Can i freeze glass baby food jars
8 Creative Ways to Store Baby Food
You don’t need a giant freezer to store all that baby food you’ve been busy whipping up. You just need the right containers. Experiment with these easy freeze methods to see which works best for you.
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Image: NUK
Ice Cube Trays
Why we love it: Store at least a dozen servings of baby food ahead of time – and you won’t have to worry about breaking out the blender every night! Trays are made to easily stack in the freezer, so they won’t take up much room. And this one by NUK comes complete with a lid.
How to store it: Rinse and sanitize the ice tray before using. Fill each ice cube cubby with pureed baby food, until you’ve used every available space. Cover with plastic wrap (or a lid, if you have one) and freeze.
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Image: Shutterstock
Cookie Sheet Splats
Why we love it: You don’t have to spend a dime! Just cover a cookie sheet in parchment paper and you’re ready to go.
How to store it: Prepare baby’s food and drop it by the spoonful on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Pop in the freezer until completely frozen. Then, store them in plastic bags or Tupperware.
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Image: Wholesome Baby Food
Bulk Freezer Bag Storage
Why we love it: It’s easy. Plus, you won’t waste time racking your brain trying to remember what those green cubes are (avocado? spinach? broccoli?) or if they’re still safe for baby to eat.
How to store it: Prep baby’s meals in ice cube trays or in spoonfuls and once they’re frozen through, pop them in freezer bags labeled by food and date.
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Image: Kitchen Craft
Silicone Muffin Cups
Why we love it: Because they’re flexible, it’s really easy to pop out single servings of baby’s food, and you can reuse them again and again. Try this colorful set of 12 by Kitchen Craft.
How to store it: Make baby’s purees and place them in these individual wrappers to freeze.
Store them right in their cups or pop them out and place them in freezer-safe Tupperware.
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Image: Nuby
Ice Tray Pops
Why we love it: Making baby’s food just got a whole lot cooler now that you can store them in all sorts of shapes, sizes and designs!
How to store it: Make baby’s purees and when the time comes to freeze them, use these ice pop trays instead. They’re BPA free (score for baby!) and dishwasher safe (score for you!). Plus, when baby’s old enough, you can use them to make popsicles.
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Image: Shutterstock
Freezer-Safe Jars
Why we love it: It’s a totally retro idea with a modern twist—and they’re reusable and recyclable.
How to store it: Make sure you’re buying freezer-safe canning jars (we recommend Ball’s Jelly Canning Jars). Otherwise, they’ll crack. After you prep baby’s food and put it in the jars, seal them tightly and store them in the freezer for up to three months.
When you’re ready to use the food, thaw under warm water.
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Image: OXO/Target
Freezer-Safe Baby Tupperware
Why we love it: Baby-sized Tupperware is worth investing in — you’ll use it for baby food now and for toddler snacks later. Most are BPA-free (and won’t contaminate baby’s food). This set by OXO Tot is air-tight and liquid-tight—nothing in, nothing out!
How to store it: After mashing those avocadoes, freeze them right in these colorful storage containers.
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Image: Target
Mini-Muffin Trays
Why we love it: When you’re not busy baking batch after batch of mini-muffins, these trays double as the perfect portion size for baby’s mini meals.
How to store it: Store mashed veggies or fruits in stackable trays. After you’ve filled all the available space, cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent your purees from getting freezer burn.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such.
You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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Ways to Store Homemade Baby Food
Now that you have made your baby food, you want to store it in the most sanitary yet convenient way possible.
Should you bother with ice cube trays, store it in the refrigerator, drop it on wax papered cookie sheets for freezing or use glass jars?
After you have made the decision on how to store your baby food, how will you organize it? Outlined below are the varied methods for storing homemade baby food along with their pros and cons.
Using this method, you spoon or pour your purees into regular ice cube trays and then cover with plastic wrap. Prior to using your ice cube trays, you want to thoroughly cleanse them with warm soapy water and/or run them through the dishwasher on the sanitize setting. Some parents have even submerged their ice cube trays in boiling water for sanitizing (note: please make sure that the manufacturer of the trays indicates it is ok to boil the trays.)
The ice cube tray method offers you many advantages:
Each cube is approximately 1+ ounces, allowing you to have an idea of the amount of food your baby is consuming.
Another advantage is that you probably have ice cube trays on hand and will not need to go out and buy them.
Further, there is minimal waste as you use only 1 cube at a time and will not have to toss away much food; such as you toss away when using commercial foods.
