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Getting Started Making Baby Food
Choosing Fruits and Vegetables for Homemade Baby Food
You can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables to make baby food. Buying canned or frozen food is easy, but choosing fresh produce can be tricky. Here are some shopping tips for picking the freshest items at the market:
Cooking Steps for Making Baby Food
1. Prep: Wash, chop, and peel fresh fruits and vegetables if necessary. If you are using frozen foods, simply open the package. If you are using canned foods, pour them into a colander or strainer and rinse in cold water for one minute and skip to the puree step.
2. Cook: You can cook the food in the microwave or use the stovetop to steam it. Cooking times are listed on each recipe. If a fork slides easily into the food or it can be mashed with a fork, it is ready for the next step.
3. Puree: Pour the cooked food and the juices into a blender or food processor and puree. This is the most important step in making baby food. The food should be soft and smooth for your baby.
4. Freeze: Pour the pureed food into ice cube trays and cover them. Put them in the freezer for 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
5. Pop and Store: Write the type of food and the date on a freezer storage bag. Remove the baby food trays from the freezer and quickly run hot water over the back of the tray. Twist the tray to pop the baby food cubes out and into the freezer storage bag. Place the storage bag in the freezer. Frozen baby food cubes will keep fresh for 2-3 months in the freezer.
Serving Homemade Baby Food
Baby food should always be served cool, slightly warm, or at room temperature. It is easy to get ready for a meal. Simply select baby food cubes from the freezer and place them in a dish. You can use one of these methods for thawing:
*Warning: Microwaves create hot spots in food. When using a microwave to thaw or warm baby food, stir the food well before serving. Always check the temperature of the food before serving. Food that is too hot to eat can be cooled quickly by placing it in the freezer for a few seconds.
Thinning and thickening baby food
Most baby food should be a smooth texture. Different foods will have slightly different textures. For example, zucchini tends to be runny, and sweet potatoes are thick. Once your food cubes are thawed and ready to serve, you may decide that the consistency is not quite right and want to change it. You can mix different foods together to get the right texture or you can try one these tricks:
Thickeners: The quickest way to thicken baby food is to add vitamin- fortified dry cereal to it. This adds more vitamins to your baby’s meal. Mashed banana, silken tofu, and yogurt are also great thickeners and appeal to many babies.
Thinners: The best way to thin baby food is to add breast milk or formula. Your baby is familiar with the taste of either breast milk or formula. Either of these thinners provides a good vitamin supplement to a baby’s meal.