Freezing store bought baby food
Storing Baby Food | Happy Baby Organics
Read time: 6 minutes
How to store homemade baby food and store-bought pureed foods
How to thaw and re-heat pureed baby food
How to help prevent bacterial contamination of baby foods
Whether you buy baby food at the market or make it from scratch, it’s important to know how to store, prepare, and reheat your baby’s food correctly and safely.
Store-bought baby food usually comes in a glass jar, plastic container, or pouch and usually does not require refrigeration or freezing before opening. These foods are manufactured to be shelf-stable, like any other pantry item (think beans, soups, or condiments). They can typically stay fresh on the shelf for 1 to 2 years, but always check expiration dates carefully.1
Baby food storage guidelinesPureed store-bought baby vegetables and fruits can stay in the refrigerator for up to 48 to 72 hours and in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.
Pureed store-bought meat, poultry, or fish can be refrigerated for 24 hours after cooking and frozen for 1 to 2 months.
Homemade baby foods will keep for 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator and for 1 to 2 months in the freezer.2
Be sure to refrigerate freshly cooked baby food within two hours as bacteria will start to grow at room temperature after those two hours are up. Note that your refrigerator should be kept at, or below, 40 degrees F. Any warmer and illness-causing bacteria can thrive and quickly multiply.3
Want some tips on feeding your little one or on making baby food? The Happy Baby Experts are infant feeding specialists and here to help (for free!) with questions about starting solids and picky eating, as well as formula and breastfeeding. Chat now!
Can I feed baby directly from the jar or pouch?If you feed your little one directly from the jar or pouch, all leftovers must be thrown out after the meal.
Saliva from baby’s mouth gets back into the jar or pouch via the spoon, this introduces bacteria that can quickly multiply and contaminate the food.
If you know baby won’t finish it all, spoon a serving in a separate bowl and feed from that. Then you can refrigerate the jar or pouch of remaining food for an upcoming meal!4
Read more: How Can I Make my own Pureed Baby Food?
How to warm refrigerated or shelf-stable foods and thaw frozen foods:Microwave: Warm up store-bought food directly in its glass jar or transfer the food – including previously frozen purees – into a separate glass bowl (never heat up pureed food in a plastic container or pouch). Reduce the microwave to 50% power (or use the defrost feature) and then warm the puree in 15 second increments.4 Check and stir the food thoroughly each time to ensure even heating and to eliminate any heat pockets that may burn your baby’s mouth.
Stovetop: Warm your baby’s store-bought food or thaw frozen baby food on the stovetop by placing the food in a small saucepan and warming on low heat until the puree is the same consistency and no longer frozen.
To preserve the nutrients, heat only as much as is necessary.Submersion Method: Thaw frozen baby food by placing the pureed cubes in a plastic bag and then inside a bowl filled with hot or warm water. This method allows for even warming but does take a little longer – figure about 10-20 minutes for the food to thaw fully. 5 Many parents also use the submersion method to thaw frozen breastmilk.
Refrigerator: Thaw frozen baby food simply by transferring it to the refrigerator.5 This process will take 4-12 hours so plan ahead (transferring the food the night before it’s needed to allow thawing overnight is a good rule of thumb). Homemade frozen baby food that’s been thawed can safely stay in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Be sure to keep thawed baby food in a sealed container to avoid contamination.
DO NOT let baby food thaw for long periods of time on the counter at room temperature. This will allow bacteria to grow.
5
Sanitize or thoroughly clean standard ice cube trays before spooning the puree directly into each cubed section. You could also cover a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper and spoon small ‘mounds’ of puree onto the sheet to freeze.
Cover the tray with plastic wrap and place into the freezer.
Once the cubes or ‘mounds’ are solidly frozen, pop them out and store them in plastic freezer bags.
Label the bags with the type of baby food as well as the date. This allows you to use it before it expires. (Remember: store-bought fruits and veggies can be frozen for 6 to 8 months, while meats, poultry, and all home-made baby food can be frozen for 1 to 2 months).
When your baby is ready to eat, grab an individual portion of the cubes you want to use and thaw!
Ice cube trays are not only convenient, they are also incredibly helpful in portioning out homemade baby food.
