How to Make Baby Food
Use fresh produce at peak ripeness., Choose organic produce when possible., Know which foods your baby can eat., Know which foods babies shouldn't consume., Wash and peel the produce., Chop the produce into 1-inch pieces., Steam the food., Puree the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use fresh produce at peak ripeness.
Produce is at its most nutritious and flavorful when it's perfectly ripe.
Since you won't be adding sugar and salt to the food, it's important to choose ripe produce
- otherwise, it will taste bland.
Look for produce that is brightly colored and ripe without being too soft or bruised.Follow individual guides for each type of fruit and vegetable to determine when specific items are ripe.
Farmer's markets are great places to find fresh produce at its peak, since they tend to stock only fruits and vegetables that are in season.
You can use frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, but it's better to use fresh whenever possible.
Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables often have additives to help preserve them.
Read the label carefully if you decide to buy frozen or canned vegetables. -
Step 2: Choose organic produce when possible.
Many fresh fruits and vegetables are treated with pesticides and other chemicals before they are harvested.
If possible, shop in the organic section of your supermarket so you can be sure the food you make for your baby is chemical-free.
Some fruits and vegetables are more apt to become contaminated by fruits and vegetables than others.
For example, apples are treated with more pesticides than any other produce, so you may want to go out of your way to buy organic apples.Avocados, on the other hand, aren't treated with as many pesticides. , Some babies are ready to start eating solid food as early as 4 months old, while others aren't quite ready that early.
Talk to your pediatrician about starting your child on solid foods.
When your baby is ready, the transition should be slow; introduce just a few foods at once.
Babies transitioning from a diet of breast milk or formula-only can have pureed fruits and vegetables, like banana, squash, sweet potatoes, and apples.Babies who have eaten some solid foods and are between the ages of 4 and 8 months can have pureed or strained vegetables and fruits, meats, legumes, and cereals.Talk to your doctor about when to introduce mashed foods and finger foods to your baby's diet.
It's important to do so only after the baby has developed certain skills., Babies under one year of age should not be fed certain foods, since they can cause allergies and other illnesses.
Never feed a baby these types of foods until after he or she has reached one year of age:
Dairy products made from unpasteurized milk Honey Outdated canned food Home-canned food Food from dented cans , Use a scrubber to scrub the skin of the vegetables and fruits, especially if it isn't organic.
Make sure to wash off any dirt or grit.
If the vegetable or fruit has a peel, use a peeler to remove it, since tough skins are difficult for a baby to eat. , Since you're going to steam the produce, you'll need to chop it into equal-sized pieces so that it will steam efficiently and evenly.
Chop squash, sweet potatoes, applies, or whatever type of produce you have using a sharp knife.
Bananas and other very soft foods don't need to be steamed before you puree them.
Be sure to use clean cutting boards and knives.
If you're processing more than one kind of food, wash the cutting board and knife with hot, soapy water in between foods. , Place the food pieces in a steamer basket.
Add a few inches of water to a large stockpot.
Cover the pot and place it on the stove over medium high heat.
Remove the pot from heat once the food pieces are soft, after 5
- 10 minutes.
Use a clean fork to test the food pieces to see if they are soft.
Steam the food to a softer texture than you'd normally do for yourself, since it should be completely smooth once you puree it.
Only use water to steam the produce; don't add butter, salt, sugar, or any other ingredients unless you're sure your baby can digest them. , Place the soft food pieces in a food processor and process them until completely smooth.
If you don't have a food processor, you can use blender, food grinder, or a potato masher.
Be sure no chunks of food remain if your baby is under 6 months old.
Older babies may be ready for mashed, rather than pureed, food.
Clear this with your doctor before deciding how much to process the food. , If you're preparing meat, chicken or fish for an older baby, be sure to cook it to the correct internal temperature to kill bacteria.
Use a meat thermometer to be sure.
Meat should reach an internal temperature of 160 °F (71 °C), chicken should reach 165 °F (74 °C), and fish should reach 145 °F (63 °C).
Cooked meat may be pureed just like any other food.
You can mix it with tomatoes or another savory produce item. , This final step will ensure the texture of the food is appropriate for your baby's system. , Portion it into jars with tight-sealing lids to ensure the food stays fresh and doesn't get contaminated.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before using (1 day for meat and fish).If you're storing food in the freezer, be sure to use freezer-safe containers.
Baby food may be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Always label the food with the type of food and the date you processed it. , It should be completely reheated to an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
Don't defrost baby food at room temperature.
This may allow bacteria to grow.
It's safer to actually heat the food before serving. -
Step 3: Know which foods your baby can eat.
-
Step 4: Know which foods babies shouldn't consume.
-
Step 5: Wash and peel the produce.
