Feeding Time: Making Your Own Baby Food
My baby is almost 6 months old. Where did time go? I feel excited, sad, emotional, but what else is new? I keep telling Chip to stop growing so fast and growing up so fast, but he’s been army crawling, rolling over, talking, and eating rice cereal, so I think that he has other plans.
It’s ok because I’ll just swaddle him until he’s in college. Is that weird?
So the six month marker is quickly approaching and we’ve already started a little solids, as in rice cereal, only once a day, just to get him accustomed to it, plus he eats lots of milk, so this has helped with supply and demand, if you know what I mean.
I’ve purchased myself a food processor (yes, I have a baking blog and didn’t have a food processor until now) and have been making the rice cereal. But now, I’ve got to get ready, roll up my sleeves, and get going on making some food for him, too. You see, because of our decisions on immunizations, and our lifestyle, we’ve decided that making all of Chip’s food is the best route for us. And although I’ve read what feels like a million blogs and Amazon.com comments about making our own baby food, I felt like you all were a trustworthy crowd.
How To Make Baby Food
Friends, I need your help! Here’s what I have to start this endeavor:
What I need your help with, if you would be so kind, are the following:
- Spoons: Is there really a better kind? Why? What is it?
- Freezing containers: I would love to make lots in advance so that I am not doing this each day. I work at home, which means I never stop working so the less food prep, the better.
- High Chair
And, I’ll be straight with you: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M DOING! So what’s your advice?:
- How do I know how much to feed him?
- Do I offer the breast and then feed him, or the other way around?
- What are you best tips and tricks for making your own baby food?
- How often to I vary up the food? One type of food each meal? Two?
- My doctor said to start with veggies. Another said bananas. Which is it?
Can you please help me? Comment here and we will start a conversation going. I know you’ve been there, are there now, or will be there, so let’s help each other! And I promise from time to time I’ll keep you updated on our progress!
Baby food photo courtesy of Flickr.
Bonnie Lewis blogs at Bonnie the Baker where she creates delicious dishes and discusses the journey of this thing called “parenthood”. She is a professional writer and published author, as well as a social media expert. She has an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary where her studies of faith and culture help inform her writing, baking, and child rearing. She loves ice cream, coffee and a good book. She is married to her husband Cy and has a three month old baby boy named Chip.
I’m in the same boat with a 5 1/2 month old. I’m also considering making my own, but don’t have a clue where to begin. Thanks for starting this conversation. I’ll be checking in for some advice.
Hey Bonnie! Here is what i know and what i have learned. The spoon doesn’t matter a whole lot. I like the cheep colored ones cuz they seem to get lost or cut up in the disposal. Also, I have always started with rice cereal at night to help them sleep. Then a few weeks later i started veggies. I just recently decided that i would make baby food for Tucker and i freeze it in ice trays. each ice tray is one oz and tucker has 2 cubes fruit mixed with cereal and formula for breakfast and now has a 2 cubes of veggie and 2 fruit for dinner, they say that u should introduce the veggies and fruit for 4 days before changing to make sure they aren’t allergic. I like the web site wholesomebabyfood.com, they have great tips that have helped me out. there is not right or wrong schedule, you should do whats right for you and Chip. Good luck!!
Molly, thanks! And if you are on Facebook, check out the Mom it Forward page because some people answered on there too!
Andrea, thanks so much!! I took your advice and got the plastic spoons, and he liked that they were bright!
I did rice cereal tonight that I made and he really seemed to love it! So in a few weeks I will start veggies too, like you are suggesting! Thank you! Do you do milk before or after the food though? I want to make sure he gets enough milk, but I also want to make sure that he gets enough food so I am not sure which to start with at meal time. Suggestions? And I will check out that website! Thank you!
My baby just turned six months too! I know that at this point, you nurse them first. I don’t know if that changes when they’re closer to 12 month mark. For now, I feed him about 30 minutes after nursing so that he’s not too full. Andrea mentioned the best online resource, perhaps the best resource anywhere.
For anyone having doubts, this is what convinced me: grab your blender and puree a very ripe banana (no water or anything else needed). Compare that taste to a jarred banana! Freeze a few ice cubes of the banana so you can give your little one a few refreshing little pieces.
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