The Least Expensive Stage 1 & 2 Baby Food

Are you tired of pricing everything out all the time? Do you just want to buy the brightly packaged, super convenient baby food you see on the shelf? Me too! When we had our first baby, Natalie, my husband  saw the price of baby food and decided there had to be a better way. So, he developed a concoction and delivery we used with all three of our kids. He put a large can of sweet potatoes and applesauce in the blender. After he blended them he poured the mixture into a pitcher with a lid. Whenever it was time to eat, we would pour a bottle, recline the highchair, hand it to our baby and call it good. The only thing we had to concern ourselves with was making sure she didn't throw her bottle on the floor when she was done :)

Price:

We buy our cans of fruits and vegetables from Aldi. So our total cost per pitcher of food is approximately $3.00. That produces approximately 48 ounces. I am providing averages because I have several combinations listed.  That makes each ounce cost around $.06 an ounce. I recognize there are some differences in processing and types of fruit, but the process outlined below is very similar to the MashUps that are so popular right now.  I found some at a salvage food store for $.13 an ounce. I will tell you more about Salvage Food Stores in another post.  Compared to regular baby food it is about half price. Here are the specifics.

Recipes:

Get a large can of Sweet Potatoes and just pour it in the blender (if you prefer, drain the syrup in the can and replace it with water). Add 1 cup of water. Blend that together. Then pour the blended sweet potatoes into a pitcher. Pour equal parts Applesauce into the blender with half a cup of water. Blend and add to the pitcher. Then stir the two together.  You can make any changes you want. We have substituted a large can of peaches for the applesauce. And we have done carrots for the sweet potatoes.

With our first two we only used the sweet potato/applesauce combo, but our friends and family started pointing out that our baby's nose was starting to turn a little orange :)  As a result we started to mix things up a little bit with different combinations.

Peas and Pears. With this we just poured in a big can of pears (29 oz) and two smaller cans of peas (15 oz). If you choose to do frozen fruits and/or vegetables you would just need to experiment with adding more water. If I find something that works, I don't need to add a bunch of other variables, but if you are looking for inspiration just walk the baby food aisle at the grocery store and make it at home.

Bottles:

We have Playtex VentAire.  Those bottles come with two stages of nipples. Stage One is a slower hole in the nipple. Stage Two has a larger hole in the nipple.  You must use the larger opening. One day our third child randomly refused to eat from the bottle. I kept trying to give it to him, and he would just cry.  Then my husband looked at the bottle and noticed I was feeding him with a Stage 1 nipple. Whoops. The poor guy just couldn't get it out. Yes, it will change the color of the nipple.  We have used the same bottles and nipples for three children. I guess if the color change bothered you, you could just buy replacements.

 

To Boon or Not to Boon:

I know people who make their baby food and freeze it in ice cube trays really like the Boon. They put a couple frozen food cubes in the Boon Squirt before church and then when they go out to eat after church the food is ready in the Boon. I do have a Boon, but I find the bottle is so much more convenient, and is one less gadget to buy.~Julia