Homemade Baby Food

I never thought that I would be making my baby's food for her.  With Aubrey, I bought all jarred baby food.  After Lena was born, I still didn't think that I would be making food for her.  Then I talked to her nutritionist and GI doctor.  They both were adament about homemade baby food for Lena.  Since she needs foods that are dairy free, soy free, wheat free, and preservative free, there wasn't much of an option. 

Advantages to making homemade baby food: 

*I have found that I take pride in making all her food myself.

*Peace of mind that everything is made of fresh quality ingredients.

*I can choose to use organic foods.

*I know exactly what is going into my baby.  I don't have to worry about ingredients I can't pronounce.

*It is VERY cost effective.  I save a lot of money doing it myself!

*I can get creative.  This week Lena is going to try papaya, I can't find that on a shelf in the baby food aisle.

My favorite site for making baby food is:

http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/

She has experimented with all sorts of foods for her baby (some I have never heard of).  She is also a creative source for ideas to keep foods fresh and new.

The biggest part of saving time and money is to make enough and freeze it.

Lena's New Food This Week:

Papaya & Banana

Cost of Papaya:  $2.79

Cost of Banana:  $.49

Total:  $3.28

Cost per 3 oz serving:  $.41

The rest of the food:

Eggplant & Organic Carrot Puree:  $.30 per 3 oz serving

Organic Applesauce:  $ $.31 per 3 oz serving

Organic Carrot Puree:  $.20 per 3 oz serving

What's already in the freezer:

Organic Avocado Puree

Organic Pear Puree

Banana Puree

Cauliflower Puree (Lena doesn't like, but I keep trying)

You can clearly see the savings, since a jar of organic baby food cost about $1.49 in the store.  If you feed your child 2 jars at each meal that is $5.96 a day.  My mostly organic homemade baby food will cost about $1.22 each day.  That is a savings of $4.74 a day, $33.18 a week! 

When you do that math, it is incredible!