Thank you so much for the awesome feedback (and pins!) on this post! For even more recipes, be sure to check out Round 2. xoxo
Feeding and making solid foods for Livi to try continues to be one of my favorite things. I really looked forward to introducing solids to Liv, especially during my breastfeeding woes, and it’s just as fun as I thought it would be.
At first, while Olivia was just getting the feel for swallowing food (instead of pushing it out with her tongue), she would only eat a few bites unless it was an avocado. I figured she wasn’t super hungry or ready for solid foods yet -breastmilk/formula is the main source of nutrition for the first year, solids are really just “for fun” and getting into the habit of eating- and continued to try to feed her different things that I had made. I would usually just offer one food at a time, she’d take a few bites and that would be it. I figured she was just still satisfied from the bottle she had an hour or so beforehand, and was still getting the hang of it.
Then when I was a little under the weather, I made some soup, threw it in the food processor and she GOBBLED it up. For the record, it was probably the best soup I’ve ever made- she absolutely loved it. I quickly learned that little miss likes combos- if it’s one food at a time, she’ll eat it, but if I mix different flavors and a combo of sweet and savory, she goes crazy for it. I also figured out she likes a lot of the robust flavors I love and ate while pregnant. I always joked that she’d come out a spicy meatball since I love spicy foods so much.
We picked up a few of these pouches to travel with to Las Vegas, and she slurped them down.
For the trip and convenience factor, they were awesome. On the plane, I would offer Liv a bottle to clear her ears, and if she didn’t want it, she would eat some fruit/veggie from the pouch and wash it down with some water. It was perfect.
I love the ingredients, they’re all organic and BPA-free packaging, but they’re expensive for what they are. Almost $2 per pouch, and even though we could stock up and mostly feed her those, I’m always looking for ways to save money, and I enjoy taking an hour or so every Sunday to make her food.
The Vitamix even gives it that silky smooth texture:
So instead of $120 per month on pouches (that’s 2 pouches per day), here’s a month of baby food I made in a little over one hour for $20:
Baby food:
Pumpkin and banana
Oats (apple, pear and banana)
Butternut squash
Sweet potato
Broccoli and apple
Spinach, peas and pears
1. Pumpkin and banana: Blend 1 can of organic pumpkin with 1-2 banana(s) and enough water to thin it out. If you’d like to make your own pumpkin, check it out here.
2. Oats: Cook 1.5 C (dry) of oats on the stovetop according to package directions. While it’s cooking, “steam” your apple and pear in separate bowls in the microwave. To micro-steam the apples and pears, I peel them, chop into chunks and add about 1 inch of water to the bottle of a glass bowl. Microwave each bowl for 2 minutes. Then, add 1/3 oat mixture to the Vitamix (or food processor), the entire bowl of chopped “steamed” apples (plus the water and juice in the bowl) and blend. Store. Repeat for the pear mixture, and then with the last amount of cooked oats, add 1 banana. Oats freeze surprisingly well, so I’ll keep a couple of containers in the fridge to last a few days, and then just grab one from the freezer when I run out.
3. Butternut squash: Trader Joe’s makes this one super easy, as they sell ready-to-steam peeled and cubed butternut squash. I’ll put this in a glass bowl with about 1 in of water, cover with a moist paper towel and microwave for about 6 minutes. Then blend in the Vitamix. *If you aren’t fan of the microwave, you can also steam your veggies in a traditional steamer basket, or bake them in the oven.
4. Sweet potato: Preheat oven to 375. Wash sweet potatoes well, then using a fork, poke with holes. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour, flipping once halfway. Scoop the flesh out, and either blend in a high-speed blender, or using a hand or stand mixer for fluffy sweet potatoes.
5. Broccoli and apple: Steam or microwave the broccoli to defrost, and then blend with 1 chopped “steamed” apple (method in #2 above), or you can boil the apple for about 7 minutes. Many of the packaged baby foods will have a ratio of about 2/3 to 3/4 fruit with 1/4 to 1/3 veggie, so they’re very sweet. I try to flip it and do mostly veggies with a smaller ratio of fruit, just to cut the bitterness. Make sure to peel and chop the apple.
6. Spinach, peas and pears: For this one, I’ll steam the peas and peeled, chopped pears together, then blend up with defrosted frozen spinach (either in the microwave or a pan). Store. As in #5, I’ll do more veggies and less fruit (like 1/2 bag of organic broccoli and 1 apple, 1/2 bag of organic spinach wilted down, 1/2 bag frozen organic peas and 1 pear), but see what your baby prefers.
