I’ve run the gamut from buying some baby food to practicing baby-led weaning to making my own baby food for my three little ones.
With my very first baby, I chose to puree my own baby food.
There are at least 5 reasons to make your own baby food:
1. Ingredient Control
Not all jarred baby food is bad, but many of the blends, especially, contain the same additives you will find in any other processed food. The very best way to ensure that your baby is only receiving high-quality ingredients is to make the food yourself.
2. Higher Nutritional Value
If you make your own baby food, you are able to use the very best produce–including organic–to provide a higher nutritional value than many store-bought baby foods.
image by Pixabay.com
3. Saves Money
Baby food can get pricey! Pureeing your own with whole fruits and vegetables will slice your grocery budget!
4. Fresh
Homemade baby food is just about as fresh as you can get! Who knows how long the jarred stuff sits on the shelves!
5. Simple
It’s really quite simple to make your own baby food. I was recently able to try out a Cuisinart Baby Food Maker. You simply purchase ingredients to feed your whole family and blend up the same food for your baby in the baby food maker.
Introducing the Cuisinart Baby® Food Maker
This powerful machine steams, chops and purees your nutritious ingredients with ease making homemade baby food the gold standard for your baby.
The generous 4-cup work bowl produces large batches of vegetables, meats and even fruits that you can freeze and store for convenient future use.
Make baby food in 3 simple steps, first steam raw ingredients by using the integrated measuring cup to add the right amount of water. Next start by first chopping the ingredients then puree for quick and easy baby food with a perfectly smooth consistency every time!
The steam blade creates even steam distribution for quicker, more efficient results; the bowl seal prevents spilling and steam escape, and when you’re ready to pour the patent pending blade lock system keeps the blade in place and out of your way.
And, when making batches of baby food conveniently save them in the Cuisinart® Baby Food Storage Containers.
With specially designed racks that fit neatly inside the Baby Food Maker, they reheat your baby food quick and easy.
The Cuisinart Baby® Food Maker also includes a built in function to perfectly warm baby bottles.
The Cuisinart Baby landing page is a great resource for new moms.
Want to WIN a Cuisinart Baby Food Maker?!
Comment on this post, sharing what you like about the Cuisinart Baby Food Maker, and a link to your favorite recipe. Through your comment, you will be entered to win a Cuisinart Baby Food Maker of your own!
Congratulations Melissa! Thank you to all who entered. This Giveaway is now closed.
Thanks to Cuisinart for sponsoring today’s discussion.
Melissa robinson
This sounds so cool! Love that you can make food knowing exactly what you put in, and it can also heat the food!!! And bottles :).
My favorite recipe is:
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/pumpkin-babyfood-recipes.htm#.U60FRom9LCQ
The pumpkin/apple/oatmeal 🙂
Susan
I haven’t yet begun to feed my daughter foods yet but I have been preparing by doing ny research . I must say the task can appear daunting . The description on this fabulous item seems wonderful because it streamlines the process. What more could a mom ask for but simple and a timesaver ! I don’t have any recipes to post yet but I hope to add a slew to my arsenal when my food making process begins!
Emily
Not tedious, like scraping a large batch from blender blades.
Aimee
I like the size of it. It is great for small batches, like baby food, that you don’t need a lot of but will do a great job and be easy clean up!
Melissa
I like that it has more than just one function!
I can’t pick just one recipe – I love this entire website for baby food recipes! It’s my go-to site.
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/index.htm#.U60KRpRdW6M
Jenne
Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this. I always just flash cool my veggies separately and then purée them but I like that u can steam them right inside the blender. Ingenious! I have a 2 month old who will be starting baby food in a couple of months and I also have 3 other kids so this would save me LOADS of time! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
Jenne
Sorry! Forgot to post the recipe. This is my favorite basic go to recipe. And this was also my other sons favorite. He loves green beans! http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/greenbeansbabyfoodrecipes.htm#.U60RA6q9Kc0
Laura
My son is 4 months old, starting solids is in the near future for me. I used a blender/ food chopper with my other son. It did the job but it didn’t purée the food entirely. I love how this Cuisinart for babies has multiple functions, especially the steaming.
I don’t have a specific recipe but I love adding blueberries to all the fruit and even vegatable purées for example -Apple/Blueberry & Pear/Blueberry.
Becki
It steams?? Awesome!! Would love to not have scrape the blades of the blender…. And making a true broccoli puree…. Fun!
