How to Cook Baby Food

Baby Eating

Making homemade baby food is a task that may seem complicated or difficult, but is not much more involved than making food for the rest of the family. Additionally, making homemade baby food is a comparatively inexpensive way to feed an infant. Learn how to cook baby food and feed your baby nutritious, inexpensive baby food that is delicious as well.

Things You'll Need

• Microwave
• Microwave-safe covered casserole dish (1- to 2- quart size)
• Stove
• Saucepan with steamer insert (1- to 2- quart size)
• Assorted fruits and vegetables
• Paring knife
• Cutting board
• Vegetable brush
• Food processor or blender
• Ice cube trays
• Plastic wrap
• Plastic freezer storage bags
• Plastic containers

Instructions

1. Choose the fruits and vegetables for preparation. Carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, apples, pears, peaches and plums are some suggestions of foods that can easily be made into baby food. Consider choosing organic fruits and vegetables for added nutrition and the absence of pesticides on the produce.

2. Prepare the fruits and vegetables by washing and scrubbing them well with the vegetable brush. Cut out any imperfections or bruises with the paring knife. Peel the fruit and vegetables and core the produce that needs to be cored.

3. Cut the fruits and vegetables into small and uniform pieces that are 1 to 2 inches in size. Group the prepared produce into piles according to their type. If food combinations are desired, you could group these combinations together now. For example, apples and pears make a delicious mixture, and these two fruits could be grouped and cooked together to make baby food.

4. Place several cups of prepared produce into the microwave-safe casserole dish if you will be cooking the food in the microwave. Add a small amount of water and cover the casserole dish. If you will be cooking the food on the stove top, place approximately 1 inch of water in the bottom of the saucepan, place the steamer insert on top, and add the food to the steamer. Cover the steamer. Cook the food either in the microwave or on the stove top until it can easily be pierced by a fork and is very tender. Watch the cooking at all times so that the food is not overcooked.

5. Place the cooked food into a food processor or blender while it is still hot, and puree until it is very smooth.

6. Pour the pureed food into the individual sections of the ice cube tray if you will be freezing the baby food. Place plastic wrap over the top of the ice cube trays and freeze the trays for several hours until the baby food is frozen. Remove from the freezer, pop out the cubes of baby food, and store them in a plastic freezer bag. Label the bags so that you know the contents. If you will be storing the baby food in the refrigerator without freezing, pour the pureed food into small containers, cover and refrigerate.

References

• Homemade Baby Food