Proper nutrition is critical for your baby’s development. Deciding what to feed your baby is one of the most important choices you will make. It’s important that you provide your baby with all the nutrients and vitamins they need to grow strong and healthy. There are healthy pre-made options available on the market. However, making homemade baby food is the only way to ensure the food your baby is eating is fresh and healthy. Homemade baby food can also save you money and lay the groundwork for a lifelong healthy diet.<\/p>\n
0-6 months:<\/strong>\u00a0Formula or breast milk. You don\u2019t want to rob your baby of vital nutrients during rapid growth periods, so watch for signs that your baby is ready to start eating solid foods. The first signs will be better head control and being able to sit up with little to no help from you. Other signs may include an interest in what you\u2019re eating, opening their mouth while watching you eat or suddenly waking in the night after a sleeping pattern has been developed. You also want to make sure your baby can self-regulate how much food they are getting by letting you know they’re\u00a0full. They might turn their head away or just stop eating.<\/p>\n The best part about making homemade baby food is knowing\u00a0exactly what you’re feeding your baby. Make sure you introduce one food at a time and give your baby about three days before trying another food. This allows you to see if your baby has allergies to certain foods. Most importantly, be patient. If your baby pushes the food back out or doesn\u2019t seem interested, try again in a day or two.<\/p>\n Whether you make a little at a time or you dedicate a day to cooking, there are many ways you can prepare your homemade baby food. Steaming food<\/a> is the most popular way because it preserves the most nutrients. Other cooking methods may include roasting, baking, and boiling. Don\u2019t forget to wash your hands and all of the food thoroughly.<\/p>\n After the food is cooked and soft, blend it until it’s a creamy consistency. For younger babies, it’s a good idea to mix food with a bit of water, formula or breast milk until you see how well your baby can eat it. Make sure to prepare meat well done. Also, remove the skin and fat from the meat before blending.<\/p>\n Once you are finished making your homemade baby food, keep it refrigerated or frozen. Fresh homemade baby food is good for a few days when stored in an airtight container. Anything left over you will want to freeze for a later date. On average, frozen fruits and vegetables last eight months. Meat typically lasts two months. An easy way to freeze food is to portion it into ice cube trays<\/a>. When frozen, pop out each serving and store them in date-labeled freezer bags<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are so many books and websites dedicated to delicious baby food recipes. Have fun experimenting and see what your little one likes. Try introducing your baby to spices to awaken their taste buds. Get your baby used to eating the same foods and flavors as your family eats.<\/p>\n You should be proud of the achievements you\u2019ve accomplished. You know that your baby is getting nutritious, healthy and fresh meals. He or she is grateful too. Most processed baby food is cooked at extremely high temperatures so that you can store them longer. However, the high temperatures deplete the food of vitamins and flavor. The key ingredient to your food is love. It\u2019s a wonderfully messy start: the first spoonful of baby food.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Give your baby all the nutrients he or she needs by making homemade baby food. You’ll know what ingredients are used, and you’ll save money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":5860,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1508],"tags":[1469],"content_type":[1373],"class_list":["post-5763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-family","tag-cooking-recipes","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/span> 4-6 months:<\/strong> As they outgrow the tongue thrust reflex, work in pureed cereal, fruits, and vegetables with formula or breast milk.
\n6-8 months:<\/strong> Formula or breast milk, cereal, pureed meats, fruits and vegetables.
\n8-10 months:<\/strong> As the pincher grasp develops, introduce small portions of soft foods like cheese, mashed potatoes, and banana pieces.
\n10 months:<\/strong> They now can swallow more easily, so you can try things like eggs, macaroni and cheese, Cheerios and other small bits of food with your formula or breast milk.<\/span><\/p>\nWatch for solid food readiness<\/h3>\n
Choose fresh and healthy fruits, vegetables and meats<\/h3>\n
Choose the method of cooking<\/a> that will be easiest for you<\/h3>\n
Puree<\/a> your homemade baby food<\/h3>\n
Store<\/a> your homemade baby food<\/h3>\n
Try different recipes<\/h3>\n
Feed your baby with confidence<\/h3>\n