Added Ingredient Is love...Sweet Potato

Introduce ages 4-6 months

• Making your own baby food with fresh fruit and veggies preserves color and taste.
• Processed baby food is developed for the mass market and can be limited in variety.
• The average baby in the U.S. consumes about 600 jars of baby food a year, which can cost up to $600 compared to the lower cost of preparing food at home.
• It's easier than you think–and because you can freeze it in single servings, you only need to make food once or twice a week. See recipes below.

Having control over what your baby eats

Processed baby foods may have added water, sugars or starchy fillers that could dilute the nutrient content of the actual food. The foods are also cooked at high temperatures to kill bacteria so they can be stored in jars at room temperature. This process can also destroy vitamins and nutrients, which then need to be re-added by the manufacturer. When you make baby food at home, you can cook it quickly. This process not only preserves the color and taste of the food, but maximizes the foods' nutrient content.

Elimination of additives

Homemade baby food is pure, wholesome food with nothing added that you did not add yourself. And buying certified organic produce (fresh or frozen) and preparing food at home eliminates agricultural chemicals from your baby's diet. (If you can't make your own baby food, freeze-dried organic varieties are a good option for nutrition and taste.)

Improved freshness

Have you compared fresh green peas to a jar of pea baby food? Even though they are the same food, they don't look, smell or taste similar. Serving fresh food from the very beginning will help your baby be more open to tasting new flavors and types of food.

Additional variety

Processed baby food is developed for the mass market and, as a result, is limited in variety. Variety is key to a balanced diet and healthy living. Today's grocery stores offer a tremendous variety of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. And preparing baby food at home enables you to add herbs, combine flavors, and easily introduce new textures, making your baby's mealtime a pleasurable, gourmet experience.

Lower costs

Processed baby foods are expensive. The average baby in the United States will consume 600 jars of baby food. Parents who use processed baby food spend an average of $300 to $600 on baby food during their infant's first year of life. Making baby food at home is extremely cost-effective, as foods may be purchased either in season or on sale.

Making homemade baby food

Using fresh produce, a blender and set of ice cube trays, you can make food in quantity and freeze it in single servings. This means you only need to make food once or twice a week. Bottom line, it takes about 30 minutes a week.

Boiling/Steaming Sweet Potatoes for Baby Food:

1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small chunks
2. Place chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover potato
3. "Steam" boil until tender, be sure to check on the water level.
4. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the sweet potatoes if desired

Foods Good to Mix With Sweet Potatoes

Baby Cereal
Apples
Peaches
Carrots
Green Beans
Parsnip
Peas
Pumpkin
Summer Squash - zucchini or yellow/crooked necked
Winter Squash - butternut, acorn rtc.
Brown Rice
Lentils
Chicken
Beef
Pork
Yogurt

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Baby's First Cereal

Rice is easily digested and has low allergen aspects, so it is commonly recommended as the first food you introduce to your baby. This recipe is perfect for infants, but by adding a few "extras" it will tempt the taste buds of kids and adults.

Ingredients:
3 cups of brown rice, cooked according to package directions
12 ounces breast milk, water, or infant formula

Directions:
Place the cooked brown rice in a blender with the breast milk/water/formula. Purée until completely smooth–you can't make it too smooth. Pour the cereal into ice trays, cover and freeze overnight. Once frozen, pop the cubes out of the trays, place in a freezer bag or container labeled with the date and return to the freezer. Lasts up to two months.

To serve:
Defrost the cubes, and add breast milk or formula to develop a smooth consistency. For babies just starting solids, thin the cereal to a semi-liquid consistency. Warm the cereal, if desired. You can also change the flavor by adding fruit or veggie baby food, once your baby has started to eat those foods.