Decide whether or not you are going to make baby food, buy, or do some combination. There is no wrong answer here – do what suits your lifestyle. I made my own baby food and it was actually pretty easy! But for on the go I used pouches becuase I didnt want to deal with the hassle factor of bringing my homemade food (Tip: read the ingredients when buying premade food and stick to things that you can pronounce/try to avoid items with added sugar).
I am personally not a fan of baby rice cereal – ultimately it is a white carbohydrate and there has been a lot of evidence recently that it contains large amounts of naturally occurring arsenic that can possibly be harmful to a baby’s development. It does have iron, but so does formula and many foods. Baby oatmeal is fine, but I actually started with sweet potato. Do what works for you and listen to your doctor if he/she has a specific recommendation for your child.
To make baby food all you have to do is steam the veggies/fruit and puree. I bought this because it was super easy, but you don’t need it. I bought the double, but they make the single too. In the first few weeks of starting solids, start with a watery puree and build up to thicker purees over time.
Once you have a puree made, freeze in silicon ice cube trays (3-4 oz portions). Here are the two trays I use: this or this. Freeze overnight in the silicon trays, and once frozen, empty into a labeled plastic bag like shown in my picture above. Food is good for one month in the fridge, so make sure to label!
When introducing solids, it is a good idea to stick to one food for a day or two just for the first few weeks. Especially when it comes to allergens (eggs, peanuts, berries, etc) —that way if your baby has a reaction you will know what food caused it.
After a few weeks though, I was pretty relaxed about introducing more foods. You want your baby to have a variety just like you! Meat, veggies, fruit, and yogurt are all great options and all provide different nutritional benefits for baby. Talk to your doctor about their views on starting solids especially if you are worried about allergies.
FYI I did no salt/sugar for the first few months because really baby doesn’t need it. Spices are good way to add flavor without the sugar and salt. Once the girls were eating finger foods though, I let them have what we have, and I just try to keep the meals healthy!
Tip: introduce a sippy cup as soon as you start giving food. Don’t push it but let them play and explore. Your baby should learn in the next several months how to use it and it will make your transition from bottles to sippy cups so much easier. I like this sippy cup as well as this one with this nipple.
Rachel is a mama to two beautiful identical twin girls, Izzy and Maddy, and lives in Atlanta with her husband, girls, and cute little pup. Rachel graduated with honors from New York University earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and the Founders’ Day Scholar Award. She also received her Masters of Science in Nursing degree from New York University. Rachel has spent the majority of her career as a pediatric nurse and currently works in pediatric oncology.
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