Confession: I’m having a confidence crisis with this site. All of the warning signs were there from the beginning: my disbelief that anyone would appreciate my guidance in the “cook, then purée” approach to food and my disinterest in engaging the kind of “you’re doing it wrong!” commentary that accompanies any parenting discussions on the internet. (However, as a testament to your awesomeness, only a few peeps of it have shown up here but even those disproportionally exasperate me.) (P.S. I think you’re doing a great job.)
Take these peaches; they’re from the freezer section. Peaches are not in season yet in New York (and I’m sorry, New York, but kind of average even when they are) and I saw no point in buying flat-tasting peaches that had been shipped from hundreds of miles away when the frozen ones were already peeled, perfectly pitted (who can pull this off at home? Not me!) and frozen at their peak. I simmered them in water and sprinkled them with a little freshly grated nutmeg; this hardly counts as a recipe worth sharing.
And yet, they were met with a fervor I didn’t know was possible from a 7-month old, though it shouldn’t have surprised me as peaches are the favorite fruit of his father, who we jokingly call the Mega-Me to his Mini-Me. Applesauce was lovely, vanilla pears were delightful and pureed carrots were slurped right down but it was only with peaches that the baby began making a gaspy excited noise between spoonfuls, so loud you can hear it in the next room and know it must be peaches! time! again. And when we added yogurt to these peaches a month later, for Jacob’s “lunch”? He would have licked the bowl clean if we let him. He whimpers when the bowl is empty, the bowl of the most boring recipe for peaches, ever.
I know that things will get more interesting down the road — teething biscuits! mixed spices! maybe even some meat! — but for now, they’re still kind of simple, boring even. So tell me, should I skip over the sleepy purées and tell you only about the unusual ones or are any all recipes, no matter how mundane, welcome here? I’m all ears: talk to me!
Peach Sauce with Nutmeg
1 10-ounce bag frozen peaches (or 10 ounces of peeled, pitted and sliced fresh peaches)
1/2 cup water
A few grinds or scrapes of fresh nutmeg
Bring ingredients to boil in a medium saucepan, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft enough to smash with the back of a fork. Let cool in cooking liquid. Purée in a food processor, blender or food mill and freeze in small portions.
This only makes about 1 1/2 cups of sauce, but it is a good level to audition and see if your baby likes it. If s/he does, this is a cinch to scale up as a freezes perfectly in small portions. Check out the Tools page for how I approach the processing and storage of baby food.
Please continue, even with these simpler recipes you deem boring! Also note, I do not have children and I thoroughly enjoy reading your approach. I am so happy to know these things are possible (someday). I adore gaspy noises (most often heard when I make blueberry pancakes for my best friend’s 18 month old.)
I love them all, keep them coming! If not for the actual recipe part so much as the idea part. I have a tendency to get stuck in a rut of green beans, avocados, squash, then start it all over again. If nothing else these “boring” puree recipes will kick me in a different direction in the grocery store. And I love the bonus baby pictures!
Deb! I love these posts, so please don’t stop! I am pregnant with my first child and I’m excited to have this resource for when my little one is older!
As a soon-to-be new mom, I really appreciate the recipes, no matter how mundane! I read each one and get excited about making it for my little man when he finally gets here and gets past the liquid diet phase of his life. :)
i like the puree recipes! i am still months from solid foods as i am still a month from having baby twins, but i am already enamored with this site. mom and dad love smittenkitchen and now babies will get a chance to love it too! it doesn’t matter that i might be able to figure this out myself (as in the cook then puree the ingredient), these recipes mean i get a chance to see what you’re up to, see links to the most adorable boy on the planet, and consider adding a flavor i would never think of on my own. it will help me raise little foodies.
Keep the puree recipes coming. As an expectant first time mom, I keep bookmarking them for when it will be the time for my bay girl to be to be eating them. Thanks!
Keep them coming!!! any way you please. I’m just starting solids with my 5 mo old. I have questions swirling in my head constantly and reading your recipes grounds me down to the simple fact that: my BABY is eating. food. Heartbreaking and exciting all at once. Thanks for launching this. I’ll be reading as long as you’re writing it.
I’m just here for the pictures of Jacob, cutest kid ever! I honestly think that the simple and mundane is a great idea and will make it a useful resource for someone having a baby a year from now as they can just start from the beginning and work their was through the recipes. It might be helpful later on to have an organizational index that breaks things down by age. I think overall this site should be set up as a long term resource, because honestly if I have to keep looking at that adorable kid I might just decide to have one myself!
No! Keep going!
Yes, please keep the “plain” purees coming! My six month old (the one who attempted swiping pineapple off of his father’s plate) will eat anything we give him so I need all of the ideas I can get. At least until he’s able to eat recipes from the “big people” version of Smitten Kitchen. :)
Yes, yes, please continue! I also don’t have a little one yet, but am excited that I’ll be able to have this as a reference in the near future starting with the easy recipes all the way up through the more “interesting” ones!
We faithful readers love you, Deb, and Jacob – so it’s kind of like reality television – we read not just for substance, but also for entertainment and to feel in some tiny (kind of weird) way part of your life – at least from the outside. So many people do not even try to make their own baby food – I know I only pureed a few times when J was a baby – it’s inspirational and you make it seem so simple. Keep it up!
Aw, thanks everyone. I appreciate the cheers and I’m glad that even boring recipes will be useful. We’ve got some banana, mango, yams, spinach, leeks, peas, strawberries etc. coming up. And hopefully a teething biscuit. Because there’s a tooth, and I fear, more to come.
Please continue. With any and all entries you have the time to add. I’ve made all the food for my two girls (the youngest is 9 months) and it was a no-brainer for me, but so many people just don’t get how easy, inexpensive and healthy it is. To be able to control salt, fat, organic, etc. is a huge benefit early on, and I think sets the tone for their gastronomic future. People need all the encouragement they can get to not feed their babies “baby” food and not only feed their kids “kid” food. There’s absolutely no reason that our children shouldn’t eat exceptionally well, and from varied sources. I fully believe that my efforts have produced two great eaters and when we eat out there is no “children’s menu” just options off the regular menu – and that applies to Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and Mexican. Of course there will be phases, preferences and food jags, but with a good foundation, they’ll come of it O.K.. Keep up the good work!!!
I’m expecting my first baby late this year and I have really been enjoying the baby food recipes, techniques and tips. Even though I won’t be able to use any of them for more than a year, I’m stockpiling the ideas! Please keep them coming!
I’m right there with everyone else – the purees ideas aren’t boring at all! You’re doing exactly what I’ve planned to hopefully do when my baby gets old enough (she arrives in a couple of weeks), and your flavour combinations will surely help me out when my sleep-starved brain is trying to figure all of this out down the road. Besides, if you didn’t do a post to match those lovely spinach and white yam photos on Flickr I’d be heartbroken!
