Homemade baby food

Start simple: along with iron-fortified cereal, baby’s first solids can be single foods such as mashed banana or avocado, or cooked and pureed apple, pear, pumpkin or potato.

Once baby is enjoying a good range of fruits and vegetables, introduce some fresh beef, lamb, pork or chicken (not pickled, salted or smoked). Combine meat with vegetables or even fruits such as apple or pear.

Gradually become more adventurous with different foods and textures. When teeth start coming in, try flaky loose fish, mashed legumes and couscous. Include fruits such as berries, citrus and stone fruit that has been deseeded and mashed.

Step 1: to make baby food, first peel the skin off fruits and vegetables, trim the fat off meats, and remove any skin from chicken.

Step 2: steam, microwave or boil the foods until cooked, and set aside some of the cooking liquids.

Step 3: puree in a food processor or with a hand blender. Add some cooking liquid if you need to smooth out the mixture. For babies over eight months, chop meat finely. Mash other foods with a fork. If using fish, remove any bones.

Pureed baby food can be frozen in clean ice cube trays. Spoon the puree into the trays and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 days maximum.

Solids can also be stored in plastic containers or glass jars. They’ll keep for up to two days in the fridge or one month in the freezer. Label containers with contents and use-by date.

To serve, pop out food cubes into a glass or ceramic bowl. Warm the solids in the microwave or on the stove. Stir well to get rid of hot spots. Test temperature with a clean spoon on your lip before serving to baby. Discard any leftovers – don’t refreeze.