Trays for freezing baby foods

So, in the past year I have purchased a few items from CSN stores online. And I have discovered some pretty great products. I thought I would share one.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find everything from stylish diaper bags, to modern bar stools, or great cookware!

Since we're discussing freezing homemade baby foods, I thought we should talk about freezing options.  Of course, you can use traditional ice cube trays, but there are also other options out there.

Like the KidCo Baby Steps Collection.  It has some great features that make it worth the additional cost.  Locking lid seals foods tightly inside, a writing surface for date and meal prepared, each section is a single, 1 oz. serving and they're dishwasher safe.  These run around $6-8 per tray. 

Let us know if you have tried this product and what your thoughts are.

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Baby Food : Stage Two EARLY MEAL Recipes

Brown Rice Chicken & Peach Delight
1/2 c cooked boneless chicken - chopped
1/4 c cooked brown rice
1 ripe peach
1 tb peach juice (white grape or apple juice may be used or juice may be left out)
1 tb milk
2 ts wheat germ

- Mix all ingredients together
- Transfer to blender/food processor and puree or chop to make textured for older babies.




Creamed Chicken & Potato
2 tsp butter
1 tsp unbleached flour
1/4 c Low fat milk
1/4 c Chicken, cooked, boned and-shredded
1/4 Potato, baked and cubed (try using sweet potato.)
1 tbls Grated white cheddar cheese

- Melt butter in small heavy pan over low heat. Stir in flour and blend well and then add milk and stir until smooth.
- Cook over low heat until mixture begins to thicken, then add chicken and potatoes. Stir for about 2 to 3 minutes more or until heated through. Feel free to add a few vegetables.
- Add cheddar and stir until melted.





Green Beans and Potatoes
1/2 c. cooked potatoes
1/4 c. steamed green beans


- blend cooked white potatoes and green beans together
- add a bit of pear or applesauce for extra appeal

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Baby Food : Stage One VEGGIE Recipes

Stage 1 Homemade Baby Food Recipes are age appropriate for those babies who are between 4 months and 6 months. Many babies start solid foods between 4 months and 6 months so we have included fruits and veggies that your 4 month old beginning eater will be able to tolerate. Of course these recipes are also just yummy for babies who are older as well!

Stage 1 baby foods are thin and runny and are foods that are the lowest on the allergy scale. They are typically those foods that are also more easily digested by a tiny tummy. Some of these foods include, sweet potatoes, butternut or winter squash and carrots.

Please keep in mind that current recommendations advise that babies should start solid foods at 6 months of age.

Sweet Potato
makes 3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (skin on), cut into 2-inch pieces
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange sweet potatoes on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with a medium disk.
- Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.

Green Beans
makes 2 2/3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 pounds green beans
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange beans on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until beans are tender, about 8 minutes. Plunge beans into cold water to stop the cooking.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk. Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Green Peas
makes 2 2/3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 pounds green peas
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange peas on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until peas are tender, about 8 minutes. Plunge peas into cold water to stop the cooking.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk.
- Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Carrots
makes 3 cups or 30 cubes

1 1/2 pounds organic carrots, peeled if not organic, and cut into 1" pieces
Formula, breast milk, or water, as needed

- Arrange carrots on a steamer rack in a large pan over 1 inch of water.
- Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Steam until carrots are tender, about 12 minutes. Plunge carrots into cold water to stop the cooking.
- Pulse in a food processor, or pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk.
- Add formula, breast milk, or boiled and cooled water as needed. Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.

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Baby Food : Stage One FRUIT Recipes

Stage 1 Homemade Baby Food Recipes are age appropriate for those babies who are between 4 months and 6 months. Many babies start solid foods between 4 months and 6 months so we have included fruits and veggies that your 4 month old beginning eater will be able to tolerate. Of course these recipes are also just yummy for babies who are older as well!

Stage 1 baby foods are thin and runny and are foods that are the lowest on the allergy scale. They are typically those foods that are also more easily digested by a tiny tummy. Some of these foods include, sweet potatoes, butternut or winter squash and carrots.

Please keep in mind that current recommendations advise that babies should start solid foods at 6 months of age.  (wholesomebabyfood.com)

Baby Applesaucemakes 4 1/4 cups or about 48 cubes

4 pounds apples (skins on), washed, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup water

- Simmer apples in a large covered saucepan with water until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to a blender. Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve; for a coarser texture, pass apples through a food mill or pulse in a food processor.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Pear Puree
makes 2 1/2 cups or about 28 cubes

3 pounds pears, washed, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup water

- Simmer pears in a large covered saucepan with water until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain; reserve cooking liquid. Transfer pears to a blender.
- Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Add reserved liquid if needed. Pass through a fine sieve for a smooth texture, or mash with a fork.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.


Pear Plum Puree
makes 3 cups or about 30 cubes

1 1/2 pounds pears, washed, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds ripe plums, pitted and quartered
1/3 cup water

- Simmer pears and plums with water in a large covered saucepan until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; reserve cooking liquid.
- Transfer fruit to a blender. Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Add up to 1/3 cup boiled and cooled water if needed.
- Pass mixture through a fine sieve for the smoothest texture. Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice cube trays with purée.
- Use same method for other fruit combinations.



Stone Fruit Puree
makes 3 cups or about 30 cubes

2 pounds ripe *plums, pitted and quartered
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

* Use the same method for peaches, apricots, and other stone fruits.

- Simmer plums with water in a large covered saucepan until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer plums to a blender. Working in small batches, blend until smooth. Add up to 1/3 cup boiled and cooled water if needed.
- Pass mixture through a fine sieve for the smoothest texture.
- Fill 1/4-cup plastic containers or ice-cube trays with purée.

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"Make Your Own Baby Food" Month

I am expecting our 3rd baby near the end of this month. And we have all heard that with each baby the parents become more lax, however, I'm getting the hang of this baby thing and now feel a greater push to feed this new little one organic foods and foods free of preservatives as often as possible. Since we now live in an area with an Amish Farmer's Market it was my chance to purchase inexpensive, chemical free fruits and veggies and stock my freezer with good foods for this baby.

Each Monday this month I will be sharing recipes for making your own baby food. It's easy, affordable and healthier than grocery store options. Of course, I will probably still have some of those around, but any amount of change is a good change!



The rules are simple: Steam vegetables until tender, simmer ripe fruits until soft, and poach meats until fully cooked.

Basic equipment: a steamer basket, a blender, a food processor or food mill, and a strainer. Babies should start with silky, smooth purees the texture of runny yogurt. As the months go by, and your baby moves from gumming food to using his or her milk teeth, your purees should become thicker and chunkier; switch to a food processor or food mill fitted with a medium or large disk.

Freeze the baby food in single-serving airtight containers labeled with the ingredients and the date. You can even freeze food in ice-cube trays; for many babies, one cube is enough. To store, transfer frozen puree cubes to a freezer bag. As your baby grows and begins to eat more, increase the size of the containers -- or simply serve two at a time.

Some baby-care books warn against using microwaves, but most mothers we know use one. Because microwaves heat from the inside out, however, food may be hot inside but cool to the touch, so stir the food until no hot center remains. Test it with your finger and mouth; the food should be barely warm or room temperature. If you don't want to use a microwave, you can thaw or warm the food in a saucepan or in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water.

Visit each Monday this month for easy baby food recipes!

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