Using the ice cube tray method to store homemade baby food also allows you to make several trays at a time so your time spent in the kitchen making baby food is decreased.
Once the purees have been frozen in the trays, you simply pop out the cubes and use as needed. If you’ve made big batches, pop out the cubes and store them in freezer bags. You simply transfer the baby food cubes into freezer bags, freeing up your trays for the next batch of food as well as freeing up some freezer space.
If using the freezer bag method for your food cubes, be sure to label the bags with the type of food and also date the bags. This will help you to quickly grab a cube from a bag of veggie and a bag of fruit without having to guess what you have in the bags. It also allows you to keep track of the length of time the food cubes have been in the freezer.
Storing Homemade Baby Food in the Refrigerator
Storing your baby food in the refrigerator is probably one of the least convenient and safe way to store homemade baby food.
It is recommended that baby food be stored no longer than 48 hours in the refrigerator so as to reduce the risk of (bacterial or other) contamination on the food.
If you choose to store your baby food in the refrigerator, please be sure to take individual servings from the container. NEVER feed your baby directly from the original container and then re-store. Saliva may contaminate the food.
Using the Wax Paper/Cookie Sheet Method to Store Homemade Baby Food
This method involves dropping your purees into “clumps” on a cookie sheet that has been covered in wax paper; much like you do when making cookies.
This method requires a lot of freezer space and would also require that you transfer the frozen food into another storage item.
Should You Use Glass Jars or Recycled Baby Food Containers to Store Homemade Baby Food?
You should NEVER freeze anything in glass containers unless the glass container is specifically labeled for freezing.
Freezing in glass may cause bursting. It may also cause tiny fractures in the glass and may leave behind microscopic glass shards that you may never see. Freezing homemade baby food in the plastic containers that some commercial baby food makers now use is a better choice. However, some plastics are made specifically to withstand heat and freezing temperatures so ensure that your recycled plastic containers are labeled as “ok to freeze”.
BALL, makers of home canning products, manufactures 4 ounce jars specifically for freezing as do other manufactures.
All things considered, freezing in ice cube trays and then transferring to freezer bags is to me, the easiest, most time-saving and convenient method of storing homemade baby food – even when you have twins!
Remember, always consult with your pediatrician regarding introducing solid foods to your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
Choose freezer safe glass jars to store homemade baby food! These Ball canning jars are freezer safe – use plastic wrap between the lids to help protect baby food.
Photography by Chelsea Foy
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Freezing Homemade Baby Food - Encyclopedia Baby Food
Levchuk Viktoria©
There are some important guidelines for freezing baby food to follow, they are outlined on this page, and there is even a diagram of the foods that can be frozen. We will show you how to freeze freshly made puree and store it. It will be interesting to read.
Good to know!
- The remains of frozen baby food - what to do with them, we will find out in the article. nine0016
- Heading Frozen food - all about baby food cubes.
- New thinking on allergens
Easy to use site map Baby Food Encyclopedia with a list of all articles and recipes.
How long do you keep baby food in the refrigerator or freezer?
Contents:
- Freezer: 4-6 months (ideally used within 1 month or 3 months)
- Refrigerator (fruits/vegetables): 24 hours
- Refrigerator (meat, poultry, fish eggs): 24 hours
For optimal quality and nutrient retention, store frozen baby food cubes in the freezer for no more than 1-3 months .
Frozen baby food is safe to use if kept in the freezer for about 3-6 months without thawing again. However, it is more reasonable to use them in the region of 1 month to 3 months inclusive. Due to the amount of water crystals that accumulate in baby puree, and the fact that nutrients and important substances can be leached/evaporated when thawed due to these same water crystals, it is wiser to use your frozen baby food as soon as possible. - no more than 3 months of storage. However, it is best to use within the first month after freezing, we advise.
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Most sources advise storing fruit and vegetables for 8 to 12 months in the freezer. This is mostly true of whole foods that are congealed in their natural state. This is also provided that the refrigerator compartment remains at a constant temperature below zero. Deep-freezing is best if you want to keep frozen food for a long time. However, it should be remembered that the instructions and recommendations for freezing food for long-term storage do not imply that the fruit or vegetable has been boiled and mashed. nine0005
How long can baby puree be kept in the refrigerator?
In the refrigerator, it is not recommended to store fresh pureed homemade baby food for more than 24 hours. This limitation ensures that the growth of pathogens in the puree is kept to a minimum and that the food does not take on the “refrigerator flavor”. This "rule" applies to vegetables, fruits, meats, etc.
