Baby Food Storage
Going through the effort to make homemade baby food really only works if you have a good plan for how to store the food to ensure that it stays fresh and that baby has plenty of opportunities to enjoy it. After making a LOT of baby food for my third kiddo to send with him to daycare, I got into a good routine of quickly making and storing baby food—both in the fridge and freezer. Here’s how you can do it too. You can find my favorite baby food recipes, tips for starting solids, and baby-led weaning advice to help, too.
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Best Baby Food Storage Containers
- Wean Green Baby Food CubesThese are small, incredibly durable, and made from glass. The glass jars are easy to clean, dishwasher safe, freezer safe and last forever. (Seriously, I’ve been using the same set for 7 years and they’re still as good as new!)
2. Beaba Food Storage Containers
I have two sets of these and I use them regularly for larger amounts of baby food (you could probably fit 4 cubes of frozen food, whether fruit, veggies, cereal, or a protein) and for toddler snacks. When assembled, they snap together, so they’re an easy way to stay organized.
3. Oxo Tot Baby Food Blocks
This neat system is easy to keep contained in the fridge and is also made from a polypropylene body that is PVC, BPA, and phthalate free. They are dishwasher and microwave safe. Less than $12 for a set of 6 4. ANYDAY 2-TABLESPOON FREEZER TRAY This silicone tray allows you to easily freeze small portions of food for a future week. And it works just as well for sauces and dips, so you can use this product for years to come.
Homemade Baby Food Storage: In the Fridge
You can store baby food in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3 days. You can use masking tape and a Sharpie to label the containers with the contents and the date if you have a hard time keeping track of when you made something. (It’s definitely helpful to do that!)
Homemade Baby Food Storage: In the Freezer
Storing homemade baby food in the freezer allows you to make a bigger batch at once, and then serve it to baby over the course of a few weeks or months.The easiest way is to use an ice cube tray, which has the added benefit of portioning out the baby food nicely. Any ice cube tray will do. You can use silicone ice cube trays if you prefer a non-plastic option.
Baby Food Storage Without An Ice Cube Tray
If you don’t have an ice cube tray or you’d just rather not use one, you can place a predetermined amount of baby food into a pint-size freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, press flat, and seal. Place flat in the freezer to freeze. Then you can thaw the entire bag in the fridge overnight, or break off a portion of it to thaw.
How to Freeze Baby Food Step-by-Step
TIP: I like to have a bag of sweet fruit purees and more savory vegetable purees to avoid having too many separate bags in the freezer at any given time. Then you can combine them into baby food combinations easily!
How to Thaw Baby Food
To thaw baby food, simply remove a cube (or as many as you need) and place into airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve. 1 cube may be plenty for a baby aged 6-7 months and older babies may enjoy two cubes.
Baby Food Recipes to Try
Here are some of my most popular baby food recipes that store really well and are yummy options to try with baby.
Best Tips for Success
Keep fresh baby food in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Use a regular ice cube tray to freeze, a silicone ice cube tray with a lid, or a small freezer bag with the contents pressed flat. Store frozen baby food in a freezer storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To avoid freezer burn, try to remove as much air as possible from the storage bags. Label your bags with the contents and the date. To thaw baby food, simply remove a cube (or as many as you need) and place into airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Use leftover baby food to flavor yogurt, baby oatmeal, baby rice cereal, smoothies, or cottage cheese. See some of my favorite Baby Food Pouch recipes here for more ideas on how to serve your baby food!
I’d love to hear your feedback if you have another storage technique or container that you love, so please comment below!