Yum!
Kennedy has been watching us intently as we eat for the past couple of weeks. She was very excited to try it for herself. Yum! Rice cereal! Has anyone every tried that? I’m thinking it doesn’t taste that great, but Kennedy didn’t care.
Canon 5D Mark II, 50 1.2
F 2.0, 1/160, ISO 320
Then I let her have the spoon. That was a bad idea. She kept gagging herself and wouldn’t give it back. This being my second baby I should have known that wasn’t a good idea, but she was happy.
F 2.0, 1/160, ISO 320
F 2.0, 1/200, ISO 320
I’m thinking about making Kennedy’s baby food. Not hat I have the time, but those darn informercials make it look so easy. Anyone else make their own? If so, what do you use to make it?
Happy Monday, Mom*togs!
*** Kennedy’s bib was a gift from the awesome Lillybug Lane!
About DrewB
I’ve started this blog as a way to connect with other moms who love photography. Whether you are a professional photographer who is looking for advice on how to manage your own business and your family or if you are a mom who is looking for tips on how to take better pictures of your kids, I hope that you can find some good information and be inspired!
When my kids were little I made my baby food. Totally easy. Get one of those magic bullet blenders, cook up veggies, fruits, etc. and blend the heck out of them-save a little of the cooking liquid if it seems to thick when blending. Then I would pour it into ice cube trays and freeze. Pull out a few cubes and heat them up with formula or breast milk to thin. When my kids got about 9 months, I would blend what ever my husband and I were eating and feed them that as long as it wasn’t too spicy. There really isn’t much you can’t blend. As they got closer to a year old I would blend less and less until they could safely eat well cooked, soft food. It really doesn’t take much time. It’s so much better for them and cheaper too. The bullet blender is small and packs easily if you’re on the road too.
I have made my kids baby food and it doesn’t really take all that much time. Steam up the veggies and then put them through a food processor. I use my cuisinart. And then freeze in ice cube trays, pop them out, and bag them up. This website and book have great ideas on how to do all the different fruits and veggies. http://www.superbabyfood.com/
Good luck!
She is so stinking cute! I can’t believe how much she and Brayden look alike!
I made my own baby food for all of my kids (and I worked full time until Henry was 2). Truthfully, it’s really easy…especially if you make it in bulk. Then it’s just as easy (if not easier) than the little jars of baby food. Trying to make it every day in small quanities would seem a lot harder and for me, a recipe for failure. I used a big 14 cup food processor…not one of those bitty baby magic bullets…I just made a whole bunch in big giant batches every few weeks rather than a few portions at a time. I did keep a few jars in the back of the pantry for travel and if I was in a pinch, but I found that the prices of those jars were SO high I hardly ever used them! I wrote a post about how I made my own food a while back in case you really want to try: http://liferearranged.com/2010/01/friday-favorites-okra-ice-cube-trays/
jeannett´s last [type] ..Sunday Smiles
Hey Drew!!! I made food for Ashlan and actually may start again because she is such a horrible eater and won’t eat most textures.
1. Use frozen vegetables and fruit….they actually have more nutrients than regular fruits and vegetables because they are frozen at their peak.
2. Use the rice cooker to steam the fruits and veggies…much easier pressing one button
3. Definitely buy a bullet blender…I borrowed my parents and never gave it back
4. Use silicone brownie pop molds to freeze the food…perfect size and you can easily push them out of the tray when frozen (buy a couple and do a whole bunch at a time – I did eventually give up because I felt like I was making food all the time)
5. As she got older, I was then able to mix a few different tastes at a time since the cubes were small.
6. You can also use them in smoothies for Brayden. I now do that – I freeze a whole bunch of fruit in little baggies with small frozen cubes of yogurt and frozen spinach and then throw them in the blender with orange juice. That way I know she at least gets some nutrition….seriously worst-eater-ever!!! will only eat on the go and the high chair is like locking her away in prison – she gets so hysterical I’m afraid she’ll choke on the little food she does eat – but the kid will eat yogurt and cheese!
oh, and if you want to borrow my trays, i’d be happy to mail them your way…i just need them back in about a year…which i would imagine you’d be done with them by then.
just let me know!
jeannett´s last [type] ..Sunday Smiles
Drew thank you for posting this. My daughter is turning five months next week and I was wondering the same thing. Kim, Jeannett & Marisa, oh my goodness, thank you for sharing your info. I’m actually excited to make her food now.
