A baby starts by taking breastmilk, as they grow, different baby food is introduced to them. Most parents also find it easy to prepare baby food in different flavors and colors and most babies love eating too. The truth is, your baby will not always finish the food every time. There is bound to be leftovers. So, most parents wonder about what to do with leftover baby food. Here are 15 awesome ideas about what to do with leftover baby food. But before we look at the ideas, let’s take a look at 3 things that need to be done.
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Beware of contaminants
Before you even consider using your baby’s leftovers, it is important that you note the process by which the meal became a leftover in the first place. What this means is that, if you have a spoon in the meal which has touched your baby’s mouth or been inside your baby’s mouth, then it is better to discard the leftover. This is because our mouths contain bacteria that may cause the growth of microorganisms in foods.
Do not mix
If you make the baby’s food with breast milk, do not mix your leftovers. Just like you wouldn’t mix breast milk expressed at different times to prevent spoilage and contamination, it is also not advisable to mix your leftovers. This is because it is unlikely for you to have made the meals with the same batch of breast milk and even if you did, you would not have used both at the same time.
Store separately
All your baby meals should be stored in an appropriate air-tight bag or jar and stored or refrigerated after being made until you need it for a feed. This ensures that the meal is in good condition whenever your baby gets to eat it and is relatively fresh even as a leftover.
What to do with leftover baby food (15 awesome ideas)
1) Store separately to be used for the next feed
As long as you’ve ensured that the meal was not contaminated during the feed or thawed inappropriately, you can store it again for use. Make sure you understand that refreezing after thawing a breast milk-based food is not advisable. Therefore, what you do with such a meal is only thaw out what you know your baby could finish, do not thaw the whole batch.
2) Use breastmilk to make a Popsicle
When you have a leftover batch of your frozen breast milk, you can use that to make a Popsicle for your baby. This is especially useful when the baby is teething. It helps to create a soothing feeling that eases the discomfort of the process and also give him something to enjoy.
3) Make a smoothie
So let’s assume that you defrosted a whole batch of breast milk that your baby wasn’t able to finish, what do you do with the leftover? Your defrosted milk can form the perfect base for nutrients boost in your baby’s smoothie. All you need to do is transfer the smoothie into a sippy cup and add the leftover milk to it to give your baby a treat.
4) Leftover potatoes
You can make your leftover potatoes into a special delicacy by adding a few more goodies. You could cook some fresh carrots into macaroni and cheese, then add a bit of corn to really give your baby a flavor explosion! It will also be an opportunity for your little one to discover various textures in food.
5) Leftover vegetable purees
Leftover purees can be incorporated to make the main soup! All you need is some additional tomatoes, some added lentils or cabbages and you’re set.
6) Leftover fruit puree
Fruit purees are delicious and nutritious. They give your baby the extra minerals and vitamins he requires to grow. You can use your baby’s leftover puree as a spread on toast, it goes well with pastries. It can also be used as an alternative dip for crackers.
7) Smoothie
Smoothies are delicious and are almost your baby’s first healthy introduction to healthy candy. Leftover puree can be added to oatmeal or baby cereal, it becomes the milk with which your baby enjoys the meal.
8) Rice balls
As your baby grows older, they can enjoy different delicacies like rice balls. Vegetable puree can be added to rice balls to make it even richer in nutrients and give your baby another extra flavor to enjoy.
9) Banana rings
These are excellent finger meals for your baby to pick up while improving his pincer grasp. If your baby has some leftovers, these can be used to make banana pancakes. You need pancake batter to which you can add some breast milk, then you coat the banana rings with the batter and fry in low heat until light brown.
10. Fruit salad
The baby’s leftover fruit salad can be incorporated into a rice cereal recipe and for this meal, you’ll need brown rice. Grind it to powder in a fruit processor, add some breastmilk to it and then throw in your fruit salad for flavoring.
11. Baby Frittata
Frittatas are made with great ingredients like your leftover cheese, some eggs, and your leftover vegetable puree. With your oven already preheated, the frittata can be prepared within just fifteen to twenty minutes.
12) Barley cereal
Make barley cereal with leftover fruit salad, which helps to give the cereal that extra nutrient boost. You only need to heat the barley in some water for a few minutes, then add the fruits to it for taste. You can also add baby formula or breast milk to it if you’d like.
13) Vegetable puree can be added to baby casserole to make a new fresh delicacy that your baby can enjoy for lunch.
14) Leftover fruit puree can be used to make ice cream. You’ll need some milk or breast milk to add to the puree. It can also be made using fresh fruits as the base.
15) Leftover vegetable puree can be added to fried tomato paste to make a stew that can be used to make pasta.
Now you know what to do with leftover baby food. These recipes help to ensure that you minimize wastage and give your baby a wide range of meals to enjoy as he grows and flourishes.