Most definitely continue, Deb! My daughter was born just 3.5 months earlier than Jacob, so as such, I’ve had several weeks of a headstart on making solids for her. I knew long before I was even pregnant that I’d be making homemade, organic meals for my baby, so when she turned 4 months old, I turned to the web for inspiration. And I have to say, it’s less than inspiring out there in the world of baby food recipes! In absolute honesty, I was wishing beyond all else that YOU would start a baby food blog… bringing all of the love, innovation, and deliciousness from your usual cooking/baking into this arena. But at the time, it seemed like that was just wishful thinking. I’m so incredibly thrilled to see that you’ve started doing what I imagined you would! Now that my baby just turned 12 months old last week, she’s still only eating my various purees (she has only two teef, you see) and loving them. I look forward to seeing how your recipes evolve as Jacob grows (as does his little developing palate)! I’ve become a bit of a baby food connoisseur and inventive recipe expert – and as such, there’s not a vegetable or fruit that my baby doesn’t like. Meat, however, we’re still working on… that leads to an immediate gag and her little tongue pushing it right out of her mouth (but thankfully there are lentils and daals to be made!).
Please continue with the baby food recipes and know that you’ll have a fervent reader in me (and countless others, I’m sure)! PS – Jacob is so flippin’ cute, I can hardly contain myself!!!
Please keep it coming! I find much inspiration from the few you’ve posted so far. Mostly in that I CAN do this, it really is simple. But also, I love your flavor picks. I am not sure I’d have done carrots, embraced the freezer or thought to mix purees with yogurt as she gets older. So, thank you and please keep it up. I would like to avoid “baby food” as much as I can being a full-time working mom. You make me think it is possible.
Keep it up, because you never just boil and puree, you always add some sort of spice or two to make it interesting. And I don’t even have kids!
Keep it up! I’ve been wanting to try peaches but they’re not in season in DC either (the ones at our co-op are hard and tiny) (that’s what she said) but I never would have thought of just using frozen ones! We’re moving away from purees at this point now that the baby is 9 months old but still, the flavor ideas – nutmeg! – and serving suggestions – yogurt, yum! – are really helpful.
Continue! I was just telling another mom about this site last night. It’s hard to think of interesting foods to give them. And I love the pictures!
I say keep it up if it’s not too much trouble. My boyfriend’s sister is pregnant and not too experienced at cooking. By seeing these easier recipes she will be way more likely to try them and hopefully switch to making baby food. Plus your combinations are yummy and I’ve definitely been eating that applesauce myself. I just made my third batch yesterday!
Keep it up, please! This is inspiring. Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with ideas for what to make my own 7 month old. I’m going to try peaches today. I’ve also been thinking about how to make veggies more interesting to her sweet breast milk palate. Thoughts?
Deb,
Keep the site alive, we all know how the introduction of food goes, I going to make this recipe for my baby.
Thanks for your work!
PLEASE keep posting these. My baby is only a few weeks behind your bean (9/29). I need the handholding and the positive reinforcement for what I am doing. I’ve been cooking all her own stuff except today when I opened one of those Sprout pouches because it was peaches and peaches weren’t yet in season. I should just head to Trader Joes and go get me some frozen peaches! BTW, we recently sauteed onions and yellow squash and pureed and received some of the best ‘thank you mom’ looks ever.
Oh Deb, please don’t stop! Maybe it seems boring to you, but I definitely didn’t think to add nutmeg to peaches for my daughter. (Truth to be told, she ate it faster than I could peel peaches last summer at 9months) I really felt lonely when I decided to make all her baby food because I met with some, “Are you crazy? Those stuff in the jar is much healthier and easier” type of comments, so I’m glad to know that you are and a lot of other people had done it. Keep up the good work! Besides I just love seeing Jacob growing up with his adorable hair!!!
You know I’m thinking of making this and pour over vanilla ice cream.
Please keep posting. My 1.5 yr old is now refusing any and all veggies, no matter what and I’m thinking about baby food style veggies (which he loved) and want to use your ideas and recipes!
Do you mix cereals in with your purees very often? Or a little breastmilk/formula? Both?
Amy — We use an Earth’s Best mixed oat/barley/spelt cereal in the morning. Mix a tablespoon of it with some apple sauce and water, or another fruit soon as we’re low on applesauce and I don’t think I’ll make it again until the fall. So breakfast = cereal and fruit. Lunch = yogurt and fruit. Dinner = vegetables and soon, some protein or grains.
Sara — Thank you for the reminder that TJ’s has great frozen produce. I totally forgot. We live close to it but we’re terrified of the store because the lines snake and snake around it’s just horrible. But for good frozen produce (which seriously makes this baby food gig SO easy; already prepped!) it will be worth it.
Please post anything and everything!
My daughter is a month older than Jacob (although MUCH balder, sadly), and I’m making all of her food – but I work full-time, and it’s hard to find inspiration sometimes (or find the time to get inspired!). Your posts give me new ideas (leeks! of course!).
Love both of your sites so much!
I am on baby number two (almost 8 months old) and am making all of her baby food, something that I didn’t do for baby number one (and feel slightly guilty for, looking back on that now). This sight gives me great inspiration on what to cook for her, so keep it coming. I use what other moms are feeding their babies as a benchmark for what I should do, so I appreciate the advice! I just made some peaches last week and I have to say my little one gulps them down too. I have squash and zucchini in the ground outside, so once they sprout they are on my list. Many thanks for your site.
I have a 4.5 month old and we just started this whole solid foods thing – please do continue with the mundane – in the beginning, even the “boring” is useful and I’m sure I’m not the only one at the beginning of all this.
Please keep going. Please?
I compulsively check for updates & my little boy can’t get enough of your stuff!
I’m a first time mom to a 6.5 month old little boy and really neeeed you to keep going. Although I was convinced about making his food, it is only now that he’s convinced he wants to eat it. You simplest of recipes is a world of help to newbees like myself. As an example, I had been steaming & processing carrots until your carrot post. gross. And clumpy. what a difference boiling & keeping the water made! See? I NEED you to keep going ;)
Definitely continue!! I don’t even have a baby, but am planning on starting a family soon, and find this all really interesting. Especially since you are doing something I’ve had a theory about- by adding spices and seasoning to baby food, they are more likely to embrace a world of flavours and be less fussy eaters later on. This is my very uneducated theory, so fresh grated nutmeg to peaches and pears simmered with vanilla are all great in my books!
please keep going.If for nothing else, this wonderful documentary of all the things your little one has enjoyed.
Deb, Really, where were you when I was pureeing for my first, Dorothy, and my twin boys, Adam and Reid. I had the same lapses in confidence…primarily because Dorothy only wanted to nurse, and food, any food, was like poison to her. And with A and R, how could I not be nervous after feeding D?
But, really, people NEED you! you’ll be making a baby food cookbook soon!
First, I’m shocked to see another commenter named Shara!
And, I concur with the other comments. I have a 4 month old that will be starting solids in the next month or two, and I’ve been checking this blog almost daily for new recipe ideas. Sure, it’s not as involved as lamb chops or lemon bread, but to a new mom like me, baby food is just as exciting!
Oh, please continue! I’m really enjoying the site. I think you did the right thing by separating the baby recipes from the main site, and those of us interested in baby food can easily find the recipes. My son is 6.5 months old, and we’ve already used your recipes for apples and pears. I enjoy your anecdotes and the thought process behind the things you’re making. It was your site that made me realize I could use my old lumbering food processor to make silky-smooth purees, rather than buying some new device. I think you should continue with the purees – surely more interesting things are on the horizon, but I personally enjoy seeing the whole spectrum.
