10 Things You Need to Make Cooking for Your Baby a Breeze

Cooking food for your baby guarantees you know exactly what your little one is eating. If you want to get started on making your own baby food, here's what you'll need.

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January 15, 2019

By: Lili Zarghami

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Magic Baby Bullet System

We're big fans of easy shopping, especially if you're trying to get it done during a nap. This all-in-one baby food system from Magic Bullet includes everything you need to make your homemade baby food dreams a reality. From the blender to freezing and storage containers, this kit is one-stop shopping.

Buy It: Amazon, $60

Baby Food Cookbook

If you're choosing to make your own baby food because you want to know exactly what's in it, chances are pretty good that you may want to go organic, as well. Check out a cookbook like this one, The Big Book of Organic Baby Food: Baby Purées, Finger Foods, and Toddler Meals For Every Stage. It will carry you through from baby to toddlerhood with loads of ideas for every eating stage.

Buy It: Amazon, $12

Food Mill

Before the tech-heavy age we live in, mothers used to make their own baby food with a simple food mill. This handy kitchen tool works just as well today. Not only will you get to feed your baby homemade food, but you can squeeze in a bit of an arm workout! Cooked food is loaded into the top and as you turn the handle, it is pureed through the blades inside. Added bonus: once you're baby is past this stage, you can keep using this handy gadget for every day cooking, too.

Buy It: Amazon, $50

Glass Baby Food Containers

Whether you're making stewed apples, or chicken and squash, you'll need somewhere to store your yummy baby meals. These baby food jars are glass (no BPAs or PVCs) and are freezable. You can buy them in sets of 4, 6 or 12 with multicolored lids. Coordinate for meal time or food type and you won't even miss the ease of store-bought baby food.

Buy It: Amazon, $32

Potato Masher

The basic key to making any baby food is cooking down your chosen items and then mashing them up. It doesn't get any more simple or less expensive than using a potato masher which will totally do the trick with many soft foods. It's probably best for older babies that don't require as fine a puree and can be used long after your wee one is beyond baby foods. We like this one because it comes with an ergonomic handle to spare your hands from pain.

Buy It: Amazon, $11

Freezer Tray with Lid

For make-ahead baby food, you'll want to get yourself some freezer trays to store perfect portions. Normal ice cube trays can work when you cover them with plastic wrap, but there are trays that are made for the job. This one has cups with 1 oz portions for easy measuring and comes with a lid for better storage than plain plastic wrap.

Buy It: Amazon, $7

Immersion Blender

File this tool under: you probably need one anyway. Immersion blenders are the secret tool that chefs use to make the most masterful sauces and soups alike. The genius of these gadgets is that you can stick them right in the pot you've cooked in and blend up the food without any extra mess. This highly rated one from Breville comes with some useful attachments and a container for blending if you prefer to not blend in your nonstick pots.

Buy It: Amazon, $88

Reusable Squeeze Pouches

Squeeze pouches may one of the greatest ideas in recent years for feeding babies. They're so easy to toss in a bag and babies can handle them on their own and on the go. But since the packaging can be pretty wasteful, you may want to consider making your own in reusable bags. These super cute pouches come in adorable animal prints and are easy to fill. Load them up from the bottom with your baby's favorite food and know that you're doing some good by reducing waste and feeding your baby something made with love.

Buy It: Amazon, $12

Steamer Basket

Steaming food is the best way to keep all the nutrients in fresh veggies for your little one. Fancy steaming gadgets are great to have but you can achieve the same results with a simple steamer basket. This one is designed to fit in pots that are 8" and up and is made with a useful handle for easy removal from your pot.

Buy It: Amazon, $18

Duo Meal Station Food Maker

For top of the line baby food making with all the bells and whistles, go for this delux meal station from babymoov. This compact, programmable baby food maker steams, blends, purees and warms food. With an 11-cup capacity, you can get some serious batch cooking done for your tiny wonder with one appliance. The parts of this machine are all dishwasher safe, making clean up a snap.

Buy It: Amazon, $160