With all the health concerns today, you want to do everything possible to ensure you raise your baby in a safe environment. One way to do this is to ensure you know what they’re eating, and that’s not always possible when you’re trusting someone else to create your little one’s meals.

Creating baby food is something humans have done for thousands of years, but over the past few decades, we’ve gotten comfortable relying on pre-made jars and boxes. Ultimately, the job is simple: find healthy foods, chop them into pieces, and throw them in a blender. There’s no need to add preservatives, chemicals, or other ingredients for your baby to digest.

Still, knowing tips like the importance of having the right blender can make all the difference in how easy it is to puree smooth baby food without a hassle. Here, we’ll share 5 things you should keep in mind as you’re making your baby’s homemade food.

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

1. Choose the Right Time to Start Solids

Everyone will advise you when the best time for your baby to start eating is, but this varies by child. It’s not a timeframe as far as weeks or months. The key things to watch to know your child is ready for solids include their ability to sit up without too much support and neck strength. They’ll need to be able to hold their heads up to swallow. You’ll also know they’re ready when they start reaching for your food.

2. Keep it Simple

While considering which foods to give your little one, take a quick stroll through the baby food aisle. There’s a reason why manufacturers all stick with the same types of food — they’re proven to be safe, and babies like them. You’re not trying to reinvent the wheel; just to make it safer for your precious child!

As you start out, keep the food simple and don’t mix anything yet. You’ll want to track what your little one is eating, so feed them the same thing for a few days and monitor how they respond. That way, if something causes gas or an allergic reaction, you’ll know what the culprit is.

3. Consider Where You Buy Your Produce

Not all grocery store produce is created equal. Since you want to stay away from unnecessary chemicals, only shop for items you’ll use as baby food in stores that are known for their safe practices. Organic fruits and veggies that are free from pesticides and GMOs are the healthiest for infants.

4. Ignore the Price

We get it. Buying healthy foods, especially when they’re organic, isn’t cheap. In many cases, it’s easier on your wallet to buy pre-made, unhealthy meals, but in the long run, those are more expensive on your health. Keep in mind that when you buy a cantaloupe or a pound of apples, you’ll be creating enough baby food to keep your little one fed for weeks. However, you’ll need to research each food and find out the best ways to preserve it for as long as possible. Once you get the knack for it, it becomes cheaper to make homemade meals over grocery store jars.

5. Adjust the Food as Baby Grows

When your little one is just beginning their adventure into solid foods, it’s important to stick with basic fruits and veggies. You can soften these with breast milk, formula, or water to make the texture easier to swallow. Over time, switch up the food, add a little less liquid, and let your child get used to harder meals.

By nine months or so, when they’re ready, you can feed them tiny pieces of solid food smaller than a dime. Eventually, they’ll be ready for finger foods and stealing food off of your plate!