making your own food

[Vickie]

The more I've thought about it the more I think that it might be something to try. Anyways next weekend is our big shopping weekend and I was wondering what kinds of food you buy to make for your babies? Any tips on making food also greatly appreciated

 

[missjess]

Here's what I do.

First, I bought myself a Magic bullet at Canadian Tire (really cheap, incredibly easy to clean, and works wonders!) I highly recommend it.

I got a few ice cube trays, bpa free. I put all the puree into ice cube trays, put some wrapping paper on it and put it in the freezer, then when everything is frozen I put the cubes into a ziploc side-lock freezer bag (easy
to open & close)and write what's inside (Veggies are in 1 bag, fruits are in 1 bag and each meat has it's own bag too.)


As for how I make it, I usually take 1 afternoon to make all of his food for the fallowing week. I cook everything at the same time and make my entire batch of cubes. I also buy everything organic, but I'm a freak.

Veggies & Fruits

I steam my veggies & fruits (got a steamer thingy you put on top of a pot of water) I steam veggies all together and fruits all together.Steam them until they are really soft, then while still warm I put them in the mixer with the water from the steaming pot. Mix it. (Each vegetable & each fruit is mixed separately and has it's own tray)

Meat

-Chicken : I poach the chicken breasts for about an hour (until it's VERY COOKED!!!) then I cut it in small pieces, put it into the mixer with the water from the steamed veggies.

-Beef : I put my cubes of beef or ground beef into foil with onions and mushroom, cook it for a while until it's very cooked, then I mix it in the mixer with the water from the steamed veggies.

Pasta

-Pasta & bolognese
I cook whole wheat pastas, mix it with the beef, onions and mushrooms and will add some tomatoes, mix it with the steam veggies water.

-Tomato & Basil spaghetti
I cook whole wheat spaghetti and put it into the mixer with the steam veggies water, I usually add some fresh tomatoes and a tiny bit of fresh basil.


This is pretty much what frozen stuff I make for Josh, but you could cook some pork, turkey and other meats.

He gets some fresh stuff like egg yolk (boiled) toasts, cottage cheese, fresh & cooked atlantic salmon.


This is the best food you can make for Hannah and it's great that she will get to taste what fresh food taste like. Good luck hun !

Ps: Here's a few veggies and fruits I use to cook & freeze

Veggies
Asparagus
Brocoli
Carrots
Green beans
Yellow beans
Peas
Turnip
Mushrooms


Fruits
Mango
Apples
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Banana (fresh, not cooked) + if you freeze them, make sure you add lemon juice so they don't turn brown!
Peaches

 

[alloyd519]

I make all the food my babies eat, which is something i'm very proud of. I go by the motto of "If I wouldn't eat it, I don't expect them to" and i'm sorry but jarred baby food, I don't think i'd touch that! I got a baby recipe book and go online for my recipes, there's a lot out there! But i'd say the one neccessary thing you need for younger babies would be a blender for purees. Good luck!!

 

[Vickie]

That's really helpful Jess. What kinds of fruits and veggies do you usually buy if you don't mind my asking?

 

[missjess]

That's really helpful Jess. What kinds of fruits and veggies do you usually buy if you don't mind my asking?

Glad it helps!!
Edited, I wrote a list of what I usually buy! I don't give him potatoes as I think they're not that good (not much vitamins apart from in the skin...)

 

[Vickie]

Gives me a great starting place Hopefully won't have to wander the aisles now wondering what to buy

 

[missjess]

Gives me a great starting place Hopefully won't have to wander the aisles now wondering what to buy

I still do that... I'm useless at grocery shopping! I need a list otherwise I struggle to make my mind up on what I need !

 

[Vickie]

I don't go shopping without lists But we buy a lot on sale so I need my lists to compare prices

 

[bv82]

I only give Mia fresh fruits and vegetables and I don't freeze anything for her.
I steam all of her veggies and mix them with a tiny bit of sour cream or a tiny bit of non-salted margarine. She also eats soup and drinks any kind of natural fruit juice.
For breakfast, she loves to eat scrambled eggs with some sour cream.

I grew up on the same foods and I think I turned out fine.

