Hi y’all! It’s Becky from Becky’s Best Bites here for my second guest contributor post here on Beauty Through Imperfection and I couldn’t be more excited! As a reminder, I am a health and fitness coach who has a knack for making recipes healthier without sacrificing the taste!! I truly love to help women reach their health and fitness goals. Usually I share recipes that are geared for the big kiddos , but today I am going to do one for the lil kiddos (but it is really for the mom’s too…but don’t tell them).
I have two sisters, and they are my very best friends in the entire world. I am truly blessed to have them both in my life. When one of my sisters announced that she was pregnant, I knew instantly how I could contribute to his or her lil life by utilizing my strength…cooking! I decided right then and there that I would make homemade organic baby food for my new niece or nephew and do my best to try to supply all of the baby food that he or she would need.
So as her pregnancy continued, it really dawned on my that I would really have to figure out how to make homemade baby food. Hmm…to my trusty Pinterest I went. I was pleasantly surprised that homemade baby food didn’t seem too tough at all! Actually, it looked pretty darn easy!
Then we found out that she was having a little boy and then it became more real! Ok, she lives over 3 hours away from me…so how I am really going to supply her with all the baby food that she would need as this little boy was growing up? There would have to be a lot of road trips!
So once Mr. Z was here, I thought that I still had plenty of time to actually figure out this whole “making baby food thing.” Then before I knew it, he was already 3 months old and my sister said that he would be starting to eat baby food at 4 months…gulp…
So I buckled down and got started on the two foods that I had read were the best “baby first foods,” bananas and sweet potatoes. Both couldn’t be simpler and so much better and healthier than anything that you could purchase at the grocery store :) Also, making your own homemade baby food saves you a ton of money verses purchasing store bought. You can make large quantities and store in the freezer until needed.
Homemade Baby Food Bananas
Ingredients
- 1 bunch organic bananas, very ripe
Instructions
- Make sure the bananas are very ripe and soft to the touch.
- Peel bananas and break into small pieces and place in a medium bowl.
- Using a potato masher, mash the bananas completely.
- Use either an immersion blender, high speed regular blender or food processor to further puree the bananas making sure that there are no little pieces visible (choking hazard for babies).
- Once fully pureed pour into an empty ice cube tray or silicon mini muffin pans and freeze until solid.
- Portion into vacuum sealer bags and vacuum seal for the longest shelf life or place in freezer bags and keep in the freezer until needed. Be sure to label.
- Each cube is approximately one ounce. Pull out cubes as need and defrost when ready to use. Either defrost in the refrigerator overnight, set out on the counter for about an hour or zap in the microwave for about 20 seconds (be sure to test the food on the wrist to make sure it hasn’t gotten too warm). Formula or breast milk can be used to thin out as needed.
Homemade Baby Food Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3-4 organic sweet potatoes
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Clean and scrub sweet potatoes to remove any dirt and grit. Dry throughly. Pierce each potato 4-5 times with a fork.
- Wrap each sweet potato individually in aluminum foil and place in the oven to bake for 40-50 minutes or until very soft.
- Remove from the oven, carefully open the aluminum packets (watch for the steam) and let cool to the touch.
- Scrap pulp from the potatoes and place in a medium bowl.
- Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes completely.
- Use either an immersion blender, high speed regular blender or food processor to further puree the potatoes making sure that there are no little pieces visible (choking hazard for babies) .
- Once fully pureed spoon into an empty ice cube tray or silicon mini muffin pans and freeze until solid.
- Portion into vacuum sealer bags and vacuum seal for the longest shelf life or place in freezer bags and keep in the freezer until needed.
- Each cube is approximately one ounce. Pull out cubes as need and defrost when ready to use. Formula or breast milk can be used to thin out as needed.
I hope you and your babies enjoy these I look forward to connecting with you
- Find me on Facebook!
- Hit me up on Twitter!
- Pin with me on Pinterest!
- Or, you can always email me at becky (@) beckysbestbites.com
Until next time…Love, Becky
For more baby food recipes check out this post.
Makeup Reviews Hall says
I am definitely going to try this. I want to say one thing you have a wonderful blog and you are too cute
heidi says
It sounds so simple, Hope you have a great day!
Becky Brosemer says
Thanks Heidi! It really couldn’t be simplier. I hope you give it a try and please let me know when you do :) Thanks for the note!!
Becca says
Great alternative to store-bought, plus it looks easy. Thanks for sharing at the Healthy Tuesday hop!