If you’re going to do all of the above:
-Turn on the oven, wash and poke the sweet potatoes. Get the sweet potatoes in the oven.
-Start boiling the water for the oats, and another pan for anything you want to make on the stovetop
-Peel and chop the apples and pears
-Make one bowl of apples, one of pears, and defrost the spinach, broccoli and peas (either in the microwave or steamer).
-Microwave the butternut squash (or you can bake it in the oven, cut side down with the sweet potatoes), then the pears, then the apples in a little water with a moist paper towel on top (that’s optional, but definitely helps with a squash). The apples and pears can be boiled in water instead of microwaved, too.
-Start blending and storing.
I like to use the Baby Bullet storage containers, and ice cube trays work well, too. I couldn’t find ice cube trays while we were at Target, so for now I’ll just pour whatever’s left into freezable BPA-free ziploc baggies and lay flat in the freezer. Put a couple servings in the fridge, the rest in the freezer to defrost as necessary.
*Baby food in the fridge seems to last max 3 days over here before I toss it out, so only keep what your baby will eat over the next day or so in the fridge- everything else in the freezer.
Here’s what we like to add in for fun:
-Little Ducks snacks, avocado, mashed banana, bites of whatever I’m eating to try (brown rice tortilla, egg yolk, lentils, beans)
-For breakfast, she’ll usually have fruit/oatmeal and for dinner, I try to mix up one of the sweeter veggie options with a starchy option (like sweet potato or butternut squash with a greens/fruit combo).
-While I heat up her food and make myself something to eat, I’ll give her something in the mesh feeder to keep her busy until the main course is ready. She especially loves crispy apple, cantaloupe, or bites of whatever I’m eating. The mesh feeder has been great for restaurants, and one mom gave me an awesome tip: keep a garlic press on hand to instantly puree whatever you’re eating while out and about.
Grocery list for the above combos:
-2 organic sweet potatoes
-1 can organic pumpkin
-4 bananas
-2 C oats
-4-6 organic apples
-a pack of frozen organic spinach (or you can use fresh and wilt it down in a little olive oil, which is what I did)
-pack of frozen organic peas
-4-6 organic pears
Bonus recipe: Livi’s chicken soup = $20 for 3 huge adult servings, 4 baby servings
*Keep in mind that I’m not a baby food expert or baby nutrition specialist in any way- these are just the foods that Liv likes and an inexpensive list of combos. Always check with your doctor regarding the best method for feeding your baby. Baby led weaning works really well for many of my friends, but doesn’t seem to be the best method for us right now. For now, we’re pureeing most of Liv’s food and she loves it.
Do you have any fun baby food combos to share? Easy methods of preparing baby foods? Something unique that your little one surprisingly loves?
xoxo
Hi, I'm Gina. Welcome to The Fitnessista! I love blogging about my adventures as a new mom, military wife and fitness instructor, as well as sharing new workouts and recipes. Check out the About page for more info - thanks for stopping by!
I love the ideas shared here. As a mom of two kids under 2 it is sometimes easy to loose motivation! My baby is allergic to most bottled baby foods on the market which means ur post has come to my rescue. Thank you for taking the time and sharing. Nikki
thank you nikki! keep up the amazing job raising those kiddos
I didn’t make my own baby food with my first child. I’m now pregnant with my second and have been thinking about wanting to make my own baby food this time around. After seeing your post, it made me realize how easy and actually how little time and inexpensive it is to make your own baby food. Thank you for taking the time to share this with everyone. Now anyone can feel that this seemingly daunting task can be done with ease.
Thank you for these! I always stick to the basics, so combos are helpful! Question….did your pumpkin/banan freeze ok? Does the banana brown? That might be a stupid question, but I figured I’d just ask! Thanks!
nope, it was totally fine!
I have not made a pumpkin blend yet, but whenever I put bananas in the freezer or fridge they do turn brown. That is normal when they are cold. They are still fine. It freezes just fine.
Hey Gina! Love the baby food posts! Just a quick question–what kind of apples do you use?
This is great! Thanks for sharing! I did mostly homemade with my first and am now expecting my second so I’ll have to bust out my baby bullet again in the near future! We did lots of squash and sweet potatoes, but never thought of pumpkin! By the way, we also have a Vitamix and it is the best!