If you do not plan to freeze homemade baby food, then baby food for the baby is prepared every day if he is too small until 8-9months, or every other day, older than the specified age.
Why freeze baby food?
Save parent time, reduce food waste and ensure food safety.
For example, one potato was baked in the oven, and then half was mashed and the other half was frozen.
Frozen vegetables or fruits are safe in baby food
Fruits and vegetables can be frozen. Using frozen fruits and vegetables is the second best option after eating fresh. The quick freezing process (food is frozen at a very low temperature and very quickly) actually preserves the nutrients optimally. Cooking destroys more important nutrients than freezing food. Contrary to myth, freezing food (particularly fruits and vegetables) does not destroy 100% of minerals and vitamins. The freezing process, subject to storage conditions at a constant temperature of zero degrees, does not contribute to the complete loss of nutrients and important substances - if this is the case, then most of the population is malnourished, since in winter we eat a huge amount of frozen foods.
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Frozen vegetables not cooked at the time of packaging must be cooked before eating. Please remember to read the labels of frozen bags, as some brands of frozen vegetables may be pre-cooked.
One of the most frequently asked questions is "Can I use frozen fruits or vegetables for baby food and then freeze the puree?". Since there are no studies that show that repeated freezing is negative and / or can negatively affect health. The problem is that it is necessary to cook food from products that have been frozen once. But the reality is that a frozen product, going through all the stages from a fresh look to a frozen product in a refrigerator in a store, can survive several defrosting and freezing, as it was written earlier, it is through water crystals that nutrients leave. Therefore, purchased frozen vegetables and fruits must be carefully selected, and we would not recommend preparing baby food from them for subsequent freezing of baby puree. It is clear that sometimes parents have no choice and have to start complementary foods with purchased frozen food, so we carefully choose the packaging and the manufacturer, without holes, without pieces of ice.
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For example, from frozen vegetables (home-made or a good quality store-bought bag) that were raw when frozen, we cook a roast, we freeze the leftovers of the roast and use it for its intended purpose next time, but it is not worth freezing the roast after the last defrosting.
Why not refreeze
Do not refreeze thawed food, this is a correct statement. Re-freezing a defrosted product can affect the quality and taste (and possibly nutritional value) of the product, and when it is thawed, pathogenic bacteria may begin to multiply. It is always necessary to prepare defrosted food before re-freezing. The preparation of a thawed product then allows it to be re-frozen in a single cycle. Storing a bag of frozen fruits or vegetables makes food preparation a quick and easy solution. You do not need to defrost the whole package, just get the required amount of the product, and leave the rest in the freezer. nine0005
The easiest way to freeze baby puree is to spoon it into an ice mold, cover with plastic wrap so that there is no air access.
Before using the ice molds, they must be thoroughly cleaned with soap and boiled water. Some parents even immerse their ice molds in boiling water for sanitization (Note: Make sure the sanitization is suitable for the molds before use.)
There are many benefits to storing your child's homemade food in an ice mold:
- Each cube is approximately the same size, which allows parents to determine the amount of food the child consumes.
- Minimal waste by using only 1 cube at a time and not having to waste a lot of food.
- Another advantage is that the ice molds are close at hand and you don't have to go out and buy them.
- The time spent in the kitchen is significantly reduced.
You can transfer baby puree cubes to freezer bags, freeing up molds for the next batch of food and also freeing up some freezer space. nine0005
Do not forget about the labeling of packages with cubes of baby puree, write the date of freezing and the type of puree.
This will help you quickly remove the cube from the package, as well as monitor their expiration date.
Ice crystals on baby food cubes
Don't worry if ice crystals are visible on baby food cubes. It's not frostbite, but excess liquid used in mashing that rises and solidifies at the top of the cubes. These crystals or frost are not dangerous and will not make baby puree cubes inedible or harmful. nine0005
Frostbite - what is it and how to determine it?
Frostbite looks like greyish brown spots on frozen food. It looks like a leathery type of texture and is easily noticeable. Crystals on frozen foods are not frostbite, but are the result of excess liquid during the freezing process and the formation of ice crystals.
Frostbite does not make frozen foods bad or harmful; it just makes the affected areas very dry. The only thing that can suffer in food that is frostbitten is the quality. You can cut off frostbitten areas and use the undamaged area of food.
