Making Baby Food!

Beaba Babycook

I just started feeding my 2nd solids. This baby food maker makes it a breeze.  It steams, purees, and reheats all-in-one, so no need to use several appliances which means less dishes. :)

Even though I knew about it a few years ago, I heard it had BPA.  So I went the steamer and cuisinart route instead. First I steamed, then pureed, then froze the left overs and I don't like using the microwave for baby so to reheat I used another dish and steamed again.  Yikes! Seems like a lot of work and it was, but my baby was worth it right?  I wanted to keep him BPA-free.  Well turns out the Cuisinart may have BPA in it afterall.  Great? But now a few years have passed and the research I found says The Beaba Babycook is BPA Free and even says so on the box. 

So this time around I'm using the Babycook.  

How To Use 

There's level 1, 2 or, 3 which measures how much water you use.  For example pears are 2, squash is 3.  You fill it up to the line and pour the water into the other side.   Put your fruit or veggie in the basket.  Twist the lid shut and put it on the steam icon.  The light goes on, when it's done the light will go off.  Turn off the steamer, open the lid, remove the basket and put the food in the mixer, shut the lid and put it on the blend icon.  Voila-baby food!

It takes roughly about 10-15 minutes to cook something and about 7 minutes to reheat a frozen cube so I've found I've been making more fresh food each meal rather than freezing large batches.  When you reheat food it needs to go in another container that you place in the basket.

Observations about Starting Solids

-There's no rush.  (I couldn't wait to feed my first, second time around I wasn't so anxious.  Who needs more to do and clean with 2 kids. She was fine on just breastmilk.  I waited until 6 months.)

-Rice Cereal is constipating.  (Even though it was both my kids first food, I think if I were to do it again I'd start with veggies.)  

-Make sure you have bibs and supplies ready.

Here's what I used:

-Washable Bibs,

-Take and Toss Disposable Spoons,

-First Food Serving Bowl-I love this serving bowl-it comes with 2 sections for puree and cereal and a soft spoon.

Here's more about starting solids and homemade baby food.

Homemade Baby Food

You may be thinking don't I have enough to do as a mom? who has time to make baby food? Well now that I've done it, its actually not that bad.   Plus, what could be better than fresh organic fruits and vegetables.   I'm not knocking food from the jar...that's what I grew up on, but if you have the time and interest you should give homemade a try.   You could buy all the recipe books out there, but I think for first foods there's really not much to it.  As they get older the books will help with variety.

Here's what you need:

-a food processor (I bought a cuisinart mini)  saves space

-a steamer/oven

-ice cube trays  (Kid co. with lids, but I like the plain ones too, but they don't have lids)

-freezer bags

Here's what you need to think about:

-Fruits or veggies first? (apples, pears, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas are good 1st foods)  Some say start veggies  first because they are less sweet. 

-Pick one and stick with it for 4 or more days before introducing another food to test for allergies.

I started with butternut squash and my son loves it.  5 days later I gave him pears.   He made faces like it was tart, but still ate it and it helped with constipation.  It really moved things along which was great. The rice cereal was filling him up and he would only get a bm every 5 days.  Recently I also added oatmeal cereal which has more fiber.

Recipes 

Butternut squash Puree

Wash, cut in half, bake 400 degrees for 40 minutes with water, scoop out, add water from pan or fresh and puree in food processor, cool, save 3 servings in fridge to eat immediately and freeze the rest in ice cube trays, then pop out and store in freezer bags with date and labels, use within a month. (For a $3 squash it made about 25 2oz cubes)

Pear Puree

Wash, cut pears into quarters, de seed, steam for few minutes, cool, puree a few slices to eat immediately and keep in fridge for next 2 days, freeze the rest and defrost, mash or puree when ready to eat.(pears don't freeze as well pureed)

    If you need more recipes, Click here.