How to prepare and store baby food

There is no doubt what so ever that fresh food just tastes, smells and looks better than bought baby foods. Yet, there are many moms who are nervous to prepare their own baby food as they don’t know how to. In our weaning workshops we show just how easy it is and afterwards the moms can’t get home quick enough to get cooking!

1. Preparing baby food

Preparing and cooking baby foods isn’t difficult but because you are dealing with a baby, considerations like hygiene must be of the utmost importance.

Always wash fruit and vegetables carefully before cooking, especially if using pre-peeled and cut vegetables from the store!

Sterilising:

It is not necessary to sterilise the equipment you use for cooking, puréeing or storing baby food, but take extra care to keep everything very clean.

Using a dishwasher automatically sterilises but it is not necessary, just ensure that the equipment that you use is perfectly clean. Dry utensils with a clean tea towel or use kitchen paper.

Remember to continue to sterilise all milk bottles until baby is one years old!

Cooking Methods :

1. Steaming
2. Boiling
3. Baking
4. Microwaving

2. Storing Baby Food

There are many ways in which you can store the baby food that you have made for your little one. Many moms like to use the small freezer pots, however, this method can be expensive for freezing baby food, but are perfect when on the go.

We love to use the ice trays with lids, you can buy them at a very reasonable cost and they come in all sorts of great colours, allowing you to easily identify what is stored in each tray.

Once your baby food has been prepared:

• Fill each ice-tray with the baby food
• Put the lid on
• Ensure all trays are level and the air is out by gently knocking the tray on the counter
• Once the food has frozen (usually overnight) put the baby food cubes into a clearly labelled Zip-Lock bag.

This is the easiest way as each cube is approximately 25 grams and it also allows you to mix it up a bit and try different combinations.

3. Bumbles™ Top Combination Veggie Purées

Sweet Potato Combo’s:

• Sweet Potato & Leeks
• Sweet Potato & Carrot
• Sweet Potato & Baby Marrow
• Sweet Potato, Apple & Carrot
• Sweet Potato & Parsnip
• Sweet Potato, Broccoli & Peas

Butternut Combo’s:

• Butternut & Sweet Potato
• Butternut & Cream Cheese
• Butternut & Pear
• Butternut & Broccoli
• Butternut & Nutmeg
• Butternut & Cauliflower

4. Bumbles™ Top Combination of Fruit Purées

Apple Combo’s:

• Apple & Pear
• Apple & Blueberry
• Apple & Mango
• Apple & Carrot
• Apple & Parsnip
• Apple, Pear & Blueberry
• Apple & Beetroot

Pear Combo’s:

• Pear & Butternut
• Pear & Parsnip
• Pear & Peas
• Pear & Baby Rice
• Pear & Papaya
• Pear & Blueberries
• Pear, Carrot & Parsnip

 5. Freezing Baby Food

1. Never refreeze meals that have already been frozen, however, frozen veggie or fruit can be cooked and refrozen.
2. Do not heat to defrost and then leave in the fridge to reheat and serve.
3. If you have defrosted baby food in the fridge overnight, it should be used within 24 hours. Once reheated use within one hour as baby food is a prime breeding ground for bacteria.
4. The freezing process can cause food to dry out, therefore, sometimes you may need to add liquid either milk or cooled boiled water.
5. Baby foods can be stored in a freezer for up to eight weeks.

• About
• Latest Posts

Bumbles Cookery Club

The Bumbles™ Cookery Club offers detailed workshops for each vital stage of the weaning process, as well a support and social group for moms to enjoy.

Our goal is to guide and assist moms, and dads, through the different weaning stages and to understand and learn the importance of each stage, when to introduce each food group and how to create delicious, nutritionally balanced meals not only for your little one but for the whole family.

Latest posts by Bumbles Cookery Club (see all)

• How do I introduce meat and fish to my baby? - July 18, 2014
• How to prepare and store baby food - July 17, 2014
• Introducing solids: Best first foods and foods to avoid - July 4, 2014