Make & Take Baby Food Party

If several moms in your group of friends are making homemade baby food for their children, consider having everyone over for a morning devoted to baby food making with the yummy take-home treat of new recipes for your baby to try.

Pureed Fruit Recipe
1/2 cup of cooked fruit
2 - 4 tbl. water
This recipe is perfect for apples, peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, berries and most other fruit. Once cooked, remove skin and seeds. Puree ingredients in a food mill or blender until smooth.

Pureed Vegetable Recipe
1/2 cup of cooked vegetables
2 - 4 tbl. water
Start with sweet potatoes, peas, yellow squash, potatoes and zucchini. Once your baby has enjoyed the vegetables alone and not shown any alergic reactions, try combinations like carrots & peas, or potatoes and green beans. Once cooked, remove skin and seeds. Puree ingredients in a food mill or blender until smooth, using extra liquid to reach a smooth consistency.

Simple Pureed Meat Recipe
1/2 cup of cooked lean meat - chicken, beef, turkey or pork
2 - 4 tbl. water or meat broth
Remove fat, skin and connective tissue from meat and cook slowly in water over low heat. Once cooked, remove skin and seeds. Puree ingredients in a food mill or blender until smooth, using extra liquid to reach a smooth consistency.

No Cooking Required Fruits
Avocado
Bananas
Melons - when your baby is already eating melons raw
Mangos
Cooking Required Fruits and Vegetables
Apples
Apricots
Blueberries
Butternut Squash
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Pumpkin
Raspberry
Strawberries
Sweet Potatoes
Zucchini

Preparing frozen fruits and vegetables for use in homemade baby food
Cook frozen fruits and vegetables thoroughly if you’re planning to use them for homemade babyfood. Once cooked, the previously frozen ingredients can be safely frozen again in the form of pureed baby food.

When your baby is just starting to learn to eat table foods, he will be between 6 and 9 months. Begin with softer food that is cut into very small pieces - about the size of a pea. Once he starts to master eating with his hands at between 9 and 12 months, you can move on to firmer foods, still serving them in a small size that he can easily chew. Remember to stay away from foods like popcorn, hot dogs and hard vegetables as they can be a choking hazard.

Here are some serving ideas for finger food to get you started:

Grains
Pancakes
Macaroni and cheese
Muffins
Rice
Crackers
Cherrios or other low sugar cereal
French toast
Teething biscuits
Toast with jam
Rice cakes
Pasta

Fruits and Vegetables
Sliced grapes
Bananas
Cucumber
Broccoli
Asparagus tips
Carrots
Sweet potato
Zucchini
Melon
Berries
Peaches
Pears
Oranges
Apple
Fruit cocktail
Avocado

Dairy
Mozzarella cheese
Shredded cheese (cheddar, colby)

Protein
Ground turkey
Tofu
Eggs