Making baby puree - what to use?

[Bub4me]

I'm about to start DH on pureed food and I'd prefer to make me myself. I need to go and buy something to make it with tho', and wondered if anyone had any opinions on what 'tool' they prefer (blender? food processor? stick blender?). I'll just be heading down to Harvey Norman or somewhere similar - not looking to spend heaps of money, but want something that will do a decent job (eg. in my mind I can't see how a blender would work, but some of you who have tried might prefer a blender).

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

[kirsty_lee]

Your starting Dh on pureed food or your DD? lol

Before I used a food processor (for dd this is) I did it all by hand haha what a job that was. Cause I would make up fortnightly meals and freeze them! But after I got the food processor it made life a heck of a lot easier. But a stick blender would be just as good, probably even better! not as hard to wash everytime your blending something different lol You can go to Kmart and buy stick blenders for like 20 bucks. THey dont need to be the most fandangle flash thing out, its only blending food kwim?

[nickle730]

Hope your DH enjoys the purees! Hehehehe...

I used a food processor and did a week or so's worth at a time (froze them in meal size servings). A stick blender would be ok but probably not so good if you want to do large quantities??

I loved loved loved making the food for my bubba's. It might sound silly, but I got so much satisfaction out of providing them with wholesome home made food and it's still one of my favourite things to do for the family. The kids help me cook now and we all love it!

Enjoy! And let us know how your DH goes...

[2CheekyMonkeys]

if you can afford 'the magic bullet' or something similar they are really good!
next preference would be hand held stick mixer
then food processor
then blender.

you'll need some ice cube trays to freeze batches into also. once the tray is frozen tip em into a zip lock bag with the date on em. then you can just go in each night and pull out 2 or 3 cubes.

[HotI]

Your starting Dh on pureed food or your DD? lol

i'm giggling here

[Bub4me]

Ha ha, yes I'm sure DH is going to love all the puree I'll be making him

Thanks for the ideas girls. I am hoping to make at least a couple of days/a week's worth at a time and freeze them. I have bought some little 125ml square containers from Woollies (forgotten the brand they stock - decor?) for freezing/storing. Will have a look tomorrow at both stick blenders and food processors. Sounds like they're both good, but food processors are better for larger quantaties (and may be more useful as DD gets older? What do you think?). Hmmm... food processors are also pricier, so will have to weigh it all up.

Thanks again girls!!

[2CheekyMonkeys]

well after a few months you just start mashing the vegies and then finger food, so i wouldnt go spending a lot of money.

[*TripleJ*]

i used a stick mixer thingy and then got given a magic bullet after DS started eating by himself so no more purees lol i used to freeze them in a ice cube tray with those long ice cubes for bottles and if i didnt have that i froze them on a plastic container lid and then put them into a container lol

[Bub4me]

Ah yes, I had read about using a regular potato masher when they're a bit older and thought that was a good idea. Had thought they food processor might be good for chicken and that sort of thing when they can eat slightly chunkier food but not quite finger stuff yet. Yeah, not real keen on spending too much at this point. I had a magic bullet when we lived in the States and found it really useful for things. Does anyone know how much they are here? I found them particularly good for mincing garlic and doing those messy jobs. I think I might be heading down the stick blender road though -- can always do a few batches if I need to, and I do like the idea of quick clean up if making a few different kinds of purees.

[Curly]

I used a stick blender and Tupperware ice cube trays (they are a good size and have a lid). Get one with the highest wattage motor possible.

That way I could chuck in a cube of carrot, a cube of cauliflower, a cube of pumpkin, a cube of broccoli etc etc and the kids would get all kinds of combinations.

DS initially didn't like meat so I would have to mix it with fruit - so he would get a cube of chicken with a couple of cubes of apple or pear (sounds foul but that's how I got him to eat meat).

The stick blender will get food nice and smooth and is also just good for a quick whizz when you need to mash it up a bit but want lumps.

[Bub4me]

I just emailed a girlfriend and asked the same question, and she said that she froze things in individual cubes so she could then mix as she liked. Clever idea - I hadn't thought of that, was going to freeze combinations. Do you know how long it's recommended to keep frozen puree in the freezer? A month?

[studymum]

We bought a blender, the one we got is a little dear but I loved it. It can do a complete puree but as DD1 got bigger it has other settings that were good for doing lumpy purees and eventually just chopped up her food. I used it until she was at least one.

Breville - Product Detail - BBL550 | ikon 550 Blender

As other PP have suggested, start with ice cube trays, they only start on maybe a teaspoon or two anyway.

I loved making DD1's food, she wouldnt touch the jar stuff in the end cause it was tasteless. I suggest getting yourself a nice little baby recipe cookbook. Annabell Karmel does a few good ones, I have her 'feeding your baby and toddler book' and it starts off with purees and what ones to give first and when etc and moves right up to toddler food.

[Life is Good]

Even although our boy is over 7 months old (has been on solids since 4 months) he still can't deal with any lumps at all. For this reason a stick blender just hasn't worked for us and may be something to consider before you make your purchase. A friend has given me her Bebe Delice which is the only thing I have found gets it perfectly smooth with absolutely no lumps (like shop bought baby food). It is a pain though because you can only do about 2 cups at a time and if you buy it new it is really expensive. Just wanted to forewarn you incase your bub is allergic to lumps like mine is

I also make foods up and freeze them separately and then make up different combinations of the foods for our boy at each meal. It is really good and it also gives you an idea of what there favourite combos are (for those difficult meal times when it is easier to give them what they like instead of what they don't and it ending in a messy a food fight!). It is especially helpful if you cook and freeze things like prunes separately. That way, if they are constipated then you just add a block of prune puree to their meal.

[Amaunet]

I love my stick blender, I can blend in whatever container I cook in (such as the bottom part of my steamer saucepan) and it does large enough portions at a time. I have a blender but have never used it for baby food, too much cleaning up. I just have them one from kmart. It gets the food really smooth too. It also has a little chopper bowl attachment for making it chunkier as they get older.

[Visitor8]

thanks for that laugh!

I used BLS but for food I did mush I used a potato masher lol I used a hand mix thing for anything that was too hard for that or when I was pureeing up whatever I was eating