The cubes are roughly one ounce each, so you can easily measure the amount of food your baby is eating and thaw small portions at a time to reduce waste.
Glass baby food jars (or any glass container) are not meant to be frozen. Frozen glass can burst or cause tiny fractures in the glass leaving behind microscopic shards that you may never see.Freeze baby food in safe “ok to freeze” plastic containers instead.
Consider a deep freezer if you want to store purees long-termFor best results, frozen foods should remain at a constant sub-zero temperature. A deep freezer is better equipped to handle this temperature control as opposed to your regular freezer, which may fluctuate with you opening and closing the door often.
Throw away leftover food that’s already been reheatedYou cannot reheat (or re-freeze) baby food more than once, so once you’ve thawed a frozen puree, toss any leftovers.
This rule also applies to breastmilk. So if you’re using breastmilk to thin out your homemade baby food purees, add the milk while it’s fresh!
Read more: Safe Storage of Pumped Breastmilk
You can also use formula to thin a puree. Do not freeze formula in its original can or bottle, but once mixed into a puree it’s ok to freeze. Freezing formula causes a separation of the fats from the liquid, which may negatively impact the texture and quality.6
Let’s Chat!We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond.
Our Happy Baby Experts are a team of lactation consultants and registered dietitian nutritionists certified in infant and maternal nutrition – and they’re all moms, too, which means they’ve been there and seen that. They’re here to help on our free, live chat platform Monday through Friday, from 8am–6pm ET. Chat Now!
Read more about the experts that help write our content!
For more on this topic check out the following articles
How do I Choose Store Bought Baby Food?
Food Safety for Babies and Toddlers
Everything You Need to Know About How to Prepare and Store Infant Formula
Avoid Giving Your Child Too Much Sugar And Salt
How to Store Baby Food – Happiest Baby
By Gabrielle McPherson, MS, RDN, LDN
There’s nothing more frustrating than opening the fridge and taking a whiff of baby food left idle for too long.
Whether it’s ready-to-buy baby carrots or made-from-scratch peas, keeping your baby’s grub safely stored helps prevent wasting food and having to scramble to prep the meal over again. Plus, as important as food safety is for all of us, it’s extra important for little ones. Babies are born with weak immune systems that make it challenging to fight off sickness, putting them at a higher risk for foodborne illness. No matter if you’re stashing packaged baby food or homemade purees, we’ve rounded up the advice you need to store your little one’s eats safely.
How to Store Packaged Baby Foods
Retailers typically stock baby food aisles with plenty of puree options in plastic containers, jars, and pouches, which require no refrigeration before opening. These store-bought baby foods are similar to other shelf-stable foods like chicken broth or canned beans. Pre-packaged baby foods may have a long life in your home pantry, as long as they’re unopened and in a cool, dark place. Of course, always let the best-by date be your guide!
How to Store Leftover Baby Food
You’ve cracked open the jar of bananas for feeding time, but your bub only nibbled on half the jar.
Now what? If your baby eats directly from the jar of baby food, and there are leftovers, they must be thrown out. That’s because double dipping the spoon causes saliva to contaminate the leftovers—creating a playground for bacteria growth.
A better bet? Before serving your baby store-bought baby food, transfer some of it to a baby-friendly dish (you know, the kind that won’t shatter if your little one knocks it off their tray or out of your hands). Then, you can safely store any untouched leftovers in the refrigerator.
How to Store Packaged Baby Food in the Fridge
Store baby food purees in sealable containers, such as BPA-free plastic containers, glass jars, or reusable pouches. Place baby food purees in the fridge and use them within these recommended time frames to keep them fresh:
- Fruits and veggie purees: 2 to 3 days
- Meat purees: 1 day
- Meat and veggie mixed purees: 1 to 2 days
Tips for Freezing Store-Bought Baby Foods
Some baby food companies don’t advise freezing their products because it may change the texture and consistency once thawed.
Other companies will tell you it’s okay to freeze their products if your baby isn’t too bothered by the surprise texture change.
