5 Reasons To Make Your Own Baby Food
It is easy to buy baby food with all the brands out there claiming to have the most nutrient packed formula for your child. Why make your own when you can just conveniently buy already made baby food? Right?
The truth is every mum likes to stay in control of what goes into their baby’s mouths for many reasons including that baby growth and development is hugely dependent on it. If this is the case, then you have more capacity to produce nutrient dense, less expensive and better tasting food for your baby than the store-bought versions.
READ ALSO: Baby Recipe: Mango, Banana, Avocado Puree
Find below five practical reasons why you should make your own baby food at home:
1. Taste
Nothing tastes better than a healthy homemade meal, that includes baby puree as well. All foods taste better using fresh ingredients.
Yet most commercial baby food purees are heated to extremely high temperatures so they can last upward of three years on the shelf, which means the food you spoon into your little one’s mouth is most likely older than your baby.
While the convenience of store-bought purees seems ideal for those times you are in pinch, this industrial process kills off most of the flavors, nutrients, and aromas of the produce going into them, leaving purees that taste bland and unnatural.
2. Texture
The ability to adapt the thickness of your baby food is big advantage. On days when your baby is picky, you will be able to twist the consistency of the meal. If your baby is bored with a smooth puree, you can easily chunk it up a little; store-bought versions will not give you such flexibility.
Different textures are as new to your baby as the tastes themselves, so varying a puree’s texture will not only give them a new eating experience, it will help them transition easily from eating purees to solid food.
READ ALSO: Baby Recipe: Sweet Potato Puree
3. Nutrition
There is no question that homemade baby food is healthier for your baby than any brand of store-bought food, however beautifully packaged they are.
A major advantage of making your own baby food is that you can tailor your baby’s food to their specific needs at any point in time. For example, if your baby is feeling a little under the weather, you can make a puree high in vitamin C.
Low on iron? Add some beef, spinach, or beans. Maybe your baby is a little constipated. Making a puree with anything that starts with a “P”—pears, prunes, peas, peaches—will soon get your little one back on track. Baby food that is working for your baby’s well-being is big deal.
4. Quality Control
This one reason is sufficient to make you home-make your baby food. It is so important because you’re the one who buys the ingredients, handles, prepares, and cooks the purees, you can therefore be rest assured because you know exactly what is going into all of your baby’s food. What you make is what you get! There are no fillers, thickeners, suspicious ingredients with names you can’t pronounce or shelf stabilizers.
READ ALSO: BABY RECIPE: Strawberry & Apple Puree
5. Cost Savings
This may come as a surprise but making your own baby food with all organic ingredients is way cheaper than buying their store-bought counterpart. Buy farm produce and fresh fruits which are in season in bulk, save yourself all that extra extra cost and buy yourself a new pair of shoes too-you need it.
What Will You Need?
It should please you to know that most of the tools you will require to make your baby’s food can usually already be found in your kitchen! You definitely need very minimal kitchen appliances and tools.
Kitchen Tools And Appliances
Blender or food processor
freezer trays or glass jars
Medium and small saucepan
A colander
Knives and spatula.
READ ALSO: FAMILY RECIPE: Sweet Potato & Beans Gravy
To Feed the Baby
You will enjoy shopping this list more;
Highchair
Bibs
Baby Bowl
baby Spoons
Wipes.
There you have it; making your baby food is easier than you probably thought. Will you be making your baby food going forward?