Top 10 Ways To Save Money on Green Baby Gear: Tip #9

A food mill like this Kidco one can strain baby food or turn table food into baby food on the go.

9) Easy Baby Food

It’s hard to calculate how much you may spend on baby food, because every baby starts and stops eating it at different times, and some can shovel it down like a front loader. If you’re a busy mom, bottled baby food is available with coupons on practically every brand, including the high-quality Earth’s Best type stuff you find at Whole Foods. But, you won’t believe how easy it is to make your own baby food if you have a little time, and it’s so fresh you’ll never look at canned baby food the same way again. Want proof that homemade is significantly fresher than canned? Just leave your fresh baby food in the freezer for a few months, and it will go from tasting like fresh pureed veggies to… well, exactly like canned baby food.

To make your own baby food, pick a veggie you can bake and then puree, like a squash. Cut it in half and poke a few vent holes in the skin, then place the halves face down on a baking sheet and bake for an hour or so, depending on the size of your vegetable. Then scoop the flesh of the veggie into your blender or hand mixer cup and blend for a few seconds, or strain it through a baby food mill to get the solids out. You can save it for meals by spooning it into your ice cube trays (they make special trays for this, but the only purpose is to have serving sizes of exactly 1 ounce so you know how much your baby is eating). Freeze the cubes and then quickly transfer them to a freezer bag labeled with the date. You can thaw them out in ramikins with a little hot water to break them up and soften the consistency. That’s it. It took me about an hour to do all this, and then I had baby food ready to go every time I wanted it. You can also pop an ice cube into a baby food travel container and take it with you. Chances are it will thaw about the time you need it, so it’s like a refrigerated lunch.