Hi! I made my own baby food for baby #1, but something had to give for baby #2 so he got Sprout Organic baby food. I LOVED making baby food. Don’t waste your money on the tiny steamer/blenders they sell for babies. I had one – but eventually abandoned it so that i could make bigger batches (it was more efficient to do more at once). I just got a double level steamer (get a bpa free one if you can) and then just used my blender. It is very easy! It is just the dang peeling of all the fruts and veggies that takes a while. Good luck! Love your blog!
Your too sweet!!! its supper easy to make baby food!! I would take one day out of the month and steam a months worth of food puree it and then freeze it all ! its much easier than it sounds!
You should try baby led weaning. You would be making her own food, because she would be eating what your family is already eating for meals, and it won’t take any extra time. You can either let her hold & gnaw on a huge chunk of whatever you’re eating, or cut it up into “manageable” size pieces that she can feed herself. I’m not sure if you’ve read anything about this method, but I think it’s worth looking into! I did the whole spoon feeding thing with my first baby, and tried baby led weaning with this one, and it’s so much more convenient & time saving.
Caitlin´s last [type] ..8 Months
Very cute! As for making your own baby food…yes, do it! We have a 9 month old and we make everything, it is super easy…especially if you already cook your own food.
Here is how we do it:
1. Make your food (for dinner, something like grilled chicken breast + steamed veggie + rice)
2. Place a small portion of your food in a blender-type device (we use a knock off of the “magic bullet”)
3. Put food in dish and feed baby.
4. Take extra food from blender (if any) and put it in old baby food jars to stick in the freezer for a day you are feeling lazy or for easy lunches in the future
That’s it. Fresh food for baby and you know all of the ingredients. No extra / special cooking required.
Making baby food is SUPER easy. I am full-time working mom of 2…and I wouldn’t do it if wasn’t easy
I just bought organic fruits and veggies, then once a week or less often (depends on how big of a freezer you have), I steamed them in the Beaba baby cook (you don’t have to use this, but I had one, so I did). Then I blended them up in the Beaba and added water based upon how thin I wanted it. Poured into ice cube trays, froze them, and after they were frozen, put them into freezer ziplock bags that I labeled. Then I just pulled the cubes out when i wanted them and mixed in some rice cereal if I wanted to thicken it up. I never got complicated with “baby recipes” or anything like that. Just kept it to pure veggies and fruit, and sometimes I would mix a couple of different types together when defrosting. By the time my babies were ready for meat and other more complex food, they were largely eating finger food (9 months plus), so I just gave it to them as finger food instead of blending it up.
I loved making baby food for my kids…so much cheaper and the food has so many more nutrients homemade vs. store bought! I usually designated one day to make lots of baby food to last a while! I used this website: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/. I love this website because it give great ideas and information!!! The gist of it is that you try to bake or steam the fruits and veggies (boiling takes away more nutrients) and then blend the food with water to the desired thickness (I used a Magic Bullet and Food processer to blend). Then you freeze the pureed food in ice trays and once frozen put in labeled freezer bags (they last for about 3mo).
We do exactly what Mara said. We have a little food processor that we blend them up in. Texture seems to be a big thing for our son, so blending them longer than you might think necessary is required. 2 cubes in the microwave for about 25 seconds is usually just right for us. The trick is not overheating them and then having to wait for them to cool down to feed. Our baby gets pretty hangry if he doesn’t get his food in a timely fashion. And if he sees the bowl and then can’t eat it he’ll be even angrier.
Definitely give it a try. It’s so simple and you’ll save so much money. Plus if you’re really concerned you can go buy the organic fruit/vegetables and still save a ton of money.
I made my own, too! I used a Cuisinart hand blended and/or my KitchenAid food processor. It takes no time at all when you make in bulk. I would combine flavors and leave some solo-pop them in then freezers using icecube trays. Once it was completely frozen, pop ‘em out and put them in ziplocs. I loved it-I was able to serve my little guy the same seasonal fruits & veggies that we were enjoying.