One thing I’ve learned about looking for baby advice online – someone will always want to tell you you’re doin’ it wrong. Previously, I’d have wondered who could possibly give a mama a hard time about making wholesome, fresh food for her baby – but surely someone out there has seen fit to tell you that you’re disrespecting your child by offering purees, you’re feeding him solids too early, cereal is a waste or downright harmful… blah. To heck with ’em. You’re doing a great job. :)
Keep it coming, please. I can’t wait for the teething biscuit recipe.
I’m a first time mom to a 9 month old (with no teeth yet) who’s not really into purees, or any baby food for that matter. I love food and cooking and tried making baby food for months only to have it rejected and repeatedly pushed away. Maybe she’ll like your peaches. Only recently has she started eating teeny, tiny amounts of food off my plate. I guess every baby is different.
Please continue! I have a baby due in December so I understand I am a LONG way off from any of this, however I am still fasinated! When I realized I could make my own baby food I was so excited, but a little lost. Sounds simiple, yes, but always good to get a reference and an opinion of someone else who tried it.
Thanks so much for sharing even these “boring” recipes. I love them!
I know everyone is already saying this but I LOVE this new off-shoot site! I’m 30, sans children, but being the planner that I am I tend to think a lot about things like “what will I do when I have kids?” I can pretty much guarantee that in (??) years, when I pop out a little sucker, I’ll be using your blog as a main resource. Preparation/storage tips, ideas for what to prepare, etc are all super great. That and more hidden pictures of your little one for us to see. Love it all- I really hope you continue with it. (And seeing that there are over 75 baby cookbooks on Amazon it’s obvious people still wanna hear all about how to “cook, puree, freeze”)
Please keep going! I love to cook and look forward to when we have a baby, ahem hopefully sooner than later, that I will be able to cook some tasty food for the baby as well. I love all the photos of your little Jacob, I don’t miss clicking on a single one!
Please keep ’em coming! I have a five month old and am already wringing my hands in anxiety about how I will make his food starting next month. I have the most inane questions, and it’s like you’re reading my mind, patting my mind and saying, ‘it’s ok, that’s actually a great question, and here’s the answer.’ For example, just this morning I was thinking about peaches, and wondering how I would serve them to my boy. Do I have to cut them up? Seems difficult given the pit and how juicy they are. Then what? Do I cook them? In what? For how long? So, while it may seem elementary to you, dear Watson, it’s rather enlightening to those of us who are all thumbs in the kitchen.
I’ll join the choir – do keep going! My boy is two months younger than yours and I’m also cooking all of his food from scratch – and I know, it’s cook and purée, and a lot of love, but sometimes, you need a little more. That’s where ‘goo’ fits perfectly. I love – ahem, he loves – how you always add a little extra – it’s not *just* applesauce, it’s applesauce with cinnamon and lemon peel. Keep up the good work, you’re a source of inspiration, not just in the original Smitten Kitchen, but also here.
I wasn’t sure how I missed these “goo” posts until this week! I just ordered my ice cube trays, convinced my husband that I would be cooking all the baby food unless an emergency strikes, and love the peach idea and tips (being from Washington). Thank you for the inspiration and easy to follow directions in the big and little world.
I am devoted reader of smitten kitchen. I love your site, its photography, the writing and most importantly the recipes. Now that I am a grandmother, I am enjoying this site as well. Please do not stop. I love watching the baby whenever his parents “share”. Since my son and daughter-in-law work, I have used your suggestions to prepare foods as I had forgotten how easy it is to make healthy and wholesome food, it’s been a long time since a baby’s been in my kitchen. Your ideas are great! Please keep going. My daughter-in-law appreciates the frozen baby food cubes, which I send home.
I love reading these, and I’m 10+ years away from having a baby! I have always said I will make my own baby food when I do have one, so this is fun to read and think about even though it’s not happening now.
I really enjoy this side blog. It’s great to hear not only about how you’ve simplified everything for yourself but how much Jacob loves the food you’re preparing for him. I can’t believe he’s got a tooth already!
Please keep going. We don’t have any babies, (yet) but I love the idea of making food for my children from the very beginning. I can’t wait to introduce them to food! You always have great ideas for making even “basic” food interesting, and I’ll be glad to have all this information at my fingertips when I need it. Just reading your posts and being able to see your food and your little boy is something I look forward to every day. Thank you so much for sharing this process with us!
Deb, I so wish that Jacob was a few months earlier. I would have loved to join your exploration in delicious homemade baby food. My daughter is now 14 months old and well past the pureed food stage. She certainly seems to love everything I blended up for her (except broccoli and green beans). I would like to recommend this Sunset recipe when you get to meat and mixed vegetable dinners http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1571517. It was delicious and can certainly be pureed and still be amazing.
I am entering my 3rd trimester in two days, and I was beyond excited when I read that you were going to start a baby food blog (something I had hoped you would do when Jacob was first born). So – PLEASE, don’t stop! I love the purees because those are the first recipes I’ll need!
Anything you want to write about feeding babies (tools used, cookbooks referenced, tips and tricks) will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!!
stop right there. do not move. do not pass go, do not collect $200 dollars. I need you here. Being the foodie that I am, I could not wait to give my little one something I made with my hands rather than *ahem* other body parts… He’s only 4 months, but I made those pears (sans vinegar, this time)… and the birdie mouth and little gasps and smiles followed! from both the little one and the husband!! I really look forward to any and all recipes you come up with for the little ones. …and besides, I told all my mom-with-babies friends about this. You’ll make me look bad if you go away. :)
I want the mundane because more posts=more pictures of Jacob. Weee!
Deb, I discovered your main site as a newlywed a little over a year ago when looking for a pizza dough recipe (scrumptious!) and fell in love. Now, preggers with our first baby, I am very much enjoying all your baby-food recipes as well, and looking forward to making them for Junior/Juniorette when the time comes. Basics are good; it’s nice to be reassured that this feeding kids real, wholesome food thing doesn’t have to involve a half-dozen pots and pans every time.
PS – although I use your pizza recipe at least four times a month, my favorite recipe of yours EVER is the Bailey’s cupcakes. Divine. Perhaps not baby-food appropriate, but more recipes with Irish Cream would not go amiss. ;-)
I’m all about the puree recipes, since that’s what we’re doing here, too. Just a question – any reason why you’re pureeing with water and not your milk of choice (whatever it may be)? Just curious since I’ve been making everything with breast milk, but my frozen supply is almost gone and I’m not relishing the thought of pumping any more. Did the doctor say anything about water vs milk in things?
Don’t sweat it! Really, the time they’re eating purees is so relatively small that it will pass before you know it and then you won’t have to worry. It’s amazing how quickly they’re able to handle table foods, and then the possibilities are endless! I think the unique puree recipes are great and a very welcome change from the typical ones you see around. I also think they could very easily be served to older babes non-pureed, so it’s a win-win.
Keep doing it! People think that baby food is expensive and time consuming and all sorts of other things and you are combatting that one post at a time! Go Deb!
Please keep posting Deb! I enjoy reading the stuff your write about food, any food, so much that even though I have no children (and probably wont for at least ten more years) I check smitten/baby daily to see if you’ve updated!
