The 6 Benefits of Homemade Baby Food
In the busy world of parenting, we are constantly looking for ways to save time. Store-bought jars and weaning food can often be convenient for parents and carers who need a quick solution to feed hungry tummies. However, these store-bought purees can often be expensive and may not be the most sustainable for the planet.
In this blog, we will discuss some of the benefits of handmaking your little one's food. From saving your money to being an all-around more fun and engaging experience for you and your child, handmaking your little one’s baby food comes with many pros.
The 6 benefits of homemade baby food:
1. Save your pennies
Shop brought jar baby food can be expensive. This excludes then having to buy additional weaning products such as other weaning foods and pouches. In a cost of living crisis, we all know how important it is to try and save money where possible.
2. Know exactly what your child is eating
Making your little one’s food allows you to know exactly what your child is eating. This can be particularly beneficial if your child has a dietary requirement.
In addition to this, you have a choice over where the ingredients you have sourced come from. This can allow you to make more sustainable choices for you and your little one. If you prefer to shop locally or grow your own vegetables then this can be accommodated to.
3. Nutritional Goodness
To allow store-bought baby food to have a longer expiration date, most store-bought baby foods are shelf stable. This means that the product does not need to be refrigerated and can remain at room temperature for much longer than fresh foods. For a food to become shelf stable it must be processed or treated with heat. Although this allows the food to last for much longer, some of the nutrients contained within the fruits and vegetables can be killed. Handmaking your child’s baby food allows for these nutrients to remain.
4. Enjoy shared family meals
Making some sweet potato wedges tonight for you and your family? Or having some peas and carrots as a side for tonight’s dish? Puree suitable foods for your little one that are already being used in your dishes. Not only will your child be able to taste the same flavours as you but they will also be able to join in the fun at meal times.
5. Help the environment
It is important to check whether the packaging of store-bought weaning foods can be recycled. Although a vast majority can, many will still end up in landfill. Furthermore, glass jars have a risk of smashing and are often much heavier than pouches.
6. Fun for you and your little one!
Making your baby’s food can allow you to experiment with a whole world full of flavours. Shop-bought flavours are often limited. Handmaking your little one's food allows you to try and test exciting new flavour combinations that could not be readily found on the shelves of shops. This also means your little one can expand their weaning palette. Who knew beetroot pancakes could be so delicious?
Choosing whether to buy baby food from a store or make it from scratch is a decision that needs to be made based on your family’s unique and personal needs. Either option can be beneficial for your family. How ever you decide to start or progress your weaning journey, make sure it is fun for you and your little one! Happy weaning!
Looking for a prep machine to help with your weaning journey? We recommend…
The Baby Brezza One Step Food Maker Deluxe provides you with all the tools needed to make, serve and store all your little one’s meals from scratch. Winning Bronze in the Made for Mums Awards 2022, the Baby Brezza One Step Food Maker Deluxe includes a free weaning guide which contains lots of delicious recipes that can be easily and quickly made from the comfort of your home.