OMG trader joes sells ready-to-steam peeled and cubed butternut squash??? THANK YOU for the tip! I am so excited to get some
yes!!! makes life so easy
i’ve also found it at costco, organic and ready to go
What I have found works great for storage is freeze them in cupcake tins then pop them out and keep in a ziplock…regular size cupcake tins are just about 3.5 oz ( 1 container of gerber stage 2 purees) and mini about 1.5oz( 1 container of stage 1). Im all about shortcuts so I opt for frozen veggies, a bag usually makes 6-8 servings !
That’s a great idea!!!! I never thought about using cupcake tins!! Random – do you use anything in the tins or just straight into them?
Wow – this is awesome!! I’ve also just found that Cherub Baby (in Australia at least) makes reusable baby food pouches, I haven’t used them yet but can’t wait to try them when my youngest is old enough http://www.cherubbaby.com.au/feeding_accessories/on-the-go-baby-food-pouches-20-pack
I’m glad I was able to find this post again. I had jaw surgery yesterday and don’t think I’m going to be able to survive on soups and protein shakes alone. These options will definitely help me expand my choices while my jaw is wired shut!
Enjoyed your post! Excited to try the pumpkin banana recipe. Thank you. My daughter’s name is Liv also! Out of curiosity… do you pronounce it Leev or Liv?
Thank you for some new ideas! You are right, what you have been eating has affected her tastes. The flavor of your milk actually changes with the foods you eat. Eating a good variety of foods while nursing will cause you daughter to be a better eater and more accepting of new flavors! Good job! A few other combos I like are sweet potatoes, apple and chicken and carrot, pear and turnip. My little guy is just starting dairy so I also do yogurt, apple sauce and a tiny bit of cinnamon and egg yolk with fruit purée and a bit of cheese
Sorry, I meant veggie purée lol!
Thank-you SO much for the grocery list and even the step-by-step when wanting to cook and try them all! My baby eats all of these in the Plum pouches and THREE a day! This will not only save some cash but make me feel better about making her food.
THANKS!
Also – any chicken recipes?
sure, i can do some chicken recipes!
hope she loves it!!
How many ounces of food does each baby bullet storage container hold?
i should know and don’t :/ anyone else have an idea?
2 oz.
Thanks for the ideas! I plan to use them. Just had a question please. How old was your baby when you started to give her broccoli?
pureed, 5 months or so. i didn’t start giving her chunks of it until a few weeks ago
Thks! My son is 7 months but gets too gassy with green beans.
Love this, thanks so much for sharing! Stupid question… What’s a mesh feeder?
Here’s an example of one. http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Pack-Fresh-Feeder-Colors/dp/B000GK5XY2
I guess a dad invented it.
So glad you asked this question! I had no idea either.
Hi! I hope that you can still see comments/questions! My daughter is 5 months and I started her on rice cereal just after 4 months. I am a first time mom so this is all new to me! =) We came back from her dr appt where her dr said that I can add veggies and fruits to her diet now to balance the rice. What do you suggest for veggies and fruits to start out with??? I’ve heard that I need to start her on less popular veggies before sweeter ones and fruits??? I would love your input. I’m also trying to make all her food.
Start with avocado!
I started my son out on all veggies for about two or three weeks before adding fruit. He eats EVERYTHING now! He loves both fruits and veggies. His favorite veggie to start with was peas!
Do you like your baby bullet I just got one as a gift yesterday does yours work well or have you had any problems?
i actually don’t have the bullet- just the storage containers
This is great! I’m starting my 2nd son on food this week and love the idea of combos! I did just plain with my first. Quick question and may be a dumb one but when you say oats are you just referring to oatmeal? Old fashioned or quick or something else? Thanks so much for this great info and tips!
yep! i use old-fashioned
Do you put the bullet in the freezer as well?
the little containers? yep
A good combo I do and my baby LOVES is sweet potatoes, apples, and cinnamon
Excellent ideas, I am sharing this on Facebook with my friend in Pakistan, thanks
Thank you for this… I just finished in 1 h15 m … I can wait to feed little one these great flavours !!!!
I did everything on your list but had extra spinach left so I blended with half of the squash… looks good!!
Thanks for the great ideas.
i’m so happy that it worked for you! hope your baby loves all of the food
xoxo
I found my son loves cantaloupe and avocado mixed together I tried it and it is pretty tasty
Just in-case you didn’t realize it you forgot to add the butternut squash and the Broccoli to the shopping list.. and thank you so much for the recipes and tips..
