During the first two years of a baby’s life, their nutritional needs are one of the primary concerns of almost all parents. You want your child to have the safest and healthiest nutritional choices available, right? However, reading labels and deciphering the promotional gimmicks is not only exhausting, but incredibly confusing. Isn’t there a better option for feeding our babies? Well, guess what? There is! The best part about this nutritionally sound option is that you have all ingredients you need in your refrigerator.

No one can argue with the convenience that canned baby food offers, but it is just as convenient to make your own baby food while preparing meals for the other members of your family.  Need proof? Here are some good reasons to save canned food for the pets and begin the journey of creating soul food for your baby.

Advantages of Homemade Baby Food

• Making your own baby food is budget-friendly. You pay extra for all the packaging that is included with the pre-made jars and cans. Saving money is a huge advantage to taking a little extra time to whip up your own creations.
• Early experiences with food set life-long eating habits and patterns. When your baby eats the same food as the rest of your family they become accustomed to the taste of that food, even if it is in a pureed form. This will cause less stress for your baby when, he or she, transitions to eating table foods.
• Homemade baby food is easy to make and the choices are unlimited.  You can create a unique food experience for your baby by making pureed versions of the fruits and vegetables your family enjoys. Your baby can experience a greater diversity of food, which encourages their taste buds to try new foods as they grow into toddlers.
• With fat- laden junk food and the obesity crisis that is consuming our world, making your own healthy creations at home sets a positive example for the whole family and you always know what your baby is eating. There are no artificial colors or added preservatives.

Why All-Natural and Chemical Free is the Best Choice for Baby

Did you know that over-the-counter, jarred baby food is often deficient in vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy development? Most parents do not realize that in order to kill any bacteria present, baby food must be cooked and processed at higher temperatures, stripping the food of vital nutrients. This process actually leads to weakened immune systems, which means more doctor visits. Making your own food allows you to know EXACTLY what your baby is eating. Stay pesticide free by choosing local or organic ingredients. You can never go wrong when feeding your baby nature’s best!

Homemade Baby Food Tips and Tricks

It is easy to get started making your own baby food. Here are a few quick tips to get you started.

• Wash, peel and scrub all fruits and vegetables prior to putting them in the food processor or blender.
• In order to make the vegetables and fruits puree better, briefly steam, bake or roast them first. You can even microwave them to speed up the process.
• For young babies, make sure you puree the fruits and vegetables to a smooth texture. You can add a little bit of liquid, such as water or breast milk, to help attain the super-smooth consistency. As your child gets older and can handle a more textured consistency, you can simply mash up the food.
• Store all of your purees in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve your food to your baby, just warm up the food to room temperature and watch you baby laugh and giggle with delight when they taste just how great your cooking is!

One word of caution – When you begin feeding your baby homemade purees make sure you use natural fruits and vegetables. Avoid canned fruits and vegetables, as well as, canned soups. These products, especially the soups, can be over-loaded with sodium. If you are avoiding canned baby food do not use adult versions of canned food products, otherwise you may be unintentionally sabotaging your plan to provide your baby with a preservative-free, all-natural food experience.

Homemade Baby Food Makes Sense

Preparing your own homemade baby food is not challenging, nor incredibly time-consuming. With proper planning, you can prepare a month’s worth of meals on a Sunday afternoon. Choosing to take greater control in what your baby eats is not an inconvenience. It is a necessity and a choice that will ensure your baby has a healthy, head start in life.