Baby Parenting Guide

Which is better when making home made baby food - fresh or frozen produce? I've heard that fresh loses some of it's nutrients by the time it makes it to the grocery store, whereas frozen veggies and fruits are frozen at their peak freshness thus sealing in all the good stuff. Any idea on which is better/preferred when making baby food at home?

Should I remove the skins of the apples and pears when making baby food? Or leave them on? I'm making my own baby food and was wondering if I should leave the skins on the apples and pears? I know there's a lot of nutrients in them so my instinct says to leave them after all I will be puree them in the food processor?

Making baby food, is homemade baby food to much of a hassle to be dedicated to? i'm 36 weeks, but i'm thinking ahead, i really like the idea of making my own baby food but is it a hassle after a short while? was anyone else successful in sticking to it?

Making baby food for a baby who is allergic to milk? Im going to be making baby food for my son because he is allergic to milk. Does anyone knwo any good websites that have how to make baby good

A good appliance for making baby food? I am wanting to make my sons baby food at home instead of buying the ones at the store. And i was wondering what appliance would be good for that? I know there like the baby bullet but i was wondering what ones people have used and if they are any good?

Any tips on making baby food? I recently started to make baby food for my son who is 7 months old. He LOVED the peaches I pureed with formula but I attempted to make some out of frozen peas and formula and he HATES them. Before I stock up on more produce to make babyfood...does anyone have any suggestions for making some different kinds of healthy babyfood...like what ingredients? Or any other suggestions on making it more appealing to a hungry baby??!? Thanks :)

Making baby food by a slow cooker? Has anyone ever used a slow cooker to cook baby food? There are two different opinions about it. One is that cooking for long hours will make food lose nutrition because water vapors. The other one says that water does not vapor much and nutrition will absorb into water. What do you think? One more thing, does a slow cooker consume much more electric than normal cooker? (due to long cooking time) Thanks.

What is the best book for making baby food? I'm looking for a easy to use, informative book on making baby food that includes recipes. If you know of any good websites that would be helpful too. ( I already use wholesomebabyfood.com)

Making baby food question? I got a blender to try to make baby food. It cuts the green beans into small chunks. I need mush. Should I get a more expensive blender, a food processor, or what?

Benefits of making your own baby food vs. store baught food? My daughter is almost 5 months old, so she's getting close to being ready for baby food. I really like the idea of making baby food for her, but I'm still undecided. For those of you who do make baby food, is it more cost effective? Is it healthier? Tell me the benefits of making it vs. store baught. Is it a hassle, or do you fall into a routine with it? Can I use a blender or do you need a certain kind of food processor? Thanks in advance for all of the answers!

What is a good food processor to use for making baby food? What I am using now doesn't break up all the food. It leaves small chunks and I want to use something that will really break down the food and make it smooth. I add plenty of liquid. Any good websites for info also?

Starting a business, would you want a baby food making store? I'm thinking of starting a business that would teach families how to make their own baby food. I would either come to you home and show you the ropes, or you could come to my store and pick out food; I'd make it then deliver it to your home. I would also have organic options. Is this something you would use?

38wks....When should i start making baby food and freezing it.? I am due in two weeks and was wondering when to start making and freezing baby food and what kinds?

Making baby food instead of buying it? My baby's 8 months old, and instead of buying packaged Gerber food, I'd rather make her food fresh, buy either pureeing it or grounding it up myself. Any suggestions on what to start out with and how to prepare, store, and preserve it?

What is the BEST baby food processor to use for making baby food? There's so many options out there, I just want to know which is the best one for about $40. Thanks!

How would I go about making homemade baby food? How do you make home made baby foods? My daughter loves bananas and I figured it would be cheaper just to mash some up the fresh ones we have in the house. But I don't know the best way to do it. Should I mix formula and cereal in with a banana? And it doesn't have to be limited to bananas, what other foods would be food for homemade baby foods?

What's the best type of apple to use when making baby food? I'm planning to make applesauce for my 6-month old.

