How to store baby food? How to defrost baby food?

Babies don't eat too much complementary food at one time. If mothers make too much complementary food, how can they preserve it to ensure safety and nutrition? The following editor has compiled some methods and techniques for preserving complementary food, which are very practical. Mothers should get them quickly.

How to store baby food

There are some tricks for freezing complementary foods! Here are two safer and healthier complementary food freezing methods. Let’s take a look!

Ice Cube Freezing

Many families have some ice cubes in their refrigerators. In fact, ice cubes are also a good choice for freezing complementary foods! Put complementary foods in the ice cubes, take out a few cubes each time to heat them up for the baby to eat. Not only will it not waste complementary foods, but it can also save the mother's time, killing two birds with one stone!

operate:

1. Prepare ice trays, spoons, and plastic wrap.

2. Clean and disinfect ice trays and spoons.

3. Use a spoon to fill the complementary food into the ice cube trays.

4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

remind:

1. When purchasing ice trays, pay attention to their materials and ingredients to ensure they are healthy, non-toxic and heat-resistant.

2. Before using the ice tray, it must be thoroughly disinfected, which can be done by high temperature disinfection.

3. Pay attention to the size of the ice cube tray and how much complementary food each tray can hold, so you can get an idea of ​​your baby’s appetite.

4. You can pack the frozen complementary foods in fresh-keeping bags to save space in the refrigerator. Of course, the packed complementary foods should be marked with the date and food name to facilitate finding before eating.

Freezing in a baking tray

Mothers who have baking trays at home can also use them to freeze complementary foods, which is also a simple and convenient method.

operate:

1. Prepare a baking tray, spoon and plastic wrap.

2. Clean the baking tray and spoon.

3. Use a spoon to scoop the complementary food into small biscuit shapes and arrange them on the baking tray.

4. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

remind:

1. Clean and disinfect the baking tray before use.

2. Since the baking tray takes up a lot of space, you can store it in a fresh-keeping bag after freezing. Also mark the date and product name for easy retrieval.

TIPS: When freezing complementary foods, some mothers like to use glass or plastic containers to hold complementary foods. In fact, this practice is questionable. Glass containers are generally not freeze-resistant and may break after freezing. If there are tiny glass slags mixed in the complementary foods, it is difficult for parents to find them. If the baby accidentally eats them, the consequences will be disastrous. Plastic containers often cannot withstand freezing or high temperatures, so they are also not advisable.

How to store baby food, different methods for different types

1. Cereal complementary foods

Commercially available rice noodles must be eaten within one month after opening.

Rice noodles should not be stored in the refrigerator, but in a cool and dry place. Do not tear off the plastic film of the rice noodles in the bucket/box completely. For specific methods, refer to the instructions on the box. After opening the bagged rice noodles, store them in a sealed box, or seal them with a sealing clip and store them in a cool and dry place. It is recommended to eat the rice noodles within one month after opening to avoid exposing the taste and nutritional content to the air for too long, which may affect them.

Homemade noodles, dumplings, and wontons can be stored in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.

If you cannot finish the pasta you prepared for your baby, it is recommended that you spread it on a plate or other container, put it in the freezer, and turn the temperature to the lowest or quick freezing mode to freeze the pasta quickly. Then put it in a sealed bag according to the amount your baby eats each time and freeze it. Tips for cooking quick-frozen dumplings: prepare a bowl of cold water, and when the water in the pot is about to boil, roll the quick-frozen dumplings in the cold water, take them out and put them into the pot. In this way, the dumplings are not easy to stick to the pot, and the taste of the dumpling skin is close to that of fresh dumplings.

2. Vegetable and fruit supplementary food

It is best to make and eat vegetable and fruit purees immediately, and they can be stored frozen for 6 to 12 months.

If the vegetable and fruit puree is homemade, it is recommended to eat it immediately after making it to avoid nutrient loss. If it is homemade vegetable and fruit jam, the storage is similar to commercial vegetable and fruit puree. If the prepared vegetable and fruit jam is to be eaten within two days, it can be placed in a sealed box and placed in the refrigerator. After the second day, it is best to put it in a sealable fresh-keeping box and store it in the freezer. If you want to eat it, place it in the refrigerator one or two days before gradually thawing. If it is frozen complementary food and there is no time to defrost, you can also divide it into small bowls and use the water bath method (pour hot water into a large bowl and place the small bowl in the large bowl) to quickly thaw it. When eating, you should use a dry spoon to measure it in several times. Do not use a spoon for feeding the baby and eat it directly to avoid the baby's saliva causing it to deteriorate. Put the uneaten vegetable and fruit puree/sauce in the refrigerator again and eat it within 3 days to avoid it being stale.

