Making Baby Food

I make 99.99% of Jack's food. Some people think it is cool, some think it is crunchy, some people respond with, "Of course you do for your first, just wait until you have your second." (dream crushers).

Nutrition has always been something of interest to me. My husband and I both have struggled with our weight our ENTIRE lives (I joke about my entire life because I was a 9 lb 13 oz pound baby). Diabetes runs rampant in both our families as well as heart disease. Aside from raising Jack to be a good person, one of my goals is to raise him to have a healthy relationship with food. My parents were very much into health food. I was allowed sugary cereal once a year. I never had High C (my mom said if she could tie-dye clothes with it, what does it do to your insides?) We had dinner every night around the dinner table. At the same time, my father LOVED junk food and we all lacked portion control. My husband never had a steamed, non-canned vegetable until we started dating, enough said. So, I wanted Jack to experience food in a healthy, balanced way. (I also LOVE cooking, but my husband is hardly home for meals).

My baby food bible is:

What do you need to make your baby's food?

• Food processor (don't buy any of those fancy baby making things unless someone got it for you, and even then, return it for store credit to get something you really want/need)
• Steamer (steam basket in a stock pot)
• Baby Food Cube Trays (or ice cube trays)
• Ziplock Bags (or Wholefoods brand 365 (you want plastic bags that are BPA free))

It takes 1-2 hours a week to make baby food, that's nothing!

Usually while Jack is napping or we are playing I will throw whatever I am going to make in the oven or steamer (baking is preferable because it keeps the nutrients in). Then I let it cool off. By the time he goes to sleep for the night it is cool, and I blend it up. Then I put it in the freezer. The next morning I pop the cubes into labeled bags and put them back in the freezer. Yes, it is that easy!

Because of me making his food, Jack gets to eat things you can't buy pureed. He loves lentils with split peas, salmon and string beans, lamb with applesauce. Here he is enjoying a homemade teething biscuit (milk free, sugar free, gluten free)

Don't forget spices! Even if you don't make your baby food, add seasoning so your child develops a sophisticated, complicated pallet (I tease my husband that his pallet is boring, that's why he doesn't like my cooking). Add cinnamon to carrots and sweet potatoes, or garlic to salmon. Have fun with it!

If you wonder if homemade is better, just compare colors. Even the most organic natural foods are definitely a different color from the homemade ones. I do want to add though that there is NOTHING wrong with giving your child store bought food. Jack doesn't get plain cereal, but I do thicken his food with HappyBellies Cereal. I have given him all natural nothing added store bought apple sauce, and because of nitrates when he has spinach is is store bought baby food. You do what works for you and your family.