Has anyone had any success making baby food? I came across this article http://www.makinghomemadebabyfood.com/benefits-homemade-babyfoo/ and I was wondering if anyone has had any positive experiences with making their own baby food.

What do I need to start making my own baby food? My daughter will be starting solids soon. I want to make her baby food. Aside from the obvious (aka fruits, veggies, etc), what products would be necessary or helpful. Is a blender better than a food processer? Any particular brands? I'm totally new at this and would appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know of any good books or websites on making my own baby food? My son isn't starting to eat baby food just yet, but I am very interested in learning more about making homemade food for him when he is ready to begin. I would appreciate any positive feedback from anyone who has done this, or has some good info about it. Thanks!!

Is it OK to use a microwave veggie steamer when making baby food? Or should I get a steamer for use on the stove?

is canned veggies bad for making baby food? you know how sometimes canned stuff smells like cans? will that hurt the baby hes 9 months old ....i want to make my own babyfood with corn and green beans and beef stew ect.

Making baby food with frozen peaches? I have recipes for fresh peaches, but since they are out of season, I had to buy organic frozen peaches that are already peeled and sliced. I'd love a recipe that would keep the most nutrients in. Also, if you have any suggestions for good books for making baby food or great websites (other than wholesomebabyfood.com...I already use that site) I love to know. I have been told that babies shouldn't have raw fruits until 8mo so I need a recipe for cooking.

How do I preserve the baby food Im making? Making home made baby food. How do I preserve it? Freeze it?? How long does it stay good? THANKS!

Crash Course in making/storing baby food? Our baby is just about ready to start eating baby food and I would like to make it. I know for the most part how to make baby food b(Although a few tips would be appreciated) My main concern is storage. How do I do that? Thanks in advance! Once I freeze how long is it good for?

Making and freezing baby food? I heard that making your own baby food is cheaper than buying it. Can I make baby food such as pureed carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and other vegetables and fruits and freeze them?

Which is better to use for making baby food? I have been making my own baby food for my 6 month old and have been getting the veggies fresh from a local farm that uses organic growing methods. The question I have is with the fruits. I don't know of anywhere locally that I can get organic fruits, so I have two choices and would like to know which is better for the baby. I could either buy locally grown fruit (not organic) which would be fresh, or I could buy organic fruit from the chain grocery store that is probably not the freshest, but it is grown organically. What do you think?

Making baby food, how do I get rid of the skins? I tried to make puree peas but the skins are still there, what to do?

Making homemade meat baby food smooth? When making baby food containing meat at home, how to you puree it completely, so that there are no chunks or strings in the food?

I have two questions (cloth diapers and making baby food)? Where do you buy your cloth diapers and how many would I need to buy for my 6 month old? How do you make baby food do you just steam it or boil it? Also how do you store it?

What are your experiences with making your own baby food? I'm considering making my own baby food. We have a food processor. What else is necessary? Is it worth it or should we just buy the jarred foods? What are other people's experiences?

Does anyone have any information about making baby food out of carrots? I have heard conflicting advice. I'm talking about the nitrates. Thanks

How would I go about making my own baby food? Any good websites about it? I wanna try making my own baby food instead of buying the jars. Any advice? What do you mean by steam? Like boil?

Any tips on making homemade baby food? My son is just starting on solids and I really want to make his food. Problem is, I'm lost on where to start. Ok I've got the blender part down. I'm really hoping that people who have done this before will answer and just tell me what they did so I can get an idea.

I want to start making home made baby food? I want to start making home made baby food for my lil' girl. Looking for recipe's that aren't too hard to make and that have fiber.

Should I stay away from carrots when making my own baby food? Someone told me that I should not use carrots when making my own baby food. They said there might be a chance of high nitrate levels so just to buy the carrots and not chance making my own. Has anyone else heard that?

Can anyone recommend a good book about making your own baby food? I am interested in making my own baby food and freezing it. I would like a book that explains how to do it properly, freeze it, reheat it, and has ideas of different foods to use, etc. Thank you!

