What is the safest way to reheat home cooked baby food?

[hellsbelles]

I know this sounds stupid but googling has not given me an answer so it would be great to hear what you do....

I have lots of food cooked and frozen for my 7 month old...and at the moment I'm fully defrosting it and then reheating in the baby beacook (sp?). But it seems to make it really watery.

So what are the alternatives? If the food has meat in does it have to reach boiling point when reheating? I'm so unsure. For instance the ready made ones just suggest zapping in the micro for 30 secs...but I'm assuming this isn't safe for my homemade stew? Sorry for the long winded post - just want to make sure I'm reheating the food as safely as possible.

I always zap homecooked in the micro for about 30 seconds after fully defrosting - that way I know it's fully cooked.

I use the microwave, too. I loooked up whether there were any good reasons why I shouldn't (zapping the nutrients, etc) and found nothing convincing.

thanks - so as it's cooked already is it o.k. just to do the 30 seconds even if it's meat? I seem to recall my dear mother (!) once saying that meat had to reach boiling point and them simmer for at least 5 mins - but I guess that was in the dark ages before microwaves!

The mightytoosh - it's weird that there isn't more guidance isn't it....most books just say 'reheat' but don't really go into the best methods or timing. Maybe I'm reading the wrong books.

Yep, I always had a nagging feeling that there was something evil about microwaves, but really didn't find anything...

I used the 'piping hot' rule - i.e. properly hot all the way through. I presume if meat is already cooked, then the reheat is just to make sure it's hot through and not still frozen. It's no worse than eating cold chicken in a sandwich the next day, is it? That doesn't need to be simmered for 5 minutes!

Nightmare - wonder if there is official guidance on this anywhere? UK.gov??

I always reheated till piping hot and let it cool down before feeding. If it is a small portion then 30 seconds may make it pipimg hot anyway.

thanks all - I guess as you all are using the micro zapping method it must be safe! I shall stop worrying and just get on with it!

sorry but the title made me , as the word 'food' wasn't apparent at first glance.

as you were!!

scrooblu - PMSL - now that would be a good DM topic!

Another micro zapper here. I think the evils that are lurking in the backs of people's minds are more connected with the plastic containers, and particularly reheating in plastic containers. But I can't offer any links or evidence. If I remember/have time, I decant into china.