Back to Babies Articles   Homemade baby food makes a healthy, economical alternative to Commercial Products     On an ounce for ounce basis, commercial baby foods can make an expensive filet mignon look like a bargain! When you add up the cost over a year's time, you can bet your budget will feel the weight.   It's also unfortunately true that some of the commercial baby foods are not organically grown products and may contain all sorts of undesirables, including hormones, antibiotics and pesticide residues! No mother wants to feed her baby foods with such additives. While these commercial baby foods have the FDA's seal of approval, we really don't know what the long term side effects might be. Why take a chance? Organically grown produce and meats are available for baby food, but are also quite expensive. Homemade baby food is becoming an ever more popular option. Homemade baby food is surprisingly easy to make. You will surely save a lot of money and be assured that baby is eating nutritious foods. Before you get into making homemade baby food, talk with your pediatrician about which foods baby should start with and which should be added as he grows. Bring a list of foods and how you intend to prepare them. Adjust your menu planning accordingly. Homemade baby food should be freshly prepared for each meal, for maximum nutritive value. A home coffee grinder, set aside for just this purpose, does an admirable job of grinding any food into a texture suitable for baby's consumption. While you can use a blender or food processor, these appliances result in both waste and a big cleanup job. Considering what you'll save in a single month of homemade baby food, the investment in a home coffee grinder pays for itself. Always use organically produced foods. Babies who eat exclusively organic foods are less susceptible to allergies and resistance to antibiotics developing later in life. Rice is one of the first foods baby will be eating. A few spoonfuls of rice, diluted with a tablespoon or so of water, produces a perfect consistency, with a better flavor than a commercially processed product. Bananas, applesauce, apricots and berries are usually the next foods to be introduced. Use fresh fruit. Bananas are quickly transformed into a homemade baby food, using your coffee grinder. Eat what remains of the banana yourself, as a peeled banana doesn't keep well. To make applesauce, peel and core the fresh apple, dice it in chunks and let the grinder do the rest. Fruits such as apricots require a minute or two of blanching in a bowl of boiling water. The skin then peels off easily. Ask your pediatrician at what age baby can safely consume the skin as well. The skin contains lots of fiber and vitamins for added health benefits. Making homemade baby food is a great reason to start a small organic garden. Produce from your own garden is the freshest ingredients you can get. Getting into the homemade baby food practice is fun, easy and gives baby the most nutritious start in life. You just might start a trend in the neighborhood!   More Baby Articles Privacy Policy