4+ Reasons why homemade baby food is EASIER!
Post may include affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you use them at no cost to you. Disclosure.
Do you buy pre-made baby food because you think it’s easier? Or maybe you have decided you want to make your own baby food but are scared it will be too much to take on. I’m here to show you that done right, homemade baby food can be EASIER!
The BackgrounD
When I had my first baby, I purchased all his baby food. The thought of making my own seemed so time-consuming. I was having enough trouble adapting to having a baby… was I really going to take on more than I needed to?
So we did the usual… I purchased what I felt were wholesome pre-made foods for him and for the most part, it went great! Some foods he liked, some he didn’t… We figured it out and moved on.
Looking back, though, it wasn’t as convenient as I thought at the time. I just didn’t know any better and that was okay… but with my second, I decided to try something different.
I ended up making ALL my son’s “first”, “second” and “third” foods until we started a modified version of “Baby Led Weaning”.
Why Making Homemade Baby Food Easier
Here’s why I think making your own “baby” foods (when done following the tips in my next post is actually EASIER than buying them:
#1 Homemade (frozen) baby food takes up much less space than tons of jarred food!
When I did it, I put the food in my freezer until I needed it and it took up so little space! I actually put over a month worth of food on the door shelves! (No, they didn’t melt because we only open the freezer door once or twice a day)
#2 You don’t need to remember to stock up on a separate item
There’s no need to run to target or a specific store for their sale on baby food, or remember to go to the baby food aisle.
You’ve got enough to remember already! Each week you just pick up one or two extra fruits or vegetables (Or buy more of what’s on your list anyway). You really don’t need to go out of your way to have the ingredients you need to make the baby food.
#3 There’s less waste / No returns to the store
Anytime my first son absolutely refused to eat a certain food, I had two options.
Option A: I could try it again in a few weeks
Option B: I could return it to the store.
Neither was ideal. If I tried again, there was a good chance he still wouldn’t like it. If I returned it … well, that’s a hassle!
Well… with homemade baby food, there are 2 more options!
Option C: Mix the puree into something being made for you and the older members of your family (I did this many times)
Option D: Mix it with another food and the baby might like it as part of a mix!
(Sure you can do that with store purchased baby food, but once you put the spoon back in, you need to use up the whole thing shortly after and chances are you won’t get them to eat all of it.
You’ll still be throwing some out. With homemade food you’re using smaller batches).
#4 You can completely customize what you feed them to their taste!
This is a huge one… even little ones have taste preferences.
While they change more frequently than ours might, I found that my son loved certain combinations and certain spices, and I was able to feed him exactly what he liked at that moment.
The combinations were endless. I wasn’t confined by the variations available in the store or online.
I was able to expose him to combinations that more resembled what he’d be eating later. The exposure to more sophisticated or complex tastes at a young age, helped us realize that he liked some foods that we never thought a baby that’s only 7 or 8 months old would!
And… A BONUS:
You’ll have less trouble transitioning them to finger foods. You’ll be able to more easily control the size of “chunks” in your baby’s food and transition them to finger foods more easily.
It’s not just “3” or “4” stages… it’s gradual and however, you choose. Your baby will likely resist the changes less that way and because the foods will likely still have the same taste (if you use my other tips, you may be broiling or roasting the foods…) they will accept it better.
Deciding to make your own baby food can seem a bit daunting, but I hope this post
makes you at least consider giving it a try!
In my next post, I’ll provide some tips for how to fit making your own baby food into your already hectic schedule, how to make the best-tasting baby food in town, and how to get the most out of the points listed above! I hope you’ll give it a try!
Did you/Do you make your own baby food? How did you find it easier than buying? Why did you make the change? Please comment below!
Agreed~ I made most of my baby’s food and could freeze batches of ice cube trays and mix and match as needed.
It’s so much more convenient ! Thanks for reading !
You make some good points! I think I will try making my own this time around… I’m due in 10 weeks!
Congrats!! Yes it really is so much simpler than I would have ever imagined! I don’t know if you saw it, but in the next post after this one I write about HOW to actually do it in the most efficient way to fit it into you schedule and actually make it easier. I’m also planning to do a post soon outlining which foods to introduce when and how to cook them in order to make your own baby food… Stay tuned!
My Mom made all my baby food way back in 1988! Thanks for sharing this information. What could be better than knowing EXACTLY what you are feeding your baby and having complete control over the preparation. Mom used whip up a batch of fruit, vegetables, beef, chicken, etc., and freeze in ice cube trays. After the trays were frozen solid, she’d pop out the “cubes” and store in freezer bags. Easy, healthy and cost effective!
Yes! Making baby food IS easier. Less stress, less expense, less hassle. But it does take some time to get into a routine and figure out how to do it. Love this!
All very good reasons, AND one more … when you make it yourself you know exactly what’s in it. You can avoid all the preservatives and even added sugar (yes, they put it in quite a lot of baby food).
BTW, for all the same reasons we make our own dog food … and save a small fortune too.
That’s so smart ! Maybe we should start making our own dog food too!