I have always made my boys' baby food since they began experimenting with solids around 6 months. I say "experimenting" because it's more like trying to hit a moving target rather than the act of eating. Long before the time came where they were able to try out solids, I began researching and looking up the benefits of making my own baby food for my kids, and I have to say, I never found anything that ever indicated anything negative about it. I'd always seen how beneficial it was to make it on my own for a few reasons...
The fresh factor just can't be beat.
I know exactly what my kids are eating.
The food is pure fruit and vegetable goodness (no fillers added), so it's higher in nutritional content.
It's far less expensive.
Being a mom of twins and having to buy double of just about everything, I'm always looking for ways to cut costs and save money. A baby is expensive, so just imagine what my expenses for diapers, wipes and supplemental formula are for two babies. Not to mention the daily necessities of clothes, laundry soap (holy cow!), baby wash, lotion, toys, high chairs, etc... The list never ends!
Anyway, after some trial and error, I realized that the Magic Bullet is truly magical when it comes to making my own baby food! It's so much easier than trying to use a hand mixer or regular blender, and I've found that I waste a lot less because the blade on the Magic Bullet is removable which leaves all your blended up food in the container rather than stuck in and around the blade. I've heard that there's now a Baby Magic Bullet, but I can testify that the regular Magic Bullet works wonders.
I've made butternut squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, zucchini squash, pears, peaches, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, avocado, etc. For the vegetables, steaming them is really the best option. I tried baking carrots and they ended up burned and dried out. You do, however have to bake the butternut squash. A great resource is wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com to get an idea of what foods to feed your baby and when, and also how to prepare them.
Basically, I steam everything (except the fruit) and add a tad bit of water, just enough to get it to blend together and then I freeze it all in silicone 1 ounce ice cube trays (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=17293001) that I bought from Bed Bath and Beyond.
It's one of the best things I can do for my babies, and even though it takes more time than buying the jars from the grocery store, it's definitely worth it!
Feel free to post questions about baby food making, and I'll be happy to answer them :)
