Making Baby Food

Emma loves the food I make her far better than the food purchased in a jar. I must say, I can't blame her. The smell of overcooked smashed up green beans is enough to make my taste-buds curl. Making baby food is not only easy, but very nutritious as well.


I have used both fresh and frozen vegetables to make baby food. 


Frozen:
Peas
Green Beans
Carrots
Beets
Broccoli
Really-most any frozen veggie or fruit that is age appropriate will work

• Cook until the food is soft enough to mash with a fork-vegetables can be steamed or cooked in water.
• Mix about 1/4 c. water for every 1/2 c. veggies
• Blend in food processor, blender, or use a stick blender to turn the vegetables into mush
• Add water to create desired consistency (I like mine thick like pudding, it is a lot less messy during feeding time)
• Spread into clean ice cube trays bang the trays on the counter to remove bubbles and level out
• Freeze overnight
• Put in Ziploc bags and label

Fresh:
Fresh fruits and vegetables vary according to how they are cooked but some great starters for little ones are as follows:


Baked Acorn Squash

• Slice the squash in half
• Scoop out seeds and pulp (can be roasted later http://thehomeexecutiveoffice.blogspot.com/2012/01/sqash-and-pumpkin-seeds.html) 
• Place upside down on un-greased jelly roll pan 
• Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until squash is tender
• Scoop out and mash with fork
• Freeze in ice cube trays

Avocado

• Peal and mash with a fork
• Serve fresh or mic with a little lemon juice and freeze in ice cube tray

Broccoli/carrots/green beans/peas

• steam or cook until soft
• blend with water to form pulp
• freeze in ice cube tray 

Sweet Potatoes

• Puncture skin with fork
• Place on aluminum foil directly on oven rack
• bake at 350 for 40 minutes until soft
• remove peal and mash with a fork
• freeze in ice cube trays

Doctors recommend introducing vegetables to babies, then meats, then fruits.