A versatile recipe for fruits and veggies.

Here's my step by step process for making pear puree. The same technique can be used for apples, squash, and peaches.
I used 6 pears this time around, you can use as many as you like.


Step 1: Preheat oven to 375.

Step 2: After rinsing your fruit, cut the top and bottom off the pear. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds.

Step 3: Place on cookie sheet and pour in about a cup and a half of water. Water will help steam the fruit.

Step 4: Place in oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until tender enough to poke a fork through.

Step 5: Pull the pears out of the oven and let cool enough to handle.

Step 6: With a spoon, scoop the fruit out of the skin or peel the skin off of the rest of the fruit.

This is what your pears should look like when peeled-

Step 7: Puree with immersion blender or food processor or food mill.

Step  8: Puree until smooth.

 That's it! You are done. Remember you can use the same technique with apples, peaches, and squash. From here, put into your storage containers and freeze. You can season with some cinnamon, about a 1/2 tsp for 6 pears should be enough.

For a little flavor variety, mix pureed apple and pears, or pears and squash together. 

Fruits: 4-6 months

Avocado is an awesome choice for a 1st fruit! It's little prep work, no cooking and extremely healthy. All you have to do is scoop it out of the skin and mash it, again, no need to cook it. Avocado however doesn't freeze nicely, it will turn brown and not look attractive. It's something that you want to prep right when you are going to use it because it will brown from oxidation.


Bananas are much the same as avocado; little prep and no cooking needed. You can heat them up a bit in the microwave to help soften, if need be.


Pears and apples are another great choice. I leave the skin on, cut them in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake on a cookie sheet with about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom. Bake until soft, let cool and puree. You can puree these 2 fruits together or separately. We like to mix a bit of cinnamon into individual servings for a bit more flavor. I'm a big believer that if you start children young on eating more robust flavors, that they (and you) will benefit in the future by not being picky eaters. http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/tipspices.htm, a great article on using spices in baby food.


Steamed or baked peaches are another sweet treat for baby. Cook, either method, until soft. I suggest cooking with the skin on and scooping the meat out of the skin, it's a lot less work that way. Seasoning peaches with cinnamon is good too. Vanilla is another good choice. A little goes a long way! A pinch or 2 of cinnamon and 1/8 tsp of vanilla is all you need at 1st because it's such a small portion.


Here's a decent chart from the same website above on freezing items.
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/baby-food-freezing-chart.htm. I don't agree with it on avocado, apples, or pears. I wouldn't freeze avocado, at all. I've not had apples or pears turn brown as the chart suggests. 


Also remember again to buy seasonally. Peaches might not be available now, I've checked 2 stores and they didn't have them. I wouldn't suggest using canned fruits either, they are loaded with sugar and preservatives.

Foods for 4-6 Months (Veggies)

Green Bean Puree-

1 pound of fresh green beans or frozen

Steps:

1. Clean & snap green beans (Skip if using frozen.)
2. Steam until tender
3. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing. Use a sieve if needed to get rid of the hulls.
4. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency (If freezing, do not add water, when veggies freeze, they change in structure and can become more watery after they are thawed. Add water AFTER thawed if need be.)
OR
5. Cook frozen green beans (watch for salt) according to package directions

*I use frozen especially because green beans are out of season and frozen are just as good as fresh. Frozen veggies are picked at peak ripeness and then steamed and flash frozen to retail optimal nutrition.

Butternut or Acorn Squash Puree
1 acorn or butternut squash


Steps-
1. Cut acorn or butternut squash in half, scoop out seeds
2. Place halves face down in a pan and cover with an inch of water
3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour - be sure the “shell/skin” puckers and halves feel soft then scoop squash “meat” out of the shell
4. Place squash "meat" into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
5. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency. Again, if freezing, skip this step.


