Making Baby Food
I realized rather suddenly I wanted to make own baby food for Hanky Pank. It just wasn’t something I had considered when I was pregnant. It certainly never crossed my mind during the newborn haze. But I had no idea how to make baby food. Suddenly I had so many questions… What should I make? How do I make it? What if Hanky Pank hates it? Why is my husband not more excited about this idea? (It’s because I destroy the kitchen every time I cook.)
So I picked up a basket (cart) of age appropriate fruits and vegetables and spent the afternoon making several ounces of purees. I’m pretty sure my husband thought I’d (finally) lost my mind. Now making food for Hanky Pank has become part of my routine. I love knowing exactly what we’re feeding our beautiful baby boy. And I enjoy trying new foods and recipes, as well as experimenting with herbs and spices.
With that said, I’ve definitely learned a few things along the way. So here are my basics to making baby food.
Equipment
Making baby food does not require expensive or special equipment, just some basics. I regularly use the following:
- Food processor or blender
- Medium pot with lid
- Large pan with lid
- Steamer basket
- Cookie sheets
- Ice cube trays
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Slotted spoon
- Spatula
If you’re on the fence about making your own baby food, I’d suggest working with what you have until you decide whether you’re going to stick with it. If you decide you love it, check out my favorite kitchen equipment.
Find Recipes and Go Shopping
Start by finding a few basic recipes to make. Then make your grocery list and head to the store. I find this is best done by leaving Hanky Pank with my husband and grabbing a coffee on the way.
If you don’t know where to start, check out my Baby Food Prep | 4+ Months | 5 Recipes, which includes a grocery list and step-by-step directions.
Prepare
This step is optional, but I’ve found it helps me tremendously to start with a clean kitchen. I know, it sounds crazy to clean my kitchen before I even start cooking. But this way everything I need is available and nothing is in the way.
Start by washing your fruits and vegetables. Fill a clean sink with water and one cup vinegar. Allow fruits and vegetables soak for 10 minutes. Rinse and lay out on a towel to dry.
Then peel and cut your fruits and vegetables, if necessary, and measure other ingredients, such as herbs and spices. Now you’re ready to start cooking!
Cook
I generally bake root vegetables and steam fruits and any other vegetables so I can make multiple baby purees at once. Start by putting the root vegetables in the oven. Then focus on steaming fruits and other vegetables at the same time. Oftentimes I can steam and puree fruit before my vegetables are done baking. If your vegetables happen to be done sooner, just set them to the side to cool.
Puree
This is the fun part in my opinion. I love watching whatever I’ve just washed, prepared, and cooked go into my food processor or blender and come out a smooth puree.
If you have both a food processor and blender, experiment using both. In general, I tend to favor my food processor. It creates a smooth consistency while not completely eliminating texture. On the other hand, my blender is great when I do want a smoother consistency. If you only have one or the other, just use what you have and experiment with the timing.
Taste Test!
My favorite thing about making my own baby food is having Hanky Pank taste test. It’s so fun to see his reactions to new foods, whether he likes something I would have never guessed or he likes something I know he’ll love.
So there it is, my routine for making baby food. Let me know your tips and tricks!