I’m enjoying these simple foods, but my son is the same age as yours. One question for you. The book that I am using as a guide (super baby foods) says re-freezing previously frozen vegetables is a no-no. I was pretty disappointed as my plan for spinach was to start with frozen. (That’s otherwise a lot of spinach to wash.) Thoughts? It seems to me that if you defrost, cook then immediately freeze, there is no ample window for bacterial growth.
I do think you should keep it up — as Jacob’s diet enlarges and diversifies, so will the recipes on the site, but the site will be a better tool in the long run if it can help parents from the get-go! Besides, you’re demystifying an area that seems to need a lot of that. Personally I can’t wait til you get to the toddler stage to see what you’re cooking for him then! (My 2-year-old loves the Baked Chicken Meatballs among other SK favorites.)
Your baby is so adorableee. I hope my future kids will be half as cute as he is. :)
I love the baby food recipes (as well as all your other recipes). I don’t know why anyone would consider buying bottled/canned baby food from grocery stores when it really only is mashed up regular-people food.
Come down to South Carolina one summer and you WILL get your peach fix.
I’m going to start Bayla on solids in a few weeks (wow, that is both scary and exciting!). I’ve been reading about it online a lot and I’ve even bought and read a whole book on the matter. However, I’m still really into your take on things because the little added touches make things interesting. Please keep it up if it’s not too boring for you.
PLEASE don’t think anything’s too simple to post! I’m 36 weeks bumpy with my first – I’m so happy that even when I’m too busy and tired to cook real adult food (thankfully the freezer’s stocked in readiness!) I can still get a SmittenFix that’s relevant to my interests and appropriate for what cooking skills my sleep deprived brain may still posess : ) Even for the basics, it’s great to get the opinions of someone whose taste in adult food I trust!
Please don’t stop! I can’t wait to make some of these for my son, but it’s at least 2 more months. And I really want to see how you get Jacob to eat greens!
oh! Are you going to set up the ability to subscribe by email for goo?
where do you stand on organic produce? when i have used frozen (peas specifically) we used organic. i checked TJs though and they don’t have any peaches, let alone organic. (they do have organic veggies though).
I am well past the baby food stage..er..like by 26 years, but I can’t help but think that this chronicle of baby-side of the food world will bring other writing opportunities to you at some point.
I don’t even have a kid, and I still click over here on occasion! As other readers have said, this will be such a great resource for when I DO have a little one. Keep up the good work! :)
Yes, please do continue. My son lurves the pears with balsamic and vanilla, something I would totally not have considered. I think this will be next up. And I’m super excited to see what you write for the teething biscuit. We’ve been having teething issues since 3 months and they’re just not coming through! Poor little guy.
With so many children malnourished in America and other 1st world countries these days, we can never, ever get enough encouragement rooting for delicious, nutritious (easy!) meals for babies. Because, serious, what mom on planet earth has time to do more than that on some nights?! :) The beautiful photos, lip-smacking narration, and whole-to-goodness taste and exotic vitamins behind each recipe gives moms everywhere that much more encouragement to carry on.
Not the girl that comments, but out of pure fear that you might not post another simple puree recipe I cannot stop myself. I literally just screamed with pure joy I might add…”we got another recipe!” to my husband when I saw the peach sauce post.
I await greedily for each new recipe. Hudson is 5 months and is enjoying every bit of the fruits of your labor! And I must say…I have found that the carrot puree cubes are a wonderful treat for my pups.
So, please continue to share – and thank you for opening your kitchen up to all of us!
I love that you are posting baby food recipes. I’m five months pregnant and I already starting print out these recipes.
Please! More veggies! My son has not met a fruit he didn’t gobble down. And yogurt? Better than mama’s milk! But veggies? All produced a gag and a face that saId “what is this you’re feeding me? Poison?” until your carrots, which elicited a delightfully open mouth, asking for more. So keep ’em coming! Please!
Please keep posting! I love cooking and am looking forward to having this for a resource when we have our own little one soon. Not to mention that I’m spreading the word about the new baby food recipes to all of my new mom friends. Keep them coming! No recipe is too boring. They’re all great!
Yes, please! Keep the recipes coming, even if you feel they are boring. They are inspiration to me to keep at it. I never gave my first anything beyond gerber foods (which are most excellent and have their place) and I immediately regretted it the day she refused to have one more bite of baby food. I hadn’t introduced any other new textures or flavors and we have food problems to this day. My second is 6 months and we are already delving into more ‘exciting’ purees. Avocado mashed with banana is a real winner! Plus more recipes = more pictures of Jacob, right?
You could be writing about hemorrhoids and I would still read it
What’s so mundane about “cook, then puree”? I read your posts for the stories. The baby pictures and gorgeous food photography are a major perk. The amazing proliferation of delicious recipes is just a minor one.
Please don’t stop! Babies love simple food. It’s how they develop their taste. And you have good ideas – vanilla with pear, nutmeg with peaches – I fail to think of adding spices – you help us become creative! The prospect of a recipe to make teething biscuits really has me happy – my little boy is a drooly teething monster! I give him these organic ones, but they are messy and I don’t exactly know how much sugar they have in them. I would feel so much more comfortable giving him homemade ones.
Keep them coming! My little Mederic says thanks!
I don’t have any kids to feed so unless you start a cat food section of your blog, I’m not reading it for the recipes, just ‘cos I like reading about what you’re feeding your little man :)
Keep it up!
Francheska- Seeing as how Smitten Kitchen posts are always accompanied by large, wonderful photographs, I think she should steer clear of that topic ;)
I second all. Don’t stop! I enjoy the recipes (and commentary), and I also don’t even have a kid. 79 and counting can’t be wrong. I am a long time SK reader. But I found this site by accident searching for an applesauce recipe (cook, then puree is not so obvious to us all. Some of us just want to be told what to do). Don’t be shy to let your regular readers know what is going on over here!
If you are enjoying posting, please continue! If the recipes don’t interest you and you have a few other things on your mind, pause until you ARE more interested in what Jacob’s eating. You are completely entitled to only post things you enjoy.
If you are just asking if anyone is actually using the recipes…I think the other comments speak for themselves. I managed to get hold of a baby/toddler food book in the nick of time when my 16 month old was ready to start solids, so I can tell you that I was in a panic before I got it despite considering myself handy in the kitchen. Surely it can’t be as easy as boil and puree? And it’s not, quite, as you’ve noted.
I don’t have kids, but I love your writing. If I did have kids, that version of me would make my own baby food. Either way, your writing is always charming, as is your adorable son.
Don’t stop now: I just found the “goo” site!! Curious, what type of yogurt are you using? I tried a plain, Mediterranean-style yogurt and bebe gave it two-thumbs down (or one tightly clamped mouth).
A second thought … maybe you’re not interested, but I’ll share anyways :) My baby’s current favourite is a leek/spinach/carrot/pea puree. My hubby smelled it simmering on the stove and was quite disappointed to find out that it wasn’t OUR dinner, funny!
I would continue. If my favorite applesauce recipe could be summed up as boil apples with water, cinnamon and ginger, then even your ‘boring purees’ are most welcome. Besides, these are things that adults can eat but often don’t think about (I want to make peach sauce now!).
First off, love your blog and am incredibly thankful that you started a baby “goo” blog. I also love your approach on not buying any fancy schmancy kitchen gadgets that would just take up space and I would only use for a few months to get creamy baby food purees. On that note, I made this peach sauce today with frozen peaches (from Whole Foods) for my 6.5 month old and when I taste-tested it, my version was not nearly as creamy and smooth as what I have purchased from the store and the puree was quite tart (not sure if it’s supposed to be more tart than sweet?). So, I may just need to buy a food mill if I can blend my purees into submission, but on the flavor issue, should I add anything to make it sweeter – like maybe some vanilla bean pear sauce (assuming I can get that to be silky smooth) or just some store-bought baby food pears/apples? Or is it supposed to be tart?
And please keep going – I really would love to have a kid that isn’t nearly as picky or as poor of an eater as I was for my poor mother.
All your recipes, no matter how mundane, are very welcome! I have a little guy about 2-3 months younger than yours, and have been looking forward to cooking for him.
I know that you talk about pots and pans in the Tools section of this site, but I was wondering if you could tell me what size All-Clad pot you used in the first photo. It looks smaller than the 8 quart stockpot that comes with the 10 piece set, right? Thanks!
The “boring” recipes are welcome too. Please, post them. It will make me feel like less of a failure as a mother for not presenting such gourmet dishes to my 9-month-old, who does not have a sweet tooth of any kind. Maybe nutmeg would help, but he’s not a big fan of peaches, or any kind of fruit, or even sweet potatoes, squash, or carrots. Since we get a lot of commercial baby foods for free, I have not attempted making my own baby foods yet. This leaves peas, green beans, and jarred meat mush as the only foods he likes. Makes for a lot of green poo. But, I suppose it could be worse.
As a first time mom-to-be I am loving all the recipes. I enjoy reading and seeing what I will be able to make from scratch once my little girl is older. I enjoy the “boring” recipes just as much as the more unusual ones. Keep them coming!
This is a valuable resource to us all. Remember, you have a huge following, and the power to inspire many parents to cook real live healthful food for their babies instead of feeding them “a jar of this and a jar of that” as most pediatricians might suggest. Inspiring indeed. Keep it up!
I just about jumped out of my chair when I discovered a few weeks ago that Smitten Kitchen had a Baby Kitchen. I think I will cry if you stop feeding me puree recipes. I made all my son’s baby food but have been so lacking in motivation to do it again that my poor 7-month-old daughter is still almost exclusively breastfed. (Lest anyone feel TOO badly for her, she’s a delightful little chub who clearly hasn’t missed any milk meals.) I happen to have a bag of frozen peaches, so peach sauce is on the menu for tomorrow. If due to some quirk of nature my daughter doesn’t gobble them up, I’m positive her big brother will be happy to do it for her!
I just made a version of your pear/vanilla/balsamic sauce with some sub-par papaya I had in the fridge… for myself… to pour over yogurt this morning. So no, please don’t stop!
Yup. I agree with many others. No children, read smittenkitchen, and occasionally click over here to see what’s going on. I enjoy it every time. It must be a challenge to strike a balance between purees and Jacob stories, but I think you hit the mark. It might be interesting to share things he hates, or other things that you’ve learned about feeding him.
The beauty of the /baby section is that it is not meant to stand alone. It is not pretentious. It is cute, and who knows, maybe one day it will even be useful to me? (but not anytime soon. I’m 24.)
Please don’t stop posting! I’m pregnant with my first and need all the inspiration and step-by-step instructions as possible. Thank you!
I’m with everyone else. Love Smitten Baby, and my Gracie is about a week or two behind your Jacob. A little envious yours is so excited about food. Gracie is doing just okay, which can be disheartening since I’ve been spending all this time making everything from scratch! Recently started getting adventurous with herbs and spices and she seems to be loving it (finally!).
Here’s a request: I just introduced ground turkey which she promptly spit out…can’t really blame her ’cause even though I mixed it with the most delicious pureed pears (her favorite), I didn’t care for it, either. Have you tried any meats yet? Anything to improve the pureed ground turkey would be much appreciated over here.
Don’t stop posting recipes! I love them! That nutmeg picture looks familiar… I believe I bought it from your smugmug site and it is hanging in my kitchen.
Add me to the list of readers who don’t have kids, and don’t make baby food.
Yet I *love* this little part of your site for two reasons: (1) I enjoy your writing, and (2) because it has these simple little mixtures (pears & vanilla, peaches & nutmeg) that give me ideas for other things. For example, the next time I make a peach cobbler, type of thing, I might toss in a scrape of nutmeg or two.
I’m at the point where I’m just barely comfortable tweaking recipes – taking out a little of this, substituting a little (or a lot) of that – and these little simple babyfood recipes show me new (or new-to-me, or “oh, YEAH, I forgot about that) flavor combinations that I’ll remember the next time I make a grown-up vegetable puree, or a fruity dessert sauce.
So, thanks!
Love this recipe! I can’t wait to try it on my son. I have been using a baby cookbook from William Sonoma but this is a great additional resource. Love this website and can’t wait for the cookbook!
Please keep posting puree recipes. I’m not confident enough in the kitchen to know that 1/2 cup of water is enough for 10 oz. of peaches. Seriously. I need you to tell me these things.
As an aside, I’ve gone my whole life making fun of my mother for pureeing and freezing ice cubes of liver and spinach for me when I was a baby. And now I’m like, “Oh. I get it.”
Deb…
PLEASE keep posting about baby food!! I personally think the recipes are excellent and I love reading what you have to write :-) I don’t have kids, but I think that your writing is fantastic, the pictures good enough to drool over (especially the ones with a certain cutie in them :-), and the recipes are amazing (even if they are baby food :-)!!
Keep at it…you are amazing!!
Yes, the early foods do seem too simple for “recipes”, but please keep posting! Even the simple ones remind me how easy it is to cook for my babies (twins just a tiny bit older than Jacob) instead of buying jarred baby food. I rely on the jarred stuff a lot (two hungry babies + full-time office job), but you do inspire me, and I am making an effort to make more fresh stuff for them. Plus I really enjoy reading to see what Jacob is up to and what he’s eating since he’s so close in age to my munchkins.
Any thoughts yet on what you’re going to make for his first birthday? (I understand if you’re trying not to think about it yet though – I alternate between excitement about the fun that is to come, and nostalgia for the babyhood that’s disappearing).
Deb, I’m just wondering … were these recipes actually Jacob’s first tastes of these food? I mean, did you ever give him just apples or just pears or just peaches? Or were his very first tastes enhanced with the additions of lemon peel and vanilla bean and nutmeg? I just wonder if there’s a benefit to starting plain and then adding all the other goodness. I’m starting to worry that the additions, would create too sophisticated a palate and then make it difficult for my baby to enjoy those fruits plain later on. What do you all think?
pinkmin — I definitely think about that. A lot of baby food recipes I see suggest adding cinnamon to fruit — what happens when the baby thinks all fruit tastes like cinnamon? So I keep the initial purees it as plain as possible. The first time I made peaches, I added nothing. The second time, I did a couple scrapes of nutmeg. I wasn’t trying to change the peach flavor, just add a little complimentary something-something to it. I try not to use the same “seasonings” in two foods.
