As parents, we want the best for our children, and one of the best places to start is by providing them with healthy and nutritious meals. One way to do this is by making homemade baby food. At first, it may seem like a lot of work, but there are so many benefits to making your baby’s food from scratch. In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of homemade baby food and talk about tips on how to get started.
Benefits of Making Baby Food
- You control the ingredients – When you make your baby’s food at home, you have complete control over the ingredients that go into it. You can choose organic fruits and vegetables, avoid preservatives, and ensure that your baby is getting a variety of nutrients. You can also tailor the food to your baby’s tastes and dietary needs. My son has allergies, and making his food has always been the best way to avoid his allergens.
- Cost-effective – Making your own baby food can also be cost-effective. While store-bought baby food may seem inexpensive, it can add up over time. Making your own baby food is actually cheaper, especially if you buy produce in season and in bulk.
- Fresher and tastier – Homemade baby food is also fresher and tastier than store-bought options. Store-bought baby food can sit on shelves for months, and the flavor can be dull. Speaking of dull, have you seen the color difference between homemade and store-bought baby food? The colors are worlds apart! Making your own baby food ensures that your baby is getting the freshest and most flavorful food possible.
- Builds healthy eating habits – By making your baby’s food from scratch, you’re also helping to build healthy eating habits from a young age. Your baby will learn to enjoy the flavors of different fruits and vegetables and will be more likely to continue eating a variety of healthy foods as they grow up. The flavors of homemade baby food taste like the foods that they will continue to eat after starting solids, so you’re already ahead of the game.
- Less waste – Making your own baby food can also be more sustainable. You can buy produce in bulk, which reduces packaging waste. You can also use reusable containers to store the baby food, which eliminates the need for single-use plastic containers.
- I know I said five reasons, but here’s a bonus. This may not be a benefit to everyone, but for me, homemade baby food was a lot more convenient than store-bought. Since already had peas, carrots, bananas and more at home, I never had to make a special trip to the store because I ran out of baby food for Atlas.
Baby Food Making Tips:
- Start simple: Begin with one ingredient and introduce new foods gradually.
- Invest in a good food processor or blender: A food processor or blender will help you achieve a smooth and creamy texture. My favorite tools for making baby food were my food processor, immersion blender, and hand masher.
- Freeze in small portions: Freeze the baby food in small portions to make it easy to defrost and serve. Ice cube trays are perfect for one ounce servings and this large tray was amazing for dinner sized portions and combos.
- Keep it safe: Always wash your hands and the produce before preparing the food. Additionally, use clean containers to store the food, and throw away any leftovers that have been sitting out for too long.
Making homemade baby food is a great way to provide your baby with healthy and nutritious meals while also saving money and reducing waste. With homemade baby food, you can provide your baby with the freshest and most flavorful food possible.
To see more of the baby foods that I’ve made, check out my Baby Food highlight on Instagram.
If you’re ready to start introducing solids, this Pea Pancake Recipe is one of my favorite baby led weaning meals.
