This past weekend we celebrated Max's 6-month birthday. In some ways I can't believe he's already half a year old. In other ways it feels like he's been part of our family forever. I'm fortunate that I've been able to honor my commitment to give Max homemade food, including exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of his life. He'll be starting solid foods for the first time within the next couple of weeks, so I did a little research and prepared a homemade puree.
Why make your own baby food? I've listened to more experienced parents and done some research and these are the advantages I see:
1. It's more cost-effective than store bought food. Baby food, particularly organic food (if you choose to go that route) isn't cheap. I just saw a 6-ounce package of frozen organic baby food for $6.29. I just made two pounds (32 ounces) of baby food for less than $5.
2. More creative combinations. I'm not limited by what's on the shelves at the stores. I can get creative and make purees from many non-traditional baby food ingredients.
3. Promote healthy eating habits. I'm sure there are some wonderful, wholesome baby foods on the shelves and in the freezer department. I look forward to introducing Max to the same fruits, vegetables and proteins we enjoy and I think I'll have more control over the menu if I make the food myself.
Obviously I am not a pediatrician or a dietician, so you should talk to your health care provider if you have questions about what to feed your baby and when to introduce solids. But when you're ready, why not make your own food? Here's my first baby food recipe...
I decided to start with a butternut squash puree. Butternut squash became my favorite winter vegetable after I experimented with butternut squash soup, so what's better than introducing my baby to the bright orange goodness of this winter veggie?
I started with two pounds of cubed fresh butternut squash. You could also buy whole butternut squash and peel it yourself. I did that once. It was cost-effective (my husband picked up the squash at a roadside stand for 50 cents each), but it was very time-consuming. I opted to buy a two-pound package at Costco for less than $5. And of course you can do more or less than two pounds. Use whatever you have.
I put the clean squash in a pot and poured in just enough water to cover.
I brought the water to a boil and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. Once the squash was fork tender, it was time to blend.
I opted to blend my squash in my Vitamix blender, which deserves a post of its own. However, you don't need a high-powered gourmet blender to make baby food. You can use a food mill, an immersion blender, a food processor, or any other blender. Use what you have. You don't have to buy a fancy baby food making system. The goal is to whip the squash into a soft, smooth puree... like this:
I didn't need to add any water to make mine blend completely, but you may want to add a splash of water if necessary to get the puree to blend smoothly.
Now, you could serve the puree to your baby right away, but I'm pretty sure your little one doesn't need to eat two pounds of squash. Just freeze it in tiny portions in an ice cube tray.
The hardest part was finding a stinking ice cube tray. I guess everyone either buys ice or has an ice maker because I had to go to a specialty kitchen store just to buy an ice cube tray.
Once the cubes are frozen solid, pop out the food and store it in a freezer-safe bag. I normally try to eat my veggies within six months of freezing them.
When it's time to eat you can either defrost the cubes in the fridge overnight, or microwave them until they are thawed. Just be very, very careful never to give your baby steaming hot food.
Since the squash is in cubes you can mix it with other foods as your baby is ready to try new combinations. Maybe squash and apple or pear?
I think Max will be trying some butternut squash after his next doctor's appointment, so I'll be sure to post his reaction. In the meantime, try making food for your baby. It only took me 20 minutes start to finish and I can't wait to see the look on his face!
Baby Food | Butternut Squash Puree
a Keeley original
fresh, peeled, cubed butternut squash (I used a 2-pound package)
1. Put the squash in a pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until fork-tender.
2. Drain the squash.
3. Blend into a pourable puree using a blender, food processor, immersion (stick blender) or food mill.
4. Store in refrigerator for up to two days or (preferably for convenience) freeze in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in freezer-safe zip bags for up to six months.
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Awesome post! Noah absolutely loves squash. I agree to that making it is so much better and buying squash whole is time consuming lol. Yet I have a whole one waiting to be made this week. I never learn...
ReplyDeleteI have to work on making Noah food in batches. I started out that way but then I just started blending what we were eating on the spot.
I'm looking forward to just giving Max some version of what we eat. My goal is to start with basic foods and then gradually get him eating our food (or some version of it) soon. I have some concerns about giving him too much salt or sugar, though, so I guess I'll have to decide whether what we're eating is safe for him.
DeleteI understand. It's usually just steamed veggies and starch we will mix. My husband doesn't like much salt or sugar while I cook. He rathers to ad afterwards so cooking usually works for the baby too.
DeleteI have yet to make baby food...although it is more economical. (Hangs head in shame. J/K) I finally feel like I can try this. These last two years have been a whirlwind and I've opted for the easy option to just buy baby food.
ReplyDeleteDon't be ashamed! You have two under two. I don't even know how you do it! You should write a blog post about that.
DeleteGood post! Very timely. I made (am making) our baby food too! We started at 5 months with sweet potatoes, then butternut squash... now I lose track of all the stuff she has had. All were hits. She's 8 months now and loves EVERYTHING! Combinations are great and I get inspiration from the packaged organic foods and just make it at home---homemade banana, cherry, apple. I just switched to the silicon cube trays that are exactly 1oz so it made it easier to keep track of how much she was eating.
ReplyDeleteAre you planning on pureeing meats (when you start meat)??? The idea of purified meat freaks me out so I'm planning on protein from yogurt and beans (actually pureed some of our lentil + carrot soup for her this week).
Glad you liked this post! I haven't thought about pureed meat, although it does not sound appetizing. Beans and yogurt both sound great. If Max can handle soft meats that are cut small, maybe I can just give it to him that way. I'm still going to continue nursing him and I've heard that most of his calories will come from breast milk, so I'm not too worried about nutrition until he is a year old. I'll keep posting new recipes as I try them. Thanks for the inspiration!
DeleteThis is an excellent idea and probably saves a ton of money over the store bought baby-food.
ReplyDeleteFabulous! I love the idea of freezing this in ice cube trays to make it last longer. We made homemade baby food with our last little guy but found ourselves making it almost 2 times a week. Freezing would of cut done on that frequency. Looks good, and I bet the baby will love it!
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