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Angel321
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Member since 4/08 15553 total posts
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A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own) - edited with a new question in OP
Before i go buy a book and all the stuff i'll need - i have a few ???
1. Is it an 'time consuming' process? (i'm back at work)
2. Do you need 'counter space'? I kid you not - we have ZERO. We have one counter and on it is the sink, the drainboard and a spinning spice rack - that's ALL that fits. We have no other counter space.
3. What do you keep the food in & how do you figure out serving sizes??
eta: 4. What utensils do i need? (food processor, blender, etc.)
5. how long would i do this? i guess, like, is it worth buying a food processor, or the beaba (that concept is PERFECT for me/us because of lack of space & time) to use it for 3 months - or is it a longer time that i can make her stuff??
Message edited 10/28/2009 2:38:19 PM.
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Posted 10/27/09 12:27 PM  |
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Long Island Weddings
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lakadema
LIF Adult
Member since 5/08 1180 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
I didn't even bother buying a book. There are so many great websites out there.
It is not time consuming. I literally steam the veggies/fruits on Sundays, then throw them in the food processor. I then put them in ice cube trays, then freezer bags. I usually do one fruit and one veggie each Sunday. This gives me enough for the whole week. You do not need a lot of counter space at all. A serving size for my son is one cube from the ice cube tray. He is just about 7 months now.
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| Posted 10/27/09 12:32 PM |
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LeShellem
A new beginning
Member since 2/07 3600 total posts
Name:
LeShelle
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Ditto the above post. My son is eight months and he gets two cubes with his cereal for breakfast, three cubes for lunch and three cubes for dinner.
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| Posted 10/27/09 12:50 PM |
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Blissful
Ultimate Expression of LOVE
Member since 6/08 4985 total posts
Name:
Maria
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
SUPER easy Jess... I do it and you know how crazy busy I am.
I cook every 2 weeks usually... spend about 1 -1.5 hours.
SUPER CHEAP and SUPER EASY.... we make ALL organic.
All you need is a pot to boil or steam the food, a blender or food processor and ice cube trays.
We freeze the food in ice cubes and then pop them out into a labeled zip loc bag... VOILA!!!
GREAT resource to learn about it...
Wholesome Baby Food
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| Posted 10/27/09 12:54 PM |
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NoStressMom
My Heart and Soul
Member since 5/05 11122 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Maria thanks for the site!!!
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| Posted 10/27/09 1:10 PM |
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mrsgafforio
LIF Adult
Member since 3/07 3929 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
So easy and we have NO counter space!! Ds gets 2 cubes of fruit with cereal in the morning and then 3 cubes of a veggie for dinner. I use my magic bullet and the kidco food trays!!
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| Posted 10/27/09 1:18 PM |
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ReiRei13
Life is Good!!
Member since 1/08 6460 total posts
Name:
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Posted by Blissful
SUPER easy Jess... I do it and you know how crazy busy I am.
I cook every 2 weeks usually... spend about 1 -1.5 hours.
SUPER CHEAP and SUPER EASY.... we make ALL organic.
All you need is a pot to boil or steam the food, a blender or food processor and ice cube trays.
We freeze the food in ice cubes and then pop them out into a labeled zip loc bag... VOILA!!!
GREAT resource to learn about it...
Wholesome Baby Food
Exactly what she said!! Its sooooo easy!!
And don't waste money on books- I have them BUT pretty much only use wholesomebabyfood.com
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| Posted 10/27/09 1:22 PM |
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BnBdreamin
Gonna be a BIG Bro in April!
Member since 10/06 5913 total posts
Name:
Denise
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
I'm a book person so I got some books from the library. My favorites are by Annabel Karmel. Great recipes, info and pics... I cook better with pics! We're not ready for solids yet but I'm very excited.
As PP, you'd make the purees in advance and freeze them in ice cube trays. So you would not have to keep any extra appliance on the counter.
I plan on using our basket steamer that is a metal thing that opens up like a flower to fit in any pot. Sold at most home stores, even supermarkets. And puree in my cuisinart (that stays in the cabinet). And I have a screen strainer to seive things like potato and peas in the beginning as I've read that they need to be finer texture.
