In my last blog post, I talked about how we’ve been feeding our baby foods that we prepare ourselves, so that we can better control what our little guy is consuming and so that we can introduce him to new varieties of food. Here’s how it started: 6-7 months: I bought whole vegetables, like broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, asparagus, green beans, etc.  They were then steamed up until very soft, then pureed in a small food processor.  Then I froze them, sometimes mixed, sometimes not. I have these delightful little freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe (also BPA-free) cubes that I store them in, but you can use ice cube trays to freeze your servings, then transfer them to a freezer-safe storage container or bag.  Be sure you label your cubes, though, as broccoli, asparagus and green beans can all look the same when frozen – as can butternut squash and carrots. When we started introducing meat, we were amazed at how this little guy loved their flavours and textures.  I’d roast a chicken, or poach some chicken pieces, mix them with some chicken stock and puree them.  I did the same with pork and beef.  They freeze beautifully.  I’m so glad he likes chicken, though – after all, it’s his bread and butter, so to speak. The same story applied for fruit – only know that there are some fruits and veggies, like bananas and avocado, that don’t freeze well.  Better to mash them up right before serving. When it was time to serve a meal, the baby would get a few tablespoons of cereal, a few tablespoons of pureed meat and vegetables and a few tablespoons of fruit.  To improve taste and texture, I’d mix in breastmilk, a little high fat yogurt, some stock or even a little water. Our “friend in food”, Theresa Albert, introduced us to something called a Baby Food Mill.  It’s a delightful little tool – compact and portable, and works like a charm.  It reminds me of a potato ricer, but it’s even easier. It has a hand crank in it, which grinds the food to the correct consistency that works for the baby. It’s easy to clean, too. It can be used anywhere – and comes with us wherever we go. For example, we went to a little Vietnamese place, and realized that the baby was probably hungry, too.  So, we pulled out from our soups some vermicelli (rice noodles), some well-cooked pork and some chicken stock. A little basil, a few turns of the crank, and presto!  The baby was delighted.  It’s a great tool to get a great meal for the baby when you’re on the go!  I highly recommend it!