Bug,  Stealthy Spy Cooking

Madam Puree

It’s funny how I started making baby food. It really it wasn’t my idea, it was Toby’s. His stepmother raised all her babies on the stuff and according to Toby, that’s a good enough reason. Toby’s sister (who happens to be a 911 operator) also made her own baby food. When we were up north visiting, she told me how easy it really was. So I figured if I want to represent as a woman in the Ponnay family, I better learn how to make baby food!

The funny thing is: we found out later that Toby’s step mom thinks we are silly. If she had the money back then to buy store bought baby food, she would have. So all our self righteous loyalty to healthiness is pretty much for the birds. Except now I like making baby food. And when I smell the store bought stuff, I think it’s kinda nasty. I do feed Baby Bug some jarred food but if I have something on hand or I notice something in season that would be easy to mash up and freeze, I do.

I’m so proud of my little collection of frozen mush ice cubes. I even make guests look in my freezer and admire them when they come over. And now I’m making you.

Don’t worry, I don’t feed Baby Bug sprigs of rosemary. I just wanted the peach puree mixed with oatmeal to look pretty instead of a splat of… well, you know.

16 Comments

  • Daisy Mae

    You should make a booklet on how to make your own babyfood. Just imagine the awesome artwork you could do on each recipe! We could all send in a few bucks to cover the cost of printing and your time. I for one would love one!

    I never thought of making homemade baby food when my kids were babies. I wish I had, the jarred stuff is nasty! I mean, have you ever tasted that slop? It smells bad and has no flavor. Poor babies, puppies get better food than American babies. Baby Bug is lucky to have a mom who makes her homemade baby food.

  • margalit

    I made my own babyfood too, because it was CHEAP. With two babies, it was so much cheaper to make large batches and have a freezer filled with baby cubes. I used a cuisinart instead of a grinder, which is even easier! My best concoction was apple-apricot-prune sauce. Sounds disgusting, but I swear it was so fricking good I would eat half of it and freeze the other half.

  • Jennifer

    With #1 I did all homeade. With my 6 month old, I still do SOME but there are days that I just have to grab a jar of the “nasty stuff” haha. Jarred fruits aren’t so bad though. A favorite home made blend over here is sweet potatoes and apples. #1 LOVED parsnips, but I haven’t had a chance to try them out on #2.

    I really liked the book First Meals for food ideas as baby grows.

  • Aishah Moen

    Have thought of making rice porridge? I have been making a batch (enough for 3 feedings) for my son every day ever since he turned 6 months old. It’s very simple and healthy.

    All you need is rice, water (2-3 parts the rice), add veggies (plus meat once you’re ready to introduce). Let it simmer until all becomes mushy. Then blend it to the consistancy you require.

    You can add anything… chicken, beef, fish, carrots, green beans, soya beans, tofu, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower, pumpkin… the list goes on…

    I usually add one meat and 2 veggies. Try it out! I’m sure Baby Bug will love it!

    Mother of a 1.1 yr old boy named Ilhan.

  • BeachMama

    You are such an awesome photographer, Toby must be so proud of you. You made baby purée look so yumy I am hungry right now. Even J was saying yummy.

    I did homemade babyfood as well. I did buy some stuff, but like you, I couldn’t stand the smell. And I love to cook, so cooking for my baby was great! Yet, now he eats only raw food, perhaps I did something wrong? Or maybe after showing him your photos I should purée his food again ;).

  • Lindsey (Yankee Girl Designs)

    I had ordered these for the Parenting Section @ the library I work at, wicked popular:

    Top 100 baby purees : 100 quick and easy meals for a healthy and happy baby / Annabel Karmel

    Blender baby food : over 125 recipes for healthy, homemade meals / Nicole Young ; Nadine Day

    Simply natural baby food : easy recipes for delicious meals your infant and toddler will love / Cathe Olson

  • french toast girl

    I loved the book “Super Baby Food” – it’s super-satisfying to make your own baby food, and to know exactly what’s in it!

    The other thing my kids all loved was avocado! I was known at the dr’s office as “the mom who feeds her babies avocado.” :) Throw it in the blender with some water/milk of choice and you’re good to go.

    Best of luck to you and your family! :)

  • stavroula

    Inspiring post! I love the pictures, and the way that you make it sound pretty do-able to make the baby’s food. I’m going to look for some of those books at the library (unless you get one posted here by October, when my baby starts needing food…).

  • Sara

    Your photos are beautiful! My daughter didn’t like the stuff I made for her, she preferred the Earth’s Best Baby jars. Those aren’t nearly as scary. :-) (Side note: Gerber now makes Organic freeze dried fruit — sounds like it’s food for lazy people, but it’s great “emergency” fruit for the diaper bag!)

  • betsy

    I have a freezer full of mush cubes too! Ian loves green beans and peas, and definately did not love sweet potatos. Rock on.

  • Onbeelay

    :) Everyone I know thought I was nuts to make my own babyfood but the joke was on them. It was so freaking easy. We used a hand blender (easy peasy to clean!) and Mr. Man loved him some mushed carrots. We actually went on a roadtrip and I bought him some of the jarred stuff and then the joke was on us because he WOULDNT TOUCH IT!

  • Sistina

    I’m making the stuff too! I have the First Foods book by Annabel Karmel as mentioned above. It’s great and has ideas for meals way past infancy so it won’t be outgrown in a few months. I tried a couple of the jars of the organic stuff, but I second the yuk. I thought the jar of bananas I opened was spoiled until my husband said that was just the way it smelled. No thanks! It’s not like it’s hard to put a fork to a banana! The avacado was a big hit here too, although I don’t think it’s freezable.
    Oh, and I pulled the bag of frozen cubes out to show someone earlier today. You are not alone!

  • Jamie

    I didn’t make my own baby food, but you’re making me wish I had! Yum! Just think how much healthier this is for Baby Bug.

  • Carrie

    I can’t believe how expensive jarred food is. I mainly used it when in Oregon b/c my mom didn’t have a blender and it was completely absurd! I make my own baby food and love doing it. Erik’s favorite is lentils with lots of curry. He’s a spice baby.