"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!