Do you need a weaning food processor?
It’s six months since you welcomed your baby and you may be wondering if you should invest in a baby food processor. Here are the pros and cons of buying a baby food steamer-blender.
Whether you love your food and want to use the latest gadgets in the kitchen, or you are time-poor and want to use the best time-saving gadgets, there’s a baby food processor for you. So, what are the benefits of buying one of these kitchen helpers?
Firstly and most importantly, having something to help you make delicious baby food means more time spent with your baby. And that’s priceless!
Is a baby food processor expensive?
With prices ranging from less than a tenner for a simple masher to around £160, you can spend what you feel you are able to. However, if you buy wisely, you’ll be able to use the processor again and again, not just for baby food but for other uses in your kitchen. They are ideal for making small quantities of things like sauces, purées, hummus, dips and more. They can also be sold on when you have finished with them and they will then help out another family, so they are a pretty good investment. You may even be able to sterilise small items – even baby bottles – in them, so it may save you money on a steriliser, especially for travel.
Does a weaning food processor help keep my baby’s food nutritious?
Cooking your baby’s food at home is the best way to ensure that they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need from their food. Steaming avoids overcooking and helps preserve the nutritional values of your food and making it fresh means you know exactly what has gone into your baby’s food. You can use the cooking water to help you blend the food or create soups and mashed foods, so no nutrients are lost at all. There are no additives, no artificial flavourings and no preservatives, meaning your baby is getting the very best start in life. You can also shop locally, organically and seasonally for your food, to make sure you are using the very best quality produce.
Can a weaning food processor help me with my choice of weaning method?
Having a baby food processor that steams and blends can help you with whichever type of weaning you favour. If you want to try baby-led weaning, you can steam fist-sized chunks of fruit and vegetables to offer as finger foods. If you prefer to start off by giving your baby purée, then progressing to smaller and then large chunks of food in the blend, you can easily do this too. Or you can combine spoon fed and baby led weaning. It’s the best of both worlds!
Can a weaning food processor help me keep my kitchen clean?
Cooking, blending and mixing everything in one gadget really does save on the washing up! Many of them are dishwasher friendly too, so do check and make sure you only put the parts into the dishwasher that can be cleaned that way.
Can I batch cook baby food?
A weaning food processor can help you to cook several meals’ worth of food in one go and store it in the fridge or freezer. This way, you can cook for your baby on just a couple of days per week and have plenty of delicious home-made food for every meal. Just make sure you have plenty of baby portion-sized food pots to store it in and label them with the date it was made. If you have a processor that has two chambers, you can make two flavours at the same time.
A weaning food processor can offer peace of mind
If your child has a food allergy, you’ll need to be extremely careful what you offer them to eat. So, making your own food makes perfect sense, as you can then be sure that no allergens are added to the food. Many babies are allergic to things like wheat, diary, soy or nuts. Remember that current guidelines say that you should introduce nut butter and thoroughly cooked eggs from six months, as this is now thought to help avoid allergies to those foods.