Tags: Baby Purees DIY Healthy Kids Little Foodies
People are always amazed at how well (and usually how MUCH) the boys eat. They’ll say: “You’re so lucky to have good eaters!” I laugh every time because I didn’t “get lucky” with good eaters, I busted my bum to MAKE SURE they were good eaters!! The process takes work and dedication, but the payoff is sooooooooo worth it!
When Liev was a baby, I started asking around about the topic and came to find that most parents had a problem getting their toddlers to eat things other than mac-n-cheese, pb&j’s, plain pasta with butter, or similarly boring and unhealthy options. Now don’t get me wrong…I LOVE mac-n-cheese…oh and a really yummy gooey grilled cheese…but mom cannot live on melted cheese alone, and I knew I didn’t want that eating pattern for my kids either.
The solution is a simple one. MAKE YOUR OWN BABY FOOD FROM THE START! It’s really that simple. When you completely control what your child is eating every meal, you can be adventurous. Introduce not only different fruits and veggies but also different spices and herbs. Now I know what you’re saying, “Introduce spices and herbs to a baby?!” YES!! Store bought baby foods are soooooooo plain and sooooooo boring, so of course kids brought up on them aren’t interested in eating bolder more vivid flavors when they’re older. How can you expect a toddler to eat a flavorful lentil stew when all his meals leading up to it have been bland and boring?
And don’t think you have to go crazy. I mean, I started out by simply adding cinnamon to Liev’s pureed sweet potatoes. Two months later, he was eating carrots with cumin and raspberries with vanilla bean. When we graduated to chunkier solids he was eating tomatoes with basil, steamed (and minced) Brussels sprouts with browned butter orzo and potatoes with chives and cream cheese. By fifteen months he was eating herbed salmon and pan seared scallops with a beet and celery root puree. But like I said, it was HARD WORK!!
SIDE NOTE: Before we go on I do want to say…just like ALL the books are going to tell you…when starting solids, start with a vegetable! So many parents start with fruit. Bananas and peaches are going to taste better and will probably be more widely accepted by your little one, but it would be a mistake. Once you give them fruit, it will be SO HARD to get them to eat veggies. I started with sweet potatoes (a happy medium) and to this day they’re still Liev’s favorite side dish.
Ok so back to diy baby food…
If you’re going to go the “diy baby food” route, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. First of all, I’d like to say “Congratulations” you’ve just taken the first step to creating a little baby foodie. Second of all, I want to make sure you know I’m here to answer ANY questions you have (to the best of my ability) or just to be an ear you can vent your frustrations to.
Now, let’s start from the beginning. As soon as the doctor gave us the ok to start solids, I hit the ground running. I’m blessed to be a stay-at-home mom, it made diy baby food really easy for me, but if you’re a working parent, don’t worry: if you dedicate the first Saturday of each month to making food for that month, it’s really not so daunting. Although the thought of giving up a Saturday might cause you to break out in hives, (sorry about that) it really will be worth it in the long run. As I already mentioned, we started out with sweet potatoes, but instead of serving him bland sweet potatoes just boiled and pureed, I decided to take this opportunity to also introduce spices. I added a little cinnamon to his sweet potatoes and he couldn’t get enough. Apples got cinnamon and nutmeg, carrots got cumin, berries got vanilla bean, pears got cardamom.
Another SIDE NOTE: I ran EVERYTHING by our pediatrician, and I strongly urge you to do the same just to make sure you’re not giving baby anything harmful or introducing something too soon.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS:
- Steamer basket
- I actually ended up buying two steamer baskets because this is one of my favorite cooking methods.
- Food Processor, blender or food mill (or all the above/to the left)
- You don’t need ALL the above appliances, but since I already have them all I discovered that some machines worked better for different things. Whatever you have is fine…don’t feel you need to go out and buy a new appliance.
- Storage for finished product
- My absolute FAVORITE method is freezing purees in ice cube trays. Just pop out the number of cubes needed per meal and warm on the stove or in the microwave. I found that most ice cube trays varied in size—I’m a stickler for tracking exactly how much my little ones are eating—so I ordered a set that held exactly two tablespoons in each square. Do not feel like you need to go out and buy a new tray…whatever you have is fine. Although, I do suggest having several on hand so you can freeze several purees at one time. Once your purees are completely frozen, pop the cubes into plastic freezer bags, label, and store.
The good thing about making these tasty concoctions is that the entire family can enjoy them. Every time I made cardamom pears I knew to make extra for my hubby…those were his favorites. And “Sunday sundaes” were elevated with a dollop of vanilla bean berry puree.
I also want to mention that avocado is an EXCELLENT introductory “solid”. I mention it because I think many parents forget about it. It’s just a crime. Of course, now that my boys are older they no longer eat it plain…it’s usually on their Chipotle burrito bowls!
Once I had a handle on the purees, it was time to introduce more chunky textures. I had introduced Liev to such a wide range of spices, I felt confident he could eat pretty much anything. During the week if I would make Bolognese for dinner, I would pour some of the sauce into the food processor, pulse it a few times and serve it to Liev. When I made Pad Thai, I would set some aside for Liev before adding the peppers.
This notion of having the entire family eat the same meal was revolutionary to me. I grew up in the house where my poor mother was making two, sometimes three meals each night. Now, I’m partly to blame because I was a spoiled brat who only ever wanted Krafts Mac-n-Cheese, but it was short lived. When I moved up to middle school, and my mom went back to work, things changed: I had to learn very quickly to like “grown up” food. And looking back, I don’t understand how anyone could prefer mac-n-cheese to my mom’s cooking…she’s a fantastic cook!! But I digress…
I know the notion of diy baby food seems daunting now. Who has room in their freezer to store a months’ worth of food?!?! You hadn’t even thought of that huh? Yeah…that was a challenge in itself. YIKES! But in the long run you really will be glad you did it. And as I said, I’m here for you…any questions you have I’ll try my best to answer. I’ll also be posting recipes for you to try, so you always have a place to go if you need inspiration.
Now get cooking…and let me know how it goes.
