Make Your Own Baby Food

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It's cheaper and healthier for your baby, too

Make it from canned or fresh vegetables, but if you use canned, be sure to buy the salt free kind and check for any additives you may not want to feed your baby.

To make it from canned produce, simply drain the liquid from the can into a cup, put the vegetable in your blender or food processor and add just enough of the saved water to keep it from clumping. (Not all vegetables will need this.) Run the blender on high speed until the food is completely pureed, then pour into ice trays and freeze.

If you start fresh, cook the vegetable in plain water, then drain, saving a half cup or so of the cooking water in case you need it, and puree it the same way.

Once it's frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer containers, and when you're ready to use it, simply remove a cube and microwave.

If you compare the cost of a jar of baby food to two or three frozen cubes, you'll find that prepared baby food is at least three times the cost of homemade, and sometimes more!

If you buy five cans of different vegetables, you'll probably spend around three dollars for 30 or more meals, (depending on your baby's appetite) or the equivalent of fifteen jars of baby food.

Those figures are estimated since I don't know your baby's tastes or appetite, or the absolute cost of vegetables or baby food in jars in your area, but at the prospect of saving 50 to 60% or more, it would be worth it to dig out the calculator.

You don't have to just buy for baby, though. When you cook fresh vegetables for the family, just take a little out and quickly puree it for baby's next meal. It will keep well covered in the refrigerator for a couple of days. If you make a point to buy only unsalted canned vegetables, baby can eat right along with you - providing you puree it first, of course.

When it's time to introduce eggs, just softboil an egg and feed baby the yolk. For an older baby, finely mash a little of the white into the yolk.

The same thing with meats. A little broth and a blender will make a piece of boiled meat digestible for older babies.

As your baby grows and wants to experiment with tastes and textures, you're in control. A touch of salt, a less than pureed texture, a taste of plain baked potato... it's frugal, it's healthy and it's natural. What more can you (or your baby) ask for?

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