Making your own baby food verses buying jar food. Which is cheaper and/or better to do? I saw a baby food maker in Babies R' Us that does everything. It steams and purees the food and then you can store it in the freezer or fridge. It got great reviews, people said it's quick to use and I'm imagining it's healthier than jar baby food. Has anyone done this and do you think buying fresh produce and making your own would be cheaper than buying it in jars? The food maker is around $150 dollars..so it is expensive.

Making baby food, suggestions? I'm planning to start making my own baby food and I'm looking for suggestions on the best books, websites, ect. Also, what type of 'blender' do you use? Any suggestions would be great. Thanks.

any good recipes for making own baby food? my baby is 8months olds and iv been making his baby food myself im getting a bit bored and so is he of what iv been making. any other recipes that other people have would be great especially with meats, and fish.

What do you think about making your own homemade baby food? I am having my first baby this summer and I have decided that I would like to make my own baby food at home. Do you make your own homemade baby food? Do you send homemade baby food along with your baby to daycare? My mom will be watching my baby a few hours a day while I work part time, should I give her the homemade baby food or will it be inconvenient?

Making your own baby food and best foods to start out with? I just bought a food processor, and was wondering if any mama's out there have any 'recipe' ideas for baby food, and what to make. I have a 5 month old daughter, and she is exclusively breast fed right now, but I find shes very curios of food, especially when she is watching me eat, she goes nuts and gets all excited. Do I have to start with the baby cereal? Or can I start making up my own mixes? Whats the best and most nutritous thing for them

Making baby food, have a question about banana's? My son will be 6 months on the 13th. I started making baby food for him. Last night I made a couple jars of banana's for the first time and I put one jay in the fridge, covered. I went to go give him some today and the very top of the banana's are brown, about half an inch... then they are yellow again. Is this normal when pureeing banana's? Is it safe for him to eat them still?

I need a recipe for making baby food.? Specifically, baby zuchinni? My son loves this stuff (by gerber, stage 1) and it's getting harder and harder to find. I went to three different wal-marts yesterday they didn't have any. If this gets discontinued, I'm in big trouble and need to be prepared. I've tried steaming it and using a ricer to mash it, it was really messy and turned out pretty gross. Anybody with experience making baby food, I need your help!

What's freezable when making baby food? I'm choosing to make my own babyfood for my daughter and would like to work smarter and not harder! I've invested in freezing trays with lids and a good food processor. I've been successful in freezing vegetables but I wanted to know if it's safe to freeze pureed pasta, meat, fruit, cereal, etc. Also, I sometimes add cereal to vegetable purees to make it a little thicker. Can I freeze that mixture? Hopefully there's a few moms out there who've already done the "trial and error" part of this and could pass along the wisdom! Thanks in advance!

any-one with good ideas on making baby food? i'm a grandmother looking after my 14mth grandson sometimes i'm at a loss , what to make him

I have some questions about making baby food...? What are some good foods to do? And some good combinations? And how often do you do it? So far we did, strawberry banana and each separate. Ham broccoli and cheese. Pears. Chicken and applesauce. Chicken and peaches. Peaches. Sweet potato. Chicken and sweet potato. Still have to do cauliflower carrots squash and blueberries... It seemed a little hectic. Can anyone tell me their system of doing it and what other good combos to try? Any advice would be great for a baby food making newbie!

what are the pros and cons of making your own baby food? I can't breastfeed so I plan to formula feed the baby until she is ready for baby food. With that being said I want to make sure she is getting the healthiest baby food after. My mother bought a food processor and she said that my husband and I should use it to make our own baby food. I am wondering what the pros and cons of it are?? what do you store it in? do you need to add anything to it? Is it healthier than regular baby food?? Thanks so much!

