Baby Food for 3 cents, what!?
I had no idea when I set out to make a list of Nolan's baby food, that it was so inexpensive. I of course knew it was cheaper than buying jarred baby food but I seriously had no idea how much money I was saving by making it my self.
The least expensive food at get this, 3 cents a serving (1 oz) was parsnips! Anything that was bought fresh (not frozen or canned) was clearly cheaper but some fruits and veggies that I wanted were not in season here in Michigan so frozen worked just fine. Now that it is summer and fresh fruits are abundant, we can save even more!
Below are the first 12 foods we tried with Nolan. The total prices per serving are approximates based on what I paid for them that day.
Foods
we tried in order of starting and recipes
1. Sweet Potatoes
Roasted in the oven for 1 hour until tender. Scrap flesh out of the skin and puree with blender. May need water to thin it out so it is not too thick for baby. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
One sweet potato will make about 12
servings depending on the size
Sweet potatoes around here are about $0.89 cents per lbs.
Sweet potatoes around here are about $0.89 cents per lbs.
total: 8 cents a serving
2. Carrots
Wash, peel, chop into chunks. Steam over water using double boiler or steam basket until very, very tender. Puree until smooth. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
One bag of large carrots should make 12
servings of food
Usually cost $1 for the bag which gets you about 4-5 large carrots
Usually cost $1 for the bag which gets you about 4-5 large carrots
total: 8 cents a serving
3. Parsnips
Wash, peel, chop
into chunks. Steam over water using double boiler or steam basket until very,
very tender. Puree until smooth. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
Two large parsnips should make 12 servings
Very inexpensive, costing about .40 cents
a pound
total: 3 cents a serving
4. Peas
I typically use a
large bag of frozen peas because they are already shelled. I put the peas in a
large pot with enough water to cover and heat on simmer until very tender but
still bright green. Puree immediately until very smooth. Put in ice cube trays
and freeze
One large bag of frozen peas
shelled (2 pound bag) makes 28 servings
Costs $1.99 per bag
total: 7 cents a serving
5. Peaches
I buy two bags of
frozen peaches (1 pound bags). I steam them on the stove with a little water
for about 10 minutes until very tender. You could also steam them in the
microwave too. Puree until smooth. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
1 (12 oz) bag frozen peaches makes 12 servings
Cost per bag $2.74
1 (12 oz) bag frozen peaches makes 12 servings
Cost per bag $2.74
total: 22 cents a serving
6. Pumpkin
Buy can of
100 % pure pumpkin, open can, pour into ice cube trays and freeze! So easy. You
could go the more difficult route and but a whole pumpkin, maybe after
Halloween when all the pumpkins are cheap this would be a good idea, plus you
could toast the seeds, yum!
1 large can of Libby's 100% pure pumpkin puree makes 24
servings
Costs $3.00 per can
total: 12 cents a serving
7.
Pears
Either use fresh pears, frozen peeled pears or canned (no sugar added) pears. For fresh pears, wash and peel the skin for younger babies. Bake in 350’ oven on baking sheet to bring out the sweetness. Roast for 15 minutes or until very soft. Let cool a little, then puree. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
Either use fresh pears, frozen peeled pears or canned (no sugar added) pears. For fresh pears, wash and peel the skin for younger babies. Bake in 350’ oven on baking sheet to bring out the sweetness. Roast for 15 minutes or until very soft. Let cool a little, then puree. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
total: 16 cents a serving
8. Bananas
Take very overly ripe bananas. Take out only as much as you want to feed baby at that meal because it will turn brown quickly out of its skin. I usually do half a banana with a meal and wrap the other half in plastic wrap. Mash the banana until smooth (it is easier to mash if it is super ripe). Serve immediately. In my experience banana doesn’t freeze well due to the oxidation (turning brown).
- Bananas between .35 and .69 cents a pound. I get a few for us each week and a few for Nolan for the next week when they are nice and soft
Take very overly ripe bananas. Take out only as much as you want to feed baby at that meal because it will turn brown quickly out of its skin. I usually do half a banana with a meal and wrap the other half in plastic wrap. Mash the banana until smooth (it is easier to mash if it is super ripe). Serve immediately. In my experience banana doesn’t freeze well due to the oxidation (turning brown).