Charity Johnson
You had me at steam 🙂 My youngest of 4 is 3mths old and this would be awesome to use for her. Eight years ago when my eldest was a baby I used a baby food grinder, which was ok but didn’t always get food to the right consistency….This product sounds really cool!
Charity Johnson
Link to yummy sweet potato recipes 🙂
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/sweetpotatobabyfoodrecipes.htm
Jenny
This sounds like an awesome multi function product. My daughter is only 5 weeks old but I plan to make my own baby food when the time comes. 🙂
Amanda Boggs
Wow. This really sounds great. I’m 7 months pregnant and have been researching different options on a product to buy. I love how it’s all in one, from bring able to purée then to cook. Seems like it would save a lot of time!
Zethu Makuwa
wow I heart everything about this product. im a first time mom and this is the first ive seen. baby will be getting high quality foods with more nutrients and at the right temperature, fresh and healthy. this is definitely a must have. cant wait to try on the recipes. yey!!!
Anna
I need to have this product, it sounds awesome! I have a six month old that I am just getting started making food for, and with two older siblings, I need something quick and easy to use. Love that it heats food up too and has storage containers.
jennifer
I would love to win this baby food maker. I am currently making baby food for my third child and I keep thinking I should really have something more convenient than my blender. It works best with large quantities of baby food to puree.
Allison Alessi
It steams , chops and purees! Could it get any better?!?
Avacado was the first food for both my babies! A favorite is Banana Avacado!
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
Ashley Zierott
I like the size of this machine and that it’s all in one! I’ve made baby food for my first two children, and soon I will for a third! This would be so much easier than pans for steaming, then transferring to the blender, etc. I’ve actually never used a baby food recipe, just made it however we would eat it!
Belinda
I like the idea of having something simple to use to puree baby food.
I really like this mango with cardamon and saffron, I think the combination would be yummy, especially added to rice or barley.
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/4584.html
Sara K.
This is a great product. It would be a great time saver as well. I make our baby food, but not all of it since I have a houseful. My favorite is one that is on the cuisinart web site
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/7763.html
Lisa Messick
I love that the good an be steamed in the same machine! I use a magic bullet but I dirty so many dishes cooking the food 🙂
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/peasbabyfoodrecipes.htm#.U61cBYm9LCQ We love peas in our house!
Peggy Walker
This is my 3rd child and have decided to make his baby food this time around. I would love to win.
terri humphrey
Making your own baby food may make the transition to real food easier for toddlers because it will be the same taste, same food just different texture. I think this is the real problem when transitioning. This is an awesome product!
Christina Hernadez
I love that it is an all in one machine, how convenient!
Jen Amo
I would love to make homemade baby food for my daughter. This cuisinart baby food processor looks amazing. Here is a recipe I would like to try : http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/squashbabyfoodrecipes.htm#.U61nSom9Kc0. Thanks!
Ladonna Mohler
I love the idea that it will steam and puree your baby food all in one container. The baby food maker seems so much easier to use than a blender (which I used with my second). I used an immersion blender with my first, but I ended up burning it out trying to puree some of the foods. I think this would work so much better, and I really need to have something to use for our third baby, due in a few weeks.
I don’t really have a favorite recipe. I usually kept things pretty simple with the foods I made. I do like some of the recipes on this website – they have a lot of wonderful information!
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/peasbabyfoodrecipes.htm#.U61nDajD5HA
Tiffany B
I like that’s it seems to be so convenient! I’ve just embarked on the baby food-making journey, and it looks like this could be the ticket!
Amy R
I like the convenience of it! Here is a recipe I’d like to try: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/280.html
Candyce
I love that it holds so much! My youngest just started eating this week and this would make my life easier!!!!
Favorite recipe: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_3/9541.html
Mary Jo
I have never used recipes for my homemade baby food, so I don’t have a link to share, but I’d love to have a gadget like this for next time we have a baby in the house (Lord willing)!
Carolina ocampo
This is awesome! I would love to win this product!!! All you need in one when making baby food.
Karen Stevenson
As my daughter had twins 2 months ago, this looks like it would work the best for her. I love the freshly made food for the babies.
Sarah
I do not have a baby maker yet. Youngest is 3 months old and would love to try to make our own baby food this time around.
Ashley L
I love how this simplifies something that is so important!!! Time is precious to us Mommies!!! My Elizabeth could eat cantaloupe all day every day. This recipe has made her a very happy baby.
http://weelicious.com/2008/08/06/cantaloupe-cream/
Annabel
Chop, Puree, and small….perfect!!!
