Essential tools and equipment for making baby food
Cooking baby food is really pretty simple! All you need to do is make sure the food is super soft (at the start) and either purée or mash it. The tools you need to prep, cook, mash, and purée aren’t really that complicated. Most are probably already in your kitchen. Keep reading for the 13 essential tools to get started.
Prep
Peeler.
A sharp peeler speeds the process of peeling your fruits and vegetables. Most purées (at least at the start) are made without skin for consistency and digestive ease. Apples, squash, carrots, potatoes… you’ll need to peel, so get a good one!
Knives.
Every kitchen needs one good chopping knife with a good cutting board.
Cook
Pots and steamer.
Pots and a metal strainer or some kind of food steamer. I had the Baby Miter All in One and it was amazing. I could steam/cook and blend in one shot. An InstantPot would have been great at that time too! But, all early purées start here. If you already have an assortment of pots, you can just get a steamer to insert inside. Steamer inserts are handy so you can steam more than one batch of fruits or veggies at a time.
Baking sheets.
Baked food adds a whole new level to your babies experience, so a large one is good to have handy.
Mini muffin tin. This is a great pan for making small portions. You’ll need mini paper liners for lining the cups.
Food thermometer.
Skip it if your family doesn’t eat meat, but I find this to be absolutely essential for testing when meat is ready.
Blending
Blender or food processor.
This is going to be your best friend. Whether it’s purées, smoothies, or soups, your blender or food processor will get a ton of use. Invest in a good one so it lasts a long time, you’ll know it was worth it when it’s still working at five years. The better products on the market are very powerful, which can cut your prep time in half. I have been using mine for 2 years and know I will be for as long as I’m cooking healthy meals, especially when you want to sneak some veggies in muffins or pancakes. 😉
Freeze and thaw
Silicone storage trays.
This could be simply ice cube trays, or you can find the molds for baby food only. Worth it to get the portions down and for storing in the freezer. Just make sure whatever you use has a cover to protect against freezer burn.
Small glass bottles and jars.
These are perfect for thawing you frozen cubes of deliciousness. Many of them fit perfectly in a bottle warmer!
Store
Small glass lockable containers or mason jars. I have a set of baby food containers, glass with seal and lockable lids. The absolute best thing ever! I still use them for lunches. They are the perfect size.
Labeling
Frozen pea purées and green bean purées don’t look all that different from one another. You’ll want stickers and a marker if you make a lot and freeze. Especially when you start combining things and have options for breakfast or dinner.
Serving
Spoons
Early on, I recommend a soft silicone-based spoon. As they get older and those teeth come in, a firmer spoon with a deeper bowl is best.
Bowls
Part of the success of those first bites is getting your baby comfortable with the experience of eating. This means sitting down to a meal. Make yours and baby’s plates together and sit down so mealtime becomes routine and family bonding time.
Conclusion + Call to Action – link to baby food recipes