Making Homemade Baby Food: 50 Tips, Tricks, and Hacks

Ooh baby! Having a child sure has rocked my world! As with all new parents, I want the best for my son. From the products I have around him to the food, I put in him. That is why I decided I wanted to make homemade baby food. I want to know exactly what is in the food he eats and what it is made of. Read on to see my 50 Tips, Tricks, and Hacks to making and serving your own homemade baby food. I received products from Inglesina, EZPZ, QOOC, and Kiinde for to help facilitate this post. As always, all opinions are my own

Making Homemade Baby Food: 50 Tips, Tricks, and Hacks

How To Know If Your Baby Is Ready For Solid Food

1. baby is at least 17 weeks and ideally 6 months or older. Never introduce solid food to a baby before 4 months and always consult with your pediatrician before starting solid foods. (The digestive system is not sufficiently developed and there is a greater risk of allergies in babies younger than this).
2. He or she is able to hold up their own head.
3. baby is able to sit with minimal support.
4. Willingly opens mouth and moves head towards food that is offered.
5. Can swallow food instead of pushing food back out

Why homemade baby food?

1. Better Nutrition- you know exactly what is going into the homemade baby food
2. Better Taste- fresh, no preservatives
3. Better Texture- make it thinner or thicker depending on baby’s age and preference
4. Better for your budget
5. Better for the environment- not throwing away individual containers of baby food

Introducing Solid Food 101

1. Offer only 1 new food at a time, waiting 3 to 5 days to introduce new foods to watch for allergic reactions
2. Bland food is best. No seasonings, spices or added sugar
3. Food should be room temp or only slightly warm
4. Mix homemade baby food with breast milk or formula for a thinner texture and familiar taste
5. Know when to stop- baby is turning head, leaning back, refusing to open mouth, etc.

How Often Should Babies Eat Homemade Baby Food:

1. At first, homemade baby food should just be seen as fun, not as a main source of nourishment
2. Remember baby’s tummies are tiny
3. Start with one spoon full and see how baby does
4. Aim for 1 to 2 ounces of baby food a few times a day once baby is ready
5. Start baby’s meal with breastmilk or formula, then offer the homemade baby food if they are still hungry

Ways To Make Homemade Baby Food:

1. Baking- in the oven with the rest of the family’s meal
2. Boiling- boil your vegetables before pureeing them
3. Microwave- for quick meal prep
4. Stewing- for when you have more time
5. Steaming with the Qooc 4 in 1 baby Food Maker Pro- the best way to preserve the fresh taste and nutritional value.

Freezing And Storing Homemade Baby Food:

1. Put cooled food into the fridge right away to reduce the growth of bacteria
2. Store food in single-serving amounts by using an ice cube tray to freeze individual portions, then transfer to a freezer baggie or container. Or store directly in your Foodii bag.
3. Label and date container so you know what it is and when it was made
4. Most homemade baby food is safe in the fridge for 3 days and freezer for 3 months
5. Do not refreeze food and use thawed food within 48 hours for optimal taste

First Foods To Introduce:

1. Carrots
2. Sweet Potato
3. Apple
4. Pear
5. Banana

First Foods to Avoid:

1. Fish
2. Shellfish
3. Honey
4. Nuts/ Seeds
5. Cow’s milk

Prepping For Mealtime

1. Make sure baby is not overly tired or overly hungry.
2. Get baby ready by washing both your hands and baby’s hands. This could get messy.
3. Put a bib on your baby, or remove their clothes completely to avoid unnecessary stains.
4. Be in the right frame of mind. This should be a fun experience, not something you are dreading
5. Involve the family and get ready for pictures. This will likely be a memory for the baby book!

My Favorite Baby Meal Time Products:

1. Inglesina’s MyTime Highchair

Inglesina’s My Time Highchair. This is the PERFECT highchair for your child’s first meals. It is designed for babies from birth up to 36 months. The MyTime highchair is Inglesina’s premium highchair for your child’s very first homemade baby food meal. Featuring an ergonomic backrest and footrest that can both be adjusted to 3 different positions and 4 different heights. This highchair ensures the highest comfort for your baby.

Inglesina’s MyTime highchair is practical for parents, too! These homemade baby food meals can be messy! Thankfully the leatherette seat can be easily cleaned with a sponge and its service tray is washable in the dishwasher. When mealtime is over, simply fold the MyTime highchair and watch it stand by itself. Allowing you more organization in your dining area.

My favorite part is that my son can enjoy meal time with us at the table long before he is ready to enjoy his homemade baby food. The 5 point harness and reclining seat really did allow him to enjoy this seat from the start. The sleek look and compact design make it a welcomed item in our dining room.

2. Kiinde Foodii Starter Kit

As a new mom, I feel like I constantly find myself feeding my son. While we started nursing in the comfort and privacy of his nursery, I quickly realized that he needs to eat anywhere and everywhere we go. Of course, this will remain true once we introduce him to his homemade baby food as well. That is where the Kiinde Foodii Start Kit comes into play.

The Kiinde Foodii Filling and Feeding System allows you to fill Twist or Foodii Pouches with formula or homemade baby food for mess-free meals on the go! After you have made your homemade baby food puree, simply pour the food into the wide-mouthed Foodii Filler, then squeeze the Foodii Filler to fill the Twist or Foodii Pouch. Multiple feeding options are available for feeding directly from the pouches. Ergonomically designed Foodii Snack Spouts or soft silicone Foodii Squeeze Spoons. Both are designed to promote mess-free, self-feeding and have leak-proof caps.

3. EZPZ My First Foods Set

Introducing homemade baby food to your little one can be fun, but it also can be messy, stressful and overwhelming. Thankfully the ezpz First Foods Set provides all of the developmental tools you need to set baby up for mealtime milestones – plus calm and confident parents! This set includes everything you need for the first meal. Including 2 tiny spoons, a tiny cup, and bowl.

4. Qooc 4 in 1 baby Food Maker Pro

This Qooc 4 in 1 baby food maker has 4 powerful and intuitive functions in one professional grade appliance. Making it so easy for busy moms like myself to steam, blend, reheat and defrost healthy homemade baby food in  25 minutes or less! I can chop and puree everything from fruit to nuts with the press of a button! The simple one-handed, single-button controls offer a comfortable design while allowing me to still handle my son with the other hand.

5. Bounty Paper towels

The whole process from making homemade baby food to serving it can be messy! So be prepared to clean up the mess with Bounty paper towels. Both absorbent and strong, you will want these paper towels handy to clean up your biggest homemade baby food messes.

Have you ever tried making your own baby food? I would love to hear about your experience! Comment below.