Homemade Baby Food

Storing Baby Food

Once you've made a batch of baby food, refrigerate or freeze it right away. Bacteria can grow in foods left at room temperature for too long. Once opened, refrigerated foods, whether homemade or commercial, should be used within one to two days. Furthermore, frozen food "can only go through a single freeze-thaw cycle," says Mager. "Otherwise the nutritive value can be destroyed."

To store baby food properly, place individual servings in an ice-cube tray. When the cubes are frozen, pop them out of the tray and seal them in an airtight freezer bag for up to one month.

Feeding Baby

When feeding your child, don't worry about the amount digested. Rejection has nothing to do with your prowess in the kitchen. In early attempts, the AMA suggests beginning with breastmilk or formula and introducing just a few small spoonfuls of solid food. This keeps your baby from being hungry during, and frustrated by, the new activity. As long as your baby is happy, growing well and hitting developmental milestones, everything is fine. "Eating should be a pleasant activity," says Mager. "The volume of solids is not important."