What You Can Do with All of That Leftover Baby Food

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My youngest will be turning 1 year old in April and somehow I still have a basket full of store-bought puréed baby food sitting in my pantry. We took our time introducing foods due to some food allergy concerns but once he got a chance at self-feeding he didn’t look back. Hence, the basket of unused baby food in the pantry.

leftover baby food

Over the last few weeks I’ve made it my goal to find ways to use up the baby food and I’ll be honest, both my son and I have been pleased with the results! If you’re in the same situation here are 5 great ways to incorporate puréed baby food into your self-feeding child’s meals:

  • Oatmeal for Breakfast – To make oatmeal for my son I’ve always made it with 2 tablespoons of quick oats and 4 tablespoons of water and then microwaved it for 30 seconds and let it cool in the fridge. One morning I was thinking about cutting up fruit to put in it but realized that would lead to my son wanting to feed himself the oatmeal, so I grabbed a leftover banana baby food container and mixed it into the oatmeal. Success – he loved the sweetened taste but still let me spoon feed him and avoid an early morning mess.
  • Alternative Sauces – My son has a milk allergy so we have to watch carefully when it comes to sauces for pasta and other items. I have found that if I cook up noodles and then use a savory baby food like butternut squash or peas as the sauce he will eat them all up! It’s a little messy but a great alternative to provide if his brother or classmates are having mac and cheese.
  • Frozen Bites – While we haven’t hit 100 degrees yet in Phoenix the temperature is on the rise so having some frozen snack bites my son can enjoy outside has been a great use of leftover baby food. I took an unused liquid medicine syringe, filled it with baby food, and then placed small dots of the baby food across a slipmat on a cookie sheet; then put in the freezer overnight and transferred to a ziplock bag. Now when we come in from a walk around the neighborhood or playing outdoors I have a quick cool treat ready.
  • Smoothies – Another cool treat that can pack a great deal of nutrition. Add your normal smoothie fixings and toss in a leftover container or two of baby food.
  • Egg Substitute in Meatballs – This is on our list of must tries as my son also has an egg allergy but meatballs are a family favorite among the boys in my house. A fellow mom shared with me instead of using eggs as the binder in meatballs she uses a savory baby food as the alternative – usually butternut squash or sweet potato. She shared that she uses her favorite recipe, minus the eggs, and then just adds the baby food based on desired consistency.

Do you have any other tips or tricks for using up baby food? Has anyone successfully gotten to the self-feeding stage without having leftover baby food? Please comment below or share with us on social media using #phxmoms.

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Katie
Katie and her husband have called North Phoenix home since 2009. Katie is fully embracing boy mom life, as the mother to an energetic 3 year old who is known to introduce himself by saying “Hi, my name is Colton, I have fast shoes.” Katie is also welcoming a brand new baby boy scheduled to make his arrival mid-April 2017. In her spare time you will find Katie searching out the best deals for anything and everything or trying out new apps, software, and products that will increase her efficiency so she has more time to partake in her favorite activities: relaxing with her boys, taking power naps, and learning new skills! As someone who loves school and plans to be a lifelong learner Katie received her Bachelor of Science in Individualized Studies: Business & Marketing Education from Central Washington University in 2008 and then continued her studies at the University of Arizona where she obtained her Master’s in Higher Education with an emphasis in Access & Success in 2010. While working at ITT Technical Institute Katie was able to earn her MBA in 2012. She is an educational professional with almost 10 years experience in Career and Technical Education and Higher Education. She is passionate about assisting individuals in gaining success through access to education and career opportunities.

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