Homemade Baby Food

After having a baby, one of the ways we’ve saved money this year is by making our own homemade wholesome baby food. It does take a little planning ahead and time to make it, but it’s definitely much more cost effective than purchasing the ready-to-eat baby food at the store.

Years ago, I tried making homemade baby food for my second child. She didn’t like it as much. But that was because I didn’t really know what I was doing, and I also didn’t have a very good blender. The food was too chunky for her to eat. That blender has since broken and my husband purchased a Ninja Blender for me as a present this past year. It has been wonderful to not only make baby puree food but also to make smoothies. This Tropical Green Smoothie is our favorite. And my baby has enjoyed eating the baby food. Below are simple, homemade baby food recipes.

Sweet Potatoes & Yams:
Take 2 sweet potatoes or yams, wrap in aluminum foil and bake in the oven on 400 degrees for 1 hour. Then peel and cube. (To steam the sweet potatoes or yams, peel and cube them, then steam for 20-30 minutes.) Puree sweet potatoes or yams in blender until smooth. Add water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

Apples:
Core 2 Gala, Red or Golden Delicious apples, but leave peel on. Place the apples upright in a 9×9 baking pan filled with 2 inches of water and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Then peel and cube. (To steam apples, peel, core and chop them, then steam for 15 minutes.) Puree apples in blender until smooth. Add water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

Zucchini:
Bake 2 zucchini with skin on at 450 degrees for 10 minutes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. (To steam zucchini, leave skin on and cut into cubes. Place in pan, barely cover zucchini with water, and steam for 8 minutes.) Puree zucchini in blender until smooth. Add water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

Butternut Squash:
Cut Butternut Squash in half and de-seed. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. (To steam Butternut Squash, cut in cubes and peel. Place in pan, barely cover Butternut Squash with water, and steam for 30 minutes.) Puree Butternut Squash in blender until smooth. Add water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

Spinach:
Thoroughly cleanse 4 cups fresh spinach and pick out damaged leaves. Steam in a steamer basket pot for about 5 minutes until leaves shrink and appear wilted. Drain water. Puree spinach in blender until smooth. Add fresh water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

Carrots:
Peel 2 whole carrots and bake on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. (To steam carrots, peel and slice. Place in pan, barely cover carrots with water, and steam for 25-30 minutes.) Puree carrots in blender until smooth. Add water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

Pears:
Bake 2 ripe Bartlett pears on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. (To steam pears, peel and cube. Place in pan and steam for 10 minutes.) Puree pears in blender until smooth. Add water or breast milk to reach desired consistency.

After you finish pureeing the baby food, place some in containers in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it within 1-2 days. Freeze the rest of the baby food using freezer trays. Then take the frozen cubes and place them in labeled freezer bags for up to three months. I usually take cubes out of the freezer daily and place them in containers in the fridge and give them a few days to thaw before I use them. That way it’s ready for the baby to eat.