Making my own baby food for the first time, any tips? I have decided to start making my own baby food for my 8 month old.. stage 3 baby foods are too runny/watery. He is starting to eat a few graduates foods and a little table food. I want to start making his veggie and fruit purees not so runny/watery ..this will be my first time, any hints or advice you can offer? Thank you so much!

is making your own baby food really better than store bought? I have a sister in-law who is obsessed w/ making her own baby food, and breastfeeding, she make myself and my other sister in-law feel bad that we didn't feed our children that way. We did breastfeed for the first 3 months. But we never made our own baby food. However our children are never sick and her son has been very ill at least three time. Throwing up and a high fever. So I guess what im asking is, is it really better???

Making baby food....straining and consistency questions for my 6-month-old? I recently started my 6-month-old on solid foods (butternut squash to be exact!). When I prepare her food, I steam the veggies, stick it in the food processor with a little water, and puree it. I have a baby food cookbook that gives you step-by-step directions for making food, and it doesn't mention having to strain. However, I've read lots of articles that tell me to strain the food, so I tried it. Maybe my strainer just has tiny, tiny holes, but I barely got any food through the strainer (like 90% waste and 10% food). I had pureed it to a very thin consistency, so I don't understand this. So, how watery should baby food be at this stage? Is it like the baby cereal where it's the consistency of liquid, or can it be thicker? And, do you have to strain if you puree? Finally, at what age can you start making the baby cereal and the baby food thicker then the consistency of liquid?

Difference between Earth's best and making your own baby food? I read the ingredients of the Earth's best organic baby food and it said it was just organic apples and vitamin C. So what is the difference between this and making your own? It had no preservatives and none of the other things put in regular baby food. I'm torn in my deicision of which to do and I really don't see what is so bad about giving jarred if it's organic???

i am going to start making my own baby food any advice or tips? i have research everything and i have decided i want to start making some of my own baby food like avocado, sweet potato's. i am getting a food puree and my son has mastered rice cereal and stage one baby foods. i just think maybe it would be healthier to make my own. does anyone have any tips or advice from your own experiences??

I need help making baby food? I cant seem to get the veggies as smooth as stage 1 jared. I used a food prosser and water but its not like the jared food. I just dont want my 6 month old to choke. What am I doing wrong?

Making baby food ... when did anyone start shrimp or scallops? He just turned six months so we're on the "4 day plan" with diff foods, making sure there are no allergies. I'm thinking of starting him on scallops or shrimps but I can't remember the rules .... Any opinions or suggestions would be great.

Making my own baby food: what foods are best to just buy from the jar? I was thinking about prunes, and it seems easier just to buy a couple jars of prunes. Any other moms making their own food that have tips about what food is best to just buy in the jar?

What food processor is the best for making homemade baby food? Need one that works really well for purees.

making baby food - do you think its okay to mix butternut and acorn squash? can baby be allergic to one and not the other? Also - is squash a pumpkin??

making homemade baby food what do you use to store in the freezer? i seen the green sprout silicone tray but isnt the food supposed to be covered?

Planning to start making baby food. How long you need to steam vegetables before it loses it's nutirients? mystic...what are you on about???

what type of milk can i use in cooking ,while making baby food? my baby is 6 months old.shall i use cow milk or buffalo milk in cooking?i want to start giving him suji kheer/carrot kheer/rice kheer etc.can i use breast milk in cooking?plz clear my doubt.any good indian recipes for babies

What should I use to make homemade baby food? What have you found works best to make homemade baby food? Blender, food processor, food mill? I'm assuming blender but I'd like to know other peoples experience with making baby food. Thanks!!! My daughter is 5 months old and currently eats cereal. I'm going to start feeding her baby food when she's 6 months old.

What is the healthyest way to make baby food like pears and peaches so that they don't turn brown? I want to make food for my baby, but peaches and pears etc. always turn brown what can I do to stop it? I want to freeze them. Can I use the powder stuff you use when canning these fruits? Is that safe?