I totally watched that baby bullet informercial one night. My sis in law made all of her girls’ food with it. She is super into organic food, without the organic prices, and swears by it.
I wish she would make mine.
Because I don’t know if I have it in me.
Julie´s last [type] ..Happy Sunday.
That is one happy baby! Making your own baby food is not that bad, even if it’s not every day. It just gives you so much control and knowledge of what’s in their tummy. These are the best photos by the way.
I made all my kids baby food. It’s actually pretty easy. My best advice would be to just make a TON at once and then freeze it in ice cube trays and then pop them into freezer bags and then you take what you need. I try not to use the microwave so I would just take it out from the freezer and let it thaw out in the fridge.
I made a lot of carrots & sweet potatoes. I used the bullet and it worked so fast. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of time either, I’m in the same spot you are in….2 kids and a business and I would just take one night a week and it literally took me no more than 10-15 minutes to make a weeks or 2 worth of baby food.
Good luck!
Julie Nickerson´s last [type] ..Isabelle: Newborn Session
I’ve always made my own because then you can control what goes into it. i.e. you can avoid any preservatives and colorings and sweeteners. It doesn’t take that much time and you can do it in bulk. I highly recommend it!
At such a young age, single items make it easy. Mash up avocodo and freeze all the extra in single serving size cubes in an ice cube tray. Bake a butternut squash and mash it up and do the same. If you have things that are a bit thicker, I use my Ninja to puree it (peas, green beans, etc) and add water to thin it out if need be. You can make a couple weeks worth of stuff in an hour or two on a Sunday night.
Definitely thaw in the fridge, or put in a toaster oven.
My little one hasn’t arrived yet but I just read this fantastic post yesterday about homemade baby food – brilliant!! http://styleberryblog.com/creating-a-new-normal-efficient-homemade-baby-food
i just purchased a $20 mini food processor (I wasn’t sure of I’d follow through with making my first sons food so didn’t want an $$$ investment – happy to say I did follow through! But yeah, this time around I’ll be purchasing the larger food processor
I also bought the ice cube freezer trays and once the food was frozen, I’d pop them out and store in freezer bags by date, super easy!!
Good luck and have fun with it!
Oh and wholesomebabyfood.com was my go to for recipes and age/food charts. We skipped rice cereal altogether and started him with avocado, barley cereal, squash. He gobbled every food I ever made for him
Amber´s last [type] ..Sweet Baby Boy: Caleb – 7 days new
My daughter is just over a year old, and I thought I would make her baby food too (when she started with solids). I bought the magic bullet system, but then I found out it was just a lot easier to mash the food up directly before we gave it to her. My pedi made a big deal about feeding her what we were eating so I would just bake her a sweet potato or mash up steamed veggies (green beans, summer squash, etc). I found it encouraged my husband and I eat eat a lot more nutritious sides if I knew I’d be fixing it for her too.
She also ADORES bananas, and those are super easy to just mash with a fork. We haven’t had any problems with the spoon so long as we feed her the item. However, if left to her own devices Carrington would definitely gag herself like your sweet pea.
We’ve actually had a very hard time transitioning to milk from formula. My milk supply wasn’t sufficient so we went to formula around 2months or so. Anyway, for some reason her body doesn’t digest any kind of milk outside of the Enfamil Infant Formula. We’ve tried whole, 2%, Skim, Soy and Lactose free, and her poor little body gets all clogged up. Yogurt, cheeses, and formula are not a problem… just milk. Anyway, I’m only saying this because we’ve gone to finding alternative sources of calcium for her and she now adores Greek yogurt and low fat cheese. I also have found that if I blend spinach with greek yogurt and fruit (pineapple banana or whatever) it makes a really delicious smoothie that is cold and thick for her. AND spinach is loaded with calcium and healthy nutrients that are so good for their little systems. If you do go to making your own baby food you might try one of these smoothies for Kennedy as a healthy treat. You can find recipes on Pinterest under Monster smoothies.
I really enjoy your blog. Keep up the good work!