Place baby food purees in freezer-safe containers, such as:
- Silicone ice cube trays
- Silicone muffin tins
- Freezer-safe glass containers (avoid regular glass containers as they can break in the freezer)
- BPA-free plastic containers
- Reusable pouches
Store shelf-stable purees in the freezer and use them within the recommended time frames:
- Fruits and veggie purees: 6 to 8 months
- Meat purees: 1 to 2 months
- Meat and veggie mixed purees: 1 to 2 months
How to Store Homemade Baby Foods
Though it doesn’t take a master chef to prepare homemade baby foods, it does take time, effort, and patience. Knowing how to store them is vital, so the food stays fresh and your hard work doesn’t go to waste.
How to Store Homemade Baby Foods in the Fridge
- Always refrigerate freshly prepared baby foods within two hours.
- Like store-bought baby foods, you can store homemade purees in sealable, fridge-worthy containers such as BPA-free plastic containers, glass jars, or reusable pouches.
- Only store homemade baby foods in the fridge for one to two days. Homemade baby foods don’t go through pasteurization like store-bought foods, therefore, they can spoil more quickly.
- Keep track of refrigeration dates by labeling your storage containers.
Tips for Freezing Homemade Baby Foods
Freeze homemade baby foods in small amounts for easy thawing. You can conveniently freeze your homemade baby foods in:
- Ice cube trays (1-ounce portions)
- Silicone muffin tins
- Freezer-safe glass containers (again, glass that isn’t freezer-safe could break!)
- BPA-free plastic containers
- Reusable pouches
You can also use a cookie sheet to freeze thicker baby food (this technique won’t work for liquid-y purees). Line the sheet with parchment or wax paper, and scoop single portions of baby food onto the tray (in the same way you’d scoop cookie dough onto a tray).
Line them up in rows, and put the pan in the freezer.
Once individual portions are frozen (whether in ice cube trays, muffin tins, or on a sheet pan), you can pop them out and place them in labeled zip-top plastic bags to save freezer space.
Baby Food Thawing Tips
Once you take your frozen baby food out of the freezer, you’ll need to thaw it before serving. Here’s how to thaw baby food:
- The Center for Disease Control advises against thawing frozen baby foods on the counter because of potential bacterial growth during thawing.
- Thawing frozen baby foods in the fridge is the safest option, but it may take up to 12 hours (so plan well!)
- A good rule of thumb is to put the frozen food your baby needs in the fridge one day before you plan to serve it.
- You can thaw frozen baby foods in the microwave by using the defrost setting, but it’s very important to test the temperature before serving your little one (the microwave tends to reheat food unevenly, so sometimes the outer edge of the container will get hot, while the rest might feel okay).
Aim to serve baby food lukewarm to prevent burns.
Get more baby food advice:
- A Feeding Schedule for Your Baby's First Year
- The Best Finger Foods for Your Baby
- What to Know About Baby-Led Weaning
- Happiest Baby's Feeding Guide
- The Best Foods for Babies 6 to 9 Months
- The Best Foods for 10 to 12 Months
***
REFERENCES
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (FoodSafety.gov): People At Risk Children Under Five
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (FoodSafety.gov): 4 Steps to Food Safety
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill
About Gabrielle McPherson
Gabrielle McPherson, MS, RDN, LDN is registered dietitian in Missouri who specializes in community and pediatric nutrition. Gaby is passionate about encouraging families to eat well in simple, practical ways that are realistic.
..and delicious! When not working, Gaby loves cooking, baking, and making messes and memories with her sous-chef/preschooler Charlotte.
View more posts tagged, feeding
Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at [email protected].
Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.
Storage of baby food: terms and requirements for the storage of baby food
Glinskikh Elena
Published: 01/15/2023
Reading time:
485
All parents want to see their baby cheerful, active and healthy.
The harmonious development of the child largely depends on the correct and high-quality diet. The market for special baby food is striking in its diversity, and everyone strives to choose the best for the child. But for the safety of the baby and its full development, it is not enough to buy high-quality products. You also need to know how to properly store baby food.
The importance of proper storage of baby food
All children need warmth, care and attention. But the child is gradually growing, while he needs to eat varied. And here the question arises: is it possible to save the cooked product until the next feeding? Here it is important to pay attention to the fact that the child's immune system is not yet strong enough, so the storage of baby food should be given special attention. The well-being and health of the baby often depends on the conditions in which and how long they are kept.
On the safety of baby food
In the Russian Federation there is a whole regulation on the safety of food for children - that's what it is called.