I’m due in August and this would be super helpful come time to feed real foods. I will start with avacodo 🙂
Sharee
We are coming right up on this new adventure of SOLIDS!!!! This would be a wonderful tool to help me give the most nutritious food to our little Ellie!! I had a very adventurous mama who made it a point to introduce me to all whole foods. Her motto was “Only have to try it once” and its something ill use with Ellie. I have researched a ton of these food makers and this one is so exciting!! love how their website breaks down food stages and has great food combinations!!! This one is a favorite of me as an adult so i can make a large batch and feed both of us off it 😉
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/278.html
Emily M
I love that you can make wholesome & nutritional baby food right at home! Easy, convenient, cheaper, and healthier! Win-win!!
I loooove the avocado recipes!
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
Dawn Heath
I would love to give this to my daughter in law. Simple, easy, and healthy.
Heather M.
This looks awesome! I’ve made baby food for the last 3 of my 4 children. Once I started, it was so much easier/cost efficient than I had first realized!! 🙂
Shannon Alexander
I am about to have my 5th baby and I would really like to do homemade this time. This would be perfect. I love how you can do it all with the one item.
Shelby
My favorite aspect is that it chops for you- I’m only just starting to get good at chopping things, and getting them small enough for baby food sounds like a challenge!
Here’s my favorite recipe:
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/263.html
I love sweet potatoes!
Brenda Cheek
I am a new grandmother! I used to make baby food for my babies over 28 years ago! I was checking this out for my daughter in law …she is researching now…..it will be a couple months before my grandson will start with the baby food!
I don’t have a link to a recipe since it has been so long but I used to grind any and every kind of food for my babies! It would be awesome to give this as a gift to their young family!
Ashley
I would LOVE to win this machine! I admire the simplicity of this baby food maker. To steam, chop & purée, all in one machine, excites me! As a mom of 5, simplicity is the key to happiness! I make homemade baby food, but useally use the stove followed by a food processor. One less step sounds great! My favorite recipe is:
Sweet Potatoes- (4-6 month baby)
Ingredients:
2-3 medium sweet potatoes
1/3 cup water
¼ tsp. fresh ground cinnamon (optional, for babies at least 6 months old)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional, for babies at least 6 months old)
Steps:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place washed sweet potatoes directly on a baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until sweet potatoes are completely tender. Set aside to cool.
Once sweet potatoes are cool, peel off skin and cut into large chunks. Place sweet potatoes in food processor, add water, cinnamon (optional) and vanilla (optional) and puree until completely smooth. Add more water if necessary, to achieve desired consistency.
Distribute mixture evenly amongst ice cube trays or cupcake tins, dependent upon desired portion size.
Thank you for the opportunity to win the Cuisinart baby food maker.
Kim S.
The reheat option sounds wonderful! I’m sure it gets the food the perfect temp!
Marie maxwell
I want to increase greens (broccoli and spinach and peas and green beans). I currently use Earth’s Best. So much of what I find is orange (carrots, sweet potatoes and squash. I would love to win!
Lorelei
Love products that help simplify a moms job of preparing healthy foods for her baby!
Recipe-http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/263.html
Sarah Carroll
I love that it is three simple steps to perfect baby food! http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/apple-baby-food.html
Mmm.Apple Chicken Dinner.
Amy Smith
I only tried to make baby food with my first. I didn’t have any special kitchen appliances and it didn’t go so well. I could never get the food chopped fine enough. So, I didn’t try again. Now with #5 on the way and us becoming more careful with what we eat and cutting out processed foods, I would love to make baby food this time around. This look like the perfect size machine, easy to use, and sounds like it would do a perfect job and blending up the food thus making my job a lot easier! I don’t have any favorite recipes since move never made baby food before.
Melinda M
I love that the blade can lock in this baby food maker! Butternut squash will be first on our menu in a few months. http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/butternut-squash-baby-food.html
Ann
The reason I have loved making homemade baby food is because I have more options of flavors to expose my children too. My oldest now loves broccoli, cauliflower, and other fruits and veggies not easily found in store bought baby foods. As a result, she has grown, she not only chooses healthier foods, but she is also a more adventurous eater and is willing to try different foods and flavors.
Rachel
I really like that it is an all in one tool. It does all of the work that could use several different appliances. It seems extremely convenient!
katrena Smith
Love that it steams and purees in the same container. No extra dishes!
