Tips for Making Baby Food at Home

Around 6 months of age, your baby is ready for solid foods. You can buy jarred baby food or make your own. Making baby food at home is easier than you might think, and it also lets you choose what goes into your baby’s food.

Benefits of Making Baby Food

• You control what goes in it. Skip the added sugar, salt, and preservatives.
• Play with foods and flavors. You can introduce your baby to more tastes and textures.
• Save money. Making baby food costs less than buying jars since you can make large batches and freeze them for later.

With WIC, you can trade half or all jarred baby food for fresh fruits and vegetables to make your own.

What You’ll Need

Most of the tools you need to prepare baby food are likely already in your kitchen.

To prep

• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Spoon
• Strainer

For cooking

• Pot with steamer basket or microwave-safe dish with cover
• Baking sheet
• Pot holders

For blending

• Blender or food processor

For storing

• Ice cube trays with covers or plastic wrap
• Freezer bags
• Marker

How to Make Homemade Baby Food

Step 1: Prep

Wash your hands, tools, and surfaces.

Wash, peel, and remove stems, pits, or seeds from fruits and vegetables.

Use:

• Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables (no sauces or added ingredients).
• If using canned, rinse well to remove salt and sugar.

Step 2: Cook

Cut into small cubes. Microwave, bake, boil, or steam until soft.

Tips:

• Soft, ripe fruits don't need cooking.
• Most canned fruits and vegetables don't need cooking.
• Cook meat completely. Remove fat, skin, and bones.

Step 3: Blend

Put cooked food in a blender or food processor. Add water, breast milk, or formula until smooth.

Step 4: Serve, Refrigerate, or Freeze

Let the food cool. Serve what you need now.

To save for later:

• If you’re putting food in the fridge, use it within 2-3 days.
• If you’re freezing, put the homemade food in ice cube trays. Each cube is about 2 tablespoons.

Freezing Baby Food

This ice cube tray method makes it easy to freeze single servings.

How to freeze

• Put blended food in ice cube trays.
• Freeze for 8-10 hours.
• Pop out the cubes.
• Put in freezer bags.
• Label with the date.
• Use within 2 months.

It’s important to use thawed baby food or toss it afterwards. Don’t refreeze it.

Recipes to Try

Meats

1. Use 1 cup of cubed, cooked meat.
2. Remove any fat, skin, or bones.
3. Use 1/4 – 1/2 cup water, breast milk, or prepared formula
4. Blend until smooth.
5. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze.

Sweet Potatoes

1. Wash, peel, and chop 2-3 sweet potatoes into small cubes.
2. Put in a microwave-safe dish with 2 tablespoons of water.
3. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
4. Let stand for 5 minutes. Potatoes are done when a fork goes in easily.
5. Blend potatoes and cooking juice with ½ cup water, breast milk, or formula.
6. Let cool and serve.
7. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays.

Pears

1. Wash, peel, cut in half, remove core and seeds.
2. Cut into small pieces.
3. Put in a microwave-safe dish and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Blend pears and juice until smooth.
5. Let cool and serve.
6. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays.