Elizabeth Danish Many parents today are leaning toward holistic and organic solutions in terms of feeding their babies. As a result there are a large number of parents who have chosen to make their own baby food using all natural ingredients. There are many different opinions on making homemade baby food and whether or not it is the most ideal as far as convenience goes. The following bits of information may help someone who is on the fence about whether or not to make their own baby food make a better informed decision. We will attempt to look at some of the advantages as well as disadvantages of making your own baby food.
Benefit 1: Better Nutritional Value
When you make your own baby food you are able to determine exactly what is being put into your baby’s mouth. In addition, you can offer your baby a larger variety of foods than are normally available in jarred baby foods. It is common knowledge that baby food companies often cook baby food at extremely high temperatures in order to make sure and extend the shelf life by killing off any possible bacteria. However, this process can also eliminate a lot of the nutritional value that is in the baby food by killing off essential vitamins and minerals. Steaming vegetables and then using a food processor in order to make a purée for your baby is a very good way to be sure that your baby is getting all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that are naturally contained in the vegetables.
Benefit 2: Know What Your Baby Is Eating
When you prepare your own baby food you know what ingredients are being used in order to make your baby’s food. You are probably not going to be using preservatives and other artificial additives when making fresh vegetables for your baby. Additionally, you can also be sure that you are using only the finest quality food and that nothing substandard is being given to your baby. This offers parents peace of mind in knowing that their baby is only being bad the best there is to offer. Unfortunately, even with the FDA regulating the ingredients that are used in baby foods, there is no way to be 100% sure what may or may not be contained in that jar of baby food.
Benefit 3: Larger Variety
A very good way to get your baby acclimated with eating the foods that you typically feed your family is to begin making purées out of the menu items you prepare for the rest of the family. Obviously, when dealing with a very young baby there will be some food items that you will want to avoid but as the baby ages you will be able to introduce many more foods, thereby offering your baby a much larger variety of delicious and nutritious foods. It is always a good idea to check with your pediatrician to be sure that there are no items that he or she would rather restrict from your baby’s diet.
Disadvantage 1: Storing Homemade Baby Food
Some parents lead very busy lifestyles and as a result are forced to plan their baby’s meals several days in advance. As you have probably already gathered jarred baby foods are typically made in such a way that they will have an extended life on the shelves. In addition, jarred baby foods do not have to be refrigerated until after they have been opened. Some parents find this much more convenient than having to create several meals in advance and then find enough room to safely store all of it throughout the rest of the week. If you are not a stay-at-home mother then you may find the task of making your own baby food a bit of a challenge.
Disadvantage 2: Budget Issues
Jarred baby foods are usually quite economical to buy. On the contrary, making all of your baby’s food homemade can be a bit costly. If a family is on a fixed budget, they often find that creating homemade baby food and buying all of the necessary ingredients, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and lean cuts of meat is a bit more expensive than what they can afford. In situations such as this most families opt to purchase jarred baby food to ensure they will not go over their budget.
Disadvantage 3: Too Much Hassle and Mess
Some parents who have tried to make a mate baby food at home have reported that it was simply too much of a hassle and that it created too much of a mess for their liking. It is true that making your own baby food will require much more time and patience than buying jarred baby food and many parents are either not up to the task or just do not have the time. This does not mean they are not good parents or that they do not care about their babies. It simply means that they are not interested in the work that is involved with making homemade baby food.
There are many different tools which can be purchased in order to make the job of making homemade baby job much easier, such as baby food makers and special food processors. However, none of those things are really needed in order to make your own baby food. A simple food processor will do the trick just fine. Some people choose to do some homemade baby food and some jarred depending on their schedule. No matter what you decide to do, as long as your baby is getting the necessary nutrients to thrive then the choice is yours.