How To Make Baby Food

Stop! Before you think that this post doesn't apply to you because you don't have a baby, you may want to read on. This information could be helpful to share with someone you know.

Plus, it's a perfect day to have your company in my kitchen. The weather has cooled considerably and the rain is falling. Coffee is on and we are ready.

A few weeks ago Mrs. Pear provided a cost analysis of peaches as baby food. She also provided a cost analysis of sweet potatoes as homemade baby food verses buying it in the store.

If the couple of hours of work it will take to make baby food, verses the cost of buying it doesn't convince you to give it a try... maybe seeing how easy it is to make will.

Plus, slowing the pace long enough to make it yourself not only saves money, but it also allows you know exactly what is in it! So, let's get started.

Food Purchased

carrots: 5 pounds
sweet potatoes: 3.5 pounds
peaches: 3.5 pounds


I started with the sweet potatoes.



Peel and Cut Into Chunks



I recently shared about learning to let my children take on more tasks. My daughter helped me peel. Much as we tried to keep it contained, I ended up with peelings on the counter, the coffee pot and even the window sill. She didn't seem to mind. She thoroughly enjoyed the fact that she was helping me make baby food for the little guy.

Boil or Steam

This took about 20 minutes. I just continued to check for softness with a fork.

While these were cooking, we peeled the five pounds of carrots.


Blend


You can use a food processor or a blender.

Last time I made baby food I used the blender. In the process I forgot and took the lid off while I was blending. Needless to say I ended up with food on my walls and ceiling. OOPS!

This time I chose to use the food processor.

As you are blending, add water from the pan you cooked the veggie in to achieve the desired consistency.


Prepare to Freeze


You can use ice cube trays (as you will see on down) or you can use a scoop. Once again I owe credit to this idea from Mrs. Pear.

I just put wax paper on a cookie sheet, used the ice cream scoop and then put into the freezer. Once frozen I removed from the freezer and put the now frozen scoops of food into labeled ziploc baggies to store in the freezer.

CARROTS:

Repeat steps as with the sweet potatoes.

Peel and Cut Into Chunks:

To save on time I did this while the sweet potatoes were cooking.


Boil or Steam


Blend and Freeze

Again, I used my food processor to blend. I used the ice cream scoop and put onto wax paper on cookie sheets for freezing. Once frozen I removed the frozen scoops and placed in a labeled gallon ziploc bag.


PEACHES:


For these I just peeled and blended. I put these into ice cube trays for freezing.


Ready To Eat

Just thaw and eat.


What's Next?

I picked up some broccoli and green beans. I'm going to give them a try.


Tell Me...

Have you ever made your own baby food?

If not, do you think you might give it a try? I'd enjoy hearing about your experience.

If so, what types of food did you make?


Making my own baby food sure works for me. Be sure to go read about other great ideas.

How I Grocery Shop

One year ago I changed the way I grocery shop. I did not realize how much I would need or depend on that method until this month.

Due to some unexpected expenses, after my shopping trip last week, I had $30 left in the food budget to get us to the end of the month...14 days.

My first instinct was to panic. After a few moments and calming my breathing, I knew I had to create a plan.

It didn't take long for me to realize I could do this. I could get my family through 14 days of meals on $30 because of the way I have learned to shop. I already had my plan in place. I just needed to be sure I kept to it.


Shop Sales Not Menus

Any given week you will not find my cart filled with what I will be serving that week. Instead, I have learned to look for what is on sale. When I find something on a good sale, I stock up. I have been known to buy 15 boxes of cereal at one time. A few weeks ago I purchased 6 tubs of salsa. Just last week I bought 7 dozen eggs.

Create Menus from Stock

Menu's are planned based on what I already have in the house verses what might be on sale any given week. When I buy a particular item, it is most likely for my stock pile to be served later on a different menu plan.

Produce, milk and other items that spoil are bought week to week. So many other things keep long enough to store until a later date. The eggs I bought last week have a date of August 24. We will eat them by then.




Storing the Stock

I have a small freezer and an additional older fridge. This allows me to buy extra fridge items. (yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, salsa, milk, lunch meat, etc.)

I do not have a pantry. I have shelving in the basement that serves as my pantry and stock location.

I *shop* from my pantry and freezer when menu planning. I try to use as much as I can from what I already have on hand.

Grocery List Contents

I try to make the majority of my purchases based on what is on sale and what we will potentially need and eat in the next months.

I have a few staple meals that I know are always favorites and the ingredients are easy to keep on hand.


This Month's Plan

Having only $30 left for this month meant that stocking on sale items would have to wait until next month. I already had enough food in the house to get us through 14 days.

It would mean no eating out. Not a problem. We rarely do that anyway.

It would mean thinking through and being more mindful of what we were eating and how much we were eating. That probably wasn't a bad idea to begin with.

I am making one more trip today for a few items we need to get us through next week. I already have it all planned out. I know exactly what it will cost. My carefully thought through list will keep me within my $30.

In the future I will share what I've learned about couponing as it relates to my method of grocery shopping. I will also talk about the differences in sale prices and identifying a good sale verses a better sale.

I am convinced that how I grocery shop has allowed us to be prepared and have more available on less money. How I grocery shop has taught me how to stretch our dollars.

Now, if you'll please excuse me, I have a trip to make to the grocery store.

Tracking Spending

I've had quite a busy, insightful and productive morning. What started as frustrating has turned into motivating. I have been crunching numbers. I have been scanning receipts. I have been evaluating the budget.

The last few months have felt increasingly more difficult to stay in budget and still purchase the items we need. I realized this morning it was time to re-evaluate.

I knew we were spending extra on baby items for our new little guy, but I didn't know exactly how much. I am ashamed to admit that it wasn't until I sat down and focused that I fully realized it.

With pen and paper in hand, I tracked what I had been spending, listed the items required for monthly baby needs and the cost for each. Now I know how to attack my spending and look for better deals.

Do you track your spending? Do you have a budget? Do you live within your means? Do you use credit and would like to stop?


Track Your Spending

I have discovered that knowing this information is crucial when it comes to creating and staying on a budget.

Example A: Not knowing what I spend...

I think I spend on groceries: $500
I actually spend on groceries: $800
I create a budget allowing to spend on groceries: $500 (what I think I spend)

My thoughts on budgeting might be: A budget doesn't work! I can't budget! I can't live within my means!

OR

Example B: Knowing what I spend...

I know I spend on groceries: $800
I create a budget allowing to spend on groceries: $500

My thoughts on budgeting might be: I know why I am straining to stay within budget, it is a $300 decrease from what I am used to. The strain has everything to do with my previous spending habits. It is not the fault of the budget. It is not that I can't stick to a budget. It is living within my means which will take some time to get used to.

My Current Situation:

I have a budget in place. There is now money that has to be diverted for baby items that weren't coming out of our budget even four months ago.

Being in the habit of tracking my spending helped me to realize the last few months of difficulty have not been the fault of the budget, but rather my needs list changing.

Budgeting, planning, shopping and spending re-work in the days to come...

Now if you'll please excuse me, I'm off to create a very set menu plan based on food I have in the house and what I have left to spend for the rest of the month.