Sweet Potato Puree-

Baking Sweet Potatoes for Baby Food:
1. Wash and poke holes in sweet potato with fork then wrap sweet potatoes in tin foil - do not peel for baking/microwaving.
2. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 30-60 minutes or until soft
3. Remove skins by slitting the sweet potato lengthwise when cooled then scoop out the "meat". Use a liquid from your preferred source to puree or thin the sweet potatoes.
*I prefer to bake it, it's less work, less time and produces just as good of a results as boiling or steaming.

Boiling/Steaming Sweet Potatoes for Baby Food:

1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small chunks
2. Place chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover potato
3. "Steam" boil until tender, be sure to check on the water level.
4. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the sweet potatoes if desired. Once again, do not add water if freezing.

Don't be afraid to use spices either! A little cinnamon in your pureed squash smells tasty and will give your child a new flavor experience!! Other good choices for spices are nutmeg, ginger, and curry. A pinch or two is just enough.

Also, remember the rule for introducing new foods is to feed the same thing for 4-5 days to make sure there are no adverse effects. http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/4daywaitrule.htm

This also gives your child time to get accustomed to eating the solid food. And remember, it make take your child up to 15 tries to actually like something, so don't give up right away! Our son gagged a little at 1st but we were persistent in him trying things, and now he loves a lot of different things, even asparagus (eww) and spinach!

There is NO need to add salt or sugar to baby food either!!!

The ages and stages.

  So, you are ready to feed baby homemade food, where do you start? One helpful tip our family Dr. gave us was to start with veggies. Why veggies? Simply because almost any baby will love fruits because they are so sweet. We started our son at 4 months with rice and squash. Rice is just a filler, really. The reason we start with such items it to get baby used to moving things around in his mouth. There really is no nutritional value to rice.


  I have been asked about nitrate levels in items such as carrots, beans, and squash. I hadn't heard much about this, really, but here's a wonderful article from a very resourceful website: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/nitratearticle.htm. After reading the article, you take away from it that the likelihood of your baby developing nitrate poising is very, very low and that commercial baby foods DO contain nitrates, as they are a natural part of the vegetable and cannot be removed!


  So, what foods can you start your baby on and when? Here's a list form that awesome website above.


VEGETABLES:


4-6 Months:
 -Green beans
 -winter squash i.e. butternut and acorn
 -sweet potato


6-8 Months
 -carrots
 -cauliflower
 -parsnip
 -peas
 -pumpkin
 -zucchini and summer squash


8-10 Months
 -Asparagus
 -beans (legumes)
 -beets
 -broccoli
 -corn
 -cucumber
 -eggplant
 -lentil
 -potato
 -spinach
 -tomato
 -parsnips


FRUIT:


4-6 Months:
 -Avocado
 -Apples
 -Bananas
 -Peaches
 -Pears
 -Prunes

6-8 Months:
 -Apricot
 -Mango
 -Pumpkin


8-10 Months:
 -Blueberries
 -Cherries
 -Cranberries
 -Grapes
 -Kiwi
 -Melons
 -Papaya
 -Persimmon
 -Strawberry




*please keep in mind that these are only suggestions from the website. Use your best judgement in making and giving baby food to your child. Only you know your child. My son loves asparagus and potatoes and he's only 6.5 months. Other websites have other suggestions as to when to start your baby on certain foods. Also, be sure to speak with your Dr. as they may feel your child is not ready to start solid foods. 
  Items like broccoli or spinach are extremely fibrous and you may want to wait before giving these to your baby. It will create a lot of gas and make him uncomfortable. Don't introduce these items right at 4 months.


Again, I love this website for basic info: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/index.htm. Please use as a resource only and talk to your Dr. if you have questions or concerns.

I want to make my own baby food, but I don't know the equipment I need.

It's very simple! As mentioned before, you don't need a fancy baby product to do it. You can use one but I've heard some negative things about them. 