Britta — It is actually a 3-quart, and a good question. My parents bought us this set a bunch of years ago as a gift. I’d wanted this one, with a 3-quart lidded saute pan, but due to a little miscommunication, ended up with this one, with a 3-quart casserole-style saucepan (short handled). It has ended up being one of the most useful pots in my kitchen. My stove is small and the volume distributed vertically rather than horizontally allows me to actually use four burners at once. You can buy it separately but it is no steal.
Kylee — If it wasn’t smooth, try cooking it a little longer. To add sweetness without sugar, I find a banana works great.
Anne — Jacob and I “share” yogurt — usually Stoneyfield Farm or Liberte full fat plain. I like Greek-style yogurt for some things, like baking, sauces and dressings, but find it too heavy and thick for a daily bowl. Just my personal taste, and Jacob gets stuck with what I buy! :)
Leah — So cute!
Amber — Another good question. Most baby food recipes I’ve seen say to puree food with breast milk or formula and oh god I’m going to get in trouble for this but I find it really unappealing. I mean, do we puree our own foods with milk? I don’t. So I’ve instead tried to keep the flavors as authentic to the original foods as possible, rationalizing that there’s nothing wrong with letting carrots taste like carrots, and allowing the baby to like carrots for carrots, and not because they remind him of something else.
Oh please do continue. Our little one is now 15 months old and it has been in making her meals that I’ve discovered all sorts of foods I’d never tried before. I love seeing these for whenever we have a second one. Can I suggest one receipe that we were SHOCKED our baby enjoyed SHOCKED! Shredded sauteed zucchini with quinoa and a tsp of cumin – she still ADORES it.
I find myself totally saddened that I don’t have babies to make baby food for any longer. That Jacob Henry is one lucky little man.
Awww, Deb, have fun with purees!!! It’s such a short-lived stage (my toddler is pushing two, waaaah) but really delightful. You have total control over what they eat and since it’s such a new experience overall they tend to reject very little, or at least that’s been my experience. I often think longingly back to the days of the puree when yet another one of my amazing homemade creations ends up decorating the floor or in the dog dish nowadays. :)
keep them coming!! My daughter will be starting on solids in the next month or so and I will happily come to you for recipes. I love that you are introducing spices to your little man and plan on doing the same thing.
I live in South Carolina, and even though I grew up in the “Peach State”, SC grows the most delicious peaches probably in the world. I can’t wait to introduce their deliciousness to her as one if her first foods.
I love you baby food site. My son is about a month younger then yours and I have been enjoying all that you are sharing. I make my own baby food as well and the peaches do seem to be a big hit. Have not tried nutmeg yet, but added a bit of vanilla and cinnimon. He loves it. Almost as much as his green beans with fresh mint. Foodie in the making.
I am excited to hear more about leeks. Also wondering if you have tried different grains… barley, amarath. Curious about the yogurt as well.
Thanks again.
I’m two months out from being a first time mom and I can’t get enough of the baby food recipes (as well as the “big people” recipes). I know my mother will think I’m crazy for making baby food, but it’s nice to have the moral support of you and your readers as well as the practical tips and advice included in every posting. Please keep it coming… even if you weren’t in Boca this week, which I might not entirely believe. :)
can’t wait to see the teething biscuit recipe!
dear deb,
you absolutely must continue! and here is why:
1. your compatriot new mums, just starting down the wild path of solids, so much appreciate your ideas and experimentation (yes, every book I read says: single ingredient! hold on the spices! but even my pediatrician says… “well, if there is no family history of allergies… try it!”)
2. I love these recipes! and I am almost certain my daughter is going to be absolutely tickled to try them as some of her first foods
3. as always, your lively banter takes these beyond recipes of “steam then puree” and provides a vibrant reading experience
4. I can’t wait to see how you handle finger foods.
with much admiration, ann
Keep them coming! I have an almost 9 month old (born 9/18) and she loves just about everything. I never thought about using frozen foods…how easy is that! I love easy! I found that with the veggies that I made, if I added a bit of meat to it (already pureed in the jar) she ate it all, otherwise she just ate like a bird. So, if Jacob likes the peaches with yogurt, watch out! I think he’ll really like the meat. I was also a bit too impatient with the whole one food at a time thing…I was thinking I would be introducing her to new things until she turned 18 years old! Oh well…but these simple recipes are wonderful and I will most definitely be trying this peach recipe as peaches are getting pretty good here in Germany at the moment. :) Thank you Deb!
KEEP DOING THEM!!!! I have a 9 month old who i make food for and love to see what others do…i was a fussy kid and want to try and expose her to as much as possible so maybe she wont be as fussy as i was! and as for frozen…i do it all the time…when i cant find organic fresh in season i have been buying it frozen…peak frozen!!!
I am a faithful follower of Smitten (for big people) Thanks to you, I made my first wedding cake, have catered various events guided by your recipes and have become famous for my spinach quiche.
Now I am just starting in on solids with our 4th baby. Thanks to you, this one is having a foodie experience his siblings only dreamed of.After a disastrous attempt w/ baby #1 involving hot sweet potatoes + exploding blender = orange kitchen, I gave up on the home made baby food. You have reminded me to be adventurous. We did carrots and cumin this week, which was a big hit. AND, bonus – this time the kitchen did not go orange.
i was just in the kitchen making some pizza dough.. thinking ‘i need to send deb an e-mail to tell her how much i LOVE the new baby food section’ seriously.. i can’t get enough of it.
my babe isn’t due for another two months, but already at night i’m lying in bed reading through a baby food cookbook. and your recipes posted (boring or added spice) are so much more inspiring. makes me so excited to be able to try!
keep it up. :)
I agree with keeping it up! My son is a month or so younger than yours, and I’ve been making the majority of his food too. But I’m a bit gun-shy with the spices. You give me courage! Thanks!
Dear Deb, I agree with the many supporters encouraging you to keep sharing your lovely recipes, photos and techniques. As a new mom who loves to cook, I thought there would be better resources out there for baby food. I found frozen fruits and vegetables to be incredibly easy to work with and save time while still giving you a great result (we live near a Whole Foods, so finding organic frozen food is easy albeit expensive at times); also, quinoa and various canned/dried beans are now a staple in our household as they are so quick to prepare for something high in nutritional value. As a vegetarian mom with a son now just over a year (he isn’t vegetarian but most of his meals are since I prepare them and can’t bear to touch meat), I found it easier to just adapt my own meals to suit his nutritional requirements and need for smaller bites. For those of us who love to cook, your site provides some lovely inspiration. I look forward to seeing what you share next and can’t wait to see how you tackle finger foods.
We have a 15 month old little girl and we make all of her food fresh at home with pretty much 100% organic foods. We do the same cook, puree, ice-cube tray freezer method and it works awesome! She probably eats healthier than my wife and I do. She love canteloupe, winter and summer squash,spiced baked apples, avocado, etc. We’ll do steamed kale and swish chard and mix a few cubes of that with mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. It’s all actually very tasty (I say that with an awkward look…I’m still not sold on the greens). It’s all a matter of getting the nutrients and vitamins from the food in a way they like it. I do recipes from your site constantly for my wife and I and even give them to the baby sometimes, so please keep them coming! It’s such a great thing you’re doing here! Thanks!
