Making, Freezing, and Reheating Baby Food at Home

Making your own baby food is faster than many people think, and you know exactly what’s in it. With a pan, an immersion blender, and two basic recipes, you can make your first batches of baby food and stock up right away. Here you’ll find the recommended quantities from expert organizations, guidelines on hygiene and nitrate levels, and instructions for freezing, thawing, and reheating.

Before you get started: the basic rules

To find out when your baby is ready for baby food, read the guide “Solid Foods: When and How to Start.” The Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV) recommends starting solid foods no earlier than the beginning of the fifth month and no later than the beginning of the seventh month. There are a few simple rules to follow when preparing baby food:

• No salt, no sugar: According to the BLV, you should avoid using salt, bouillon, spices, sugar, honey, and other sweeteners when preparing food. According to the City of Zurich’s Parenting Counseling Service, salt, bouillon, sugar, and honey are unsuitable throughout a child’s first year of life.
• Add canola oil: The BLV recommends adding a little canola oil to the food once a day. It provides valuable fatty acids. Both cold-pressed and refined canola oil are suitable.
• Start simple: For the first few spoonfuls, one vegetable and potatoes are enough. Add other ingredients gradually.
• Take advantage of variety: According to the BLV, when cooking at home, you can use many different types of vegetables and fruits.

Does your baby prefer to feed themselves rather than be fed? The ” Baby-Led Weaning” guide explains how to introduce solid foods without using baby food.

Baby Food Recipes: Two Basic Recipes

Vegetable, Potato, and Meat Puree

The first meal is usually a vegetable puree at lunchtime. At first, vegetables with potatoes are enough; later, a little meat is added. Swiss and German expert organizations recommend slightly different amounts. Both are guidelines for a single serving—your baby will let you know how much they’re eating.

1. Wash Your Hands: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before cooking, and also after handling raw meat.
2. Prep: Wash the vegetables and potatoes, peel them, and cut them into small pieces. Cut the meat into small pieces as well.
3. Cook: Cook everything together in a little water for about 10 minutes until tender, without salt, spices, or bouillon. The meat must be cooked all the way through.
4. Puree: Puree everything until smooth. If the puree is too thick, add a little water.
5. Stir in the oil: Stir in the canola oil only at the very end.
6. Cool it quickly. Any food your baby doesn’t eat right away should be cooled immediately and placed in the refrigerator or freezer.

Variations: According to the BLV, you can replace the meat with the same amount of boneless fish, such as salmon, or with a small amount of egg. For a vegetarian porridge, use whole-grain cereal flakes—such as oat or millet flakes—instead of meat. Then add a little more fruit juice or fruit puree: According to Gesund ins Leben, this improves the absorption of iron from grains and vegetables. Milk does not belong in this porridge; it inhibits iron absorption.

Cereal-Fruit Porridge

The cereal-fruit porridge is served a little later, often in the afternoon. It contains no milk.

• Ingredients: 90 ml water, 20 g cereal flakes or semolina, 100 g fruit, and 1 tsp canola oil. That’s what “Gesund ins Leben” recommends. The BLV specifies 50 to 100 ml water, 10 to 20 g whole-grain flakes or semolina, and about 100 g fruit.
• Preparation: Stir the cereal flakes into cold water and the semolina into boiling water. Let everything simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Then stir in the grated or pureed fruit and the oil.

You can find more ideas, such as pumpkin rice or bananas with oatmeal, in the recipes from Cooking with LIINI.

Hygiene and Nitrates: What to Keep in Mind When Cooking

Cleanliness is especially important when making baby food. These habits will help:

• Clean utensils: According to the German Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), you should clean your immersion blender, bowls, and spoons in the dishwasher at 65 °C or with hot water and dish soap.
• Cook thoroughly: Heat meat, poultry, fish, and eggs so that their core reaches 70 °C for at least 2 minutes. This is recommended by the Austrian program “Eating Right from the Start.”
• Don’t keep food warm for too long: According to the same program, keep hot dishes above 65 °C or cool them down quickly, preferably in several shallow dishes.
• Your own tasting spoon: Don’t lick the baby spoon. That way, according to BIÖG, you won’t pass on cavity-causing bacteria to your child.

