Make Your Own Baby Food!

If you have an infant and are looking to save money, one very easy thing you can do is make your own baby food! I made all of my food for Addison, and am doing the same for Ryan. Making the food is SO easy, because you freeze it you really only need to spend 30-40 minutes once a month. Because you are saving money by making it, you can also afford to buy organic. All you need is a pot, steamer insert, food processor or blender, and ice cube trays.

I have made: pears, peaches, butternut squash, green beans, sweet potato, peas and carrots, to name a few.

Step One: Prep your fruit or veggies. Peel pears, peaches, etc. Or, take a shortcut and buy frozen. I have found a great veggie to take a shortcut on is the butternut squash, you can find frozen prepped squash at Whole Foods for a reasonable price.

Step Two: Steam the veggies in the pot with boiling water until they are very tender.

Step Three: Transfer to the food processor, and process to the desired consistency. You can add water to get it thinner.

Step Four: Spoon into ice cube trays, cover with foil, and freeze.

Step Five: Transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag; it will be good in the freezer for up to a month.

To defrost, just microwave 15 seconds or so, or put in the fridge overnight. You can feed them plain, or mix with cereal or yogurt.

Other VERY easy shortcuts:

1. Do not throw your money down the drain with banana baby food. Simply take a banana, puree it (or mash it for older babies, shown), and add water. This takes MAYBE 30 seconds and with baby food at $1 a pack, and bananas 39 cents for a whole pound, you will save quite a bit.



2. Do not buy baby applesauce. Buy the all natural applesauce (no sugar added) and add water if you need to thin it. A big jar costs $1.64 at my grocery store and will last us a month. You can also buy the natural flavored applesauces once they are older- Ryan loves the blueberry pomegranate and peach mango. Again, you can mix with cereal or yogurt.

I think I have maybe bought 3-4 jars of baby food for Ryan, when we traveled overnight. Give it a try- is is very rewarding to know you are feeding your baby the best, and even if you only mash a banana and make 1 fruit, you'll still be saving!

Another "recipe" to try, especially if your little one isn't loving veggies: Monkey Mash! Just combine a mashed banana with 1-2 defrosted sweet potato cubes, and warm up. Addison loved it and Ryan does too.