Frostbite is the result of excess air in a frozen bag that sinks onto food. Eliminate air pockets in bags to help stop frostbite. nine0005
Can glass baby food freezer jars or baby food jars like Frutonyanya or Gerber be used? and also such banks are prone to rupture. Baby food jars are not manufactured for freezing or extreme heating. There are glass jars for freezing food in them, but they can be hard to find. Many people freeze in baby food jars, but I'm not a fan of this at all. After all, food is made for the baby because we want to give him the best healthy food; Do you really want to take the risk and freeze baby food in glass jars? nine0005
There are certain plastic jars that are specially made to withstand high temperatures and/or freezing. Therefore, it is best to use plastic containers or ordinary thick plastic bags, convenient and simple. There are also special freezer bags with a zip clip - an interesting option.
Can previously frozen breast milk or formula be used to make vegetable or fruit purees?
Do not use previously frozen breast milk to prepare puree to freeze later this baby food.
Breast milk must never be refrozen in any shape or form.
Milk formula
You can freeze puree to which thawed milk formula has been added. However, formula should not be frozen in bottles or cans. It is impossible to add the mixture to the previously frozen mixture and freeze it. If frozen milk formula is used for mashing, then it is necessary to freeze it at a time without defrosting. Freezing milk formula causes separation of fats and liquids, and the texture suffers accordingly. Although there is no health risk, the same happens with breast milk and cow's milk, the texture and quality suffer a little. However, it is best to prepare the milk formula before putting it in the baby puree and only then freeze the puree. This will be more useful and efficient. nine0005
Some formula manufacturers say that freezing any formula is not recommended, as the process can alter physical properties such as fat separation, which can be difficult for sensitive babies to digest.
Freezing does not affect the quality or food sterility, however it will not prolong the shelf life of formula. Freezing may result in the loss of the desired appearance and functionality and is therefore not recommended. nine0003
It may be easier to freeze puree without adding any additional liquids. Since, when defrosted, they are most often liquid, so you have to add oatmeal or rice flakes.
How to store expressed breast milk
If a nursing mother creates a breast milk bank for her own needs, she chooses the containers that are convenient for her. If we are talking about expressing and freezing donor breast milk, then the issue of packaging is a matter of bilateral agreement. Storage containers should be comfortable for the breastfeeding mother and comfortable for the host family at the same time, as they may have their own ideas about this. In most cases, the container is provided by the host family, so it makes sense to discuss this issue before starting cooperation on the exchange of donor breast milk.
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- In freezer bags for fruits and vegetables
These bags are sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets. They are specially designed for freezing food, they are certified, so they do not release any substances into the food, they are strong enough and with a reliable latch so as not to tear or open during storage (of course, if these are high-quality freezer bags). Since the daily portion of donor milk rarely exceeds the volume of 200 ml, so that it is not “lost” in the bag, it is better to use packages of the minimum volume that are on sale. nine0005
- In clean baby food jars
If a mother buys industrial baby food for her child, sometimes a fairly large supply of these jars accumulates in the house. They come with a well-closing lid, and the glass itself is inert and great for long-term storage. Jars must be thoroughly washed before use. Also, do not forget the old trick with a broken frozen full jar, so you need to freeze the jars not completely filled, so that milk, like any liquid, has a place to expand.
Glass jars are also convenient because they are reusable. When the milk from the jar is eaten, it can be washed and reused to store the next portion. The disadvantage of jars is that they take up a lot of space in the freezer. nine0005
- In sterile test jars
Sterile test jars are available in pharmacies. They are small, they have a measuring scale in milliliters, which is convenient for determining the amount of milk in a jar. According to the terms of their intended use, it is assumed that such jars can be cooled and frozen, therefore they are made of inert plastic, which does not release anything when cooled and frozen. Such jars take up less space in the freezer than the previous ones, but still more than soft plastic bags. nine0005
- In ice packs
Although these packs are not convenient for everyone, some mothers adapt not to defrost the whole pack at once, but to carefully cut a few cubes from it and defrost exactly the small portion that is needed for feeding.
When using such bags, you need to pay special attention to their strength, as they are often made of very thin plastic, and they tear easily.
- In any strong bag or container intended for food storage
In principle, breast milk is the same food for the baby as the rest of our food, so any containers designed for cooling and freezing foodstuffs are suitable for storing it. It is only necessary not to forget about the general rules of hygiene.
- In sterile bags used by the food and biological industries to store samples
made of durable and inert plastic. nine0005
- In special bags for breast milk
Manufacturers of goods for children offer us this option. They are small, as a rule, with a marking in the form of a scale that allows you to determine the amount of milk in the bag. But these packages are of different quality even from the same manufacturer, and, despite their high cost, according to mothers, it happens that they are torn and opened during storage.
