I’ve got four babies and have been making baby food for what seems like a decade. Ok, so it’s only been for about seven years, and with chucks of non-baby food time in there. Regardless, with four babies, we’ve had a TON of splattered sweet potatoes and mashed bananas smeared on the high chair! (And spit in mom’s hair, spewed across the table, and crusted on the wall.) Over the years I’ve had a lot of friends ask how to make their own homemade baby food so I thought I would share my technique.
How to make Homemade Baby Food (the easy way):
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Baby food starts with the basics. Whether you’re starting with fruits, veggies, or a combination of foods, homemade baby food is easy. Many recipes call for a food processor
but I’ve never used one. I use my second-favorite kitchen appliance (can you guess what my first favorite appliance is? I’ve got four kids who don’t like to sleep all night…).
but I’ve never used one. I use my second-favorite kitchen appliance (can you guess what my first favorite appliance is? I’ve got four kids who don’t like to sleep all night…).
To make baby food, I always use my plain old blender
. It’s always handy on the kitchen counter for making smoothies so it’s in easy reach for baby food making.
. It’s always handy on the kitchen counter for making smoothies so it’s in easy reach for baby food making. 
Boil the vegetable. I made sweet potatoes recently. If you boil first, the skins will peel right off (saving time and steps by avoiding the vegetable peeler). Before boiling, cut the potatoes into chunks for quicker cooking. You’ll want to cook until soft. You’ll know when they are done by sticking a fork into the potatoes. Drain the veggies but save the liquid. That’s where some of the nutrients went when cooking, so you’ll want baby to get them too!
Next, toss the cooked vegetables into the blender. Our in a little of the water you saved from boiling. Blend a little, stir, and blend some more. Depending on the stage of food your baby is eating, you can add more water or less water for a thicker or thinner consistency. You’ll want to ensure all of the chunks of food are blended and the consistency is smooth, so use a spoon to scrape the edges of the blender. Other liquids you can add to the baby food are pumped breast milk, formula, water, vegetable stock (watch the salt content on stocks!)
. Our in a little of the water you saved from boiling. Blend a little, stir, and blend some more. Depending on the stage of food your baby is eating, you can add more water or less water for a thicker or thinner consistency. You’ll want to ensure all of the chunks of food are blended and the consistency is smooth, so use a spoon to scrape the edges of the blender. Other liquids you can add to the baby food are pumped breast milk, formula, water, vegetable stock (watch the salt content on stocks!)
Serve a little to baby and store the rest for later!
How to store baby food in the freezer:
Next, pour/scoop the baby food into ice cube trays. I love using water bottle ice cube trays
because they stack really well in the freezer. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the ice cube tray and pop it into the freezer. Once frozen, pull it out and run a little warm water over the back of the ice cube tray. Pop the frozen baby food cubes out and dump into a large gallon sized plastic bag. Keep these in the freezer and pull out one or two at a time for future meals. Baby will love it!
because they stack really well in the freezer. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the ice cube tray and pop it into the freezer. Once frozen, pull it out and run a little warm water over the back of the ice cube tray. Pop the frozen baby food cubes out and dump into a large gallon sized plastic bag. Keep these in the freezer and pull out one or two at a time for future meals. Baby will love it!
Homemade Baby Food Recipe Ideas
Start with the basics like peas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and acorn squash or fruits like bananas, apples, pears, and peaches. The possibilities are really endless with homemade baby food. I’ve even blended meats or parts of our dinner to make baby’s dinner. Have fun blending!
Be sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations for foods.
