Any modern parent knows the value of a pouch within reach. The glimmering, soft metallic lump can buy five minutes of peace with the snap of a cap. But the convenience comes at a cost. At around $1.50 each, those four ounces of pureed food are among the pricier items on anyone’s grocery list.
Alas, today we break from Dollar Freedom tradition to bring you…recipes. Yes, we’re talking DIY baby food. Ready to save? Read on.
1. Find an ugly source.
The best part of making your own baby food is that looks don’t matter. Have bananas going brown? Perfect. Leftover root vegetables in your ugly produce box? Time to use them. Garden overflowing with kiwi after kiwi? You know exactly what to do. Skip the wax-coated, perfectly shaped produce section and look for deals on quality produce with meaningless flaws of appearance. Here are a few excellent combinations:
100% Strawberries
100% Blueberries
Banana + Peaches
Spinach + Apples
2. Cook with nothing but water.
You’re about to get a new best friend. Its name is Steaming Basket. Fruit typically doesn’t need any cooking at all. But for your vegetables, put an inch or two of water in the bottom of a pan, insert the steaming basket, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam until very soft.
3. Blend away.
Break out the blender and pile your soft goodness in. For especially thick combinations, 100% fruit or vegetable juices act as an excellent thinner. (Or water will do the trick, too.)
4. Freeze for the future.
Silicone ice cube trays are a miracle worker in the baby food department. Fill some trays with your blended mixture and freeze until ready for use. A simple thaw on the counter will bring the sleeping beauties back to life.
5. Contain the goods.
Until recently, this whole process had a major breakdown right about now. The grocery store pouches made life simple, while DIY baby food required old school glass jars and loads of patience. Not anymore. Reusable, refillable pouches have hit the market, finally bringing pouches to home cooking. Fill, seal, and let the feeding begin.
