It seems to me, that so many women put out so much time and effert into trying to breastfeed but most don't even TRY to make there own baby food. Usually when I mention that I do make my daughters' food, mothers are like "Wow, I have always wanted to make baby food, but I just don't have the time," or "That is so neat that you do that.
I wish I could make my own baby food, but I can't afford it." Well, in reality you can't afford NOT to make your own baby food, and it really takes almost no time at all to make this. Actually a very motivated mother can make at least a months worth of baby food in a matter of hours.
Then not have to think about it again for a month. Reading further I will show(tell) you how easy it is to make pureed baby food, and about how much it might cost (pricing will vary from the grocerry store you go to). Okay are you ready to begin?! :) GOOD! :)
FIRST you will need to gather your supplies. This is where most say they can't afford it. You will need:
a steamer (those are only a few $,)
a food processor/blender (either will do)
two ice cube trays (get four or more if you plan to do alot at a time)
and last of all you will need the veggie/fruit you plan on making.
Okay the blender or food processorreally aren't that much but if cost is still a concern, check the good will, or garage sales. That's where I got mine! :) Or if you don't have a blender, you can get one of those and they will generally be used more and are a better use of your money. Even if all you do with it in the future is make mud-slides, or other mixed drinks. And you can also reuse the ice cube trays for ICE! LOL The trays will probably be stained, but it shouldn't effect the ice you make. And heck! Steamers are cheap! LOL But if you don't want to use one, you could 'nuke the veggies in the microwave or bake them in the oven. The oven method takes a little longer, but its healthier over all..
SECOND you start the cooking! :) Lets use peaches as an example. Okay first you want to wash the peaches (use about 6 big RIPE peaches to fill two ice cube trays worth) then you can either peal them now or pull the skin off after you are done steaming them. If you pull the skin off later, it will take a bit longer, but the nutreints are better preserved. Okay after you peel them, cut them into halves or quarters, and pit them. Place the halves into the steaming basket, and steam for about 5 min. and whike you are waiting for them to steam, you can get the bleder or pocessor ready for use. The peaches will be done when they are soft enough to peirce easily with a fork, or tooth pick.
THIRD you can throw the steamed peaches into the processor or blender and start pureeing! :) If you haven't already pealed the peach, now is the time, before you puree. You should easily be able to catch the end of the peaches skein with a peery knife and just pull the skin right off. Then you can puree them. But make sure there are no lumps if your baby isn't ready for them yet. Oh, and the really important thing...DON'T ADD ANYTHING! No salt no sugar, add water to the food if needed, DON'T add any lemon juice to preserve the coloring until after the child is 11 months old...
FOURTH, now we are ready to store the food for later use. This is where the ice cube trays come in. Okay to freeze the food, scoop it into the tray. I fill it up to the top so they almost run together. That saves room with the trays, and when you reheat it you don't need as many cubes. If you have some left that you don't want to freeze, you can place it in a rubbermaid container, and store it in the fridge. To reheat just place in the microwave for about 20 seconds for frozen fruits, or 10-15 for refridgerated fruits.
See? Wasn't that fast and easy? Five minutes to cook the fruit, a few to wash them and peel them, and a few to puree the crap out of them! LOL Oh, I said I was going to tell you about how much each of this costs...well, for peaches its more expenise...about 12 cents and oz, or one cube, but for green beans its only 6 cents an oz. I can't remember how much other foods, are but I think peaches are the most expensive. Pears, nectarines, plums, are all about the same, as well. :)
A few basics to cover all foods...steam them until they are soft enought to peirce easily, don't add anything unless the recipe calls for it (like water), make sure that the food is appropriate for the babies age, and last of all, bannana's and kiwi don't need to be steamed. Just mush them with a fork or if you want puree them. :)
FIRST you will need to gather your supplies. This is where most say they can't afford it. You will need:
a steamer (those are only a few $,)
a food processor/blender (either will do)
two ice cube trays (get four or more if you plan to do alot at a time)
and last of all you will need the veggie/fruit you plan on making.
Okay the blender or food processorreally aren't that much but if cost is still a concern, check the good will, or garage sales. That's where I got mine! :) Or if you don't have a blender, you can get one of those and they will generally be used more and are a better use of your money. Even if all you do with it in the future is make mud-slides, or other mixed drinks. And you can also reuse the ice cube trays for ICE! LOL The trays will probably be stained, but it shouldn't effect the ice you make. And heck! Steamers are cheap! LOL But if you don't want to use one, you could 'nuke the veggies in the microwave or bake them in the oven. The oven method takes a little longer, but its healthier over all..
SECOND you start the cooking! :) Lets use peaches as an example. Okay first you want to wash the peaches (use about 6 big RIPE peaches to fill two ice cube trays worth) then you can either peal them now or pull the skin off after you are done steaming them. If you pull the skin off later, it will take a bit longer, but the nutreints are better preserved. Okay after you peel them, cut them into halves or quarters, and pit them. Place the halves into the steaming basket, and steam for about 5 min. and whike you are waiting for them to steam, you can get the bleder or pocessor ready for use. The peaches will be done when they are soft enough to peirce easily with a fork, or tooth pick.
THIRD you can throw the steamed peaches into the processor or blender and start pureeing! :) If you haven't already pealed the peach, now is the time, before you puree. You should easily be able to catch the end of the peaches skein with a peery knife and just pull the skin right off. Then you can puree them. But make sure there are no lumps if your baby isn't ready for them yet. Oh, and the really important thing...DON'T ADD ANYTHING! No salt no sugar, add water to the food if needed, DON'T add any lemon juice to preserve the coloring until after the child is 11 months old...
FOURTH, now we are ready to store the food for later use. This is where the ice cube trays come in. Okay to freeze the food, scoop it into the tray. I fill it up to the top so they almost run together. That saves room with the trays, and when you reheat it you don't need as many cubes. If you have some left that you don't want to freeze, you can place it in a rubbermaid container, and store it in the fridge. To reheat just place in the microwave for about 20 seconds for frozen fruits, or 10-15 for refridgerated fruits.
See? Wasn't that fast and easy? Five minutes to cook the fruit, a few to wash them and peel them, and a few to puree the crap out of them! LOL Oh, I said I was going to tell you about how much each of this costs...well, for peaches its more expenise...about 12 cents and oz, or one cube, but for green beans its only 6 cents an oz. I can't remember how much other foods, are but I think peaches are the most expensive. Pears, nectarines, plums, are all about the same, as well. :)
A few basics to cover all foods...steam them until they are soft enought to peirce easily, don't add anything unless the recipe calls for it (like water), make sure that the food is appropriate for the babies age, and last of all, bannana's and kiwi don't need to be steamed. Just mush them with a fork or if you want puree them. :)
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