| Making your own baby food is simple, convenient, | | | | Here are some simple baby food recipes to get you |
| and can save you money. Nutritionally, it's hard to | | | | started. |
| beat the wholesomeness of foods right from your | | | | COOKED LEAFY GREENS |
| kitchen. You can feed baby some of your family's | | | | (Makes 10 food cubes) |
| regular foods knowing that they are free from the | | | | Many of the most nutritious veggies, especially the |
| additives and fillers found in some store-bought baby | | | | green leafy ones, are not available in commercial |
| foods. | | | | baby foods. It's easy to make your own. |
| Family foods, if prepared with salt, spices, sugar, or | | | | 1 pound fresh greens (kale, collards, etc.) |
| fat, are not suitable for infants. You will need to | | | | 1 Tablespoon water |
| prepare foods separately, or remove the baby's | | | | 3 Tablespoons fruit juice |
| portion before salt, sugar, or other seasonings are | | | | Wash leaves thoroughly. Steam most greens 5-15 |
| added. | | | | minutes, leaving the lid off for the first few minutes. |
| Making your own baby food doesn't require a lot of | | | | Puree in blender with the waterand juice. |
| expensive equipment. At a minimum, all you need to | | | | Total Calories Per Cube: 17 |
| get started is a clean pot to cook in and equipment | | | | BASIC VEGETABLE RECIPE |
| to get the foods to the right consistency. | | | | (Makes 8 food cubes) |
| EQUIPMENT FOR PUREEING BABY FOODS | | | | Do not add salt, sugar, or fat. |
| Some foods, such as bananas and other ripe fruits, | | | | 1 cup cooked fresh or frozen vegetables without salt |
| require only a fork for mashing. A potato masher also | | | | (use potatoes,green beans, peas, carrots, yellow |
| works well to puree cooked apples, winter squash, | | | | squash) |
| potatoes, or carrots. Be sure to remove lumps, | | | | 4-8 Tablespoons cooking liquid, formula, or water |
| pieces of skin, strings, orseeds before feeding to | | | | Press vegetable chunks through a sieve or baby food |
| baby. | | | | mill, thinningwith cooking liquid or formula to eating |
| A fine mesh sieve or strainer may be used to strain | | | | consistency. Or, pureevegetables and liquid in blender |
| cooked foods. | | | | until smooth. Serve or freeze. |
| Most foods can be pureed with a blender. Be sure to | | | | Note: After trying single foods, good combinations |
| remove tough peels and seeds from vegetables and | | | | are potatoesand carrots or carrots and peas. |
| fruits before blending or they will be ground into the | | | | Total Calories Per Serving: varies |
| food. Use a blender to grind a handful of uncooked | | | | FRESH FRUIT |
| brown rice, cook well until soft and smooth, and you | | | | (Makes 4 food cubes) |
| have a nutritious, inexpensive cereal for baby. For | | | | Try different varieties of fruit in this recipe. |
| agood source of protein, nut butters (like peanut | | | | 3/4 cup ripe fruit (uncooked peaches, nectarines, |
| butter) can be made in a blender from whole nuts. | | | | bananas, pears,apricots, apples) |
| Thin with water or formula into a consistency suitable | | | | 1 teaspoon unsweetened fruit juice |
| for older babies. | | | | 1 teaspoon lemon-flavored water (1 teaspoon lemon |
| Raw or cooked foods can handily be prepared in a | | | | juice to 1 cupwater to prevent darkening) |
| small, hand-operated baby food mill. Peels and seeds | | | | Remove skin and seeds from fruit. Puree ingredients |
| are strained out of the food, and its small size is | | | | in baby food mill or blender until smooth. Serve or |
| perfect for taking to the table or restaurant. | | | | freeze. |
| Some foods are ready to serve baby right from the | | | | Total Calories Per Serving: varies |
| grocery store. Try canned pumpkin, unsweetened | | | | SOYBEAN PUREE |
| applesauce, instant mashed potatoes, Cream of | | | | (Makes 2-1/2 cups or 12 food cubes) |
| Wheat or rice cereal for quick, ready-to-eat additions | | | | Serve this nutritious dish to your baby. |
| to meals. | | | | 1 cup dry soybeans |
| PREVENT FOOD-BORNE ILLNESS | | | | 3 cups water |
| Cleanliness is a priority when making foods for baby. | | | | 3/4 cup unsalted tomato juice for thinning |
| Bacteria can easily upset a baby's digestive system; | | | | Rinse and soak the soybeans overnight in the |
| so anything that touches the food -- your hands and | | | | refrigerator. |
| all equipment -- must be absolutely clean. The same | | | | Simmer beans in 3 cups water for about 2 hours. |
| rule applies when storing, heating, and serving baby | | | | Puree with anyequipment, adding tomato juice to thin. |
| foods, too. | | | | Total Calories Per Cube: 34 |
