Self Confessed Baby Food Making Lover

I made all of William's baby food and I LOVED it. I really did. Most people would assume that this process would annoy me, but I really took joy in making the little guy's fruit and vegetable purees. I often hear from other moms that they would like to make their baby's food, but it kind of sounds like a pain. But, trust me, it's not. Here are my tips on making it work for you.

1. Buy or request a baby food maker, such as my trusty Beaba. The investment will be worth it, trust me. Especially when you recieve it as a gift from your awesome mother-in-law.

2. Choose a few days a week that you will spend on baby food making. If you make a few items a few times a week, you always have plenty of options in the freezer. If I knew that certain days meant making baby food, then I planned for it.

3. Get to know your vegetable and fruit options. The produce section becomes so much more fun when you're searching for a new option for those new little taste buds!

4. Go frozen when you're tight on time. It took me a while to realize that grabbing a bag of frozen produce was often less expensive and more nutritious than the fresh stuff. And, man, the time saved on chopping and clean up practically paid for itself.

5. Invest in some nice, user-friendly ice cube trays. The best way to freeze the food, but they can be tough to pop out. I spent a lot of time slamming trays against the counter while cursing... But, hey, all in the name of homemade organic baby food, right?

6. Be adventurous and mis it up. I recall a ground chicken/blueberry/asparagus concoction that seemed to go over rather well...

7. Consult a book for guidance when you're looking for ideas. I found it to be helpful when I knew he was ready for more, but just needed an idea. (I did not own or use the book pictured above.)

To this day, I have an extraordinarily laid back eater on our hands. I can't say it's simple because of his early homemade baby food, but maybe it is...

This post was inspired by Top 100 Baby Food Purees by Annabel Karmel, which I received free as part of the Chicago Moms Blog (Silicon Valley Moms Group) book club.