- Bananas between .35 and .69 cents a pound. I get a few for us each week and a few for Nolan for the next week when they are nice and soft
2 bananas at $0.52 lbs, 2 bananas costs me $0.46 today which is 4 servings for him
total: 11 cents a serving
9. Butternut Squash
Buy whole butternut squash, wash and peel outer skin. Cut down the middle to expose the seeds (looks like pumpkin seeds). Scoop out the seeds and guts. Roast cut side down on baking sheet at 325’ for about 1 hour. Puree until smooth for younger babies, leave chunkier for older babies. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
Buy whole butternut squash, wash and peel outer skin. Cut down the middle to expose the seeds (looks like pumpkin seeds). Scoop out the seeds and guts. Roast cut side down on baking sheet at 325’ for about 1 hour. Puree until smooth for younger babies, leave chunkier for older babies. Put in ice cube trays and freeze
1 large butternut squash (4 lbs) makes about 24 cubes
Cost per lbs $0.99
total: 16 cents a serving
total: 16 cents a serving
10. Green Beans
Buy fresh greens beans or frozen. For fresh green beans wash thoroughly and pick through to remove steams. I like frozen green beans because they are already de-stemmed and washed. I put then in a pot of boiling water. Cook until very soft. Drain water off. Green beans have enough water in them and you don’t need to add any. Puree until very smooth (takes longer than most veggies because of the skin). Put in ice cube trays and freeze
1 bag of frozen green beans (32 oz) makes about 24 cubes
Cost per bag $2.19
total: 9 cents a serving
Buy fresh greens beans or frozen. For fresh green beans wash thoroughly and pick through to remove steams. I like frozen green beans because they are already de-stemmed and washed. I put then in a pot of boiling water. Cook until very soft. Drain water off. Green beans have enough water in them and you don’t need to add any. Puree until very smooth (takes longer than most veggies because of the skin). Put in ice cube trays and freeze
1 bag of frozen green beans (32 oz) makes about 24 cubes
Cost per bag $2.19
total: 9 cents a serving
11. Peaches, Bananas,
Strawberry Mix
This is a bag of frozen fruits that has all the fruits cut up already. I placed the fruit in a glass bowl in the microwave, covered and cooked on high for 5 minutes. No water added. I let it cool and poured into ice cube trays and freeze. So easy!
One bag (14 oz) makes about 12 cubes
Cost per bag $ 3.25
total: 27 cents a serving
This is a bag of frozen fruits that has all the fruits cut up already. I placed the fruit in a glass bowl in the microwave, covered and cooked on high for 5 minutes. No water added. I let it cool and poured into ice cube trays and freeze. So easy!
One bag (14 oz) makes about 12 cubes
Cost per bag $ 3.25
total: 27 cents a serving
12. Peaches and Mango
Mix
We took one bag of frozen peaches and one bag frozen mango chunks. Heat they up together in a microwave safe glass bowl, cover and cook for 10 minutes on high. I did add a little water, maybe ½ cup, but depending on the fruit you may not need it. Cook additional 5 minutes if not easily mashed with a fork. Then puree till smooth. let it cool and pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
We took one bag of frozen peaches and one bag frozen mango chunks. Heat they up together in a microwave safe glass bowl, cover and cook for 10 minutes on high. I did add a little water, maybe ½ cup, but depending on the fruit you may not need it. Cook additional 5 minutes if not easily mashed with a fork. Then puree till smooth. let it cool and pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
1 (12 oz) bag frozen unsweetened
peaches and 1 (12 oz) bag frozen mango makes 24 cubes
Cost per bag $2.74 each
total: 22 cents a serving
Cost per bag $2.74 each
total: 22 cents a serving
A few more baby food purees:
Berry Mix and Oatmeal: Great for breakfast for baby and it looks beautiful!
Frozen berry mix ( I used, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and blueberries) steamed in the microwave until very tender. Pureed until smooth. Mix up baby oatmeal and pour into ice cube trays, only fill up about 3/4 of the way. Then spoon berry mix over top and freeze.
Pumpkin, Apple Oatmeal: another great, flavorful breakfast food, and it couldn't be easier!
1 cup of pumpkin puree (I use canned pumpkin by Libby's) and 1 cup of applesauce (no sugar added please) and 1/2 cup baby oatmeal. Stir together and spoon into ice cube trays. Freeze. So easy, no cooking at all.
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