Freezing baby food is a convenient and cost-effective way to ensure that your little one always has a variety of healthy meals on hand. Not only does it save you time and money, but it also allows you to control the ingredients and avoid any added preservatives or artificial ingredients.
Getting Started
To start, you'll need to gather some basic supplies, including a blender or food processor, ice cube trays, and freezer bags or containers. You can use a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, and bananas, as well as meats and proteins like chicken, fish, and tofu.
Preparing Baby Food
When preparing the food, it's important to make sure that it is cooked thoroughly and cooled completely before freezing. Blending or pureeing the food to the desired consistency is also important for babies who are just starting to eat solid foods.
Freezing Tips
Once the food is prepared, you can use ice cube trays to portion it out into individual servings. After the food is frozen in the trays, you can transfer the cubes to freezer bags or containers, making sure to label them with the date and type of food.
Feeding Baby
When it comes time to feed your baby, you can simply take out a cube or two and thaw them in the refrigerator or by placing them in a bowl of warm water. Keep in mind that once thawed, the food should be used within 24 hours.
What Baby Foods Will/Won't Freeze?
It is important to note that some fruits and vegetables may not freeze well. For example, fruits like avocados and pineapples do not freeze well, so it's best to consume them fresh. Additionally, it is important to never refreeze baby food that has been thawed. I included an easy to use chart to help you!
| Puréed foods that we find freeze well (browning is not indicative of rot but of natural oxidization - that is unless you have used rotten fruit to begin with.) | Puréed foods that we find do not freeze very well |
| Apples (may turn brown - freeze in slices for a nice teething reliever in a baby safe feeder) | Apricots (may not freeze solid and texture may be altered, otherwise ok) |
| Avocados (may turn brown when pureed, otherwise ok - best frozen in halves with a bit of lemon juice) | Citrus such as Orange, Tangerine or Grapefruit |
| Bananas (may turn brown when pureed, otherwise ok - freeze bananas whole in their jackets for less waste - cut in half, wrap then freeze) | Dairy products (may freeze yogurt - texture and color may change, otherwise ok) |
| Banana mixed with other fruits | Eggs (cook whole egg or just yolk and then freeze without pureeing.) |
| Blueberries | Melon (may become watery and taste/texture may change - ok to freeze if not puréed) |
| Broccoli | Grapes (freeze whole or halved) |
| Cauliflower | Potatoes - White(difficult to reconstitute when frozen in puréed form otherwise ok to freeze - may thaw and heat up with a mealy texture) |
| Carrots | Prunes (may not freeze solid and texture may be altered, otherwise ok) |
| Corn | Rice (difficult to reconstitute when frozen in puréed form otherwise ok to freeze) |
| Green Beans | |
| Mangos | Mangos (great in chunked form - watery and gritty when in pureed form) |
| Meats | Meats may become gritty when thawed otherwise they are fine. |
| Nectarines (may turn brown and taste may change - mixed results) | |
| Noodles - freeze "whole" | Noodles - do not freeze well when pureed. |
| Peaches | Papaya (great in chunked form - watery and gritty when in pureed form) |
| Pears (may turn brown and taste may change - mixed results - freeze in slices then mash for best bet) | |
| Peas | |
| Plums (may turn brownish and taste may change - mixed results) | Squash - Zucchini & Summer (yellow)(may turn extremely watery when thawed and some taste may suffer |
| Rice (freeze it without pureeing and then puree when thawed for a nice taste/texture) | Tofu (color changes and texture becomes spongy - still ok to eat however) |
| Squash - Acorn, Butternut, Winter | |
| Sweet Potato |
There's More Help!
Overall, freezing baby food is a great way to ensure that your little one always has a variety of healthy meals on hand. With a little bit of preparation, you can save time and money while also controlling the ingredients in your baby's food. Just make sure to properly label and store the food, and to only thaw what you need at a time.
- Tips for Freezing Baby Food Pouches, Baby Recipes and More!
Hi! Thanks for posting the chart from wholesomebabyfood.com! Our visitors love the chart and I hope your visitors do as well!
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was once entirely right.
This publish actually made my day. You can not consider just how much
time I had spent for this info! Thank you!
Hi! I found you on the Learn Through Play Hop. Thanks for this post - I have a baby on the way and am already thinking (maybe a little too far ahead) to baby food. 🙂
Glad you liked the recipes. Congratulations on your baby on the way. How exciting!! Let me know if you have any questions about making baby food once your baby gets old enough. I would be happy to answer them.