Please keep blogging baby food! I just found your blog and I make most of my son’s food so this will be a great resource for me. Please don’t let the “you’re doing it wrong” comments deter you! I’ve learned early on in motherhood – nay, pregnancy – that most of what is best for our children is very personal and varies from person to person. Until you start recommending mixing cleaning fluid in with your purees, you shouldn’t pay much attention to the nay-sayers.
As for today’s post…my son isn’t a big fan of peaches so I’ll try adding the nutmeg. I haven’t used any spices yet in his food because I wanted to know what foods really taste like, but I think he’s ready for some occasional variation in flavors!
Please keep posting! I dont have children (yet) and I cant wait to make all these wholesome baby foods!I love the pics of your son too!
this is great, Deb…just happened on the baby section. My daughter is pregnant with her first (a boy!) She & her husband share our home…instant babysitter :-) These will give us new recipes to read & experiment with, love your site, you do a great job…& Jacob is a doll-baby…
Keep going Deb! By the end of this week I’ll be the mother of twins (!) and I had certainly not planned on making baby food. But by the time we get to this stage you’ll have the menu (and supplies) all mapped out for me.
Hello! I was turned onto your site last November and have been addicted ever since. I’m not sure what I appreciate more, your recipes, your writing or the fact that you incorporate your little babe into some of the pics (congratulations BTW). I was waiting for the baby food recipes! And now, here they are – how wonderful. Since I became hip to SK, I’ve made the Chocolate Babka (yes! I sure did), Chocolate Stout Cake (can make this now with my eyes closed), Swiss Chard & Sweet Potato Gratin (3 Xs), Tiny Meatballs with Rigatoni, Jacked Up Banana Bread (3 Xs), Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, Cappucino Fudge Cheesecake, Best Ever Birthday Cake, Simple Potato Gratin… I plan to do the Kale Chips and and Tomato Corn Pie soon.
I’m 4 months pregnant now with our 2nd babe and am so happy to see your baby food recipes. I breastfed our first and made ALL my own babyfood and also froze in ice cube trays & small tupperware. Banana wild blueberry puree was a hit and fresh strawberries with dried apricots (cut into pieces and boiled in small amt. of H2O). I will have to share my recipe with your for my “one stop shop” Chicken meatball which had every food group in it! Ground chicken, butternut squash puree, spinach, whole wheat couscous, garlic…
Anyho’ I could go on and ON…
Keep up the good work and good parenting! And enjoy, because I certainly am.
XO
Sapna in Annapolis.
My 6-month-old is about to start solids and I LOVE the inspiration of your examples. Please, please keep them coming!
Hi! i just wanted to tell you that I am THRILLED that you are posting about baby food. Truly. I have an 8 month old and I am always inspired by your fresh, hands-on approach to feeding your little guy. Please keep it up, I will keep coming back for more.
Best,
Jill
Publish them all, Deb!
Please, please, keep them coming! We’re expecting baby #2 in October- and although I made a lot of baby food before, it’s so much fun to read and be inspired by what you’re doing! Seriously! p.s. love your regular stuff too! i stumbled upon your page one day and have made something from here almost every other day :)
~ keep up all the good {and hard!} work
Keep it up! I will be in need of these recipes come August and really look forward to making my own quality baby food rather than scraping out of those little jars!
Please keep it up! I have an 8-month-old and sometimes feel like we get stuck in a rut of the same things, so the inspiration is great. I’m ready to try spices and seasonings now as well, so I appreciate your thoughts on what goes well with what. Finally, I have to give you a huge kudos for keeping both the main site and this one up and full of recipes and photos while raising your little guy. I don’t know how you do it!
ok, who can I blame for not telling me about this baby site?! I’m only 5.5 months pregnant, so I have some time before we get to feeding my unborn child food, but it is still so interesting!
Deb, I vote that you keep it up. I’m taking off from teaching starting this fall to start a daycare, and one of my biggest draws for parents is that I cook everything here. It’s a major selling point for people, and I will certainly be using the site as a resource. I’m also about to be using it much more as a second-time mama, as we endured the $20+ a week in little jars of baby food bill.
As a new mom (our little guy is 3.5 months old) who has read your site for almost two years, PLEASE PLEASE don’t listen to that inner-doubt! I love these recipes, and cannot wait until we can start feeding our babe more than formula!
You are amazing, this site is amazing and my husband can’t wait until I start making vanilla bean pear sauce for the baby so that he could eat some too.
Please continue! Your recipes are amazing – I would never have thought to add nutmeg to peaches! My little boy is still a month away from solid food. When he is ready, I will be too!
My daughter, Greta…went bananas over these peaches! Please continue! I’ve now made all 4 recipes you’ve posted and all have been a smash hit with the little one :)
keep it up deb, every last ‘meal’ for baby we all want to know! you are amazin’!
Heya Deb – just discovered your techniques and baby sections on smitten and they are both fabulous – but there doesn’t seem to be anyway of subscribing to it via rss feeds. Any chance that this can be fixed?
I don’t even have kids; I just like reading what you write. Plus it’s interesting to see what someone whose cooking I respect feeds their baby. It’s fun to see how you play with things to make them more interesting for both him and yourself – adding a shaving of nutmeg to peaches is a great example.
Update – by poking around on the main site I found the RSS feed links – it just doesn’t work when I click the orange square in the location bar
Huh, I can’t figure it out. I’ll asked my WordPress Guru if he can figure out why it’s not correlating with the RSS I have plugged into the header template…
Update again: When I checked it, the link in the browser only gave me the option for the main RSS of this site. Want to try to clear your cache and see if it then works? Originally, the RSS feed was incorrect but it should have been fine for the last few weeks. Thanks.
Just tested again – no problems now. Must have been some strange problem on my end. Cheers :)
Please keep posting all of your “baby” recipes. They are not only nutritious, but a delightful read. More importantly, it is the confidence you inspire grounded with calmness. If there is one thing I could go back in time and change when my kids were born, it would be this one aspect. Now, with granddaughters, this is my aspiration while caring for them. It’s a nutty, crazy world and exuding your attitude is hands down the best way to go.
A little late to the party, but YES please keep the purees coming! I’ve loved your grown up recipes and I can’t wait to try your baby ones when my 7 week old is ready for them.
You are doing a wonderful job! I’ve had a lot of that annoying advice from other people about how to raise my baby too. They had their turn with their child. I wish they’d keep quiet. It’s so easy to buy into guilt even over well meaning comments. I keep reminding myself I need to trust my instincts and that I know what’s best for my child not anyone else. Also that I’m trying my best and that’s the important thing.
Please, please post all the baby food recipes not just some. I had my first baby in January. She gets to try food for the first time next week! =:)
I was nervous about what to feed her. I didn’t want to buy jar after jar of something with tons of salt, sugar or unpronouncable ingredients, but I was intimidated by the thought of making baby food myself. How excited was I to notice the tiny baby food link on your page? *Very, very excited!* I love your site. Reading it is pure pleasure for me, and every recipe I’ve tried has been a huge hit with my family and my inlaws. I trust your recipes, having tried many myself. I’m loving that my favorite cooking blog can help me feed my little girl too! How great to have the advice of someone who’s been there!
Last week I ordered the icecube trays from Amazon and they arrived today. Great timing because my husband and I had just gotten back from the store with our very first food processor! Baby food here I come!
