Homeade Baby Food

I have several projects that we have done (my husband and I) over the past few months that I will be posting periodically. This is one of those.

I decided while I was pregnant that I would make all of Ethan's baby food from scratch. I figured I cook delicious food for us, why shouldn't Ethan get the same? And besides, who would want to eat that nasty garbage they call baby food? What is actually in that stuff anyway?

So I did some research. It is actually very simple and you can make enough food in a couple of hours for 1-2 months if you freeze it. I didn't buy one of those expensive baby food makers. I already had a food processor and knew I wanted to make it in large batches. All I bought was a steamer and some silicone ice cube trays. Here's what you need:

Steamer (I used an electric one, but you could use a steamer basket)
Food processor or blender
Ice cube trays
Large freezer bags
Fruits and vegetables

The first batch I made, I bought 2-3 fruits and 2-3 vegetables. I think they were apples, peaches, pears, yellow squash, green peas and carrots.  I sliced them up and put them in the baskets of the steamer.Most things steam in 15-20 minutes. They need to be pretty soft the first couple of months, because you want a smooth puree.

I also steamed some fruits on the stove with a small amount of water in a large pot.

Once everything was tender I pureed them one at a time in the food processor and poured them into the ice cube trays. I covered each tray with plastic wrap and put them in the freezer overnight. The next day all I had to do was empty the cubes into freezer bags and label each one with the food and date.

This has been one of the easiest and best things I have done for Ethan. I feel good to know I am feeding him only the cleanest and freshest foods. He will eat anything and everything and has a great appetite. I can't help but think it is partly because he is eating food that actually tastes good and is good for him. I highly recommend it!