Making baby food - need help? I would like to start making my own baby food. I am only interested in making the fruity ones and maybe later I will advance to the next level. I need recipes and tips for making any fruit flavored baby food. Peachy tasting ones are my most preferred, but I will probably be trying most all flavors. I just need some pointers. Please ... any tips would be appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Can I use pre canned green beans & vegetables to make baby food? I am new to making baby food. I have all the right equipment to make it & love cooking. I have canned whole vegetables (green beans, beets, etc) that I want to use up. Can I use these to make my own baby food? Could I use plain frozen peas to make baby food? I totally understand that fresh veggies & fruits would be great, I just wanted to know if it was safe & healthy to use canned or frozen.

when making your own baby food can you mix in a little bit of brown sugar for flavor.? My daughter is 6 months old, and I am making her baby food, my mother in law said I could put in a little brown sugar for flavor with her squash, sweet potato ETC, does any one know of any reason why I can not put in a little amount of brown sugar when making her baby food, she does not really care for veggies at all, but loves fruit bec it is sweeter, she is breastfeed and is use to the sweet tast I guesss

Making own baby food: should I steam the veggies and then mush them w/ fork or puree them? I wasn't sure if ppl a) usually steam the veggies (or do you boil) and b) just mush them with a utensil or puree them. What is the best? Most nutritious? My son is 6 mos old if that makes any difference. Thanks!

Making and freezing baby food? I will soon be starting my daughter on solids. This time around I plan on making my own baby food. I'm going to start with sweet potato and see how I go. I am planning on cooking it, putting it into ice cube trays and freezing, and using as needed. I'm going to mix it with breastmilk, my question is, should I mix it with breastmilk before or after freezing? Also, how long can it be safely kept in the freezer? Any help or tips would be greatly appreciated. Great idea about the ziploc bags, Cagney, I was wondering about the safety of just leaving the food exposed. I like the idea of being able to drop them straight into hot water too. I'm not microwaving (I don't even own one, they're horrible-as blonde_mama said, they destroy the healthy enzymes), so this would be perfect for me. BTW, I just noticed that I forgot the 'e' in poatoe; I know how to spell, really, but apparently it can't be edited :-)

When preparing home made baby food, can I use the carrot juice water from the carrots I boiled? I am making my own baby food for my 6 month old and just read something about carrots and high nitrates. I am using a bag of baby carrots that have already been cleaned and peeled and wanted to know if anyone had information on using the extra water to puree with.

What's the best way to cook a squash to make baby food? I know that some people don't cook the fruits and veggies prior to making baby food, but I do believe that slightly cooking it releases nutrients. Thank you all who answer

Making baby food? Want to substitute gerber! Recipes? Does anybody make their own baby food? Dont want a website....please! 8 month

Good website for making your own baby food? My son is 4 1/2 months old, and hes doing an excellent job at eating cereal, and his doctor gave the ok for stage 1 baby food. I would be interested in making my own. Anyone know any good websites with good information about making your own? I know you puree the food till there are absolutely no chunks basically, but i just wanna make sure i am not missing any other information.

How do I make baby food from scratch? I'm having a baby in september or october and I would like to make my own baby food from home instead of spending oddles of money buying it at a store how do i find recipes for this and do I need to get a baby food maker or can i use a blender? Also I've saved baby food jars how long does baby food that I have made last? Please Help thanks!! Also if anyone know's of recipes or anywhere I can find them thats also helpfull to?

I'd like to start making my baby's food. Any suggestions? So my question basically says it all. I'd like to make my baby's baby food, instead of buying it, but I have no idea where to begin. Any suggestions, advice, recommendations, personal experience, etc. are very welcome! Thanks in advance! Ok, since there are a few answers that I think are best answer quality, I'm leaving this to be voted on. Thanks everyone! Those sites are really helpful, as well as your experiences and input.

