Whether you are just in a hurry, out of jarred baby food, or are experiencing an emergency this article will show you how to make baby food quickly – and safely.
I know many of my readers here are young mothers with babies.
Or maybe you are a grandparent with children struggling through that new baby stage.
Either way, there may be a time that you need to make baby food and you are not sure where to begin. One recommendation I have for all families – not matter how big or small is to invest in some freeze-dried food.
I am a big fan of Thrive Life and always keep some inventory on hand for emergencies. But, the foods are so good I do use them all year round!
I always encourage homemade baby food since it is so much healthier. But we know that is time consuming, and messy.
It is great o have other options. So, let’s talk about what it takes – and why you should prepare homemade baby food.
Advantages of Homemade Baby Food
- It is healthier
- You know exactly what you are feeding your baby
- Your baby can eat the same food you do, just in pureed form
But honestly, the drawbacks kept me from doing it with real fruits and veggies.
Disadvantages of Homemade Baby Food
Time
It can be a pain to cook, puree, cool, and package lots of little servings of homemade baby food. I had no spare time! This hilarious video explains my lack of time. Maybe you can relate?
Storage
Homemade baby foods spoil more quickly and require refrigeration. You either need to make lots at once, and freeze it, or make it often. Making lots at once is more time/cost-effective, but requires freezer space and storage containers.
Waste
Since you typically make homemade baby food in large batches (to save time), there can be a lot of waste if your child doesn’t like what you make or you thaw out more than they can eat before it goes bad.
So, seven years ago, while I’m sitting on my couch eating a tortilla, I opted to take a simple way out: I just bought pre-made baby food for my kids. And truth be told, my kids are just fine! Super healthy. Good little eaters. Smart. Funny. Adorable. Creative. I could go on…
Still, a bunch of extra nutrients couldn’t have hurt, right? I wish that seven years ago someone had told me that there was another option: an option with all the benefits of homemade baby food and more, but none of the drawbacks. Unfortunately, no one told me! But I know now, so I’m telling you now so you can take advantage of it with your sweet babies.
Freeze Dried Produce
Freeze Dried Fruits and Freeze Dried Veggies are amazing and they are a fantastic alternative to homemade baby food.
- Freeze-dried produce is just as healthy as fresh garden produce and even healthier than store-bought produce!
- Freeze-dried produce is very economical. The long shelf life allows you to make just what you need when you need it so there is no waste. Plus, there is no need to pay for skins, seeds, and peels that you won’t use.
- Because freeze-dried produce has a long shelf life, you don’t need lots of freezer storage space!
- It is really important to plan your food, so with freeze-dried produce, you can make just what you need for each meal in 5 minutes without any waste. No more worrying if the baby will like what you make or trying to decide how much to thaw for that week.
- Freeze-dried produce takes only minutes to turn into baby food. It is quick and convenient.
- Turning freeze-dried produce into baby food doesn’t require any heat, so you don’t destroy nutrients when cooking it. Because of this, baby food made with freeze-dried produce has more nutrients than baby food made from your own garden produce!
How to Make Homemade Baby Food in 5 Minutes?
Today, I’ve got pictures and video step-by-step tutorials for you on making baby food with freeze-dried produce. You won’t believe how simple it is! Once you are ready to go, you can purchase freeze-dried fruits at a discount here and freeze-dried veggies here.
Step 1
Measure out the amount of food you want/need. This is so AWESOME! No more leftover baby food. No more waste. And no more space was taken up in the freezer. Make just what you need right then! I added peaches below:
Step 2
Use a small food processor (THIS is the one I use and love) to crush food to a powder. Since the food is completely dry (unlike dehydrated foods), it will crush easily. There is no time-intensive (and nutrient-killing) cooking process.
Step 3
Add water. If your baby is just starting solid foods, make it a bit on the runnier side. If your baby is older, make it thicker. You are in complete control.
Step 4
Run through the food processor one more time to make sure the food is mixed and hydrated.
Step 5
Feed that sweet baby and enjoy!
Note
The first time you try each “flavor,” let sit for a few minutes before serving. It will thicken a bit. You may need to add more water to get the consistency you want it the first time. But just record how much fruit/veggie and water you use so that next time you don’t have to adjust.
You can also watch this video by my friend Joyce to see the process in action:
Suggested Read: Prepare Babysitter
Final Thoughts
If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments section. Also, please share with us your experience with your own formulation of homemade baby food and how you made them. Discuss it below. We are always super excited to hear from you!
Moreover, you can learn many tips and techniques on how to become a wise and smart prepper. Try browsing our website to discover more tutorials and recommendations that will make you think you might need one. Or maybe you could have a direct interest in Freeze Dried Food Samples.
Becky is a wildlife enthusiast and pet and livestock care expert with a diploma in canine nutrition. With over a decade of experience in animal welfare, Becky lends her expertise to Simple Family Preparedness through insightful info about pets, livestock, bee keeping, and the practicalities of homesteading.
I raised my last child and one grandchild on “homemade baby food”. We had to eat and so did they. It was just processed finer. We introduced foods slowly (they didn’t get everything on the menu for a meal and sometimes they had leftovers) so that allergies might be noted.. But soon after they begin eating mashed up table food, they were on a real diet and it was so much easier. I didn’t make up stuff ahead of time unless we were traveling. They just ate with the family, eating less and finer consistency. It was easier on everybody and they are now healthier and better eaters because they never ate “baby food”.