If you make your baby's food instead of buying jars

sunandsand · November 2009

Why do you do this? Do you find its cheaper than buying the tiny jars/containers? Or are you trying to be healthier/more natural?

Do you use a food processor or blender or what?

Thanks!

katiekate1974 · November 2009

It's cheaper. I prefer to really know what's in his food. There's less waste b/c I don't use (as many) jars. It's easier cuz I can just blend up what we're having for dinner most nights. I use a food processor.

sunnyday016 · November 2009

I do find that it is cheaper. A friend gave me a beaba babycook so it steams and blends it all in one appliance, which is handy. I can make a lot at once and freeze it in ice cube trays for perfect little serving sizes. I like that I know exactly what she is eating. We occasionally do jarred baby food, but it is definitely cheaper (and really not that much work) to make it myself.

jacksjerseygirl · November 2009

I'm not sure it is cheaper, never really did a cost comparison, as I buy most fruits/veggies at local organic farms or at whole foods.

I don't see the point in buying jar after jar when I can make the same thing and it will probably be better (based on my testing of Earth Baby or w/e brand). I try not to buy a lot of processed or prepared foods for Dh and I - so I'm not doing that with DS - even with baby food.

we use the beaba babycooker - one machine for steaming and processing.

CheekyMommy · November 2009

I use all organic fruits and vegetables and puree them myself. It's not only cheaper, but healthier. I bought 1 sweet potato the other day for maybe 42 cents. It got me 12 servings of baby food. Apples, pears, plums, peas, winter squash... yes, it's a little time consuming (I save an hour or two for the weekends to do it) but it's totally worth it in the end.

All you do is bake or steam your veggies and hard fruits and then puree them in a food processor. Add water to thin out the texture (to the appropriate stage) then pour into silicone ice cube trays (they have some that are just made for baby). Cover, and freeze! Then I empty them out into a ziploc bag with the name of the food and date made. This keeps them fresh and organized. Then, whenever you want to pull a food, I just pop a serving or two into a baby cube (available at amazon) and thaw it out in the fridge! I can send a cube to daycare and just throw it in the wash to use again!

PharmDmom2be · November 2009

I make because I'm lazy. It's much easier for me to go to my fridge, and pick a fruit or veggie and steam it and blend with my hand blender, than remember to go to the store, buy fruits, and veggies in jars and make sure its on sale (I have serious issues and will only buy things on sale!).

We also give him whatever we have for dinner/lunch, I usually mash it with spoon or use a hand blender. I don't have a fancy machine.

flyrsgirl1 · November 2009

CheekyMommy:

I use all organic fruits and vegetables and puree them myself. It's not only cheaper, but healthier. I bought 1 sweet potato the other day for maybe 42 cents. It got me 12 servings of baby food. Apples, pears, plums, peas, winter squash... yes, it's a little time consuming (I save an hour or two for the weekends to do it) but it's totally worth it in the end.

All you do is bake or steam your veggies and hard fruits and then puree them in a food processor. Add water to thin out the texture (to the appropriate stage) then pour into silicone ice cube trays (they have some that are just made for baby). Cover, and freeze! Then I empty them out into a ziploc bag with the name of the food and date made. This keeps them fresh and organized. Then, whenever you want to pull a food, I just pop a serving or two into a baby cube (available at amazon) and thaw it out in the fridge! I can send a cube to daycare and just throw it in the wash to use again!

I do this exactly!

BitterOldHag · November 2009

It's cheaper and its an excuse to be in the kitchen.

I'm just starting now but I am planning on steaming and using my immersion blender.

HunterMomma · November 2009

I'm an oddball I guess. I make some...but definitely not all. I tend to buy the peaches, plums and nectarines in the store because it takes so long for them to steam. I also buy the chicken combo foods. I really only make the easy stuff....carrots, beans, peas, etc. Otherwise I buy organic. I typically am able to go to Rainbow on double coupon day and get them super cheap with my coupons (one time for 11 cents/jar) If I go when they are on sale I really stock up.

I find it hard to spend an hour doing the food but that's just because of my time schedule. Between work, home, DS, DH, clothes and diaper laundry I have very little time to do much in the kitchen. I try to do some.

I store the stuff he'll eat in the next week in old washed out baby food jars. The stuff I freeze I freeze in ice cube trays and put in baggies.

LMBESQ · November 2009

I like knowing what's in her food, it's cheaper, and I enjoy doing it. Ditto to the pp who said there is less waste. I'm sure at some point I'll feed her jarred food, but for now this works for us. I also have the Beaba, and love using it.