A Guide to Best Baby Food Storage Containers: Homemade Baby Food Tips blog series
So…you’ve started to make your own organic baby food for little one. Congratulations! Now the question is how do you store all this delicious food you made? We kick of today’s Homemade Baby Food Tips blog series with a few different storage methods and a review of the best baby food containers available today.
Shout out to Nicole L. for submitting this question for the blog series! She wins a free pack of frozen baby food for her little one. Enter your questions here for a chance to win.
Freezing in Ice Cube Trays
Using this method, you spoon your homemade baby food into ice-cube trays, freeze it, and then transfer the cubes into a zipper-top bag.
Value pick: So Easy Covered Ice Cube trays
These are similar to traditional ice cube trays, with the added benefit of a snap-on cover that protects the baby food as it freezes and allows you to stack multiple trays in your freezer. $10 for 2 trays.
Wanna Splurge: Orka Cubes
Love these…same concept as above except the bottom of the ice cube tray is made of food-grade silicone. Instead of twisting and fighting to get the cubes out, you just press the bottom and “pop” each cube goes. And to boot, they come in super-cool bright colors. $10-$15 each.
On-The-Go
You spoon your baby food into these containers and the whole thing gets frozen. No transferring, just take one out of the freezer, thaw it, and take it wherever you want.
Value Pick: Fresh and Freeze
Easy to find and inexpensive. These guys come with special trays to stack containers nicely in your freezer. They come in a few sizes 1, 2, and 4 oz…don’t get the 1oz because your little one will outgrow in a month! $10 for 12 containers.
Don’t Recommend: Baby Cubes
This is the only product on here that I don’t recommend buying. Feedback is that the tops (while conveniently attached) are constantly popping off. Green peas leaking in the diaper bag…enough said.
Food Grade Silicone
Moving up the scale, food-grade silicone is a great way to store food. It’s safe for baby, flexible for easy removal, and is pretty much indestructible.
Value Pick: Tovolo Perfect Ice cube trays
A great silicone tray, and they form these perfect little squares of goodness. The downside is that there is no cover, so use parchment paper or plastic wrap. They’re easy to find in 1oz size, and a little harder to find in the 4oz larger size. Use them also for regular ice cubes…they won’t melt for over an hour in your drink! $8 each.
Wanna Splurge: Beaba Mulit-portion Freezer Tray
We’ve all seen them at Williams-Sonoma, and I must confess that even I lust a little after these because they’re just too cute. Aside from the cool-factor, they’re crazy expensive so maybe it’s a great gift from mom or the in-laws! $20 each.
I’m hearing rumors that one of my fav brands Lifefactory is coming out with an individual silicone baby food storage container. More to come on that, but something to look out for.
Freezing in Glass Containers
Even with BPA-free plastics out there, I try and use glass as much as possible. The most important thing to remember about using glass: check to make sure your glass container is safe for the freezer…it will say on the packaging.
(Note: old baby food jars are NOT safe for the freezer, so toss them in the recycle bin and don’t be tempted to reuse).
Value Pick: Ball 4oz Jelly Jars
The best kept secret…Whether your canning or not, these freezer-safe jelly jars are an excellent option to freeze baby food if glass is your preference. I picked up a dozen for under $9.00 at my local Ace Hardware.
Wanna Splurge: Wean Cubes
My all-time fav splurge pick are these adorable glass baby food cubes from WeanGreen. Definitely on the pricy side ($25-$30 for four, 4oz cubes), but again, what a great extravagant gift to have your mom buy! $25 for 4 containers.
Come visit Little City Kitchen Co. at the Burlingame Farmers Market this Sunday…got some yummy flavors for the kiddos!
I’m breastfeeding for now, but in a few months I’ll start introducing my little one to purees from some vegetables, so this is just the info I needed! Thanks for sharing!
[...] are different ways to store baby food as the above video mentions. Here is a great blog that shows different storage methods. Ziploc bags and breast milk bags to me are the most costly [...]
[...] Ice cube trays or 4 oz glass Ball canning [...]
[...] of my favorite cooking methods for baby food (it’s not just steaming!), and a review of the best baby food storage containers on the market [...]
[...] is fairly simple; it’s cooked food, pureed or mashed with some liquid, and then fed to baby or freeze it in containers for [...]
Yes Jill, even I old enough to be a great grandmother read every word of your blog because, if you remember I was the Great Food Freezer of the century! It was so interesting.
However, to prove that I am always thinking of you: I was brought to the Panera Bread Store the other day and found on my tray a plastic tube with Blueberry Yogurt inside for the children “to teach them that “good for you foods are good” and I immediately wondered if that would be idea for you someday. The tube was flexible with many pictures on it and fun to hold. Love you!
Thanks, Jill, this is great! Just the info I was looking for, and more.
Awesome info…going to pass to all my mommy friends.
Very helpful info, Jill! Marielle will be on solids before I know it, and this will really come in handy.