“You’re Super Mom!”

Feb 8, 2011 by desiringvirtue

When people (my family) found out I made Elliot’s baby food they thought I was insanely cool. Suddenly my mom points went from a good 6 to a full out 9. The funny thing is that making your own baby food is really pretty simple~ as long as you have a food processor/blender you are set to go. Yes, it takes a little bit of time, but it is actually quite fun AND both my babies seem to prefer fresh baby food to the packaged/processed stuff. Also, it can save a substantial amount of money on the grocery bill. So, there you have it-three positives already!

Simple. Fun. Money Saving.

We don’t even have to go into all of the other specifics to making your own baby food to know that ANYONE who wants to, can indeed accomplish this simple task. You don’t have to be Super Mom. You just have to want to. -Make baby food, not be Super Mom… though you could want both.

There is something so enjoyable about steaming fruits and veggies, pureeing them, adding your own spices, coming up with your own mixtures and then putting them in the cute containers of your choice. Trust  me… it is enjoyable.

But How?

1. Wash and peal your choice fruit/veggies.
2. Most fruits and veggies can simply be steamed in the microwave (this is actually better than steaming on the stove top because you can use all of the vitamin rich juices). Just put them in a bowl with a little bit of water (a few tablespoons at the most), cover with cling wrap, and then zap until tender enough to puncture with a fork.
3. Next transfer them (watch out, it is hot!) to a food processor/blender and… blend. Add the spices you want and more water if the mixture is too thick.
4. When you achieve the desired consistency, pour (or spoon, this is where I always make a mess) into freezer containers. You can buy special containers for this, use canning jars (pictured above), or simply freeze the food in ice cube trays and transfer into plastic baggies once frozen.
5. Viola! Super Mom status.

Now obviously, there are some important things to think about when making your own baby food. For instance: which foods are good to introduce at what age. For that kind of in depth information, follow this link to a helpful site: www.wholesomebabyfood.com

Money Saving Tips:

I feel like you save money on most foods, but sweet potatoes are where it is at in the money saving department. You will find the best deals on veggies will be in the frozen food section, and even some fruits for that matter. Apples are the one item that I find to be unnecessary to make at home. It just isn’t worth it. You can get a big jar of unsweetened apple sauce for a much better price than the amount of apples you will have to peal, core, and chop to match it. It is also very nice to be able to add premade apple sauce to your creations to get a nice mix of flavors!

What is my creation above? Cinnamon Carrot Apple Deluxe! That is right, I added the “Deluxe” for added sparkle. It is one of Hudson’s favorites, and actually Elliot is obsessed with it as well. I can hardly feed it to Hudson without Elliot attacking me. So, finally I thought, “Hey, if he likes pureed carrots he can have them!” He eats it like regular apple sauce and I feel quite pleased with myself.

So if you thought homemade baby food was only for the Super Moms out there, you were wrong. Put on your apron and get to making your own!

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