Do my homemade baby food cubes have Freezer Burn? Frosty & Ice Crystal-ly

May 1, 2010 Food Safety Tips, freezing baby food

Don’t be alarmed if you see ice crystals forming on your baby food cubes. As mentioned earlier, this is NOT freezer burn rather it is the excess liquid used to make the puree that rises and freezes at the top of the cubes. These crystals (or frost) are not dangerous and will not make your baby food cubes inedible or harmful. 

Freezer Burn – What is it and How may I spot it?

Freezer burn looks like grayish brown spots on the frozen item. It appears as a leathery type texture and is easily noticeable. Crystals on frozen foods are not freezer burn but are a result of any excess liquids being frozen and forming ice crystals.  Freezer burn results when excess air in the frozen package descends on the food. Try to eliminate air pockets in the packages you will be freezing to help stop freezer burn.

Freezer burn does not make a frozen food harmful; it simply makes the areas affected very dry. The only thing that may suffer in foods that have a lot of freezer burn is the quality. You can cut away the burned portions and still be able to use the unaffected area of the food if you want to.

Tags: baby cubes, food cubes, freezer, freezing, freezing baby food

Solid Food Chart – New chart posted is grouped by foods!

Jan 18, 2010 Food Safety Tips, Friendly Baby Food Advice, Nutrition, Resources, Solids and Weaning

Many of our visitors have asked that we create a chart according to foods and food groups;  so today I created a page as well as a download.  I hope you find it helpful.  Please do remember that charts on wholesomebabyfood.com are conservative compared to many other resources.  I have always felt that when feeding babies, it’s better to be conservative – esp. when you have multiples

Please send in your feedback about the chart!  Enjoy

Solid Food Chart Grouped by Foods

One Page Complete Solid Food Chart by Ages/Foods

Tags: charts

Using Breast Milk in Homemade Baby Food

Nov 4, 2009 Food Safety Tips, Friendly Baby Food Advice

Mama Terry wrote to ask about steaming veggies in breast milk. She wondered if this would be a great way to boost up the nutrients in baby’s food. We received an email from another Mama who wondered if nitrates would seep into breast milk if she steamed carrots in breast milk.

Cooking with Breast Milk:
We do not recommend cooking with breast milk (steaming or boiling veggies in it) as the high temperature of steaming/boiling could destroy some of the wonderful nutrients, enzymes et al. that breast milk contains.

Using Breast Milk in Homemade Baby Food:
You may use breast milk to thin your purees. You may use breast milk either before you freeze your purees or after you have thawed the frozen purees. Please keep in mind that you should NOT use previously frozen breast milk to thin purees if you intend to freeze those purees. Previously frozen breast milk should not be thawed and then frozen again!

Using breast milk in homemade baby food will give your baby a familiar taste as well as a nutritional boost!

Regarding “Nitrate” Veggies:

Nitrates may seep into any kind of liquid you use for cooking so we do recommend NOT pureeing with that liquid.

Handling Breast Milk at the CDC
Storing & Transporting Breast Milk – Dr. Sears
Safely Storing Breast Milk – Kids Health
Nitrates and Homemade Baby Food – Wholesomebabyfood

For some recipes on “cooking” with breast milk, check out this page at KellyMom

Tags: breast milk