Making your own baby food is easy, fast, and saves money. It also means you know exactly what you're feeding your baby, and it can even be more nutritious than buying it in the store.
Stick with thin, single-ingredient purees from low-acid fruits and sweet vegetables. Space new foods 4 days apart so you can spot and identify an allergy.
Advantages of Making It Yourself
Parents who prefer homemade baby food have many reasons for their choice. They know exactly what they’re feeding their baby. It’s more economical than buying pre-packaged foods (although some parents note that this is not always the case).They can choose their own fruits, vegetables, and other foods for purees, instead of relying on the flavors chosen by manufacturers. You’re not going to find melons or avocados in the baby food section of the supermarket.It gets the baby used to eating the same food as the rest of the family -- just in puree form.
“Making your own baby food does help you think more about what you're feeding your child,” says Erika Radtke, the mother of a 4-year-old boy and newborn daughter in Carlsbad, Calif. “And it seems to pave the way for making healthier meals, even as he or she gets older.”
Disadvantages of the Homemade Approach
Some parents who’ve tried and given up on homemade baby food point out these disadvantages to making it:
Time. It takes time to make and prepare lots of little servings of homemade baby food. It’s much faster to pick up prepackaged servings.
Convenience. Prepackaged baby foods come in measured amounts and ready to serve.
Storage. Homemade baby foods may spoil more quickly and require refrigeration, which may take up room in your fridge or freezer if you make a lot of servings ahead of time. Prepackaged baby foods don’t need refrigerator storage until they’re opened
Not sure what to feed your baby?
Follow the NHS advice here:
https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/weaning/what-to-feed-your-baby/around-6-months/