How do you process your homemade baby food?

[greenthumb3]

I am thinking of getting a stainless steel food mill, as I can use it to make other family foods, too. I have seen mini food processors and plastic "baby food" ones.

Curious as to others who have made baby foods and what you all have used and liked (or not liked). (In the past, I just steamed/baked and then mashed with a fork with a little water or expressed breast milk).

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by greenthumb3

I am thinking of getting a stainless steel food mill, as I can use it to make other family foods, too. I have seen mini food processors and plastic "baby food" ones.

Curious as to others who have made baby foods and what you all have used and liked (or not liked). (In the past, I just steamed/baked and then mashed with a fork with a little water or expressed breast milk).

I always just gave my babes steamed/baked/roasted veggies/fruit in chunks or long "fingers" and let them gum them. Shortly thereafter they graduated to food off of my plate.

I never saw a need to mill/process/puree their food. If they are showing signs of readiness for solids they can handle them solid!

[katiesk]

i never pureed or mashed or processed anything.

dd started with small bites of avocado that she could feed herself and them moved on to bits of other food that she could feed herself.

there is no need to mash and puree things for babies. if they are not ready to feed themselves small soft chunks, then they are not really ready for solids.

[greenthumb3]

I appreciate the replies so far. I understand about readiness for solids.

One awesome cookbook is Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair with the ideas at the bottom of most recipes for how to adapt that to younger solid food eating babies and the older set as well. It's my favorite But there are no suggestions there for how to puree small amounts of veggies/grains, etc.

My older two children didn't dig "baby foods" as much but my last child really liked pureed sweet potatoes, etc. Every child is different.

It was hard to get the potatoes to the consistency he liked without making a whole bunch in the food processor. I am leaning toward a nice kitchen food mill as I can use it for jams, etc. Hopefully it can handle smaller amounts of things liked steamed veggies.

Anyone have experience pureeing foods for a baby who likes them? Can you recommend a stainless steel food mill for this type of thing?

[Drummer's Wife]

With my first baby 8 yrs ago I had a baby food grinder and steamed veggies and then purred them. For subsequent babies I skipped the grinding process and spoon feeding all together.

For your sweet potatoes, I would just cook them as you normally do and either put them in a blender or use an electic mixer to get them to mashed consistency if that is what your LO prefers.

[greenthumb3]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife

With my first baby 8 yrs ago I had a baby food grinder and steamed veggies and then purred them. For subsequent babies I skipped the grinding process and spoon feeding all together.

For your sweet potatoes, I would just cook them as you normally do and either put them in a blender or use an electic mixer to get them to mashed consistency if that is what your LO prefers.

Yeah, my problem is that in order for the blender/processor to work well, it had to be a larger amount and I didn't need 4 cups of potatoes, KWIM?

[Drummer's Wife]

Originally Posted by greenthumb3

Yeah, my problem is that in order for the blender/processor to work well, it had to be a larger amount and I didn't need 4 cups of potatoes, KWIM?

ah, sorry. I missed that What if you did blend up a big amount and froze most of it? I used ice cube trays with my DD and they worked well to pop one out and warm it up when she was hungry.