| Always wash your hands and equipment with hot, | | | | FRESH ORANGE SHERBET |
| soapy water, rinse, and let air dry. | | | | (Makes 1-2 cups) |
| COOKING METHODS | | | | Babies will love this dish. |
| Steaming is one of the best cooking methods to | | | | 1 sweet orange, peeled, sectioned, and seeds |
| preserve vitamins and minerals in foods. Place the | | | | removed |
| food in a steam basket, sieve, or colander above | | | | 1 cup fruit juice |
| boiling water and cook in the rising steam. | | | | In a blender, liquefy the fruit. Add the juice and blend. |
| Microwave cooking is another way to prepare foods, | | | | Pourinto loaf pan, cover, and freeze until fairly firm, |
| especially vegetables,which cook quickly in very little | | | | about 1 hour. |
| water. | | | | Pour back into blender, and blend at low speed until |
| Boiling or simmering fruits and vegetables is an | | | | smooth. Return to pan and freeze until firm. |
| acceptable cooking method but will result in loss of | | | | Total Calories Per 2 Tablespoons: 7 |
| some nutrients in the cooking water. Be sure to use | | | | HOMEMADE FRUITY GEL |
| only a small amount of water and save the cooking | | | | (Serves 4) |
| liquid to thin the pureed food to eating consistency. | | | | This recipe uses fruit juice instead of sugar to add |
| Since babies do not have a preference for salty or | | | | sweetness. |
| sweet, you should not add salt or sugar to their | | | | Agar, the thickener, is derived from seaweed. It is |
| food. It's a good idea to keep your child from | | | | available innatural food stores and food co-ops. |
| developing an early taste for such additions. | | | | 1/2 cup cool water |
| Studies suggest that feeding babies too much sodium | | | | 1 Tablespoon agar flakes |
| may trigger high blood pressure later in life in those | | | | 1-1/2 cups fruit juice |
| individuals who are likely to develop high blood | | | | 1 cup pureed fruit |
| pressure. | | | | Place water in small saucepan. Sprinkle in agar and stir |
| SERVING AND STORING BABY FOODS | | | | to dissolve. |
| Pureed foods spoil more easily than other foods; so | | | | Add juice and heat for 1 minute, stirring well. Pour |
| baby's food must be used immediately or frozen for | | | | into 4 small cups. |
| future use. If you store food in the refrigerator, | | | | Place in refrigerator. After 1/2 hour, stir in pureed |
| keep it in there only 2 to 3 days. If you don't use it | | | | fruit. |
| by then, it should be discarded. Remember: | | | | Total Calories Per Serving: varies |
| refrigeration does not killbacteria; it only slows down | | | | SWEDISH HARD BREAD |
| their growth. | | | | (Makes 20) |
| Large batches of pureed foods can easily be frozen | | | | Unlike store-bought varieties, this homemade version |
| in ready-to-use serving sizes. One such method is to | | | | of "hardtack" crumbles and melts in baby's mouth and |
| pour pureed food into plastic ice-cube trays, cover | | | | is great for teething. |
| with waxed paper, and freeze. When frozen, transfer | | | | 1 cup all-purpose flour |
| to freezer bags. Another method is to "plop" drops | | | | 1 cup rye graham flour |
| of pureed food on a cookie sheet, freeze, and then | | | | 2 Tablespoons sugar or other sweetener |
| transfer to freezer bags. These frozen portions will | | | | 1/2 teaspoon baking soda |
| keep about one month. | | | | 1/2 teaspoon baking powder |
| Thaw cubes in the refrigerator, in a double boiler, in | | | | 8 ounces commercial corn muffin mix |
| the microwave (at low setting), or in the plastic bag | | | | 3 Tablespoons margarine |
| under cold water. Do not thaw at room temperature. | | | | 3/4 cup soy milk |
| WHAT TO SERVE | | | | Mix dry ingredients. Cut in margarine. Add soy milk. |
| Fresh and frozen fruit juice, fruits and vegetables | | | | Mix well. |
| without added sugar or salt. | | | | Roll thin, cut into shapes and bake 10-15 minutes at |
| Home-canned and frozen fruits and vegetables | | | | 350 degreesuntil brown. |
| without sugar, salt, or seasonings. | | | | Total Calories Per Cracker: 116 |
| Whole-grain cereals such as rice, oats, barley, corn, | | | | CARROT/APPLE MIX |
| and other grains. | | | | (Serves 2) |
| As with any new food, wait 5-7 days before adding | | | | This is a delicious dish. |
| another new food to see if any allergic reactions | | | | 1/2 medium apple, cored and peeled 1/2 carrot, |
| occur. | | | | washed and peeled |
| Honey Alert: Do not feed honey in any form to | | | | 2 Tablespoons fruit juice |
| infants under 1 year of age. Serious food poisoning | | | | 1 teaspoon lemon juice |
| (infant botulism) may result. | | | | Puree all ingredients in blender. Or, grate apples and |
| RECIPES | | | | carrot andmix with juice before serving. |