How to Save Big Money on Groceries - 75% off Baby Food!

Having ten babies of our own we know that babies can really eat you out of house and home! By the fourth month the cost of baby food alone can cost as much as $560 a month! Out of necessity, we've been able to routinely reduce that by 75%. Want to know how?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fork
• blender (optional)
• baby food mill (optional)
• pan (optional)
• whisk (optional
• steamer (optional)
• ice cube trays (optional)

1. Most parents would say the mainr eason for using commercially prepared baby food is convenience. But making your own baby food doesn't have to be a time consuming process. Many times the baby can eat whatever the family is eating with very little additional preparation. Parents just need to change their mindset.

2. 

   Some foods suitable and cheaper for babies can be found in other aisles of the grocery store besides the baby section. Applesauce is a prime example. Babies love the regular unsweetened applesauce found in the canned fruit aisle. Granted, the consistency of the baby food applesauce is smoother. But none of our babies have objected to the slightly chunkier adult version one little bit!
   
   Refried beans is another. Just spoon out a spoonful into a dish, add 1-2 Tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly. Easy!
   
   Juice made from frozen concentrate is much, much cheaper than what you find int he baby aisle. Just mix it up according to the directions. Fill a 4-oz baby bottle one quarter full of juice and finish filling the bottle with water. If you are making an 8-oz bottle's worth, fill it one third or one half full of juice and the remainder water.
   
   Ripe bananas and ripe avocadoes are also super easy and taste so much better than the jarred variety. Just cut them into small chunks and mash with a fork. Super easy!

3. 

   Other foods take just one more step that you are probably doing anyway for the rest of the family. Sweet potatoes are extremely easy to make, very nutritious and can last a long time if frozen after cooking. Put an extra sweet potato in the oven or pot when you are making them for the family. Or you can microwave one for about eight minutes, remove and let cool. Open it up and serve right out of the peel - the potato is very soft and needs nof urther processing. So much better taste than canned!
   
   Winter squash such as acorn or butternut make an excellent baby food. Cut the squash in half and clean. Place in one half inch of water in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for half an hour. Use a spoon to scoop out the squash and feed directly to baby.
   
   Canned vegetables can very easily be turned into baby food as long as it is the no-salt variety. Simply drain most of the juice, saving a little bit in the bottom of the can. Dump the contents of the can into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Each can will easily make the equivalent of about six jars of baby food! Now that's stretching a dollar!
   
   Soft fresh fruits such as peaches, Bartlett pears, and apricots can simply be pureed uncooked in the blender. Wow, if you baby is anything like mine he or she will go ga-ga over that!

4. 

   With just a little more time and a blender you can lower your baby food costs to rock bottom. It will not only be much cheaper, but much healthier as well! You can cook a week's supply on the weekend, put the blended vegetables in an ice cube tray for a few hours, and then pop them into a freezer bag. When you need them, microwave 1-3 cubes before meal time. Quick, easy and inexpensive!
   
   Harder fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, green beans, peas, etc. require cooking before pureeing. Simply peel and cut into chunks. Place in a s mall saucepan and cover with water or use a steamer. Cook until tender. These can then be run through a food mill, or processed in a blender or food processor.

5. 

   Making baby cereal for your baby can save 92% on the cost if you buy the grain in bulk! Take a cup of the whole grain of your choice such as brown rice, oats, or barley and grind it up in the blender until it's a powder, usually about two minutes for very young babies, less for older tikes. run it through a sieve if there are lumps. Store in an airtight container. To cook, boil 1 cup liquid of your choice. Add one quarter cup of the cereal slowly, whisking as you add to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat whiskingn constantly until thick, about five minutes. This will make enough for 3-4 meals.
   
   Once you change your mindset and realize that baby food requires slight preparation you start keeping lots of cash in your pocket!

Tips & Warnings

• With any food, be sure your baby is developmentally ready for it.

[amylaine]

on 7/10/2008 Excellent info, thanks for sharing.