I hope you post all the recipes you create for your son, not just some. That way I can follow in your footsteps! Since I have to go back to work in the Fall (money, sigh) I’m really grateful for your help. I’ll be busy enough without trying to invent baby food recipes on top of it all. This lets me feed my baby the best food possible without a ton of prep work.
Thank you very much!
Um, pretty sure you could write a post about making a baked potato and I would still read it avidly. :) You are my cooking and baking guru, and I am definitely happy to learn how you make even the simplest puree. I am such a foodie, and I want my baby girl to love food as much as I do, so this new blog is very exciting for me. Thanks, Deb!
I am elated to see your recipes for baby food. I am a 2nd time mom and oddly excited that my almost 7 month old has reached the baby food stage. I am addicted to making baby food and I”m so glad that I never gave my 1st son store-bought baby food. It is so easy and even I can do it…I’m not that great of a mulitasker or organizer but I certainly make time for this. Can’t wait to see more recipes!
please continue. i fed my son (now 3) jarred organic baby food and always felt sort of lame for doing so- i am a pretty good cook and generally enjoy figuring out how to use a homemade product in place of store bought. something about the pressure of feeding his tiny virgin palate was too much for me, though, and i bailed. i am determined not to do the same with my daughter (7 weeks) and your recipes are great guidelines for anyone who wants guidelines, proportions, or simple flavor pairings.
plus, it just looks good. thanks.
please stick with the simpler recipes! I am just about to start making food for baby #2 and Could use the inspiration. If you are interestd in a WONDERFUL baby-food-making book Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron is a great one. It was given to me when my first was born and I used it like a bible to feed him, who is a Jacob as well. Great name :) Love all that you do. You’re a great mama and a great “cooker”, that’s what my J-bub calls me :)
Please continue! And from a selfish perspective: please continue quickly!And I’d love to hear about the more elaborate stuff! My son will be 7 months next week, and we are beginning to move beyond the basic fruit/veggie purees. I was feeling so uninspired until my friend sent me your blog… but I need more! Thanks!
Deb – I know I’m late here with the encouragement, but I wanted to tell you that I am putting together a super cute baby shower gift using your “cook, then puree” recipes. The mom-to-be registered for some food storage containers. So along with those and a few fun spoons and bibs, I’m making a homemade baby food themed gift, which of course includes your recipes printed out on colorful cards, tied together with a very sweet ribbon. It’s turned out to be so adorable that this will definitely be my go-to present for baby showers from now on. Keep the wee recipes coming!
Also late here with encouragement….BUT….I have a 9 month old daughter and even though she’s eating more finger foods, I was having a difficult time getting her to eat more veggies and a variety of things. I got stuck on homemade applesauce and pureed sweet potatoes. I love these recipes and I’m looking forward to trying out the spinach and yam puree. These recipes are definitely helping me get out of my baby food slump! Thank you!!
oh please don’t stop! you are wonderful in everything you put on your blogs and these are no exception. I wanted so badly with my first born to give him wonderful new taste sensations but couldn’t find anything that inspired me quite like you do.
And now my gorgeous 6 month old has experienced pears with vanilla bean and my 2 yo wants to eat it too!
So anything at all you can give us, especially as your little man grows and you adapt big people food to little people food or whatever approach you take would be wonderful to hear!
Thank you again so much for everything.
Peaches are in season and I have found that the farmer’s markets have great “seconds” bins of them. For baby food it doesn’t matter if they are bruised and battered. You are just going to puree them anyway. I plan to stock up this weekend and make a bunch of sauce.
Please keep posting baby food recipes!! My babies are 15 and 12 years old and I still enjoy reading these recipes even though my days of the countertops-covered-in-ice-cube-trays-full-of-baby-food days are long over. It is good for new mothers and fathers to know that making your own baby food is doable, won’t break the bank and will give them an extra healthy start to life.
Thank you for including a baby food section! I’m a new parent and I’m still figuring it all out. I like reading your baby food recipes (as well as the main site.) You inspire me to make baby food. I’m going to follow your peach recipe this weekend.
I love the idea of using frozen fruit because it will be already prepped and cheaper sometimes. BUT, can you refreeze the food cubes when the original recipe was made with frozen peaches (or other fruit/veg)?
I made the peaches as well as the applesauce, I loved them both! Though the first batch of peaches I made (using fresh, not frozen) came out too runny so I made the second batch with just a tiny amount of water adding little by little as needed, these came out perfect!Tomorrow I’m trying the pears, I love vanilla and it just hadn’t occurred to me that my 10month old might like it too…
So, thanks for the inspiration!!
Please, whatever you do, don’t stop.
I JUST discovered the Goo section today, and am so excited to have you be my guide.
I grew up on hamburger helper, jarred pasta sauce, boxed cake mixes, and overdone meats. In the past two years, I’ve become much more aware of what we’re putting into our bodies, and what I want my family to see as good cooking.
However, cooking intimidates me, as I’ve had little exposure. Your site gives me a boost of confidence. The first time I made your roasted red pepper and pea salad? I felt like Martha Stewart! You make real food easy to understand and tackle.
Now that our peanut (5 months) is starting solids due to a ravenous appetite, I feel very strongly about making baby food for her…depsite all the naysayers around me. I want to introduce her to spices, and what food is supposed to taste like. Not being adept in the kitchen yet, having your guidance to know that nutmeg is a good addition to peaches is invaluable. I’m hoping once we get into more ‘meal’ type concoctions, it will motivate me to continue introducing new ingredients to the rest of my family.
Thank you for all that you do!!
cat foods should be high protein and should be soft to with lots of dieatary fiber-,;
we use a national panasonic food processor and this seems to be a bang for the buck-`;
Thank you so much for starting this site. My baby is almost 3 months old and I am already nervous about what I am going to feed her. This site is already providing me with so many ideas :)
cat foods should always be high in protein and also in dietary fibers so that they are always healthy -*~
organic foods are the best for our health since they are free from dangerous chemicals and toxins -*’
i always visit food blogs because i always like to do some home cooked meals ‘;”
of course we need to know our family history so that we can share it to our kids ;:,
Hey Deb! Thanks for the great work you do! My Sophie is currently 6.5 months, and you’re giving me great ideas. Also, it really helps to have an idea how long I’ll need to cook up different ingredients, especially the fruits, since I don’t normally cook those. Our best to you & Jacob!
Hi Deb. I think I just submitted an incomplete comment (must have pressed enter by accident). So if you just got an anonymous comment it was probably mine. But I just wanted to say – please don’t stop the baby/toddler/little kid food recipes, no matter how boring they may seem. They are great inspiration for mom’s like me who want to feed our kids ‘fresh’ homemade meals. Thank you!!!!!!
I’m very pleased with all the content articles on your web blog. I receive so many ideas that helped me to.
I merely wanted to leave a simple thoughts to state that the web site was wonderful. I stumbled upon it on yahoo search after dealing with a great deal of other information that’s not likely related. I was thinking I’d come across this much sooner considering how excellent the info is.
I am always searching online for ideas which will help me. Thanks a lot!
How am I only NOW realizing that you had baby food on here!? THANK YOU!
P.S. Mundane? No way. You’re genius. And so are your recipes.
Just made this delicious recipe for my 7 month old… and she LOVED it too!! I love your website, I’ve also made the spinach and white yam, total toal hit with her as well! Thank you!!