Most people make baby food using combined fruits and vegetables but I prefer to keep the ingredients separate and then combine multiple ice cubes to create these variations.

Sometimes I would use fresh fruits and vegetables but most times I used frozen produce. I recently read a Delish article stating frozen produce is just as healthy of nutrients, if not more, than fresh produce.

Frozen packages usually have instructions for cooking where you can microwave them straight in the bag.

Steaming, which could actually be done in the microwave, a rice cooker, a slow cooker, or a 3-tiered steam cooker, is preferable to boiling for containing the essential nutrients. They need to be well cooked and soft enough for pureeing.

First-time feeders need more liquid textures for the purees and once they get the hang of it, thicker purees are less messy. You can also prepare thicker purees and add water when preparing/reheating to serve.

You can defrost in the microwave for a few seconds, in the fridge, for several hours, or room temperature (on your counter) for a few hours.

The microwave defrosting process is the fastest but can be tricky because it will either still be partially frozen or too hot in the end. I find adding a bit of cold water helps to mix it up or cool down.

I recommend using spoons that measure temperature, such as Munchkin’s White Hot Infant Spoons.

Be sure to check out my Favorite Tools for Feeding Babies and Toddlers.