Hassle-free Homemade Baby Food

The jars that line the baby food aisle claim to be healthy. However, if you read the labels, you may be surprised at what you find: sugar, modified food starch, tapioca starch and gelatin. And have you ever tasted commercially-made baby food? Yuck! So what's the alternative? Making your own, of course!

Do It Yourself!
Pull out the pans, the spoons, the blender and prepare to perform a labor of love. It's true, making your own baby food can be a big job, but it doesn't get any fresher than homemade. Make enough to last for a couple of months and rest assured that you are giving your baby the very best.

Before you begin your baby on solids, be sure to assess her readiness for this change in diet with your pediatrician.

The How-To's of Homemade
Here are a few steps to consider before making the food:

1. Types of containers will you need
Empty baby food jars work well, or you can buy air-tight reusable food storage containers in the two ounce that are a perfect size.

2. Sterilize and wash containers first
Sterilize them by boiling the containers for ten minutes on the stove. Some moms opt to pour the pureed food into ice cube trays, freeze and then pop the cubes into zip-top bags.

3. Compare and contrast your food with store food
It's good to have a guide jar of store-bought food for each flavor you plan to make; you can use it to compare with yours to check consistency and overall taste.