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Homemade infant carrots are easy to make and provide great nutrition for your baby.
Buying commercial baby food can add up over time and it contains a lot of extra preservatives that your baby does not need. Making your own baby food can be simple and fast if you make use of your crockpot and blender. Ingredients
Equipment Needed
Shopping for IngredientsIt is important to buy the best quality ingredients that you can when making baby food, especially if you plan to freeze the final product. Many grocery stores carry great quality organic carrots or you can sometimes find carrots at local farmers markets. Carrots are easy to make in bulk because they cook so easily in the crockpot and they freeze well so buy a lot and cook ahead. Preparing the IngredientsCarefully wash the carrots before you cook them and peel them using a vegetable peeler. Peeling the carrots not only creates a smoother texture and makes it easier for your baby to digest them, but it also gets rid of any harmful bacteria that may be on the carrots from the soil, pesticide residue (even organic carrots can be exposed to chemicals during shipping), and other harmful substances that you want to protect your baby from. If you cannot find organic carrots, a simple homemade veggie wash can eliminate many of the pesticides that may be on the surface of the carrots. Cut the carrots into two in pieces so they will cook evenly. You want each piece to have about the same mass so narrower parts of the carrot can be longer than the thicker top part of the carrot. Cooking the CarrotsPlace the carrot pieces in your crock pot and add enough water to come about halfway up the carrots. You can add more water as they cook. It is easier to add water than take it out and you do not want runny baby food. Set the crockpot on high and cook for 3-4 hours, until you can stick a fork in one of the larger pieces of carrot. Processing the CarrotsYou may have to process the carrots in several batches depending on how large your blender or food processor is. Using a large spoon, scoop the cooked carrots into your blender or food processor. It is okay if you get some of the water with it since you will be using water to thin out the carrots anyway. The water that you have cooked the carrots in will contain extra vitamins that have leaked out of the carrots during the cooking process. When you have filled your blender about ¾ of the way, add some of the water from the crockpot or some extra water if you do not have enough cooking water left. Add a small amount of water at a time so you can be sure and get the right texture. Process the carrots until they reach a smooth texture. You can add water (or carrots) to create the texture that you want. Create thinner carrots for younger babies and thicker carrots for older babies. Storing the CarrotsStore any baby food that will not be eaten within 2 days in the freezer. Use freezer-safe containers and pour just enough carrots for a single serving in each container, seal tightly and store in the freezer. Remove the carrots from the freezer the night before you want to serve them or hold them under warm running water to thaw them quickly. Related Articles Homemade Infant Prunes: Make Your Own Baby Food Homemade Infant Oatmeal: Make Nutritious Infant Cereal from Scratch Breastmilk Popsicle - Momsicle
The copyright of the article Crockpot Infant Carrots in Infant & Toddler Health is owned by Rachel Lister. Permission to republish Crockpot Infant Carrots in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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