Homemade Baby Food

I like making homemade baby food because it is very simple, quick and rewarding.  I still buy jarred foods because they are convenient for travel and there are some varieties that I would rather not make myself like meat and prunes.

The two simplest foods I have made are avocado and banana.  All you have to do is mash them up and add a little liquid, you could use breastmilk or fruit juice.  That's it!  It's that simple.

The other varieties I make are a little more complicated, but not much.  I just made a couple of batches on Friday and of course I took pictures to share with you!

I made pears and butternut squash.  Start by cutting the fruit into large chunks and steaming it with the skin on.  Leaving the skin on retains more nutrients.

After steaming, peel the skin and cut into smaller pieces and puree them in a food processor.  This is the point where you add liquid to get it to the desired consistency.  I use breast milk (this is an added bonus to homemade baby food), or you can just add some of the liquid that is leftover from steaming.

Then, you just spoon the baby food into ice cube trays and freeze it. 

 After it's frozen, just pop the cubes into freezer bags and label them.  Each cube is about an ounce.  

This whole process takes less than an hour and it's very satisfying and cheaper than jars.   I usually do 2-3 different foods at a time and it gives me an excuse to make a trip to the farmer's market.