Weaning your baby from milk to solids is one of the biggest milestones in a baby’s life. It’s also a bit of a big deal for you in trying to work out what foods will provide bub with all the nutrition they need for every stage of their solid food journey.
You could always short cut it and go for the pre-made baby food available at your local supermarket however the cost of doing so adds up fast. Not to mention the challenge of working out just how healthy it is for your weaning baby and what artificial additives and preservatives are in each packet.
While it might seem like a whole lot of fuss and wasted time making your own baby food from scratch, it might just be the only way to ensure that your bub gets all the goodness they require without the added nasties. Rest assured, with the right equipment and a little experimentation you can become a pro at making baby food in no time.
What Equipment Do I Need to Make Baby Food?
When it comes to working out which gadget to make your baby food with, there are heaps of options available out there. From the trusty old blender, to the space saving stick blender or the impressive food processor with all the bells and whistles. The only problem with these sorts of gadgets is you need to cook the food then drain the food then transfer it so it can be blended. Plus when it comes to machines that can do more, they tend to take up a lot of bench space which is precious real estate when you have a baby. With all of this in mind you will find the best machine to use to make your baby food is a dedicated baby food maker.
Do I Really Need a Baby Food Maker?
There is nothing wrong with mashing up baby food by hand or using a regular blender or food processor but purpose made baby food makers have some amazing features that make them one of the best investments. They will save you so much time and effort savers that you will be grateful you spent that extra bit of money.
What is the Best Baby Food Maker for Me?
When it comes to the best baby food maker around, you cannot go past the Beaba Neo Baby Food Maker. The European made Babycook Neo is the only baby food maker with a glass bowl & a stainless steel steam basket. This means you can make your fresh baby food without the use of any plastics.
The best part of the Neo is that is cleverly designed with four settings: steam cook, blend, reheat or defrost. So not only does it cook the baby food with gentle steam, it can then blend it all in the same bowl. Then you can go back and reheat or defrost the leftovers.
These four settings eliminate the need for pots & pans, a blender and a microwave so that making baby food is as simple as possible.
It can cook up to 1.25L of baby food at a time so you will have more than enough to freezer for another time. Unlike the food processor though, the Neo is nice and compact so you can leave it on the bench between uses without it taking up too much of your precious bench space.
When it comes to blending your cooked baby food, you can create everything from a fine purée to a chunkier purée and everything in between. The Neo’s the unique pulse-blend feature ensures that your baby is getting the correct consistency of baby food every step of their of their food journey. To operate it is just a simple touch of a button so it truly is one handed cooking.
The patented steam cooking system turns off automatically so you never have to worry about watching over the Babycook or overcooking your baby’s food. So while it cooks you can get on with what needs doing.
Clean up is super easy too as the bowl and basket and accessories are microwave safe.
What Do I Cook in the the Neo Baby Food Maker?
The sky is the limit when it comes to cooking food in the Neo Baby Food Maker. It can make anything from fine purees, chunky purees, soups, stews, gravies and even smoothies.
If you are stuck for inspiration then Beaba can come to your rescue with the Beaba Babycook Cook Book. This baby cook book includes 80 easy and creative recipes for first foods through to fussy toddler tastes. It also includes nutritional advice and chef’s tips so you can learn as you cook.
Each recipe is easy to follow with step-by-step directions. There are no long complicated recipes as most meals and snacks are super fast – 20 minutes or less. The recipes gradually become more complex as your baby’s taste buds continue to develop.
You can even get a Pasta & Rice Cooker for the Neo so you can make perfect rice and pasta every time.