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From Garden to Highchair: How to Make Homemade Baby Food
Posted by Ola Griffin on Aug 17th 2025
Prepping for Babies – From Garden to Highchair
Prepping is often thought of as stocking up on beans, rice, and emergency basics — but for me, it’s so much more than that. As a new grandma, I’m preparing for the smallest, sweetest members of my family. That means thinking beyond survival and into nutrition, safety, and love.
Why Prepping for Babies Matters
When you have little ones in your life — whether your own children or grandchildren — their needs are very different from adults. Babies require gentle, nutrient-rich foods that are safe for developing digestive systems. And in an emergency, those foods can be difficult to find, especially if store shelves are empty.
By planning ahead, I can ensure that my grandchildren and future little ones will have healthy, pesticide-free foods ready whenever they need them, whether it’s during a power outage, a snowstorm, or simply a busy week.
Growing Baby-Friendly Foods
I’ve been growing my own garden for years, but now I’m choosing plants with my grandbabies in mind. Soft, nutrient-packed vegetables like:
- Squash – Butternut, acorn, and zucchini are easy to mash and freeze.
- Carrots – Packed with vitamin A for healthy eyes.
- Sweet Potatoes – A baby favorite that’s naturally sweet and filling.
- Peas & Green Beans – Mild flavors and easy to puree.
- Apples & Pears – Perfect for applesauce and pear puree.
Because I control my own garden, I can grow pesticide-free produce, giving me peace of mind about what’s going into their food.
Making Baby Food from Scratch
Homemade baby food is surprisingly easy to make and store. My process is simple:
- Harvest fresh produce from the garden or farmers market.
- Wash thoroughly (especially for root vegetables).
- Steam or bake to soften and bring out natural sweetness.
- Puree in small batches for smooth, baby-friendly textures.
- Portion & store using PackFreshUSA vacuum sealer bags or freezer-pop bags. Using ice cube trays or sylica forms to portion into meal sizes.
With the right tools, you can freeze or even shelf-store baby food for months, ensuring you always have something ready for little tummies.
Freeze-drying baby food will be a separate blog post to follow. We will add the link when it is posted.
Storing Baby Food Safely
When it comes to storage, freshness and safety are everything. I use Vacuum Sealer Bags for Freezer Pop Bags are ideal for the freezer storage because they’re thicker than standard store brands and help lock in nutrients and flavor. You can use the freezer-pops as well which are perfect for smaller storage. For shelf-stable items like baby cereal I use Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers to keep them fresh and pest-free for the long haul.
Storage Tips:
- Label every bag with the date and food type.
- Store purees in small portions for easy thawing.
- Rotate older stock to the front to ensure nothing goes to waste. (FIFO rule - first in first out)
Preparedness is Love in Action
For me, prepping isn’t about fear — it’s about care. It’s knowing that even in hard times, my grandbabies will have food that’s wholesome, safe, and made with love. It’s preserving the best of my garden today so they can enjoy it tomorrow.
Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or just someone who wants to be ready for life’s curveballs, remember: prepping for babies means prepping for the future. And that future deserves the very best we can give.
Happy Prepping!
Ola D Griffin
Long-term Food Storage Expert
Customer Service, Safeguard Brands, Inc. dba PackFreshUSA
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