You may have noticed that we’ve been posting more blender recipes for baby food. I know not all of you are interested in how to make baby food, but as a new mom I’m very excited about these recipes and about the opportunity to share how to make baby food with others who have babies.

If you're like me, you're not fond of spending tons of money on packaged baby food that may or may not have added sugar. I know I can’t wait to go to the store for fresh fruits and vegetables and then to go home and blend them myself. Huge money saver! And baby food is super easy to make.

How to Make Baby Food

First, pick the vegetables and/or fruits you want to use. Introduce vegetables before fruits; if you do the opposite, your baby may get used to the sweetness of fruits and reject vegetables. Solid baby food is categorized into three stages, with the first stage appropriate starting around 4–6 months old, the second stage around 7–8 months old, and the third stage around 9–12 months old.

Before starting your baby on solids, be sure to consult with your physician. Some great first-stage baby foods are yams, peas, green beans, peaches, pears, and bananas. For second- and third-stage foods, consider cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and berries. If you don’t want to worry about your baby eating the seeds, simply remove them before preparing the baby food. After selecting the produce, steam it and, if needed, peel and pit it. Then place the produce in any of Blendtec's jars:

• For the Twister jar, add 2 cups of the selected produce and 4–5 tbsp water, prepared formula, or breast milk.
• For the FourSide jar, add 2½ cups of the selected produce and 5–7 tbsp of water, prepared formula, or breast milk.
• For the WildSide+ jar, add 3 cups of the selected produce and 5–7 tbsp of water, prepared formula, or breast milk.

Press "Speed Up" to Speed 4, and run until the desired texture is achieved. First-stage baby foods should be blended the longest, so that the texture is smooth. You can find some great recipes for baby food on our recipe page.

Note: Baby food will store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.