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Homemade baby food

Making food at home is easier than you think

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Originally published in Today's Parent September 2010

When your baby is around six months old, she’s ready to open wide and take her first bite of solid food. Prepared baby food can be great for convenience, but making your own is surprisingly simple. And when it’s homemade, you know exactly what your baby is eating. As an added bonus, DIY baby food is cheaper than store-bought.

But who’s got the time? At its easiest, homemade baby food is as simple as peeling a banana or slicing open a ripe avocado. Making baby food from scratch is never more complicated than cooking simple, natural and nutritious food that’s converted into the right texture for your neophyte eater. Read on for tips, tricks and recipes.

 Food safety first

We all know that safety in the kitchen protects against food-borne illness, but when babies are involved, you need to raise the bar. That’s because infants, with their immature digestive and immune systems, are at an increased risk of food poisoning. Here’s how to stay on the winning side of germ warfare in your kitchen:

Wash, wash, wash While you don’t have to sterilize, you do have to keep counters and all kitchen tools and equipment spotless. Make it a habit to always wash your hands before starting any kitchen task. Keep towels, cloths and sponges clean.

Avoid cross-contamination Raw meat, chicken and fish can contaminate other foods. Store them separately in the fridge and wash hands, counters, cutting boards, utensils and plates that have come in contact with the raw juices. Cook meat, chicken, eggs and fish thoroughly.

Stay out of the danger zone Germs breed in the tepid range between cold and hot. So keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Do not leave baby food out at room temperature for more than two hours and throw out any that has surpassed the limit.

Don’t save leftovers If your baby can’t finish her serving, throw out the rest. Once the spoon has gone into her mouth and back into the remaining food, bacteria grows.

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