-
Step 6: Chop the produce into 1-inch pieces.
-
Step 7: Steam the food.
-
Step 8: Puree the food in a food processor.
-
Step 9: Cook meat to the correct internal temperature before pureeing.
-
Step 10: Strain the baby food through a fine mesh strainer to eliminate any solids.
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Step 11: Store the baby food in clean glass jars.
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Step 12: Reheat frozen baby food thoroughly.
Detailed Guide
Produce is at its most nutritious and flavorful when it's perfectly ripe.
Since you won't be adding sugar and salt to the food, it's important to choose ripe produce
- otherwise, it will taste bland.
Look for produce that is brightly colored and ripe without being too soft or bruised.Follow individual guides for each type of fruit and vegetable to determine when specific items are ripe.
Farmer's markets are great places to find fresh produce at its peak, since they tend to stock only fruits and vegetables that are in season.
You can use frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, but it's better to use fresh whenever possible.
Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables often have additives to help preserve them.
Read the label carefully if you decide to buy frozen or canned vegetables.
Many fresh fruits and vegetables are treated with pesticides and other chemicals before they are harvested.
If possible, shop in the organic section of your supermarket so you can be sure the food you make for your baby is chemical-free.
Some fruits and vegetables are more apt to become contaminated by fruits and vegetables than others.
For example, apples are treated with more pesticides than any other produce, so you may want to go out of your way to buy organic apples.Avocados, on the other hand, aren't treated with as many pesticides. , Some babies are ready to start eating solid food as early as 4 months old, while others aren't quite ready that early.
Talk to your pediatrician about starting your child on solid foods.
When your baby is ready, the transition should be slow; introduce just a few foods at once.
Babies transitioning from a diet of breast milk or formula-only can have pureed fruits and vegetables, like banana, squash, sweet potatoes, and apples.Babies who have eaten some solid foods and are between the ages of 4 and 8 months can have pureed or strained vegetables and fruits, meats, legumes, and cereals.Talk to your doctor about when to introduce mashed foods and finger foods to your baby's diet.
It's important to do so only after the baby has developed certain skills., Babies under one year of age should not be fed certain foods, since they can cause allergies and other illnesses.
Never feed a baby these types of foods until after he or she has reached one year of age:
Dairy products made from unpasteurized milk Honey Outdated canned food Home-canned food Food from dented cans , Use a scrubber to scrub the skin of the vegetables and fruits, especially if it isn't organic.
Make sure to wash off any dirt or grit.
If the vegetable or fruit has a peel, use a peeler to remove it, since tough skins are difficult for a baby to eat. , Since you're going to steam the produce, you'll need to chop it into equal-sized pieces so that it will steam efficiently and evenly.
Chop squash, sweet potatoes, applies, or whatever type of produce you have using a sharp knife.
Bananas and other very soft foods don't need to be steamed before you puree them.
Be sure to use clean cutting boards and knives.
If you're processing more than one kind of food, wash the cutting board and knife with hot, soapy water in between foods. , Place the food pieces in a steamer basket.
Add a few inches of water to a large stockpot.
Cover the pot and place it on the stove over medium high heat.
Remove the pot from heat once the food pieces are soft, after 5
- 10 minutes.
Use a clean fork to test the food pieces to see if they are soft.
Steam the food to a softer texture than you'd normally do for yourself, since it should be completely smooth once you puree it.
Only use water to steam the produce; don't add butter, salt, sugar, or any other ingredients unless you're sure your baby can digest them. , Place the soft food pieces in a food processor and process them until completely smooth.
If you don't have a food processor, you can use blender, food grinder, or a potato masher.
Be sure no chunks of food remain if your baby is under 6 months old.
Older babies may be ready for mashed, rather than pureed, food.
Clear this with your doctor before deciding how much to process the food. , If you're preparing meat, chicken or fish for an older baby, be sure to cook it to the correct internal temperature to kill bacteria.
Use a meat thermometer to be sure.
Meat should reach an internal temperature of 160 °F (71 °C), chicken should reach 165 °F (74 °C), and fish should reach 145 °F (63 °C).
Cooked meat may be pureed just like any other food.
You can mix it with tomatoes or another savory produce item. , This final step will ensure the texture of the food is appropriate for your baby's system. , Portion it into jars with tight-sealing lids to ensure the food stays fresh and doesn't get contaminated.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before using (1 day for meat and fish).If you're storing food in the freezer, be sure to use freezer-safe containers.
Baby food may be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Always label the food with the type of food and the date you processed it. , It should be completely reheated to an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
Don't defrost baby food at room temperature.
This may allow bacteria to grow.
It's safer to actually heat the food before serving.
About the Author
Jennifer Kim
Experienced content creator specializing in cooking guides and tutorials.
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