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| Posted 10/27/09 1:22 PM |
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organichic
LIF Adult
Member since 9/08 2223 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
I find it pretty easy and I actually really enjoy making her food. I got the Beaba cook steamer/food processor as a gift, but I definitely would not spend $$ on it. I would steam or just add a little water in a regular pot and then use a food processor, blender or food mill.
Great advice from the other posters... like Blissful said, the wholesomebabyfood website is very helpful.
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| Posted 10/27/09 1:44 PM |
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Dani922
Here's to new beginnings
Member since 10/07 7260 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
It is a little time consuming. For example, we're doing sweet potatoes right now & I had to peel them, chop them, boil them, & then put them in the blender. Where as with jarred foods, you pretty much open & serve.
We don't have too much counter space either, but I've had no problems with that
I freeze everything in ice cube trays. One cube is a serving. Once it's frozen, I pop the cubes out & put them into a freezer bag. When we're ready, I take a cube out of the bag, pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds & then feed.
So far I've used a peeler, fork, pot to boil, and a blender.
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| Posted 10/27/09 2:02 PM |
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LeShellem
A new beginning
Member since 2/07 3600 total posts
Name:
LeShelle
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Posted by Dani922
It is a little time consuming. For example, we're doing sweet potatoes right now & I had to peel them, chop them, boil them, & then put them in the blender. Where as with jarred foods, you pretty much open & serve.
We don't have too much counter space either, but I've had no problems with that
I freeze everything in ice cube trays. One cube is a serving. Once it's frozen, I pop the cubes out & put them into a freezer bag. When we're ready, I take a cube out of the bag, pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds & then feed.
So far I've used a peeler, fork, pot to boil, and a blender.
For the sweet potatoes have you tried baking them. I punch holes in the potatoe, wrap in foil and bake for 1hour. you then can just scrape the food into a processor w/o peeling or chopping.
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| Posted 10/27/09 2:08 PM |
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sfp0701
Liam's Mommy!
Member since 1/07 9764 total posts
Name:
Tricia
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
I have the beaba baby cook and it is NOT time consuming at all. It's so easy. No utensils needed with that thing. I use some ice cube trays and freeze the food. Then I pop it into ziplocs and label them. That's it. So easy. I am still on only one food at a time so I don't need a cookbook yet. The machine is tiny but, you can put it in a closet when you are aren't using it.
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| Posted 10/27/09 2:19 PM |
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babyonthebrain
Brotherly Love!
Member since 1/08 6209 total posts
Name:
Rafaela
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
1. It's a little time consuming but not too much. I have to cut and steam the veggies that takes about 10-15 minutes.
2. You need a little counter space. I use the magic bullet which is pretty small, so not much space.
3. I freeze the food in a ice cube tray, I bought it on diapers.com It has a lid to keep it closed. Each "cube" is 1 oz. of food. When frozen I tranfer it to a ziplock bag and date it on the front.
4. I use the magic blender to puree.
I bought the book Super baby Food. Very helpful!
Message edited 10/27/2009 2:23:34 PM.
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| Posted 10/27/09 2:22 PM |
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Angel321
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Member since 4/08 15553 total posts
Name:
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
i'm thinking more and more that i love this idea...
thank you all for the tips/ideas & for the website Maria!!!
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| Posted 10/27/09 2:23 PM |
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MikesWife
Wanting...........
Member since 1/06 6887 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Posted by sfp0701
I have the beaba baby cook and it is NOT time consuming at all. It's so easy. No utensils needed with that thing. I use some ice cube trays and freeze the food. Then I pop it into ziplocs and label them. That's it. So easy. I am still on only one food at a time so I don't need a cookbook yet. The machine is tiny but, you can put it in a closet when you are aren't using it.
Same for me! The only difference is that now that DD has a few different foods under her belt, I'll mix them. I'll add applesauce to her sweet potatoes or apple/banana puree, etc.
I totally love making her food.
I will admit though that I cheated with the green beans. I just could NOT get it the right consistency and bought the organic jarred. Oh well. Everything else has been homemade. 