That’s why it’s best to cook baby food with these vegetables fresh, rather than making it in advance.

Freezing Baby Food: How to Build a Supply

Freezing saves time: You cook a larger batch once and have baby food ready for several days. According to the BLV, BIÖG, and “Eating Right from the Start,” homemade baby food lasts up to 2 months at −18 °C.

1. Cool quickly: Cool the puree as quickly as possible right after blending. According to BIÖG, freeze it immediately afterward to prevent germs from multiplying.
2. Portioning: Pour the puree into small freezer cups or an ice cube tray. The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) recommends using ice cube trays for small portions.
3. Cover and label: Cover the container tightly and write the contents and date on it using a waterproof marker.
4. Freezing: Place the puree in the freezer at −18 °C or colder. Use the oldest portions first.

If you’ve cooked baby food from frozen vegetables, you can refreeze it according to “Eating Right from the Start.” Cooking creates a new food product. It’s also important here to cool it quickly and freeze it in portions.

Thawing and Reheating Puree

When it comes to thawing and reheating, there’s one rule above all: each portion should only be thawed and reheated once.

• Thaw just before feeding: The BIÖG recommends thawing frozen baby food quickly—in a water bath or in the microwave—immediately before feeding. This minimizes vitamin loss.
• Stir well and check: Stir the baby food thoroughly before feeding and use your own spoon to check that it’s comfortably warm and not hot.
• Reheat only once: According to BIÖG, do not reheat thawed baby food a second time, and do not refreeze it.
• Throw away leftovers: Anything your baby hasn’t eaten should be thrown away. Saliva gets into the baby food through the spoon. The British National Health Service (NHS) advises never to save or reheat uneaten portions.

Jars or homemade?

Both are fine. The BLV lists advantages for both options.

According to the BLV, when shopping, avoid products with added salt, sugar, cocoa, and flavorings. If you don’t feed your baby directly from the jar but instead pour a portion into a bowl, you can store the rest in a sealed container in the refrigerator. The BIÖG recommends one to three days, depending on the product, while the City of Zurich’s Parenting Counseling Service advises using up an opened jar within 48 hours.

Homemade baby food on the go

For outings, pack freshly cooked, quickly cooled baby food in an airtight container with an ice pack in a cooler bag. Once you’re there, reheat it once. If you don’t have a microwave, you can use a battery-powered baby food warmer: The LIINI® 2.0 PRO baby food warmer holds up to 350 g, requires no temperature adjustment, and, according to LIINI, is suitable for both store-bought and homemade baby food. You can find all models under “Baby Food Warmers.”

From LIINI

LIINI® 2.0 PRO Baby Food Warmer, Beige, IP6699.99€incl. VATView product →

For more ideas and hygiene tips for your outing, see the guide “Keeping Baby Food Warm on the Go.” The diaper bag checklist shows what else to pack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers: Complementary Feeding, Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
2. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers: Recipes, Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
3. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers: Frequently Asked Questions, Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
4. Complementary Feeding (Fact Sheet), City of Zurich, Parenting Counseling Service
5. Vegetable-Potato-Meat Puree, “Gesund ins Leben” Network
6. Vegetable-Potato-Grain Porridge, “Gesund ins Leben” Network
7. Cereal-Fruit Porridge, “Gesund ins Leben” Network
8. Recipes for Baby Food, kindergesundheit-info.de, Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG)
9. Hygiene Guidelines for Baby Food, kindergesundheit-info.de, Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG)
10. Questions and Answers About Nitrates and Nitrites in Food, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)
11. What should you pay special attention to when making your own baby food?, Eating Right from the Start (AGES, Ministry of Social Affairs, Umbrella Organization of Social Insurance Carriers)
12. Can baby food made from frozen vegetables be refrozen?, Eating Right from the Start
13. How long can I keep freshly cooked baby food warm?, Eating Right from the Start
14. Storing and Reheating Food, NHS Best Start in Life
15. Baby Foods: Homemade, HSE Health Service Executive, Ireland