Making Your Own Baby Food

Recipes

Written by Elke Probkevitz

Thursday, 18 November 2010 11:54

Although baby food is readily available in every major supermarket and grocery store, it might not be the best option for your growing baby. It is convenient to grab a jar off the shelves, pop it open, and your meal is ready to be devoured (or be splattered across the kitchen, whatever the case may be). Making your own baby food, however, can be simple, inexpensive, and more nutritious. So in honor of my daughter who was born last week, I am venturing into the world of baby cuisine.

Baby food is the first introduction your child has to the joys of eating. Babies are by nature curious about the world, and putting things in their mouth is the way they attempt to learn more. Baby food is simply adult food that is purÃ©ed or mashed so it is easy for little eaters to consume it.

What is beneficial about making your own baby food is that you know exactly whatâ€™s going in it and can customize the texture and food combinations to suit your babyâ€™s taste. A food processor or fork will do just fine to get the right consistency. When starting out, your baby will need her food to be as smooth and liquidy as possible. As her consumption skills grow, she will be able to handle thicker, chunkier consistencies.

Another reason to make your own is that baby food doesnâ€™t always come cheap. When your child is beginning to eat, many times sheâ€™ll leave over much of the jar, which does not last in the fridge for very long. If you make your own baby food, you can make portions as little or as large as your baby requires, with little or no waste.

Here is some good advice to get you started:

Steam your fruits and vegetables. Steaming is the best way to preserve the most nutrients from your produce, and gets them soft and easy to chew. Boiling strips your produce of many of the vitamins and nutrients that are so valuable.

Buy organic. Organic produce is free of pesticides and is the purest and safest for your baby. It might be a little pricier, but you will be saving money, since making your own baby food will go a lot further than buying those expensive small jars.

Give your baby what you eat. As your baby grows and is permitted to eat a wider variety of foods, you can purÃ©e food you are already making for dinner. Simply portion off some of the meat or vegetables that youâ€™ve cooked before you add seasoning.

Make many portions in advance. Placing the prepared purÃ©es in ice cube trays and freezing is an easy way to portion out the baby food. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze, then remove to freezer bags to be defrosted as needed. Make sure to label the bags with dates. Frozen baby food stays safe for up to three months in the freezer.

PurÃ©ed Pea Soup

Soups are a good way to use purÃ©ed vegetables suitable for infants as well as adults. Simply hold off seasoning until youâ€™ve separated a portion for baby.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp. dried tarragon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (10 oz.) bag frozen peas
4 tsp. plain yogurt, optional

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tarragon, salt, and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook just until defrosted.

In a blender, purÃ©e the soup in batches until very smooth. Remove portion for baby, then return the soup to the pot and bring just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls. Stir the yogurt so that it is smooth and top each serving with a swirl of yogurt.

Eating quality, delicious meals is easy when all the work is done for you. Hire a personal chef to prepare your dinners, Shabbos meals, or small parties. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-508-3663, writing to elke@TakeHomeChef.net, or visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net.