How To Make Homemade Baby Food and How To Store It

Ready to introduce your baby to solid foods? You will first need to learn how to make homemade baby food. Most of the things adults eat are not safe for them. They may choke, or it may be too hard for them. Thus, they need to start with baby food - solids that are processed so they are safe for a baby to eat. Continue reading to learn preparation and storage tips, as well as age-appropriate recipes.

Is Your Baby Ready for Solids?

Most babies become ready for solids once they hit 6 months old. At this age, they are able to sit up with support and have good control over their neck and head. You may also see them interested in other foods instead of just in breastmilk. You may see them leaning in or opening their mouth when you are taking a bite of something. They may even try to grab your food.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Here are a few things to keep in mind before introducing your baby to solids and making homemade food:

• Check with your pediatrician - The best thing to do is to consult your pediatrician before making changes in your baby's diet.
• Keep breast milk in their diet - Keep feeding your baby with breastmilk until they are at least one year old. You may keep it longer if your baby still shows interest. Some breastfeeding mothers worry about their diet, for example, you might wonder can spicy food affect breast milk during this transition.
• Avoid choking hazards - Certain foods are not meant for babies. The list includes grapes, whole nuts, popcorn, seeds, and hard raw vegetables.
• Introduce Allergens - You can help prevent allergies by introducing common allergens early. When you can, add eggs, dairy, soy, and peanut products to your recipes.
• Avoid Honey - Feeding your baby with honey before they are 1 year old increases the risks of botulism. Besides this, you should also avoid foods with added sugar and high sodium.

What You'll Need to Make Baby Food?

You will need things to make eating solids easier for your baby. Blenders, food processors, potato mashers, and pureeing tools are essential. These allow you to prepare purees at first, and then mashed or lumpier foods later.

Of course, you will also need the standard kitchen items like knives, chopping boards, peelers, pots, steamers, and so on. A strainer or sieve will also help you remove chunks that may be too big for your baby. Preparing for this stage often starts with the right trip to the store, you can find helpful advice on food shopping with a newborn to get ahead.

You should also think about how to store the baby food you made. That said, you will also need small glass jars and silicone ice cube trays.

How to Choose Baby Food Ingredients?

You should choose healthy ingredients when making homemade baby food. Therefore, your best choices are fruits and vegetables like avocado, bananas, lentils, and spinach. You can also go with pureed meats.

Organic food, although more expensive, is also your best choice. It does not matter if they are fresh or frozen. As long as they are neither sweetened nor salted, it is okay. It is important to be aware of how different ingredients affect digestion, such as knowing which foods that make babies constipated so you can balance their meals effectively.

As mentioned above, you should avoid honey and food that may cause choking, like grapes and beans.

Age-By-Age Homemade Baby Food

Here are some homemade food recipes for different ages.

a. 4 to 6 Months Old

For 4 to 6-months-old babies, you want the food to be as soft as possible. As such, the best choice is purees. Here, you will learn how to make peach banana purees.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 very ripe banana
• 1 small ripe peach
• 1 teaspoon of mineral or cooking water

Preparation:

1. Wash the peach and peel it. Then, cut it into smaller pieces. Make sure to remove the pit.
2. Soften the peach by steaming it. About 3 - 5 minutes should do, but confirm that it has turned soft. Otherwise, steam for a bit more.
3. Slice the banana and put it in the blender alongside the steamed peach.
4. Blend it until the texture is creamy and smooth.
5. Let it sit for a while before feeding your baby.

b. 7 to 9 Months Old

If your baby is 7 - 9 months old, you can try a vegetable + meat puree. Here's an easy recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of beef
• 1 cup chopped, washed sweet potato
• 1/2 cup bone broth

Preparation

1. Cook your beef in a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Cook it until it is no longer pink.
2. Steam your sweet potato until you can easily pierce it with a fork.
3. Let them cool for a bit. Then, put them in a blender. Add your bone broth.
4. Blend until the consistency is smooth.
5. Let it cool down before feeding your baby.

c. 10 to 12 Months Old

It is a good time to train your baby how to feed themselves when they are 10 to 12 months old. A perfect choice for this is shredded chicken. Your baby can easily pick it up since the pieces are bite-size.

Ingredients:

• No-salt chicken broth or reduced-sodium broth
• Chicken breast or thighs
• Garlic
• Lemon

Preparation:

1. Mix the broth and garlic cloves in a pot or skillet. Bring it to a simmer before adding the chicken.
2. Simmer it gently.
3. Turn the chicken over. Cook until the center of the chicken is completely cooked.
4. Take the chicken from the pot and let it cool for a bit.
5. Slice the chicken into finger-size pieces or shred into very small pieces.

Preparation & Safety Guidelines

Here are some preparation and safety guidelines that you need to follow when making homemade baby food:

Proper Hygiene

All should be clean before you prepare your homemade baby food. Thoroughly wash your hands, the blender, spoons to be used, and other equipment with hot soapy water. You should also clean your countertop.

Wash Your Ingredients

Wash your fruits and vegetables before cooking. If they are grown close to the ground, make sure you wash them thoroughly. They may contain Clostridium botulinum spores or other harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

On the other hand, you should not wash meat and poultry. It does not remove bacteria reliably. On top of that, it increases risks of cross-contamination.

Monitor Your Baby

Keep an eye on your baby while you are preparing their food to ensure they are safe. You can use a baby monitor so you can still see them even if they are in their room and you're in the kitchen. The Momcozy 5-Inch Dual-mode Smart Baby Monitor-BM04 offers two modes to monitor them. You can use the parent unit to watch your baby without connecting to the wifi. Alternatively, you can watch over your baby using your phone through wifi connection. The baby monitor will also alert you if something needs your attention. Until then, you can focus on preparing your baby's food.

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Use a High Chair

Babies should not sit on chairs for adults when they are eating. Instead, they should sit securely in a high chair. You must follow the 90/90/90 rule. That is a 90-degree angle at the hips, knees, and ankles. This helps ensure safety and comfort.

If you are looking for one, the Momcozy DinerPal is one of your best choices. This high seat features an ergonomic design that supports the 90/90/90 rule. It can hold up to 308 lbs and offers 5 modes. As such, you can keep using this until your baby is 3 years old.

On top of that, the DinerPal is easy to clean, which helps keep the mess at bay.

How to Freeze & Store for Convenience

To freeze and store homemade baby food, let the prepared puree cool completely before freezing. This helps maintain texture and prevents excess moisture from forming ice crystals.

Portion the food into small, single-serve amounts. Ice cube trays or silicone molds work well because they allow you to freeze consistent portions. Cover the tray or place it inside a freezer-safe bag to protect the food from freezer odors.

Once fully frozen, transfer the portions into airtight freezer-safe bags or containers. Label each bag with the food type and the date so you can track freshness and use older portions first.

Store baby food in the back of the freezer where the temperature stays most stable. For the best quality, use frozen homemade baby food within three months.

When ready to use, thaw only the amount you need in the refrigerator or by placing the container in warm water. Stir well and check the temperature before serving. Do not refreeze thawed baby food.