As she gets a little older get one of those handles with a net (can’t remember what they are called – they are with the baby feeding gear in the stores). You can put an ice cube in there for teething relief or even frozen fruit – peaches are great – no seeds. She can chew away and only little bits of food go through the net – nothing big enough to choke her – basically just slushy. Don’t use bananas though. That’s a pain to clean out! If you really want to have some fun with photos, fill it with frozen blueberries! Strip her down first – it’s a MESS! But some of my favorite photos of my daughter eating were with the blueberry juice running down her chin and all over her tummy.
I made all of Pierce’s baby food and don’t have much to add to what everyone said except – I just used a plain blender and it was fine! You’re not supposed to refreeze food so if you use frozen veggies don’t do it in bulk. BUT do make in bulk so use fresh veggies and fruit! If you make one food every night for 3 weeks, you can stock up for MONTHS! I was so excited when I made Pierce’s food b/c it gave me so many more options (they didn’t have all the options that they do now). Even so – it’s much much cheaper to make your own. I followed “Super Baby Food” recommendations without all the extremeness that is in it. Lauren didn’t like being fed with a spoon so she went straight to table food!
amanda´s last [type] ..baby b newborn photos
I have a two and a half year old and a nine month old. I made food my 2 yr old and I’m doing it once again for my nine month old. Super easy to do and quite fun. I used my mini food processer the first time around but got the baby bullet for Christmas. I love it!!!! It has a larger blender container for larger batches and a smaller one which I have been using lately to just purée whatever we’re eating for dinner. Definitely recommend. Happy pureeing!!!:)
I dabbled in baby food-making
I bought a Baby Brezza & loved it! Sometimes I would make food just for baby. Sometimes if whatever the family was eating was somewhat healthy I would blend it up for her. I bought my Brezza bc my baby has quite the picky palate & wouldn’t eat most baby food vegetables. The Brezza was a lifesaver so that I could give her the nutrients she needed from vegetables. Of course there are other baby food makers that are great too. I chose the Brezza after doing lots of research on different baby food makers. Also it was a good price point for me since I knew I wouldn’t be using it for more than a few months. I wish I’d bought it for my first babies!
Hillary´s last [type] ..Happy Birthday Abby!
Good for you for wanting to make your own baby food! It’s SO easy, I really can’t believe that jarred baby food is much easier. I make food once a week (sometimes I can go 2 weeks) and package it to store in the fridge or freezer. When I need it, I just pull it out to thaw and it’s ready to go! I use a small Cuisinart (4-cup) food processor and several plastic and glass containers. Lots of other people use ice cube trays, but I like that you don’t have to add an extra step once the food is in the trays. The individual cups are much easier for me. I feed my 10-month old food that we eat and he loves it all! I know exactly what’s going in and I can feel good about it. Good luck and just try it out! You really don’t need a ton of extra supplies to do it. A blender works, too
Good luck!
Melissa Barrick´s last [type] ..Over the Weekend
My husband thought making our own food was a waste of time since organic jars were a $1. Fast forward a few months and he *finally* buys an immersion blender b/c he realizes that making our own food allows us to control every ingredient — where we buy, how it’s cooked, etc. Make it in large batches, freeze in ice cube trays, voila!
Can I ask a photography question? Not sure if you’re dishing out your secrets…
Lisa´s last [type] ..March Photo a Day 2 "Fruit"
I make Brooks’ baby food. Very easy doesn’t take long at all.
Sweet Potatoes & potatoes: wrap them in foil, bake at 400 for about 1.5. Let them cool. Peel them. mast them (need to add a little formula or bm to regular potatoes). store them. Done.
Bananas: wait till they start to brown. peel them. mash them with a hand blender. store done.
Squash, Zucchini, Eggplant: Wash them. cut off either end. cut in half length wise. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. let them cool. puree them in a food processor. store. done
avacado: remove them from the skin. mash. add .5 oz of formula, BM, or water & stir. store. done.
Strawberries & peaches: buy frozen let them unthaw about 50% of way. Blend in food processor. store. done.
Any other questions…feel free to email me.
There is also a post on my website about making babyfood too.