3. Meat food supplement

Homemade meat puree has a shelf life of up to 3 days after being refrigerated.

Divide the prepared meat paste into small portions into sealed food bags or fresh-keeping boxes and store them in the freezer. The thawing method is the same as that for vegetable and fruit jam.

Different meats have different shelf life

Fish: 2 days in the refrigerator; 90-180 days in silk

Beef/Pork: Refrigerate for 1-2 days; Frozen for 90 days

Steak: Refrigerate for 2-3 days; Frozen for 270 days

Chicken: Refrigerate for 2-3 days; Frozen for 360 days

Once commercially available meat paste is opened, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Most commercially available meat paste is mixed with vegetable protein, so it should be eaten as soon as possible after opening. The unfinished meat paste can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and it is recommended to be discarded after 3 days. Do not put the unfinished meat paste in the freezer, because after thawing again, the taste will be much worse than before.

4. Broth-based complementary foods

The maximum storage period for broth-based complementary foods is 6 months.

The specific storage method is: 1. After the soup has cooled, pour it into a square box for freezing ice cubes and freeze it. 2. After the soup is frozen into ice cubes, put it in a sealed box/bag and put it in the refrigerator for freezing. Every time you make complementary food for your baby, take out a piece and add it to the rice, which will make the food more delicious.

If you make too much complementary food, storage tools can help

Beaba Flower Plate Freezer Box 166 Yuan

French brand, each small compartment can store 60 ml of food.

Advantages: Beautiful flower shape, silicone material (said to be the same material as baby pacifiers), does not contain bisphenol A, lead or phthalate, no plastic smell; can be frozen, supports microwave heating (this is definitely good news for lazy people like me), is a good helper for storing vegetable puree, fruit puree, pudding!

Disadvantages: Cannot take out and put in single compartment, 7 compartments in total, 2 ounces of food in each compartment. The price is relatively expensive, 166 on a certain Dong.

2.OXO Tot baby food box 89 yuan

Advantages: Made in the United States; does not contain BPA, sealed design, waterproof and leak-proof, suitable for carrying outside; can be divided and stacked to save space and convenient to take. Each compartment has a capacity of 4 ounces, and the box body has scales to help you understand your baby's food intake; can be refrigerated or frozen, suitable for families with older babies.

Disadvantages: Do not overheat, hot food needs to be cooled before putting it in, and space for expansion must be reserved.

3. Beaba Babycook baby food storage box, about 40 yuan

Advantages: BeabaBabycook baby food storage box also uses a sealed lid design to prevent odor contamination; there are scales to control the amount of food your baby eats. The capacity is 10 ounces, which is large for storage, but it is not very practical for small babies. It is suitable for refrigerators, microwaves, and dishwashers, and is convenient for refrigeration and heating!

Disadvantages: Some mothers react too little and the storage capacity is not too much!

4. Mumi & Bubi Food Compartmental Freezer Box

Advantages: It does not contain BPA or PVC, and the bottom is designed with a curved shape, so you can take out the food balls with a gentle squeeze. There are 21 grids in total, each grid is 1 ounce, which is suitable for small amounts of supplementary food such as meat paste.

Disadvantages: A large plate must be served each time.

5. OXO Tot Baby Food Freezer Tray with Protective Cover $79

Advantages: American brand; the lid protective cover is patented to avoid refrigerator odor, dishwasher-friendly, the lid design is very considerate, and it is convenient to take food from each compartment. Each compartment has a capacity of 22 ml.

Disadvantages: Does not support high temperature sterilization or microwave heating.

6. American Green sprouts glass storage food box

Advantages: Does not contain BPA or PVC, can be refrigerated and microwaved; the key is that it is made of tempered glass and comes in large size 120 ml and small size 60 ml.

Disadvantages: It cannot be cleaned in a dishwasher, the seal is not very good, and the lid will crack after about 2 months of use. The price is about 120, which is relatively expensive.

7. Vital Baby Baby Food Storage Box

Advantages: Does not contain BPA or PVC, can be refrigerated, microwaved and dishwasher safe; soft silicone bottom, can be pressed inside and out. Price is around 45 yuan.

Disadvantages: Small capacity, not suitable for small babies.

Muzi Li's words:

That’s all about the tools for storing complementary foods. As for the amount of complementary foods, stick to 3 kinds of vegetables and 2 kinds of fruits every day. Vegetable puree is enough for about 3 days each time. It’s best to make root vegetables right before eating. And after using them up, you can put the frozen complementary foods in a fresh-keeping bag or a breast milk storage bag! Just take out a piece every time you want to eat!