageous and even this coupon freak can’t get it for a price I can afford. I was pleasantly surprised how EASY it is to make it. I honestly think it’s less time then buying it cuz I’m not running to the store all the time for jars of baby food. I got the Sage Spoonfuls baby food system and it’s awesome. I always stayed away from making it before because I didn’t think I had time to make it. I have far less time with 3 little ones then I did with 1 and I think it’s well worth my time. Great post too…I just bought an acorn squash I need to cook for Charlie. 🙂
https://www.thesimplemoms.com/2012/02/sage-spoonfuls-simple-recipes-healthy-meals-happy-babies-giveaway.html
Ginny
September 28, 2013 at 10:22 pmp.s. I love the frozen cube idea! I’m sharing it with my friend who I batch up baby food with!
Shanda
September 30, 2013 at 10:24 amYAY! I’m glad you love it as much as I do… I enjoy couponing too, but like you said, it just doesn’t cover everything! PLUS I like knowing exactly what is in my little man’s food. I may not eat the healthiest, but I want to start him off on the right foot 🙂