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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Potato

31 replies

ClareBos · 30/05/2007 09:10

I can't seem to get the consistency of potato right. I've tried mashing it, pureeing it, pushing it through a seive, but by the time it's been frozen and thawed it's geled back together and is far too lumpy for ds to take in.

Is there a secret to potato prep? (I'm a bad bad cook) or is it just supposed to be that lumpy and ds will have to get used to it?

OP posts:
nailpolish · 30/05/2007 09:12

you cant freeze mashed potato

lulumama · 30/05/2007 09:13

you cannot puree it , makes it all gluey

boil & mash and serve immediately....
use a splash of milk to get it smoother if necessary

how old is DS?

tigerschick · 30/05/2007 09:13

Don't puree it either, it makes the starch break down too much (or something like that) and it goes all gloopy.

tigerschick · 30/05/2007 09:14

x posts lulu

Seona1973 · 30/05/2007 10:22

you can freeze mashed potato - I do it all the time (and you can buy frozen mashed potato). We put ours through a potato ricer, add a little milk and butter and mix through. When re-cooking add more milk as necessary to make it smooth again.

ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 10:26

You can freeze mashed potato but it's so easy to make fresh it's really not worth it...Don't puree it though as it does get very starchy as someone else has mentioned.

nailpolish · 30/05/2007 10:27

ok yiu can freeze mashed potato

my mistake

but its boggin'

and by the time you recook it you could have made fresh which is much much nicer

ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 10:31

Boggin' is the word!

Original poster
ClareBos · 30/05/2007 10:48

Hum, ok I'm obviously doing this wrong. Do you all cook fresh for your baby every day?

ds is 6 months old and only has a few teaspoons full. Also he's lactose intolerant, so we're not adding in dairy for a little while yet.

Oh no, I thought it was the potato's fault and now I think it's my fault

OP posts:
ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 10:52

It only takes 5mins to make mashed potato, are you not using any kind of milk?

nailpolish · 30/05/2007 10:56

you dont have to cook fresh every day, other things freeze and puree fine

its jsut if you ar making mashed potato its best fresh

Original poster
ClareBos · 30/05/2007 10:59

I need a cookery course - quick!!
Mashed potato takes 5 minutes? But don't you have to peel potatoes, boil them for 15 minutes and then mash them? I'm actually quite panicky about this now, what if I've done the other ones wrong too?

And no, he has soya formula, otherwise it's runny bum central round here.

OP posts:
nailpolish · 30/05/2007 11:00

i thin k ST was being general with the "5 minutes"

what she means is they are not a lot of work!

dont panic!

ahve you got annabel carmels book? its a good place to start

lulumama · 30/05/2007 11:00

don't be

peel , boil and mash takes 15 minutes.....

do batches of carrot , broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, and freeze

or have a look here for no fuss weaning www.babyledweaning.com

ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 11:04

Peeling a potato takes 20seconds, cut it up small & boil for 7minutes!

Ok, slight exaggeration...it takes 7m20secs!

ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 11:08

Sorry I didn't mean to make you panic, just that when you've been doing it for 16yrs it becomes second nature that's all.

As others have said there are lots of veggies which are great for pureeing & freezing...Don't sweat over your mashed potato...My 3yo charge won't touch the stuff!

Original poster
ClareBos · 30/05/2007 11:25

Sorry - I think my happy pills are struggling to keep me afloat today.

I've got the Ak book but it's full of inconsistencies - sometimes it says when something is not suitable for freezing, but not potato.

And I'd love to do BLW, but I'd have to cook twice when dh came home. It's bad enough doing it once.

OP posts:
ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 11:27

ClareBos, you can keep bits & pieces you cook for you & dh in the fridge from the night before & offer them alongside the puree!

nailpolish · 30/05/2007 11:28

if you would like to try another book this is a good one

i have the odler version but i think its great

Original poster
ClareBos · 30/05/2007 11:54

good old m&s

I'll try that, thanks nailpolish

Food is a big issue with me, I was brought up by parents who think courgettes are "fancy" and that fruit comes in 3 varieties (apple, orange and banana). I'm desperate to get it right with ds although I realise though that will probably lead to me getting it wrong.

OP posts:
ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 11:58

Avocado/banana, a HUGE favourite with all of my baby charges & takes only 2mins to mash up!

littlelapin · 30/05/2007 12:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
ClareBos · 30/05/2007 12:04

Thanks for the tip on the previous nights dinner Scottish. Would you reheat the veg or just give it to him cold?

And I'm neurotic by nature, so you didn't panic me, I panicked myself

OP posts:
TheDevilWearsPrimark · 30/05/2007 12:07

Agreed scottish thistle, finely grated cucumber in greek yoghurt was another fave of mine, with a tad of grated garlic sometimes too.
You can also bash up rasberries with the end of a rolling pin and mix them with a little yoghurt.
Faster than fast food.

ScottishThistle · 30/05/2007 12:10

You can give it cold or heat it up Clare.

Many veggies can also be blended (just add a little bit of milk or veg broth)to make a sauce for small pasta/cous cous.

You can prepare a batch of broth & freeze in ice cube trays, add a carrot/onion/potato/courgette to a pan of water & simmer for half an hour then drain.

Sorry if I'm being too simplistic & explaining things you know already!