Baby Food Basics

As a new mother I am learning a lot every day. Baby K is now 6 months old. I can't believe how the time has flown or how quickly he is growing. While he is still small for his age he loves food. He frequently tries to grab mine or anything else he can reach.

After sensing his growing interest in food and frustration with nursing we started him on cereal. Once his body had adjusted to that we introduced more variety. Since his doctor has given us the go ahead we are slowly introducing new items to his diet.  Baby K now loves applesauce, pears, yams, bananas, and avocado. (Please avoid strawberries and honey for the first year.)

My two biggest resources have been other mothers and a book. Hardly surprising since I know a lot of women with babies and I love to read. Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes has been very helpful as I have started making Baby K's food. I feel so accomplished feeding Baby K something I made by myself.* I know it was made with organic produce, has no added sugars or fillers, and tastes delicious.

You actually don't need anything fancy to make baby food. Though to be honest I did need to buy a steamer. I know. I know. What real cook doesn't have a steamer? One who was afraid of vegetables until just a couple of years ago and is slowly adding new ones to the menu. My husband had to show me how to use my steamer. :) It's a good thing I have him around.

The Tools:
Steamer*
Good pot with a lid
Blender
Containers

• Steam your lovely produce. Organic if you can manage. I understand that it can be expensive. 
• Blend it into a lovely puree.
• Place into a container. It will last in the fridge for about three days or the freezer for 3 months.

I generally use a large Snapware in the fridge and dish it into smaller bowls when feeding K. I've been using these Ziploc containers for on the go feedings. But they tend to leak with the runnier foods like applesauce or pears. I might need to invest in the Ziploc Twist & Lock kind. I'm still looking into good alternatives for freezing food. Anyone out there have any good recommendations?

*I am not an expert on baby food. Please consult a doctor if you have any concerns.

**A steamer is great for holding in all the great nutrients your baby needs. Not all produce can be steamed. Some like hard squashes and sweet potatoes should be cooked in your oven. If you don't have a steamer you can use a crockpot with a small amount of water.