Back to the Grind: The Benefits of Making Your Own Baby Food
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I am sure that you enjoyed your share of jarred baby foods as a child, but can you honestly say that you enjoy the taste or even the smell of them as an adult? During my baby shower we played a game where we tried to guess the variety of baby food inside of numbered jars. All of the participants, myself included, could not believe some of the tastes and smells sampled during the game. The entire time I couldn't help but wonder if there wasn't a better option for feeding my baby nutritious meals that were fresher and more appealing.
My mother-in-law told me that when my husband was a baby she purchased a food mill/grinder so that she could prepare her own baby food. She said that she did this for its economical benefits, and when my daughter became of age to start enjoying the deliciousness of solid foods I knew that I wanted to do the same. Once I began preparing my own baby food I found that it not only was beneficial to my wallet, but also was healthy for my daughter, convenient, and fun!
To assist me in my endeavor my mother-in-law purchased a KidCo BabySteps food mill (link below). I hope that you will try preparing your own baby foods and enjoy these great benefits:
- Healthy: Preparing your own baby foods ensures that your baby is eating the healthiest, freshest product that you can provide without all of the additives and preservatives that packaged baby foods can contain.
- Cost Effective: For the price of few jars of name brand baby foods you can purchase a food mill and create months and months worth of homemade baby foods. The food mill is wonderful for grinding fruits, veggies, and meats.
- Convenient: Having chicken and veggies tonight? Baby can have some too! Just grind up the chicken and veggies and place them in portioned size containers or in a multi-compartment portioned tray. Make more than one serving and you can package and refrigerate. When baby is ready to eat just warm and serve! Plus, most food mills (including the KidCo mill in the link below) are dishwasher safe.
- Fun: If you love to cook making a little extra food for baby will be an added joy. Get your family involved! My husband loves to grind our daughter's food, and the Kidco food mill's built-in 4 oz. serving cup means one less step from the kitchen counter to the high chair.
KidCo Food Mill!
- KidCo BabySteps Food Mill
This is the link to the KidCo food mill that my mother-in-law purchased for me. It is perfect for grinding fruits, veggies, and meats.
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Comments
Your Hub brought back fond memories of my daughter's childhood. Before she was born, a friend purchased a baby food mill for me. I don't remember the brand, but it was a simple hand-cranked affair.
At that time, we grew most of our food and purchased the rest in bulk from a local farmer. We always had home-made foods ready in the freezer and the cupboard. When it was time for our daughter to try solid foods, I started milling just about everything that went on the kitchen table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A favorite was fresh fruit in season, which I would poach, mill, and freeze into cubes, and store in bags in the freezer. My kid had nutritious, organic foods like these all year long.
BTW, about jarred baby food, since I was a baby and to this very day I still love Gerber's strained plums, right out of the jar. That may have been just about the only jarred food I ever fed my daughter, and that's because I loved it. :)
Thumbs up!
KCC Big Country says:
11 months ago
Excellent idea!