 

[mylittlebubs]

My baby is a few weeks younger than Hannah and this is what i've been cooking for him. I only give him the food i cook and I love to cook
I use vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, pumpkin so far and each meal i mix and match whatever i want (try to change every 2-3 days, i cook once and freeze for a couple of days then i will start cooking again)
i use chicken bones for making chicken stock
brown rice (if you don't have it then just normal rice or don't use it)

one meal includes;
-vegetables of your choice
-chicken bones
-rice or not,lol

I cook chicken bones in boiling water for half an hour, then add vegetables (chopped in small pieces) and a table spoon of rice
half an hour later take the chicken bones out , keep cooking the rest until they get really soft
then when it cools down a bit i put it through the sift, and i will have lovely food puree for my baby and it taste so nice without any salt or sugar or MSG or anything

Hope this is what you are looking for, if not i'm so sorry. I got 5 baby cooking books for xmas and if you like i can write some recipes for you (pm me)

 

[Vickie]

Very helpful. Gives me some good ideas of what I should be looking for

 

[mylittlebubs]

OH! if there;s any vegetables left in the fridge and i know i won't use for my baby again because i like fresh ones for him, i just cook something for myself with it

 

[tinytoes]

hi vickie,teh doc I see in Switzerland is very much for introducing foods slowly. She says that only offering certain foods later reduces the chances of allergy.
She advised me to start baby on fruit and vege purees. At 6 months the chart she gave me (from teh swiss federation of paediatrics i think) includes apples, apricots, pears, and bananas for fruits and carrots, courgettes, potato (plain & sweet i think) for veges and poultry for meats. It's all pretty limited. At 7 months a few more foods and meats are added sich as cauliflower and each month we get more and more choices. Yogurt is at 7 motnhs i think, and cheese etc isnt until 1 year. We can also have maize cereal, rice cereal etc. Pasta isnt until 1 year.
I tend to steam my veges or cook down the fruit then blend it up to a puree. I then add some baby rice to make it more filling. I do buy the occasional jar which is really handy as I use the jars for freezing portions of home made foods in.
I tend to pretty much stick to her guidelines but have added in a few extra things such as broccoli and blueberries (mixed with his banana!).

She says to make sure you only introduce one new food at a time and to give baby that food every day for 3 days ina row. Only after the 3 days can you try something new. This way if baby gets a tummy upset we know what caused it.

I love making my own food but find it more work that i'd expected simply because Teddy eats so much more than I expected. But it's lovely feeding him home cooked goodness )

Good luck!!!

 

[Vickie]

Thanks! So far Hannah's not a big eater at all!! Tried giving her cereal this morning and she downright refused it But she eats good at night so hopefully she'll get used to two meals a day soon, and than three!

 

[brownhairedmom]

when the public health nurse came to see me she was explaining stages of food. Here they tell you to start veggies + meats and make sure they're good and used to them before fruits!

Also, I saw some really good baby cookbooks at Coles/Chapters if you wanted to check that out for food combos!

 

[mylittlebubs]

i can write some recipes for you later today if you like.
I got lots of simple recipes and ingredients you can buy there

 

[Vickie]

That would be very nice of you and greatly appreciated if you have time

 

[mylittlebubs]

Most of the menu i cook ;
- Vegetables
- Water or chicken/bones stock or use any bits of chicken if you like ,whatever easy for you (just to add a bit more flavour into the food )
- Rice or not
- Add fish meat chopped in small pieces if you like
- After everything is cooked and pureed , you can mix the milk your baby normally have, B’milk or formula


Since I started weaning my baby, he took it all in and enjoys the food so much. Hope it works well with Hannah too

If you don’t make it pureed, can just use the fork/spoon to mash everything together (for baby with teeth and start chewing )

1. Mashed potatoes
Chop potatoes in small pieces (easy and quick to be cooked) until cooked and soft, put through the sift then mix with the milk your baby drinks
Add chicken stock if you like
2. Mashed grapes
Take the skin and seeds out of the grapes and mash it with fork
3. Mashed melon
Cut the melon in small pieces (1 inch) and boil in chicken stock until very soft then mash with fork
4.pumpkin with liver ( 1 meal )
2 tablespoon of rice
1 table spoon of pumpkin
Cook the rice until it’s really soft then add pumpkin and cook until they’re all cooked and soft
Mash with fork or put through the sift

5.Mixed veggie soup

Chopped carrots, spinach, cauliflower, pumpkin, potato (add what you think it;s nice for baby)
Put everything in boiling water until they are soft, put through the sift to get the soup.
Feed baby with the soup or use this soup to cook the meals for them
6. rice and egg
Cook 1 table spoon of rice until it’s really soft , then add cooked egg yolk and mash with fork (put through sift if you want it pureed)
7.liver & pumpkin
Steam pumpkin and put through the sift
Cook liver in chicken stock or water then put through the sift
Mix pumpkin and liver ,add some chicken stock if you like
Hope they are ok. Good luck mummies

 

[mylittlebubs]

I will add some more later when i have time, if this post disappear into another page i will pm you

 

[leedsforever]

i brought yesterday carrot and swede... (which shes had anyway) and now ive added sweet potato!!

I also brought butternut squash!!