If you have a baby, you are probably making a lot of difficult choices about what is and is not safe for your child. You are likely to baby proof the house, avoid toxic paint and agonize over the appropriate car seat. Fortunately, there are choices that are a bit simpler- such as home cooking your baby’s food. Here are a few tips for making home cooked baby food easier:
Find Your Tools: From finding the best baby food maker to the most adorable baby spoons, finding the supplies for making your baby’s food is a small investment that can pay off big time. Make sure that you are checking into safety, durability, and warranty of any product that you purchase. Some helpful tools for baby food prep include food processors, blenders and steamers, but the Beaba Babycook combines all of those tools into one!
Step-By-Step: Solid foods should always be introduced slowly and one at a time. Going with one food for a few days at a time will help isolate potential allergies. Babies are learning a lot about texture and taste, which is why introducing small portions that your baby can play with- and inevitably slather everywhere- are a great place to start.
Create and Freeze: You can meal prep for your tiny tot by making several days’ worth of food and then freezing the remainder. This will cut the time you need to spend peeling and grinding to once per week instead of once per day, and will save you time without exposing your baby to preservatives which are present in most baby foods.
Add Variety: Use your extra baby food purees to add a bit of variety to your regular recipes. Many of the purees can be eaten on toast or bagels as a spread for older children and adults. Once you introduce more interesting foods to your baby, you can also start experimenting with adult variants.
Patience and resourcefulness are key to successfully introducing your baby to solid food. With the right tools and a bit of imagination, you can create delicious and nutritious food that your child will love.
