21 Aug 2008 08:59 PM

Preparing homemade baby food

I've always liked the idea of preparing homemade baby food. After I had my first child, I worked from home and was able to cook baby food once he started weaning. Once I got a routine going, preparing homemade baby food is not actually too much of a hassle.

 Most babies don't need solids until the age of six months. After that, choose simple foods such as a banana or avocado and mash well with a fork, or puree with a blender. Peel and cook harder fruit and vegetables such as apples, potato, pumpkin or pear by steaming, boiling or in the microwave. Mash or puree the food so that it is smooth. If it seems dry, reserve some of the liquid that it has been cooked in to moisten it.

After 8 months of age, baby is capable of digesting a few soft lumps in food. This will help prepare for gradually being weaned onto normal food.

When preparing food for baby, you can freeze it into clean iceblock trays, then tip the blocks out and place in a plastic bag or food wrap. They will keep up to 30 days in the freezer or two days if kept in the refrigerator. When using food that has been frozen, defrost and warm in the microwave, but stir it well so there will be no hot spots that could burn baby's mouth.

When preparing meat be sure to remove the fat, remove skin from chicken, and bones from fish. Chop the meat finely and mix with vegetables to introduce it first. Variety is important if baby is not to become a fussy eater.

Here are a couple of sites with information on homemade baby food:

Baby feeding
Tips from Kidspot
Homemade baby food recipes

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