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Make Your Own Baby Food
by Christina Cartwright

Savings
Getting Started
Preparation and Storage

If you would really like to save some big $$$ off of your grocery bills, consider making your own babyfood.

Savings
By preparing your own baby food, you can save at LEAST $1000 PER YEAR PER CHILD! I'm sure most of us Mamas have a whole lot of uses for $1000 other than spending it on jar babyfood. The savings alone can be a major factor in your decision to prepare your own babyfood. A few other reasons to consider it? Do you avoid buying T.V. dinners for your family or prepackaged kid's lunches bought from the store? Buying jar babyfood is very similar. It just doesn't compare to the taste and good nutrition of a home cooked meal. It's instant, that is why it cost so much. The good news? You don't need to buy commercial baby food! You can make your own food! I guarantee your baby will enjoy eating a delicious home cooked meal. Plus, you probably won't mind saving money in the process either!

Getting Started
There are a couple of tools you will need to get started. Most of them you already have right now in your kitchen. You will want to have baby food grinder- available in most natural grocery stores retailing for around $14. Best bet? Try the auctions first, before you pay retail. Search for one at Mother's Nature or another inexpensive place to find them would be eBay. They usually stay cheap and often start for around $1.00. You can also find them at some online stores as well One Step Ahead Happy Baby Products Hint - stay away from the baby food "chopper". It is not the same as a grinder, and isn't worth the money. Food processor or blender to puree foods. These both work great to achieve different purees. Sieve - if you'll be using only the processor or blender. You will need a sieve to strain the food so that you can remove the stringy parts of beans, shells of legumes, core parts of carrots, etc. Ice Cube Trays - to freeze the individual portions in Heavy Duty Freezer Zipper Bags It's really easy if you get the baby food grinder, especially in the beginning, because it makes pureeing the food one simple step.
Preparation & Storage
Once you have cooked the foods and pureed them, the next step is storage. Freeze them in ice cube trays, after frozen pop out and store in your freezer in labeled freezer zipper bags. The food can be stored for up to a couple of months while in the freezer. When it's mealtime, you can defrost the cubes in either a microwave (for about 1-3 minutes on defrost) or using a double-boiler method on the stovetop (put cubes into a small pot, then place that pot over a larger pot filled with boiling water). I used the microwave method and found it to be very convenient doing it this way! After thawing, foods should be eaten within a couple of hours, and remember to throw away any unused portion that your baby was eating. Bacteria can grow in foods after the saliva has touched the food. It is really easy to take them "on the go" as well. Just put the foods in a little sandwich bag or small tupperware and then put that in a larger plastic bag with a freezer pack. It worked really well for my husband and I whether we took our son to the store or to Nana & Papa's house! I loved making my son's food for him. I usually cooked the food on a Saturday and then I had enough to last for usually two weeks. The next Saturday I cooked another recipe and then I'd have plenty to alternate tastes. You do not need a lot of time to make your own babyfood, and the amount of money you save is just incredible when you think about it!

For all of us mamas who already make our own, and for those who would like to try it, I' have put together a collection of nearly 60 baby tested and approved recipes for your child to enjoy! Everything from baby cereals to dinners, teething biscuits, desserts and snacks! You'll be surprised at how yummy they taste and how simple and quick a batch takes to prepare. Try this yummy recipe for starters today! ~Sweetie Potatoes~ 2-3 medium to large sweet potatoes Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Scrub and bake potatoes for 40 to 50 minutes, testing them with a fork until they are at desired softness. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Peel off the skins with a paring knife. Mash them with a fork or run through baby food grinder. Add breastmilk, formula, or apple or white grape juice to desired consistency. Freeze in ice cube trays. Visit my webpage for the complete recipe collection. You will also find food guide with information to help you maintain a balanced and nutritious diet for your child. Get Creative! Don't be afraid to experiment and add your own style. You will be building healthy eating habits for your child and making the transition from babyfoods to table foods easier since your child will already be used to the flavorings and the cooking style you use. It will make you question why you ever thought of spending money on those little jars again. It makes me feel very happy knowing that my son is eating delicious, and nutritious foods. Most major baby food companies (including the organic ones) are adding water and fillers to their foods, by making your own, you know exactly what's going in. The taste is just incredible too! Your baby will love eating the food you cook for them! A $1 Donation is requested to access the website with these wonderful recipes. Your baby will love them!
Christina Cartwright lives in Beaverton Oregon. She practices attachment parenting and is the proud stay-at-home Mama to Damien Nikolas & Wife to James. When not participating in the Frugal Living Community she enjoys concocting fun and nutritious new recipes for her son to try. A collection of her recipes can be found at her website.*