Baby Food: Bananas

All of my children loved banana baby food when they were beginning solids. However, freezing pureed bananas can be a trick. Usually they turn brown or slimy, however, this doesn't mean it's gone bad.  You just need to add an acid and a little water.

Banana Baby Food:
Bananas
Lemon Juice or Orange Juice or "Fresh Fruit" by Ball used for canning
Water

Add bananas to food processer with 1-2 TSP citric juice or fresh fruit.  (I use both).  Turn on, add water until the desired consistancey is achieved. The younger the baby, the thinner you want your bananas. If you get it too thin, it's ok.  Just add baby cereal to it when preparing the baby's food.

To freeze, use either the ice tray method or jar method:

To Freeze:

 

Cube Method:

1. Place pureed bananas from processor into ice cube trays and freeze.
2. Once frozen place in freezer bag and place bag in freezer.
3. Defrost the needed amount of cubes as necessary.

 

Jar Method:

1. Place in pureed bananas in Freezer jars, using a wide mouth funnel helps prevent spills. (use jars especially made for the freezer such as Ball/Kerr Blue Label canning jars). 
2. Leave HEAD SPACE of about 1-1/2 inches.
3. Place in freezer. Defrost 1 jar as needed. (To defrost jars move from freezer to refrigerator overnight.)

 (1 jar usually last 1 week for my son because i mix his food with oatmeal or barley)

Baby Food: Carrots & Carrot Juice for Baby

 Baby Food: Pureed Carrots
Ingredients:
Carrots (any amount-I use 3-4lbs because I make bulk quantities.)
Water

1. If you use regular carrots wash with veggie brush to remove ALL dirt or peel the carrots. Slice into sticks or if you have a food processor with a slicer slice the carrots
2. Put enough water over the carrots to barely cover the top.
3. Boil until tender-not mushy. They should still hold their shape but be soft.
4. Turn off heat and let cool 5 minutes.
5. Place into food processor or blender. Puree until you reach the consistancy that you desire.
6. Let cool.

Here you can either freeze "as is" or strain the juice.

To Freeze:
Cube Method:

1. Place pureed carrots from processor into ice cube trays and freeze.
2. Once frozen place in freezer bag and place bag in freezer.
3. Defrost the needed amount of cubes as necessary.

Jar Method:

1. Place in Freezer jars (use jars especially made for the freezer such as Ball/Kerr Blue Label canning jars). Using a wide mouth funnel helps prevent spills.
2. Leave HEAD SPACE of about 1-1/2 inches.
3. Place in freezer. Defrost 1 jar as needed. (To defrost jars move from freezer to refrigerator overnight.)

To get the CARROT JUICE:

1. BEFORE placing in jar use a mess strainer over a bowl and place 8 oz carrot in the strainer.
2. Press the carrots until the juice no longer comes out.
3. Move the carrots from the strainer to jars. Use a wide mouth strainer to prevent spilling the carrots.
4. Repeat this process until all carrots have been strained.
5. Take the strained juice and place in freezer jars using a wide mouth funnel.
6. Freeze

I use the carrot juice (and other juice from fruits & veggies) to make cereal instead of water or milk. All of my children loved homemade baby food and homemade juices.

Homemade Baby Wipes

Having more than one baby in diapers cost A LOT!!!!! I have been looking into ways to save money. Well I have given cloth diapers considerable thought, but I REALLY hate to do laundry so that just won't work for me. I have decided to save money by making my own baby wipes that contains soaps with lavender and tea tree oil.

Lavender has antispetic and antiinflammatory properties. Tea tree oil has antispetic and antifungal properties.

Please before using any essentials oils or soaps with essential oils in them, read for any precautions or warning labels. Some oils are completely safe on the skin but can be dangerous if swallowed.

To make 2 containers of wipes:
2 Plastic containers with lids (I use old huggies containers)
1 Roll Viva Paper Towels (Select-a-size type) (See Update)
2 TBS Avalon Lavendar Shower Gel (organic)
2 TBS Nature's Gate Tea Tree Liquid Soap (organic)
2 TBS Baby Oil
4 Cups Boiling Water (Allow to cool before using the wipes)

Prepare your paper towels by either cutting the roll in half and removing the cardboard from the center or tear each paper towel off.  {I cut the roll in half and then zig-zag fold it into the container.}

Boil your water get it to a good rolling boil. In a mixing bowl combine your soaps, oil, then add your water slowly 1 cup at a time. This will cause the ingredients to combine without making too many bubbles.