Jennifer Lavallee
Wow….awesome! Love that it does everything! Cost effective and more nutritious! Recipe:
Apple Pecan Carrot and Squash Baby Food
Ingredients
1/4 of an acorn squash
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 an apple
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 cup water, breastmilk, or formula
Lacey
I love the idea of having a seperate appliance strictly fory baby’s food. And I love all the nifty things this one can do!
And the fact that it steams and purées is fantastic!
I love this website for baby food recipes, they have done good ones! And they tell you the specific health benefits if each fruit/veggie for baby! http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/babyfirstfoods.htm#.U62Qhom9LCQ
Amanda
I love how nutritious and cost efficient it will be. The Cuisinart Baby Food Maker simplifies the whole process.
Cori
I like how big the processor is – I like the idea of being able to make a batch with some I can give to baby and some to freeze for later. I also like that it can warm bottles – that means one less appliance on the counter.
Baby food recipe: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/298.html
Katie McConnell
My baby is Due August 17 and I definitely plan on making my own baby food! This looks like it would make that job so much easier!!
I haven’t obviously made any yet to have a favorite recipe but I can’t wait to find one!!
Megan Godfriaux
I would love to get this
Sara
I tried making my own baby food with our first who is now 3. It was so hit and miss as I was taking advice from here and there. I do not currently have any favorite site or the baby food maker. Our newest addition is just 3 months and I would love to make her food when I do start solids. This looks amazing and so much easier compared to the system I was using!!!
Kellyn
I love the info for making healthy choices here! Really love the all-in-one functionality! http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
C Webb
I think it’s neat that it steams and purees. I think it would be helpful for some grown-up food recipes too. I don’t have any baby food recipes to add.
Jessica W
Oh my! I love that this steams the food also. I have not made babyfood for my littles since my first little guy but would love to try again for my 7 month old daughter. I need to get her started on something and this would help immensely.
Beth Douglas
I am loving the fact it’s an all in one deal. Cook, cut, puree…much faster. I made baby food for my first child and would love this tool for my next.
Lindsay C.
I like the idea of eliminating some of the dishes to clean by steaming and blending in the same container. I don’t really use recipes, just whatever’s available, but both my preschooler and my baby are very fond of cranberry applesauce (I stock up on cranberries around Thanksgiving and get a cup or so out of the freezer to cook and blend with unsweetened applesauce). It’s just tart enough to be different, and a great way to add in some antioxidants.
Julie call
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
Love to make our own food.
Jessica
I love that you can control what you feed you baby! http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/266.html
Brenna Busler
I love it seems so simple to use!! It would be so helpful! We eat broccoli with just about every meal & this would make preparation so much smoother. I don’t have a specific recipe, but I would love to play around with it and find one! Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
Krista Thorne
I am so excited about making baby food for my baby. I love that you can steam and puree the food all with one appliance. Because we haven’t started our daughter on any foods yet, I don’t have a link for a favorite recipe. However, I am really looking forward to using the vegetables from our garden!
Jessie
I didn’t make my sons baby food, but I mad my older daughter baby food. It was so easy! We are pregnant again (after a vasectomy and 7 years……. Yikes and SURPRISE!) and I want to make all of my baby’s food. And I am now a stay at home mom, and were living off one income. I like making my baby’s food also because my son has severe food allergies so I can control the ingredients, not to mention I can grow my own and use organic so my little girl won’t be eating GMO’s and pesticides.
Sarah
I love that you can steam and purée veggies, fruits etc all in one machine! It would make it so much easier to use homemade food !!!!
Jessica Wolters
I like how easy and convenient it would be to use! Definitely a time saver! I like using avocado in baby’s first foods from http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
ashley
I love that you know what is going into the baby food. I love that you can customize your own mixes and for special diets.
Candace M.
I was surprised to find out that is ALSO steamed the food and I love that it’s bpa free! favorite is the avocado one : ) http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/VegetableRecipes.htm#.U63HD7R7QnI
Carissa
I would love this for my baby. I love that it has more than one function. I love that it also steams the food. It would be so nice to have!
Emily
I am due with our first baby in November. I still have much to learn, but know that I definitely want to make our baby’s food once he or she is on solids. I really love my Cuisinart food processor and think it’s awesome that they make a machine specifically designed for making baby food! I like the size and the steaming option.
Mara Lewis
It steams the vegetables! That’s my favorite. My 6 mos old just started solids and I love avocado for my first foods:
http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
Mara Lewis
Its steams?! That’s awesome. I love that!
We love avocado in our house! http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/avocadobabyfoodrecipes.html
Tara S.
