Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Makin' food.

So, Baby Guy has decided he's ready for big people food. It started with him staring at us while we ate, then his refusal to be anywhere BUT the table at meal times. Finally, he started grabbing spoons and forks as they made their way to others' mouths.

A boy after my own heart, that one is.

I started with the traditional, ceremonial rice cereal. You know, that ground up crap that smells awful and probably tastes that way, too? Why is that supposed to be every baby's first taste of big people food? It's a wonder they end up trying anything else after we jam that slop down their throats. And I don't know about you, but I always get kind of disgusted by it while spooning it into my baby's mouths. I'm forcing a smile while going, "Mmmmm!" but I'm sure I look crazy because I'm also trying not to gag.

Anyway, Smush must have refined taste buds or something because he rejected it. Flat-out. He'll take it if I mix a tiny smidge into some applesauce, but that's about it. He prefers oatmeal for sure.

After we established his grain of choice, I decided it was time to implement fruits and veggies, too. So as I was grocery shopping last week, I turned my cart down the baby food aisle. I looked at all the foods and thought, No. I'm not doing this again. My reasoning is simple. Do you know what babies eat? They eat the same things we do, just mushed up beyond recognition. And I refuse to pay half a dollar for a dollop of sweet potatoes that would probably cost me less than a cent to make at home.

I whipped my cart around and walked away from that baby food. (I might have diva-snapped at it too and said, "Oh no you DI' int." Use your imagination.)

When I got home, I kinda panicked. Um, I didn't buy any food for the kid who is stealing spoons en route to others' mouths.

Of course, I turned to Google. And this site is what I found -- Wholesome Baby Food! Recipes! Charts! Directions!

Oh, yeah. I can so do this, I thought.

The basic idea is, you purée the foods after properly preparing them (some require cooking), pour the purée into an ice cube tray, cover it in plastic wrap, freeze it, then pop the little cubes of food into freezer bags.

When the baby is ready to eat, you take one or two out, microwave it until it's mush again, and serve.

And it really is THAT easy.

All you need is a good blender. Even a decent one will suffice. You don't need one of those cool ones that grind up iPods. (But my mom has one, and it is pretty awesome.) A food processor will work, too.

I don't consider myself "crunchy," but I do like to save a buck here and there. And you certainly can this way. Plus, Smush seems to really enjoy it!

Are you sick of buying baby food? Visit that site (here it is again) and see for yourself how easy it is to make your own. Really -- it ain't no THANG.

11 comments:

  1. I made my own baby food for Natalie and it was super easy and cheap. Good luck!

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  2. Oh thank you I might just have to do this.

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  3. You are a champ! I am lazy. :)

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  4. Oh please tell me you really diva snapped at the baby food isle. That mental picture made my night. :) I'm all for making your own baby food--I'm even considering (don't tell anyone) looking into cloth diapering. That sounds seriously granola. But good for you! I'm all about refined taste buds, even for a smallish person.

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  5. Haha I agree with Kate. I'm lazy and just buy the baby food lol!

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  6. I hear you. I made baby food for both Amelia and Miles. I did it to safe the $$ too. Smart, and its better for our babies anyway!! I'm so proud of you. :)

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  7. Way to go, Jenna! Much better for wallets, and babies. My mother in law bought a tiny blender that is just for baby food. I used the you know what out of it, thank goodness it still works for when Tristan decides he wants real food. :)

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  8. I did the same with my little one. Have you ever tasted canned baby food? It's as awful as it smells, or worse... plus the real stuff is so much better for them (in addition to cheaper!!)

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  9. A girl I used to work with showed me that website when I was pregnant with Kaydence and I used all of the tips and recipes off of there for Kaydence's baby food. I wasn't a fan of my blender at the time so I just used an emersion blender and that worked great for bananas, peaches, sweet potatoes (thinned out with breast milk) and applesauce. Shar's kitchen has this nifty apple/potato peeler/slicer thing-a-majig that I plan on buying before I start making baby food after this one is born because I DREADED peeling and coring apples and sweet potatoes with a hand peeler. Making baby food is such a great way to save money and it is healthier than normal baby food. Whenever I did buy baby food to just have in the diaper bag for last minute meals, I always bought organic which was a lot more expensive. They just put so much crap in some of the normal baby foods. Who knows though maybe they put the same in the organic but don't list it and call it organic and jack the price up... This way you know for sure what your baby is eating!

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  10. I skipped baby food the second time around too! He either got applesauce or whatever veggie we were having at dinner. So far he is a better (less picky) eater than his older brother for whom I jumped through all of the hoops!

    Good for you taking a stand against over priced baby food

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  11. that's awesome! I totally think I'll try that! my baby will LOVE food I know it. She drools every time we eat!

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I like feedback almost as much as I like food.