How to Freeze Homemade Baby Food

Freezing Homemade Baby Food is Easy! You'll be surprised at how little time it really takes to prepare and freeze homemade baby food!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fresh Fruits or Veggies
• Blender or Food Processor
• Pots & Pans
• Ice Cube Trays
• Freezer Bags
• Permanent Marker

1. Start by cooking the vegetable/fruit either by steaming, baking, micro- waving or boiling. Steaming maintains the most nutrients. Steaming, baking and boiling all allow for big batches of foods to be made at one time. Microwave if you have a small appliance or for when you plan to puree only a full ice tray of food. Many parents prefer to not use a microwave; I suggest that you steam or bake the foods!
2. Set aside the liquid that the vegetables/fruits were cooked in. This will be the liquid you add to make the puree. Take the vegetable/fruit and put them into the machine you have decided to use for pureeing.
3. Set your machine to puree or grind and begin to mash the vegetables/fruits. As you are pureeing/grinding, add the liquid or plain water. You may use formula or breast milk if you so desire. These liquids give a little nutritional boost and add a familiar taste for baby.
4. For every type of machine you may use to puree, the secret seems to be in how much food you put in the container baskets to begin with. No appliance will do a good job if over stuffed!
5. Once you have a nice liquid puree, you will then transfer the puree into ice cube trays for freezing/storage. Fill each cube with the puree, as though you were filling the tray with water to make ice cubes.
6. Cover the tray with plastic wrap (foil may be used however is not
   recommended as shards of the foil may be left on/in the food cubes) and put it in the freezer. Repeat this process until you have filled all the trays and no puree remains. (Tupperware and OXO brands (prices from $3.99 to $7.00) make ice cube trays with lids if you would prefer getting trays with lids)
7. Once the cubes of puree have set and are frozen, take the trays out of the freezer and transfer the cubes into freezer bags. Be sure to label the bag with the date of preparation as well as the type of food. The baby food cubes should be used within 1-3 months of freezing.

Tips & Warnings

• Each cube is equal to approximately 1 ounce of food.
• Fruits should be cooked until baby is between 7-8 months of age; consult your pediatrician
• Bananas & Avocados do not need to be cooked!
• If you do not have a steamer basket, simply add an inch or 2 of water to your pot and steam the food
• Use a timer so that you will remember to check on the water level in the pots you are cooking your baby food in. This will help you to not burn your pots and pans and the food itself!
• Do not thin baby food purees with the water from carrots or other high nitrate veggies for a baby under 8 months old!
• Do not use previously frozen breast milk to thin baby food purees that you will then freeze; previously frozen breast milk should never be frozen for a second time!
• Peel all fruits & veggies until your pediatrician says that it's ok for baby to eat the peels and skins of fruits & veggies. This is typically between 8-10 months of age.