Thanks for this post and round 2, I need some good recipes! With my first baby I just winged it and used what was available. . .fortunately, we were living at the time on a property in Holland that had lots of fruit growing on it, and discovered that my little guy loved the sour red and white currants that were everywhere. Some of our favorite combos were greens with fruit, which I started calling green monster food, and now I make him green monster smoothies when he’s being a picky eater just to sneak in that spinach or broccoli. Anyhow, I thought you would be interested in this: http://infantino.com/category.cfm?subcategory=5019
We loved the pouches too, especially while traveling, but they are really expensive! I just went and bought this infantino contraption for making your own pouches b/c it’s not super pricey. My son also loves the applesauce that comes in pouches so I feel like the investment is worth it b/c I can keep using it even as they get older for snacks that are nice and portable and not too messy.
thanks for the heads up on the pouches!
i love that so many babies seem to LOVE sour food. liv always wants lemon- it cracks me up
how old was she when you started? mine is four and a half months.. is that too early?
i’d ask your ped- we started just under 6 months
I love your food ideas, so far I’ve made all my baby’s food, and have given him a few of those HappyBaby pouches. I was a little confused as to what you were calling the “Vitamix”. Can you tell me what that is? Thanks
it’s a high speed blender- you can use any blender, though
My sister in law roasts, cooks or mashes each fruit or vegetable individually then freezes them in ice cube trays. Once they are hard she stores them in a ziploc bag and labels them with the fruit/veg name and date. By keeping them separate she can pull out two different ice cubes at a time and come up with unique flavor combos on the spot. Also makes it very easy for babysitters to just pull out two cubes and either microwave or let them sit until soft.
what proteins did you start?and some recipes ideas
here ya go!
and liv’s fave: http://fitnessista.com/2012/11/baby-turkey-lentil-muffins/
Going mostly or all organic is awesome and making your own baby food is too.. But I wouldn’t use the microwave at all.. Microwave ovens kill almost all nutrition in food that is cooked in them. It is a chemical reaction that heats the food. For the most nutritious food, steam the food on the stove or in the oven..
My 7 month old really likes combos too. Her favorites are spinach and apples, green beans, peas, and peaches, chicken and mangos, carrots and sweet potatoes, and blueberries mixed into her oatmeal or applesauce.
I also recommend putting the frozen food in the mesh feeder. Its a nutritious baby Popsicle! Also great for teething! After I put it in the mesh, I pass it under running water so her tongue doesn’t stick to it;) Great blog post! I love the garlic press idea!!
children younger than one year should not consume package frozen vegetables for the presence of nitrates
We do baby led weaning with our son and it’s sooo easy! At first I was steaming veggies more than I usually do, but after a couple of months I started offering what we had! I didn’t want him to have any salt or sugar, so I have been cooking salt free and right now I’m working on cutting sugar too. Just because of him we eat healthier!
I really like your ideas though, so inspirational!
what’s baby led weaning? also, did you do the try each new food one at a time and wait three days before introducing new stuff? it’s taking forever to build up a good list of food she likes and has no allergies to. no allergies so far, thank goodness!
baby led weaning is when you give the baby chunks of your own food to eat instead of pureeing. she loves pieces of avocado, banana and sweet potato to start. we didn’t wait 3 days in between introducing new foods if they weren’t highly allergenic (like most squashes, rice, beans, chicken/fish, etc)
Where did you get your jars for storing homemade baby food? Love your ideas, can’t wait until I can pass them on to my daughter-in-law. I thought I would make some for her so she knows how easy it is.
Thank you.
Our babe loves red lentils and sweet potato. Once she was 8 months I would do 1 c. Lentils, peel a sweet potato, add garlic and or carrot and curry. Spice to taste. Cook with about 2.5 c. Water or chicken stock and mash or purée at about 20 mins. So yummy. I could eat too! Sometimes I mix in yogurt or cottage cheese when I’m ready to feed her for a dairy boost. You could add spinach or other veg.
Great ideas!! Thank you so much ladies!!
Hi, thanks for ideas! We freeze avacado too. It holds taste and color well. I just puree it with enough water to make it the right consistency and then pour into ice cube trays. We also freeze banana pureed with some type of juice. I know these two typically aren’t frozen, but we haven’t had any problem freezing them.
If you want the squeeze packs there are reusable ones called “Squeeze Ems” I bought mine at wal mart and they work great with pureed food