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It is easy to make your own baby food. One of the reasons parents decide to do this is economical. Making your own baby food is at least 50% cheaper than store-bought baby food. other reasons include an increased nutritional awareness, and a more "back to nature" approach. Homemade baby foods contain no fillers or additives. You know exactly what you are feeding your baby. Making your own baby food is also easy and does not take a lot of time. A lot of babies actually prefer the taste of homemade baby food over the store bought baby food.
One of the first, most recommended homemade baby foods is a mashed, ripe banana. This is one of the easiest foods to prepare. Buy your bananas and allow to ripen. Then just mash it up with a fork and feed to baby.
It is best to steam fruits and vegetables because many nutrients are lost through cooking in water. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best. Be sure to clean all food before preparing. Cook foods until soft. You can puree your food to the desired consistency using a fork, blender, or food processer.
Proper handling is very important when making your own baby food. Make sure you wash your hands before starting and work with clean utensils. Prepare your food immediately after taking it out of the refrigerator and freeze your prepared food immediately.
Freezing your baby food provides you with a variety of food plus convenience. There are two methods to accomplish this. One is called the "plop" method. To do this you need a cookie sheet and just "plop" your pureed food on a cookie sheet. The size of the "plop" should be what you think your baby will eat for one meal. Freeze immediately. Transfer your frozen "plops" off the cookie sheet to a labeled freezer bag. These can be safely stored in the freezer for two months.
Another method is the ice cube tray method. Scoop your prepared baby food into an icecube tray and freeze. Then "pop out" your frozen food cubes and store in a labeled freezer bag. These can also be safely stored in your freezer for two months.
When baby is ready to eat, take out a serving of your baby food and thaw it out. You can thaw it out by leaving it in your refrigerator and prepare it as you would commercial baby food.
Making your own baby food is an easy way to provide for your baby's nutrition plus save money. It is a healthy alternative to store bought food. With some simple kitchen utensils and equipment, anyone can do this. It does not take long to prepare and you can have months of healthy baby food right in your own freezer.
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