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| Posted 10/27/09 2:24 PM |
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Dani922
Here's to new beginnings
Member since 10/07 7260 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Posted by LeShellem
Posted by Dani922
It is a little time consuming. For example, we're doing sweet potatoes right now & I had to peel them, chop them, boil them, & then put them in the blender. Where as with jarred foods, you pretty much open & serve.
We don't have too much counter space either, but I've had no problems with that
I freeze everything in ice cube trays. One cube is a serving. Once it's frozen, I pop the cubes out & put them into a freezer bag. When we're ready, I take a cube out of the bag, pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds & then feed.
So far I've used a peeler, fork, pot to boil, and a blender.
For the sweet potatoes have you tried baking them. I punch holes in the potatoe, wrap in foil and bake for 1hour. you then can just scrape the food into a processor w/o peeling or chopping.
I literally just read about this idea online! Sounds much easier. I think I'll be trying that for the next batch of sweet potatoes.
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| Posted 10/27/09 4:11 PM |
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shapla79
Where Does The Time Go?
Member since 11/07 4619 total posts
Name:
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
1. Is it an 'time consuming' process? (i'm back at work)
Not too time consuming. It takes me about 20-25 minutes from start to finish.
2. Do you need 'counter space'?
You do need a little counter space- not a lot though.
3. What do you keep the food in & how do you figure out serving sizes??
When I first started making DS's food, I used to keep them in baby cube containers in the freezer. Once he started eating more than 2 oz at a time, I froze them in Kidco freezer trays or Fresh Baby trays and then put them into gallon size zip locks in the freezer.
4. What utensils do i need?
I used a steaming pot on the stove and then transferred the food to a mixing bowl. I used a handstick blender to puree the food and when I needed extra water, I took it out of the steaming pot. Once the puree was ready, I put them into the freezing trays and popped them in the freezer.
You don't really need any books to get started. Just check out http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com
Oh and some foods did better baking than steaming (like sweet potatoes as PP mentioned).
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| Posted 10/27/09 4:17 PM |
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MrsS2005
Mom of 3
Member since 11/05 13118 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
DH cooks more than I do, but it doesn't take too long. Some foods, like bananas, avocados and pears don't need to be cooked so it doesn't take much time at all.
You don't need much space.
I bought the Fresh Baby ice cube trays and then transfer them to ziploc bags the next day. The cubes are 1 oz each. I'd start with 1-2 cubes. DS eventually started eating 4-5 cubes per meal.
We tend to bake a lot of the food. We use our regular Cuisinart food processor. I also recommend getting a food mill. We use that for pears and sweet potatoes.
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| Posted 10/27/09 4:30 PM |
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Jen2999
Baby girls & beagles rock!
Member since 8/06 10356 total posts
Name:
Jen
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own)
Jess...
Sadie had never had jarred food ever. If you have any questions, just ask!
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| Posted 10/27/09 4:47 PM |
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Angel321
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Member since 4/08 15553 total posts
Name:
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own) - edited with a new question in OP
bumping because i added new ??
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| Posted 10/28/09 2:38 PM |
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MrsS2005
Mom of 3
Member since 11/05 13118 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own) - edited with a new question in OP
DS didn't start solids until 6 months. He's 10.5 months and doesn't really eat purees now unless it's fruit (and mixed with cereal) or something with a thicker consistency like various types of squash. We've definitely made a lot of food for him. Since he eats 4-5 cubes per meal, we've gotten a lot of use out of the few items we bought.
Do you have a regular food processor? We didn't buy a special one. We just used the one we already had. You may be able to use a regular blender though I don't have any experience with that. The food mill is pretty cheap works well for potatoes and pears. Potatoes tend to get stringy and gummy in the food processor.
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| Posted 10/28/09 4:05 PM |
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organichic
LIF Adult
Member since 9/08 2223 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: A Few Baby Food Questions (making your own) - edited with a new question in OP
We started solids at 4 1/2 months (cereal for 2 weeks until she got used to it and then gradually added fruits/veggies one at a time). DD will be 9 months next week and I just started giving her some table food. I still puree, and because I have the beaba cook, I still use the steamer part even if I don't puree. HTH
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| Posted 10/28/09 8:43 PM |
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