pre made baby food or home made for 6 month old?

[Adam3322]

now started to wean LO on baby food have been buying the jars from supermarkets etc health visitor said it may be easier and cheaper to do it myself and hand blend veg/fruit etc . have any of you found this to be easier? and any tips on what to avoid when making it from home would be handy as im a bit lost!

At six months you don't really need to. I bought masher with a bowl and used that for a couple of weeks. I think it was annabell carmel

When I gave pouches I gave DD strips of chewy bread like ciabatta to dip in and chew.

I used pre made for convenience and when I home cooked stuff I just cut everything into chip shapes so she could pick them up.

Things like banana, ripe pear, avocado mash really well with no cooking involved. You could give things like mashed potato (before adding salt) from your own meals. Sweet potatoes can be microwaved whole in a few minutes and the inside mashes up well.
You can give finger foods too, let them try what you're eating (no salt, honey, whole nuts etc), little sandwiches or fingers of toast with cream cheese or peanut butter, fingers of banana, sticks of cucumber, well cooked carrots, broccoli for example.

I would second mashing up bits of what you're having (minus salt), maybe along side a few finger foods, and going from there. Find out what baby seems to like then start branching out.

I went hell for leather and made loads of purées in those little pots you put in the freezer and my daughter wouldn't touch any of them. She much preferred finger food from the get go so I followed her lead.

With my DS I made all his food (we mostly did finger food, but I made him some mashed up stuff). He loved it. Problem was he then wouldn’t eat any pre made baby food. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it was kind of annoying that I couldn’t just bring a pouch in my bag for him if we were out

With DD I gave her pre made food, as well as finger food and of course still some mashed up banana, avocado, mashed potato etc. She would then eat regular baby food which was much more convenient!

Mine still loves jars and pouches of baby food unfortunately has never been keen on homemade. I do find ready made very easy and it’s quite difficult to mash up some foods.

Well home made is obviously going to be better and you know what your actually feeding your child, it’s not hard to steam some carrots, broccoli or to mash a banana, stew some apples etc

Peanut butter/cream cheese on toast
Mash up whatever your having, let them have a taste of that
Pasta (penne is best imo) with tomato sauce and some steamed broccoli
The mash from a jacket potatoe, with steamed veg

So always home made for me, the pouches/jars are ok for a busy day out or whatever but I wouldn’t rely on them.

No honey before 1 year old
Watch the salt and sugar you add to food

It’s definitely cheaper to make it yourself. It wouldn’t say it’s necesarily easier because you have to cook it, mash/purée it, portion t and store it.
BLW cuts out the middle man. Baby just eats whatever you’re having (within reason) cut into pieces roughly the size of a chip and feeds themselves - no spoons required. Was definitely the easiest way for me with both of my DCs and will be doing it this way when the time comes for DC3

I was all about the healthy home made baby food. DS flatly refused to eat it, obviously the shop bought slop was tastier! I reluctantly gave him pouches as it was all he’d eat. He was 1 before he’d reliably eat actual food that I prepared at home.

Homemade is definitely better (and cheaper) than jars and pouches, unless you're cooking with a load of salt. At 6mo pureeing or mashing is fairly optional as well. You can just give baby homemade food that you're eating.

I can't see how it is easier - perhaps in the long run as they can come a bit attached to very soft food in jars/pouches. It's probably cheaper to do it yourself though. I have always given mine a mix depending on what we are having/ doing.

Both. It's good to get them used to cold jars and pouches in case of emergencies.

Lots of ideas here for different ages.

www.nhs.uk/start4life/weaning/what-to-feed-your-baby/7-9-months/

Homemade, you know what's in it that way. Think there's a place for all the ready made stuff but for day to day, homemade is cheaper and more nutritious.

My LO has just turned 6 months and I just give him whatever I have in the house. So today it was leftover pasta and tomato sauce from my dinner last night and a yogurt.

If we are out for the day then I just bring some fruit/veg pre prepared along with us or he just has a bit of what I am having. Its no hassle really.

We are going abroad this weekend so I have bought some pouches and puffs just as a back up if needed

We gave ds finger food of whatever we we're having if it was suitable, and pre made baby food if it wasn't. It was much easier when he had the same as us as we could eat at the same time.

I made loads and froze it. Then my DD didn't want it suit ended up in the bin. She had a couple of the Ella's kitchen pouches but soon got board of eating purée and I started baby led weaning with solids. Every baby is different, I would make a little of your own purée and take it from there. See what your child likes and go with it xx

Homemade here, I started out doing puréed veg with a hand blender and moved on quickly to fork mashes and finger food. I just pop things in the steamer and hey presto. I tend to find if it’s something DS isn’t sure on I give it as a fork mash and then try it as finger food next time. When I’m out and about I either take things I’ve already prepped that can be reheated easily or cold veggies/fruit like chopped cucumber, pepper, carrot etc also good for teething. Avocados and bananas are great convenience foods.
If you want to give pouches whilst out and about you can buy refillable ones.

I used pouches and jars when out and made my own at home. That way they get to try lots of different flavours and textures etc.

Banana not till 7 months it's hard to digest