Preparing Baby Food

Preparing Solids for Your Baby

This article covers the handling and preparation of both homemade and bought baby food and should be high on your list of must-reads before introducing baby food.

• Nutrition
• Children's Food

You've probably already increased your hygiene focus with the arrival of your gorgeous baby; now we've got tips to help you keep the preparation of your baby's food hygienic too. There's also tips below to help with the economy factor - you can make your own baby food (refer to our Free Baby Recipes article for more ideas), and save unused portions of bought baby food for future meals.

Keeping it Hygienic

• Always wash your hands before preparing food and feeding your baby.
• All kitchen surfaces, feeding equipment, containers, tea towels and dishcloths should be regularly cleaned.
• If you use the microwave for cooking or re-heating baby food, make sure it is regularly cleaned.
• If refrigerating or freezing unused portions of baby food - do so immediately. Separate out the portion you will feed your baby with a clean spoon and refrigerate or freeze the remainder. Never keep leftover food from the bowl your baby has been eating from. Once the spoon has gone from your baby's mouth into the bowl the food has been contaminated with bacteria from your baby's saliva and must be eaten within the hour or thrown out.
• Baby food should not be stored in the fridge for more than 48 hours.
• Refrigerated baby food needs to be well covered, and placed so that nothing can drip onto it.
• Once frozen baby food has been thawed, it must be eaten within 24 hours. Do not re-freeze it.

Preparing Baby Rice or Baby Cereal
Baby rice makes a great 'first food' as it is easy to make and can be prepared in small quantities - so you don't have to worry about wasting ice block trays full of baby food your baby has turned its nose up at.

• Mix a teaspoon with 2-3 teaspoons of breast milk, formula milk, or water that has been boiled and then cooled. The mixture should be smooth and runny when you first start feeding your baby. Later on you can make the mixture thicker by adding less liquid.
• If too cool, heat for a short time (perhaps 5 seconds) in the microwave, or over a hot bowl of water. If you use the microwave stir well afterwards and wait a few minutes to ensure they are no hot spots. Test the temperature by dropping a small bit on your wrist and tasting it.
• If the mixture is heated, or left to stand, it will thicken. If the mixture becomes too thick add some more breast milk, formula milk, or water that has been boiled and then cooled.
• Discard any leftover uneaten baby rice.

Preparing Pureed Baby Food

• Your baby's first foods can include certain pureed vegetables and fruits. Refer to our Baby Solids for Each Age Group article for more details. At the start you will want everything pureed to a very smooth and slightly runny texture. Later on you can make the baby food slightly thicker and lumpier - eventually you will put aside the blender or sieve and put the masher into use instead.
• Before pureeing, first prepare and cook the baby food (fruit and vegetables at the beginning, and meat from six months onwards). Remove any skins, pip, cores, stones, blemishes, meat fat, or bone. Thinly slice the baby food and then place in a pot and cover with water. Bring the water to the boil and then simmer until the fruit or vegetables are very tender, or the meat is thoroughly cooked.
• If you already own a blender, this is the easiest way to make pureed baby food. Drain liquid from the cooked baby food and set aside. Blend the cooked baby food with some of the cooking liquid. Keep adding liquid until you reach the right consistency. The first lot of baby food you prepare should be quite runny. Wash the blender thoroughly between uses.
• You can also prepare pureed baby food with a sieve - which is a cheaper option than a blender. Place the sieve over a bowl. Drain liquid from the cooked baby food and set aside. Mash the baby food while adding cooking liquid until the right consistency is reached. The first lot of baby food should be quite runny. Pour the food into the sieve bit by bit and push through with a wooden spoon. Wash the sieve thoroughly between uses. If you soak the sieve immediately after use this job will be a little easier.
• If you want to thicken or sweeten any of the pureed baby food, you can add baby rice. Adding baby rice also adds carbohydrates - making a simple fruit feed a lot more filling and substantial.
• Never add salt or sugar to any baby food.

Freezing and Warming Baby Food
You can save yourself time by making enough baby food for several meals.

• Spoon the baby food into clean ice block trays, muffin trays or containers with lids. Place the baby food in the freezer.
• Once the baby food is frozen pop it out of its ice block or muffin trays and put it in a freezer bag. If it is in a lidded container it can stay there as it is covered. Label the freezer bag or lidded container with a description of the baby food and the date.
• Store bought baby food can also be frozen for future meals. If your baby is only eating half the can, you can freeze the other half. Separate out the half you intend to save with a clean spoon before feeding your baby the rest of the can. (Never keep baby food that has had a spoon dipped it in that has been in your baby's mouth.) Place it in a lidded container, label it with a description and the date and place in the freezer.
• Frozen baby food needs to be used within 3 months.
• Thaw the baby food overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave, or over a bowl of hot water. Use baby food within 24 hours of thawing.
• Reheat the thawed baby food to a very hot temperature, and then allow it to cool. Test the temperature of the baby food by dropping some on your wrist and tasting it.

Preparing Bought Baby Food

• When you buy the baby food check the age range. When you first introduce baby food you should use the 4 - 6 month age range of cans as the texture is smooth and runny.
• If you are not going to use the whole can, use a clean spoon to scoop the unwanted portion into a lidded container. Place the unwanted portion in the fridge if you intend to use within 48 hours, otherwise freeze it.
• If desired, warm the baby food over a bowl of hot water, or in the microwave. If you use the microwave stir well to get rid of any hot spots and test the temperature. You don't have to warm a freshly opened can of baby food - some babies like it warmed, but some babies don't mind.
• Throw out any uneaten baby food. Never save food from the eating dish. This is because bacteria from your baby's saliva (from the spoon) will start to contaminate the baby food once an hour has passed.

Looking for more information on children's food? Check out the NZS.com directory.

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Family images from Flickr: Babies Everywhere, Kids Classroom and Hands.