The proof is in the water – why using cooking water to make baby food purees is a plus

Jul 6, 2010 Fruits and Veggies, Nutrition, freezing baby food, juice, vegetables

  Behold the glass packed full of green liquid gold!   What is this you ask?  This glass is full of cooking water from the steamed broccoli we had for dinner last night.  As I was getting ready to dump the water, I realized this was a good chance to take a photo and show you how valuable the water really is.

 This water contains many of the nutrients that leached from the broccoli into the steaming water.  Recapture those nutrients by using the cooking water to thin your homemade baby food purees whenever possible!  If you’re stewing fruits like blueberries, cherries, or even apricots and peaches, you can freeze the juicy-water and then thaw to add to other baby foods.  These frozen “juices” will give an extra boost of nutrients while adding some yum to other foods.   Thaw some peach “juice” and mix it into some chicken and rice for example. 

*Using the leftover water from steaming/boiling carrots is not a good idea until after baby is around 8 months+ due to nitrates.   Use fresh water (or another liquid) when pureeing carrots for baby food*

Tags: broccoli, juice, steaming

Ideas for using frozen purees now that baby’s eating table foods

Jun 9, 2010 Friendly Baby Food Advice, Fruits and Veggies, freezing baby food

If your baby has moved rather quickly to table foods and/or more chunky foods, you may now find yourself with a freezer full of pureed food cubes that your baby no longer wants to eat. Don’t toss the food cubes away. Use the extra food cubes in the below suggested ways:

Fruit Baby Food Purees

• Use baby food fruit puree cubes for fruit spreads
• Mix the fruit puree cubes with yogurts or cottage cheese
• Add the fruit purees to Baby Meatballs
• Fruit purees make a wonderful addition to Rice Balls
• Use fruit cubes as dipping sauces for your baby’s finger foods
• Add some fruit cubes to a teething biscuit or bread recipe
• Mix extra veggie puree into baby pancakes or a natural Buckwheat pancake mix
• Add leftover fruit baby purees into baked goods recipes such as cakes and breads

Vegetable Baby Food Purees

• Use baby food vegetable cubes for “baby sauce” and pour over pasta and rice dishes
• Mix the veggie purees into Baby Meatballs and Rice Balls
• Veggie purees also make great dipping sauces for baby’s finger foods
• Add some vegetable cubes into a teething biscuit or bread recipe
• Veggie purees are nice to pour over bits of meats
• Mix extra veggie puree into baby pancakes or a natural Buckwheat pancake mix
• Add vegetable baby food purees into your homemade sauces and dips

Tags: frozen, purees

Updating the homemade baby food chart of “how foods freeze”

May 19, 2010 freezing baby food

In the process of updating the chart Baby Foods Freezing Chart , I thought of arranging the chart by type of food.  Would love to hear any input – do you think this format is easier to read/faster to find what you are looking for?