Next put 1/4 of your towel in the bottom of each containers. Add in 1 Cup of your liquid mixture. Give the towels a minute to soak it all up. Then place the remaining towel in the containers splitting them evenly. Add 1 cup of the liquid on the top of the towel.

Allow the towels to soak up the liquid. Now you have 230 wipes for the total cost of $2.72.

My initial investment was 4 rolls of Viva paper towels (I had a $1 off coupon when I buy 4) {$4.96/$1.25 each roll}; Avalon Organic Lavender Soap-12oz {$5.59/ $0.47 per oz}; Nature's Gate Tea Tree Liquid Soap-16oz {$4.29/ $0.27 per oz}; and the baby oil and wipes containers I had in my home. My initial investment is $14.84. However, I will be able to make 920 wipe out of these four rolls of paper towels. After using all the paper towels I will still have alot of soap left over to make more.

(Please note these prices are from DeCA-the military commissary. You may find coupons for these online to help cut cost. Also, health food stores may carry other organic brands at cheaper prices-but not always.)

I do recommend using only certified organic soaps in these so that you know for certain that only the highest quality products will be used on your precious baby.

***Please note that some people have reactions to lavendar oil and tea tree oil. Use precaution. All 3 kids and I have very sensitive skin and have never had a problem using essential oils.***

UPDATE: I HAVE FOUND BOUNTY WORKS BETTER (select a size). I bought my paper towels at Sam's this time. The price is a little less per roll. However, I knew I needed a large amount for Spring Cleaning.

Baby Food: Pear Juice & Pearsauce

Making baby food is cheaper than buying premade.

Price below are found using Google & Google Shopping:
Gerber Pear Juice 4oz @ Walgreens $1.19
Gerber Pear Juice 4-4oz Pack @ Walgreens $4.59
Gerber Pear Juice 32oz @ Fort Myers Grocery Delivery Service $3.29

Gerber Pears 2nd Foods 2-3.5 oz pack @ Walgreens $1.79
Gerber Pears 1st Foods 1-2.5 oz pack @ Walgreens $1.59

I bought 3 pears of each Barlett, D'Anjou, and Red pears for about $3.50 total. From this I made 40oz pearsauce and 41oz Pear Juice. There's no sugar added and I only added "Fresh Fruit" to keep the food from turning color while exposed to air.

How I make my Pear Baby Foods:

Pear Juice & Pear Sauce at the same time: (FREEZER METHOD of storing)

1. Peel, Seed, & Core all pears.
2. Slice into approx. 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. {*Tip* If the 'meat' of the fruit is soft it doesn't need to be cut into smaller pieces. If the 'meat' if firm it needs smaller pieces}
3. Place in to sauce pan/stock pot fill to just above the pear's level.
4. Add in "Fresh Fruit" or other natural perservative to keep fruit fresh tasting and from discoloring. Lemon juice works well or Citric Acid aka Vitamin C.
5. Bring to a boil SLOWLY!
6. Boil on the lowest possible setting, until the all the 'meat' is tender.
7. Use a cone stainer over a large bowl to strain the meat from the juice. As the strainer fills up, place the meat into a food processor or blender.
8. Continue to seperate the juice and meat until all has been seperated.
9. To get clearer juice with less pulp filter a second time with a coffee filter in the strainer
10. Let juice cool.
11. Now that the juice is cooling and all the 'meat' is in the blend/food processor. Simply hit puree or turn on your machine. I let mine run for about 30-60 seconds because my baby is at the 1st foods stage.
12. Once it is to the consistancy that you like turn off the machine and let it cool.
13. Prepare for freezer...
• Use either clean ice cube trays and freeze into small cubes to store in freezer bags or freezer jars.
• OR place into freezer jars (Like Kerr & Ball Blue Label) and freeze in large quanities for defrosting for a weeks' use.
14. To freeze the juice:
• Once cooled. Place in quart size freezer bags to about 1 -2 inches from the top. Place on a cookie sheet then place in freezer to set firm.
• OR OR place into freezer jars (Like Kerr & Ball Blue Label) 8 or 12 oz and freeze.

I use 12 oz freezer jars for juice and 8 oz freezer jars for baby food. I also keep the minor pulp in the juice instead of straining it with a coffee filter. Malachi is on a sippy cup already so it doesn't clog up as easy as a bottle. I use the Gerber Nuk stage 1 sippy/transition cups.  He has not been on a bottle since he was less than a month old. He has been strictly nursed until recently.