How to store home made baby food? Hi My baby girl is 6 months old.I am planning to prepare my own baby food for her.Since i have a big blender i am planning to prepare more food like applesauce made of one full apple.Although i cannot use it fully on the same day how can i store it.Is it ok to refridegerate it?? Are you sure that i can freeze it. I thought when i freeze it,all the nutritions will be reduced.Is it true

Is it safe to store home made baby food in souffle cups in the freezer ??? I am making home made baby food and am looking for an easy way to store them. I currently have them frozen in a ziploc bag after i had already frozen them in ice cube trays. Some say this is fine, but to get all the air out... how do you do that when they are cubes and there is air between them.. ? So do you think plastic souffle cups would work? Or do you have any better Ideas or ways to store them in portion sizes?

How do I make home made baby food? i want to make my baby's food so that i know its fresh & i'll know what is all in it. I really dont trust the baby food from the market

How do you make baby food with the food the family eats? I want to make baby food for my son and heard somewhere that he could eat what we eat for meals if I blend it correctly & freeze it somehow.

How should i cook squash that i plan on making into baby food?? thank you! :)

Any ideas for yummy home made baby food combos? Hi~first time mama making organic baby food for my six month old son. Id love any ideas on food combos to liven things up a bit & give him some variety with flavor and texture. Thanks mamas!

Where can I get help designing a list of ingredients for a baby food I want to make? I want to start a home business making baby foods, and I need some kind of specialist to help me decide what ingredients to use in each product. I contacted a couple of dieticians and they both said it wasn't the kind of thing they do, and I'm not sure where to go next. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

When making baby food, why do you have to cook things like apples and peaches instead of just blend? Thanks

Making baby food....? I've seen questions on here before about making baby food and there is this one website that seems to pop up all the time...I've been looking through baby food questions for about an hour now and have yet to see the website...so does anyone have any good websites that have recipes and such for mom's making their own baby food? Thanks!!

How do I make my own baby food? Not for me, my baby is only 2 months old. My cousins baby is 9 months and he hates baby food in a jar. I want her to try home made baby food but neither of us know how to make it. Any ideas out there? no, he doesnt have a gag reflex so the pediatritian wants him on baby food only!

What are some good books to get on making your own baby food for beginners? This will be all new for me when the baby arrives so I was something with lots of details. Thanks.

Making own baby food? My baby is almost 6 months old and she's going to start eating solids also of course breastfeeding too. But my question is I'm going to make my own baby food. It will in the long run save money, and it's healthier. I don't trust a lot of the baby foods and formulas now days. My question is: is there any special thing to do to the veggies, and fruits when making baby food, cause of the pestacides? My mother in law said that you're suppose to boil them in a certain degree temp to kill the pesticides...do I have to do that or is there an easier way? I'm going to be using a food processor and a blender to make the foods. Any advice or tips??

Making baby food at home? I want to start making babyfood at home. I know that you're supposed to steam the food, but I don't have a steamer. can somebody explain step by step how to steam without a steamer? i would really appreciate it. thanks.

Question About Making Baby Food? Are there any good sites out there about making baby food? I can't imagine giving him the store bought stuff but do not have the first idea on how to make it. My son is only a few weeks so I have a little time. Whats a good way to store it? How long can it stayed stored? Do frozen fruits and vegetables work at all? Or only fresh? I know frozen will not be as tasty to baby, but I am on a budget and am very determined to make my own baby food. Do you usually add stuff to it? Like are there recipes and such? I know I sound clueless, but I guess I am haha.

How do I start my own baby food business? I live in Ohio, I'm a SAHM, and I'm very interested in making and selling homemade baby food. I have made baby food for both of my boys and I thoroughly enjoy it. I would like to know what I need to get started on selling my creations. Are there specific laws or licenses needed? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks! :-)

How do I make baby food? I've been told I can make my own baby food. I went to the store and bought an avocado how do I make into baby food. Do I just mash it up in water until it's soft or do I do something special like put in the blinder? I'm clueless! Thanks! Why can't I give him avocado? This is the food I was told to start with!

what do I need to make Homemade baby food ? What do I need to make home made baby food? This is my first child and I want to make his food... But I have no Idea where to start... I know they say start with rice but how do you cook it... some say oven some say steam it... Where do I get good processer?