Processed baby food contains starches, salt, sugar and preservatives. Moms who make baby food at home do not have to wonder what is in the food they are feeding their child. With a few basic tools you can make vitamin and mineral rich baby and toddler foods. A blender, food processor, hand/wand mixer, food mill or ricer will help you make nutritious foods. As baby gets older, you will only need to bake or boil and mash the food with a fork.

Pureed foods thinned with a bit of the juices from the cooked vegetable or fruit are a good start toward solid food. The puree can also be thinned with breast milk, formula or juice. It is best to cook the food in as little water as possible. Adding this water to the pureed food will give back any nutrients that leached out during cooking. The puree consistency is obtained by pulsing the food until smooth. Thicker purees are made by using a food mill or simply pulsing the blender or food processor until the food still has a bit of texture. You may or may not need to thin the food somewhat depending on the individual food as some contain more moisture than others. Thicker foods are obtained by pulsing the food to a chopped or ground consistency. Chicken, turkey and very lean pork can be baked or boiled and pureed or ground to serve to baby. When these meats are mixed with vegetables and fruits, baby has a well-balanced and healthy meal.

Avocadoes are very smooth and contain good fats. Sweet potatoes, winter squash, and pumpkins make great first solid foods as they contain large amounts of beta carotene as well as other vital nutrients. They taste great when mixed with apples or peaches. You can introduce cinnamon and other spices to give baby a variety of tastes in their food. No sugar or salt needs to be added. Let the natural sweetness and flavors of the foods shine. When your child has reached the finger food stage, you can grind graham crackers or Cheerios to coat the chunks of fruit and vegetables so that baby has an easier time picking them up. Mangoes, bananas, peaches, melons and kiwi are good healthy finger foods. Homemade baby foods are easily made and frozen in ice cube trays for later use. Once you have defrosted a food cube and used part of it, do not save the left over food as it will contain germs from baby's mouth possibly growing germs that will upset baby's digestive system. There are a number of sites on the Internet that you can consult for interesting recipes for mixing baby foods  for your little one.