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“I don’t like mashed potatoes, Mommy”… Those words truly came out of *my* child’s mouth. My precious little baby girl, who in most ways is the sweetest, most agreeable child you will ever meet– except when it comes to food.
I mean, who doesn’t like mashed potatoes?
While my oldest loves trying new foods, my middle one would be perfectly content with living off of pizza, chicken nuggets and mac & cheese.
In retrospect, I think that it is because I slacked a bit on introducing her to new, fresh foods at a young age. I got use to feeding her differently than the rest of us and she got use to eating quick meals. So now at 5 years old, we struggle every day to change that. It’s getting better, but it’s not a fun process.
Every time that she opposes the dinner I cook, which is pretty much every day, my mind starts turning with ideas of things I will do differently when it’s time for Avery to eat solids. I want him to be exposed to the foods we eat as a family, I want him try new things … I want him to LOVE mashed potatoes like the rest of the world!
So, I’ve been thinking about making my own baby food this time around. It’s a commitment, but one I really think will be worth it. Besides the obvious health benefits of knowing exactly what is in your child’s food and where it came from, I truly believe making your own baby food can help develop healthy eating habits and avoid a future of Mom and Dad throwing on their short order cook hat at every meal.
I’ve been perusing the baby food making products out there, and let me tell you- there are a lot, you guys! A LOT. It wasn’t easy, but so far I’ve narrowed down my list of must-have’s to the below 5 essentials.
Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder , $2.98
I used this with all of my kids, even when I wasn’t making my own baby food. It was especially great when they were teething. I’d freeze a piece of melon and put it in the feeder, and they’d gnaw on that thing for an hour.
Annabel Karmel Baby Food Prep Starter Set, BPA-Free, $14.28
This seems perfect for baby food making rookies like myself, as it comes with a basic masher for first foods and storage containers, as well as puree recipes.
Annabel Karmel FreshFoods Cook-n-Blend Baby Food Maker, $89.99
There are a lot of baby food processors out there. This one has the best reviews. It can steam and blend food and also has a chunky and smooth texture option.
Infantino Fresh Squeezed Squeeze Station , $17.32
Filling up puree pouches seems like it could be a messy task. I like this puree pouch station because it is a neat way to fill your own on-the-go food pouches and you can fill three at one time.
Munchkin Fresh Food Chopper and Steamer , $12.58
This two-in-one chopper/steamer looks like a good product to have on hand if you are preparing one meal at a time. The sliding lid converts from chopper to vented steamer for the microwave, and for quick meals (or say, preparing meals away from home… on vacation?), it is much more compact and easier to clean than a big food processor.
Have you ever made your own baby food?
Do you have must-have, could-not-have-lived-without baby food making favorites?
Let me know in the comments!
Disclosure: I am blogging on behalf of Walmart.com. The views expressed here are solely mine, not Walmart’s. Shop online and save money to live better at http://www.walmart.com.
