If you’re debating whether to make baby food for your little one, there are plenty of compelling reasons to do so. These are our top eight.
If you know how to cook and enjoy it, making baby food isn’t much of a stretch. For example, if you make a stew for yourself, your baby can eat some of the blended broth, meat, and mashed vegetables. Blending ingredients you love—and are already buying and preparing—introduces your baby to the way the rest of your family eats. It’s possible to cook only one family meal, starting on your baby’s first day of solids. And we encourage doing so!
Babies who are ready for solids are ready to explore a plethora of textures and flavors. In fact, in comparison to adults, they have double the number of taste buds, and those are constantly evolving. The sweet foods your baby naturally loves will mix well with foods that are not sweet. And although babies may seem to show a preference for sweet foods, it is important to also introduce them to (and regularly mix in) foods that one might consider sour, bitter, or even spicy.
The more variety infants are exposed to while they are in this very food-curious stage of life, the higher the chance they will be open to trying new foods—and new combinations of foods—as they get older. So don’t be afraid to get creative (and unconventional) when preparing food for your baby. Your brand-new eater won’t know that your homemade blend of asparagus puree and applesauce is weird!
If you make baby food, you have more insight into and control over your child’s nutrition because you can more easily know what’s in it and where it came from. You can also methodically introduce certain flavors and textures.
Once your baby gets into the swing of eating, and you’ve identified some favorite foods, you can experiment with new ingredient combinations, mixing and remixing, blending and blending again. (You might even discover a smoothie recipe you love.) This method allows you to introduce variety when and how you want to.
Even the highest-quality baby food sold at the best markets can feel processed in comparison to baby foods you can make with the local and seasonal produce already in your shopping cart or on your kitchen counter. Your concoctions will likely be more fresh and flavorful—and offer a lot more variety—than prepared baby foods you typically find at the grocery store.
There’s no sugarcoating it: Taking care of a baby can get very expensive. Making your own baby food will likely save you some money for three reasons:
We all get into food ruts, routinely making certain meals. There are amazing fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains we forget about—and others we haven't tried yet. If you are making your own baby food, you have a great reason to try new ingredients and recipes—or go back to ones you haven’t prepared in ages. Maybe it’s time to pick up some mushrooms, ground bison, or lentils, for example. Your family has the chance to try foods with a fresh perspective—and watch as your baby tastes them for the very first time.
Making baby food provides ample opportunities for creative meal planning. It also can give you flexibility. In the early months of eating solids, your baby will eat smaller portions. Freezing your baby’s leftovers in small containers or even in an ice cube tray can give you a variety of quick options for future meals. If you’re planning to be away from home for a family meal, you can pack a frozen morsel and let it naturally melt before feeding it to your baby.
Beware of people and companies telling you that you need special gadgets and guides to make baby food. If you have a blender, a roasting pan, and a steamer insert for a regular saucepan, you probably don’t need to buy anything new. (A food processor is nice, but not essential). For the first couple months your baby eats solids, at least, you’ll only be making purees.