The size is perfect for making baby food – not too big, not too small.
This recipe looks great: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/278.html
Tasha Dover
I love anything that helps give my child a “leg up”, so to speak. I feel as though nutrition is the most basic of building blocks to healthy development and I love being able to control what my child intakes!
Holly
I did as many other moms, blending food we made for dinner. With my two-year old I made the majority of his baby food, and now that I’m home I’ll make all the baby food for our four-month old baby (when he starts solids, of course). This product is just another great innovation by Cuisinart! Well done!!
Melissa F
I like that you can steam and puree everything in one place!
Love this recipe: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/286.html – So healthy with the good fats and protein in the egg and the nutrients of the veggies!
Heather @ My Overflowing Cup
Love the size of that little guy! How convenient. My favorite baby food recipe isn’t so much a recipe as it is a tip. The easiest thing I found is to just puree the baby-friendly portions of what you are already cooking. Just set aside an amount for baby and puree. The only thing store bought baby food has going for it is convenience. This gadget and pureeing what you are already cooking take that advantage away, for the most part.
Michelle L.
This piece of equipment is awesome – it would be a cinch to make your own food with this.
Nicole
I am just starting to make babyfood. This would make my life much easier! My little guy isn’t eating anything from a recipe yet. His favorite food though is pears. My favorite to make is avacado!
Kelly
Love that it does it all in one machine!
BRANDI SLECHTA
If I had a recipe for baby food I liked better I would share. But I just had my first child and he is only 3 months old. I would love this to use to make my son’s food!!
Kristine
Would luv to have something to make homemade baby food! My baby is 8 months old and loves to eat!
Sara
I don’t have a favorite recipe, but I would like to be entered in this contest. I am pregnant with my second baby and this would be an awesome helper for making baby food!
Em Prata
You know what I love about it? It’s also a BOTTLE WARMER! I personally have frozen bags of milk that I thaw in the fridge overnight (if I’m taking my girls to daycare), and in the morning, our sitter warms the bottle no problem. But the days where Daddy has the girls? Well, things are a little more frustrating, and overwhelming. I can only imagine how much easier on him it would be to use this to warm up those chilled bottles.
I also really, really, really love the steam blade. That alone makes me want to get one and try it!
My favorite recipes come from a Pin I found just after my daughter was born: http://thediva-dish.com/uncategorized/baby-food-101-part-2-where-to-begin-and-pureeing-in-bulk/
This blog has some really nice tips, and the recipes were great as a starting point! (We’ve just started feeding solids)
KaySue
I like that it steams and purees in the same bowl and sounds easy to use.
Sweet Potato, Spinach and Chicken Dinner: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_3/9541.html
Julie George
This baby food maker looks FANTASTIC!! My first grandchild was recently born 5 weeks early, so it will be awhile before she starts baby food…but my son, daughter-in-law, and I have been doing a lot of research on feeding her real foods. Love that it comes with a steamer and is able to warm bottles. Very veggie is one of my favorite recipes:
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/275.html
Thanks for the giveaway!!
Blessie Nelson
I love how I don’t need to take out too many dishes to warm/steam/puree my little one’s foods! Its a multitasker! I would love to prepare the egg yolk omelet for him!
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/286.html
Marisa
I love the concept of this appliance! I’d love to win this to use with our baby coming in a few months!
Di H.
Love love the fact that it can steam the food in the blender! One major time saving step!
I love this site for all ages but started using it for baby food ideas. http://weelicious.com/2011/02/28/brown-rice-cereal/
I like to mix the cereals with fruit or veggies.
Tammy Blyden
I can’t think of a better, healthier way to feed your baby. I like the idea of using organics to ensure my child gets real food with the most essential nutrients and no preservatives or junk.
Rebekah
I like the size and that it’s bpa free.
Sarah D.
I don’t know if this giveaway is over or not, but here’s my link pick for apples- http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/265.html
This baby food maker looks great! I’ll admit that I’d be more likely to make my own baby food if it were super easy. I like that it can be a bottle warmer, too. In the past, I’ve used a bottle warmer instead of the microwave to warm breast milk for baby cereal and also to warm baby food jars.
Shellie Cadogan
With a high needs complex care infant this would be awesome to use with her special diet.
brenda w
This would make babyfood easier, currently I have a small baby grinder and can only do small amounts at a time. As for a favorite recipe, I use my own.
Erin D.
I love this little guy! How nice to give your child fresh homemade baby food! As adults we like fresh healthy eating, and why not start our little ones out that way, too??