Homemade Baby Food Safety

Homemade Baby Food

According to most pediatricians, mother's milk is the perfect food for your baby. Once your baby reaches the age of six months, you may wish to begin introducing other foods to her diet. You can avoid those store-bought jarred foods filled with additives and who knows what by preparing baby food in your own kitchen.

Baby Food Equipment

Most of the equipment you will need will probably already be in your kitchen.

• Fork or masher
• Sieve, strainer or ricer
• Steamer
• Food mill, blender, food grinder and/or food processor

Homemade Baby Food Safety

Preparing safe food for your baby, is no different than preparing safe food for your family.

• Begin with clean hands.
• Be sure all parts of kitchen equipment have been thoroughly cleaned of old food particles, and rinsed with very hot water.
• Wash utensils and cutting board between different foods, and especially between cutting raw and cooked foods.
• Do not store ground, prepared foods in the refrigerator or freezer longer than the recommended times.
Never refreeze thawed foods.
• Refrigerate or freeze unused foods immediately.
• Pureeed meats and eggs should be used within one day, while fruits and vegetables can last three days in the refrigerator.
• Frozen meals should be sealed in airtight containers and used within two months.

More About Homemade Baby Food:
• Baby Food Tips - Do's
• Baby Food Tips - Don'ts
• Homemade Baby Food Safety and Equipment
• Homemade Baby Food Recipes
• Honey and Health - Warning for Babies