You will need:
-A pot for steaming in or a veggie steamer (don't run out and get one if you don't have one, the pot works just as well). Don't use nonstick, the immersion blender WILL scratch it!
-A stove, if not using a veggie steamer (or an oven if baking)
-A vegetable peeler
-A sharp knife
-A spoon for scooping seeds
-An immersion blender or food processor (I really love the immersion blender, it's a lot less to clean than the whole food processor)
-Sink and water to wash your produce
-Storage containers (these are what I use: http://www.glad.com/products/food-storage/containers/mini-round/)
- extra bowls for pureeing in, if needed. Don't use aluminum bowls as they are reactive to acids. Stainless steel or glass is ok.


A helpful tip if using an immersion blender and an old fashion pot to steam veggies in: Steam your veggies, strain the water off the veggies, put veggies back in the pot and use the immersion blender to puree right in the pot.


Keep in mind, veggies and fruits do not need to be steamed only, you can bake items too. I did baked apples, with the skin on and pureed the whole thing, skin and all.

Is homemade baby food really cost effective and healthier than store bought??

Hi Everyone!
  I want to welcome you to my homemade baby food blog! I have noticed on Facebook and in talking with my mommy friends that there is a need to explain the process of making baby food. THERE IS NO NEED TO BUY AN EXPENSIVE BABY FOOD STEAMER/COOKER/PUREER!! I will get into that a little later though.


 Our 1st experiment with making baby food included butternut and acorn squash,  and carrots. We went to a local farm to get the squash and the carrots came from Pick N Save. A 6 oz jar of Gerber carrots is $.65. A 1 lb. bag of carrots from Pick N Save is $.89. That's 4 servings, approximately of carrots for $.24 more than 1 serving of Gerber!


 Personally, I think it's healthier. Homemade veggies are more vibrant in color than jarred veggies. In culinary school we were taught, the brighter the vegetables, the better. The color is more appealing to those eating/ serving it and the vitamins and nutrients are still in the veggies. For green items, beans, spinach, asparagus, etc, you want them to be bright green. Think of fresh spring grass, not camouflage green.The longer you cook them, the more nutrients are cooked out of them. Many store-bought baby foods add water, sugars and fillers to their product, which is nutritionally bad for your baby. Also, many store-bought baby foods are cooked at extremely high temperatures to kill bacteria, thus killing flavor and vital nutrients. Many manufacturers also add things like butter and salt to their product, which your baby doesn't need in their diet.

Now, let's get into the topic of baby food makers. DON'T DO IT! I know it's intriguing and looks like it will save you time and money-- it won't. Don't get a Baby Bullet or a Baby Brezza or the like, these companies are targeting us who make our own food and simply making tons of money off of us! What you need is an immersion blender. This is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-77-Blender-Chopper-Attachments/dp/B0006G3JRO/ref=sr_1_2?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1325441323&sr=1-2. I love it! I use it to make pureed soups as well as baby food. It's extremely versatile and a lot less expensive than the machines specifically developed for making baby food. Believe me, I nearly bought a Baby Brezza at $99 + the cost of storage containers which are $14.99 for 4, and that's not nearly enough storage to stock up. The immersion blender that I have has a chopper, like a mini food processor that attaches to the immersion blender and I even make my own baby cereal with it! We take oatmeal, put it in the container and process to desired grit. It takes all of 5 minutes to do and it's a lot cheaper than oatmeal specifically for babies. And guess what?!? It's the same exact thing!!

  As for storage containers, don't get the specialized ones just for baby food. Glad storage containers come in a 4 oz size and you get 8 in a pack for about $3. They are BPA free and freezer and dishwasher safe, just like the specialized baby food containers. There is a down side to these containers, however. They don't stack very nicely in the freezer. We have a chest freezer though, and it has baskets in it, so we put all of the containers in the baskets. Be sure to label what everything is and date it before putting it in the freezer though. Many items start to look alike in the containers. Baby food can remain in the freezer for up to 6 months but the best time to use them is within 3 months for nutrient retention. If you use ice cube trays, 3 months tops, as they will form ice crystals.


* I haven't broken down the cost of organic veggies vs. organic jarred veggies.

Yum! Squash!!!


http://www.sharecare.com/question/why-homemade-baby-food-healthier