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Lately I feel like I’m being bombarded with ads for the Baby Bullet. So I thought I’d  bust some myths and share some of my tips and tricks for making homemade baby food.

    You don’t need the Magic/Baby Bullet. While my friends who use it say it does the job but it isn’t as necessary as manufacturer would like you to believe. The commercial over exaggerates the tools and work required. I started off with just a potato masher and upgraded to a cheap blender from the Goodwill.

    Start as soon as possible. My suggestion is to do your fruit and veggies while you’re pregnant because they can be frozen 6-8 months. Meats (including poultry and fish) can be frozen for 10 weeks and purees made with milk 4-6 weeks. Baby food in the fridge regardless of the type only lasts 2-3 days.

    You don’t need to start with cereal. Studies have shown that starting your baby on meats or legumes is just fine. The key is to make sure they are getting iron which can be found in both. My sons love bean puree and flaked tuna.
    Don’t give your baby vegetables that contain nitrates before 6 months. That includes spinach, cabbage, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rhubarb, radishes and to a lesser degree squash and carrots. Discard the cooking water and use purees containing these veggies as soon as possible (especially spinach).
    Your baby does not need juice …ever. While it is true their tummies can tolerate it at 6 months the acid and sugar will wear away their tiny teeth. Even if they don’t have teeth poked through yet decay can start while they are in their gums. Some may argue juice is a good cure for a constipated baby but water, stewed prunes, and bean puree work the same. All of the vitamins and health benefits can be found in the purees or fresh fruit as the case maybe.

    Don’t give up. Your baby is used getting all their nutrition it liquid form with only one flavour and texture. It will take them some getting used to. In fact it can take up to 10 tries for a baby to decide if they like a food. If you’re still faced with a picky eater be creative, think with all five senses. Tastes isn’t the only factor. My first son wouldn’t eat anything runny (aside from his bottle), so I would thicken up his purees with bean paste. Plus that added protein and iron.

Always make sure to consult your baby’s doctor before introducing anything new to your baby’s diet. For more tips on preparing specific fruits, veggies and other foods consult a dietician, doctor or other moms.