Make Baby Food at Home

People just change once a baby becomes a part of a household. Women who have never cared about the source of drinking water in their house, start to boil the water twice at least, before drinking it, people wash their hands so many times that the skin almost starts to peel and the food to be eaten becomes a subject of ultra special concern. It ought to be like that I guess 'cause an infant's health is rather vulnerable during those formative years and one has to be careful no matter what. So, why not make your own baby food as well? Let us see how making your own baby food at home can actually shield a baby from a number of unwanted health hazards.

Reasons for Preparing Baby Food at Home

Besides the fact that you will be saving oodles of money, which I agree is a rather secondary factor, given that a baby's health is of utmost importance, no matter how much you have to spend for it, if you make baby food at home you will be catering to the well-being of your baby. How?

• Since, you know exactly what the preferences of your baby are, you can cook accordingly. This means that you can keep away all things that do not react well with your baby. Allergens for example.
• You will be keep your baby away from harmful fillers or preservatives that are present in market available baby food and thus keep your baby protected from subsequent health hazards.
• You can use organic fruits and vegetables of your choice which are beneficial in multiple ways. Even if you go for regular items, at least you will choose the freshest of the lot and then clean them satisfactorily.
• All the home appliances that you use can be sterilized to your satisfaction, so that you keep out the maximum number of germs.

All these factors can only be controlled when you make your own baby food within the comforts of your home and as they say, a mother alone will go the extra mile to keep her baby safe. So, let us see how you must go about making your own baby food.

Tips for Making Baby Food at Home

• Before you start with the cooking process, make sure that every nook and cranny of you kitchen is spanking clean. Sterilize all the utensils you will be using for the homemade baby food and finally, wash your hands properly, using soap and lukewarm water. Also, secure your hair tightly in a bun to avoid any hair fall in the kitchen area.
• As a rule, never feed a child below the age bar of 6 months, beets, carrots, collard greens spinach and turnips in any form whatsoever. This is because, these veggies sometimes carry large traces of nitrates which, as per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), can trigger off a special and strange kind of anemia in babies below that age.
• Refrain from buying canned fruits, veggies or any other food item altogether. Clean the fruits and vegetables for a minimum of 15 - 30 minutes under running tap water and make sure you remove all seeds, stalks as well as peel the items properly. Even if you buy organic baby food items, wash thoroughly before using.
• While one must avoid shellfish for babies altogether, fin fish varieties such as cod, flounder, haddock and salmon can be fed to a baby the gristle, skin and even the minutest bones of which have been removed. As for meat, the fat must be completely clipped away, as it is in the fatty tissues where pesticides tend to accumulate. Buying antibiotic free organic meats is the best thing to do, as per me. Always buy fresh AA grade eggs and then refrigerate in the main section of the fridge.
• Using honey to make baby food is an extremely bad idea. This is because a very potent bacterial toxin produced by the bacterium clostridium botulinum are generally found in certain spores of honey, which not only can cause acute food poisoning called botulism, but also attack the central nervous system of your baby. Adults are more or less shielded against it but babies are not.
• NEVER buy unpasteurized milk or milk products, as you will then be inviting certain bacteria to come and attack your baby openly.
• Avoid feeding your child leftover and refrigerated food. Always vote for freshly made food that can be immediately fed to the baby. No food item must be allowed to remain in temperatures between 40 F to 140 F for more than 1 hours. In case you have to store something in the freezer for later usage, but definitely for 1 day, then store in clean glass containers and then reheat at a minimum temperature of 165 F.
• Make it a point to drill it into your system that your child must under no circumstances be fed uncooked or partially cooked food. Keep even soft-boiled eggs away. Everything you feed your kid MUST be fully cooked.
• Finally, refrain from using salt, pepper, sugar, various condiments and lubricants like oil, butter and lard in your baby's food as much as practicable.

Now that you know some of the basic principles of how to make baby food at home safely, let us move on to some palatable dishes for your kid.

Homemade Baby Food

Chicken and Corn Soup
This recipe is parfait for a baby aged between 6 to 9 months and will not need more than 20 minutes of your busy day in the kitchen. You will need

• Chicken breast, 1 (skinned and boned, cubed to " chunks
• Sweet corn, 1 cups ( washed and drained)
• Water, cup
• Potato, 1 (peeled and cubed)
• Breast milk, 2 tbsp.

Procedure
Simply, steam the chicken chunks and the corn in the given amount of water. Boil the potatoes separately and then run all the three ingredients though a food mill or pure sieve. Now add the breast milk to this and stir to get a uniform and smooth thick soup.

Banana-Pumpkin Pure
Rich in vitamins and minerals, pumpkins are perfect for making baby food. You will need,

• Pumpkin, cup (pured)
• Bananas, 2 (small)

Procedure
Cut the bananas into chunks and pour the pure over them. Then run the two ingredients through a food mill and voila! Your perfect baby food for 4 month baby is ready!

So, simply follow these basic guidelines to make baby food at home and you shall never have to worry about feeding your child the wrong kind of food again. Make sure you stop feeding your baby once she gives out cues that she's full. If you see her moving away from the spoon or simply spewing out what you feed her after a point, understand that she cannot eat anymore. Overfeeding has its own issues so refrain from it. There are a lot of books on making baby food available in the market, which you can refer to for more of such delectable baby eatables. Refer to a reliable baby feeding chart to understand what to feed and how much in tandem with your baby's physical progress. Books like "Homemade Baby Food Pure and Simple: Your Complete Guide to Preparing Easy, Nutritious, and Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler" by Constantina Linardakis, "Super Baby Food Book" by Ruth Yaron, "Mommy Made and Daddy Too!: Home Cooking for a Healthy Baby & Toddler" by Martha Kimmel, David Kimmel and Suzanne Goldenson, among others which are quite widely available and pretty helpful when it comes to homemade baby food recipes. Also, see to it that you feed your baby while she is in a sitting position, as that will ensure proper and immediate digestion of the food. So, enjoy this experience while it lasts, 'cause you will miss it a lot when your child is all grown up...