If you are new to cooking and babies, and you chose to cook on your own for your little one, this blog is especially for you. While reading please have in mind that I didn’t use my kitchen at all before the start of the baby-led weaning. You will find a list of all the kitchen essentials that I am using to prepare food for my daughter and a list of baby feeding products for eating, that will help you organize your kitchen. As a bonus at the end of the blog you will find the books I suggest to you for preparing baby food. All of them have some great ideas and good explanations of the basic knowledge needed for the different types of foods.
List of Kitchen tools:
- kitchen pot – try always to use the same pot to preparing food for your little one. If it is possible to buy a new one or just choose the least used that you have. Pots get scratches during usage and it is possible that small amounts of chemicals get out of the scratches during cooking.
- steamer – steamer will be in great help to prepare your baby’s food. There are stainless steel and silicon streamers, so choose which kind of suits you best.
- blender – there are some great blenders made especially for the preparation of baby food, but a hand blender will work out as well and you can use it even after the weaning. Make sure it is powerful enough, at least 500 Watts. Even if you don’t think to make purees a blender will be in use for smoothies, shakes, sauces, and cream soups.
- cutting board – it is good to choose a board made out of material that does not absorb liquids (wooden boards do) so that you can cut both vegetables/fruits and meat. Those boards don’t retain food smells as well.
- peeler – once your baby starts to eat you are going to use peeler 24/7. It is good to choose one that is easy to clean and comfortable for your hand.
- ceramic knife – ceramic knives are extra sharp, lightweight, rust-proof, resistant to acids, and easy to use and clean. I found them more beautiful than steel ones.
- strainer – in case you choose to make cereals food for breakfast a strainer will be in great use.
- containers for home-prepared baby food – choose glass containers, they are better for warm food which won’t be frozen.
- silicone ice cube tray – you can make single portions and use just a small amount of meat or vegetable every time that you need.
List of Baby feeding products for eating:
- spoons – you should prepare at least 2 spoons because one is always getting on the floor.
- baby dishes – there are some adorable sets of baby dishes. You should prepare a plate and a bowl. For me, the best dishes are the bamboo one with the suction bottom. I just love wood elements everywhere.
- bibs – the best choice is the long sleeve waterproof bibs or just accept that your baby clothes will be in spots.
- high chair – a highchair definitely will help you to have dinner all together. Make sure the one you choose is easy to clean because it will get messy a few times a day.
List of books for weaning:
Here is my list of books for weaning. Each of them has helped me to make delicious food for my little one.
- Gill Rapley and Tracey Murcett – The baby-led weaning: Helping your baby to love good food
If you don’t know what BLW means you should check it. This approach helped us to start introducing solid food to our daughter. Once we did that, she just loved it.
- Judit Wills – Everyday eating for babies and children
This book is a guide for healthy, delicious and problem less weaning. The book offers recipes for children up to 6 years old.
There are a lot of books for weaning, recipes for children, meals for the whole family, etc. from Anabel Karmel. All of them are worth reading, cooking, and trying. There is even a blog, so go for it, check it, and see if you like her way to introduce food.
Do you have any other tools that will help with baby-led weaning? Please let us know and leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Leave a Reply