This document sets out requirements for manufacturers and sellers of children's products related to the protection of children from toxic and chemical substances. This applies not only to baby food produced in our country, but also imported from abroad. That is why when buying infant formula, porridge, puree or other product, you can be sure of its quality and safety. The regulation requires not only the correct production, but also the packaging, storage and disposal of baby food:
- Children's products are sold only through special stores or dedicated departments of supermarkets (therefore, it is better to buy them there or, in extreme cases, in a pharmacy).
- Expiration dates are set by the manufacturer, who is fully responsible for the quality of his product.
- Transportation of baby food is carried out in accordance with the requirements of the technical regulations for the transportation of any products.
At the same time, a number of conditions must be observed in the production of baby food:
- Do not use highly acidic curd products.
- Do not add soy flour or grains contaminated with impurities.
- Offal is prohibited except for tongue, liver, heart and blood.
- Do not include in baby food beef with a fat content of more than 12%, pork - 32%, lamb - 9%.
- Do not use salted butter or products with a fat content below 82%*.
For a complete list of products prohibited in the production of baby food, you can follow the link attached to the article.
Rules for storing different types of food
Undoubtedly, breast milk is the most valuable and beneficial for a child. But there are situations when a mother needs to leave the house and she expresses milk in order to feed the baby on time. In addition, the child grows, over time he needs complementary foods. Expressed breast milk, formula-fed infant formula and complementary foods require a special approach, and it is very important to know the conditions and shelf life of baby food.
How long can open packages of infant formula and cereals be kept?
Opened jars (packages) of fruit, vegetable and meat puree should only be stored in the refrigerator. And after opening the package, you can eat only within 12 hours **. After the expiration date or 12 hours after opening the package, the product must be disposed of, since it can no longer be eaten. Yes, not only for children, but also for adults.
Many people are also wondering how long homemade baby food, such as freshly prepared vegetable or fruit purees and juices, can be stored. There are two main options to use immediately after preparation (the best) or freeze. Such a product will also be suitable for eating for 12 hours, after which it will begin to deteriorate. Frozen fruits and vegetables can be stored in the freezer for up to six months, depending on the culture. However, even frozen products have expiration dates, after which it would be wiser to throw them away than eat them.
General storage rules
A huge variety and affordable cost of products greatly facilitate the worries of preparing complementary foods for children. But along with this, many parents face another problem: where to store baby food? So that the products do not lose their qualities from the influence of external factors, the following basic rules must be observed.
- Hygiene. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food and feeding your baby. The child's dishes should always be clean and stored separately in sterile conditions.
- Storage location. Dry cereals and mixtures should be stored in a ventilated cupboard out of the reach of children. In caring for a baby, mothers are loaded with various problems and worries. It is difficult for them to remember everything, so it is recommended to stick a label on each product with the date of its opening. This will help you meet the deadlines.
- When feeding a child with vegetable and fruit juices, puree or fermented milk products in jars, it should be remembered that after the integrity of the package, the use of its contents is allowed on average up to 12 - 24 hours.
Different manufacturers may have different terms, read carefully what is written on the label! Be sure to ensure that the integrity of the packaging has not been violated even in the store. Most manufacturers on the jars have a special protection against opening. Fresh puree in jars emits a characteristic “pop” when opened, juices must have either a protective foil film or a special opening mechanism. Unopened jars of juices and purees can be stored in the cupboard, while dairy products should only be kept in the refrigerator. - Vessels for storing baby food can be glass or plastic, but must be labeled accordingly, indicating the absence of toxic impurities in the composition of the material.
Food for a child is a source of energy and a guarantee of full growth and development. Therefore, it is very important not only to buy quality products, but also to learn how to properly store them. The health and well-being of the baby, the resistance of his body to the adverse effects of the external environment often depend on this.
*FZ Technical regulation "On the safety of baby food"
**Hygienic requirements for the shelf life and storage conditions of food products. Sanitary and epidemiological rules and regulations. SanPiN 2.3.2.1324-03
Author of article
Glinskikh Elena
Pediatrician
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Contents of article
- Importance of proper storage of baby food
- About the safety of baby food
- Rules for the storage of different types of food
- General storage rules
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