Here you will find all the information you require when starting to wean your child in this section you will find the equipment you will need the hygiene, preparation, storing and cooking it's all here simply click the read more link below to see the full page.

Equipment

You'll probably have most of what you need in the house, but here are a few things that' will come in handy:

• A few strong, small plastic spoons
• A plastic bowl - preferably with a sucker on the bottom to prevent it becoming an item of clothing!
• A few bibs and clean cloths.  Pelican bibs, those that have a deep lip at the bottom, are particularly useful for catching dropped foods.
• A mini food blender or processor and/or a hand held blender for mixing baby food
• A metal mesh sieve (first food purees may still need to be pressed through a sieve after being blended).
• A hand held mouli.  This is a bit like a cross between a sieve and a grater.  It has a wind-up handle that pushes the food through a selection of metal discs, each with a different sized hole.  Particularly useful if cooking in small quantities and ideal in the early stages of weaning as it holds back the husks or skins of foods which are indigestible for young babies.
• Bendy ice-trays for storing baby portions, mini-containers with snap on  lids suitable for freezing (these are handy to use as feeding pots too) and small freezer bags.
• A steamer.  A multi-layered steamer that fits on top of a pan or an electric steamer will enable you to cook a number of foods at once (ideal if you are also cooking for other members of the family) however, a simple fold out stainless steel steamer basket placed over a pan of boiling water will invariably do the job just as well with a lid placed on top .
• A V-shaped cushion to help prop up young babies.
• A bouncy chair.  Wipe clean or washable finishes are particularly useful!
• A high chair or a clip on chair which can be clamped to the table.  These can be particularly useful to carry with you in the car in case friends, relatives or restaurants don’t have a high chair.

Hygiene

Cleanliness is always of paramount importance in a kitchen but never more so than when you are cooking for a baby.  This is because children are especially vulnerable to bacteria that can cause food poisoning so always make sure you wash spoons, bowls and any other equipment such as ice-cube trays, food processors etc. thoroughly (use the steam cycle on your dishwasher if you have one) and either dry using a clean towel or let them air dry.   Sterilize weaning spoons until your baby is at least nine months either in a sterilizer or by rinsing with boiling water and bottles, teats and feeding cup spouts (which can all be a breeding ground for bacteria particularly if used for milk) until your baby is 12 months of age.

Always store, prepare and cook food safely and keep the kitchen and the equipment you use in the kitchen spotlessly clean.  Wipe surfaces regularly using an anti-bacterial agent and clean the inside of your fridge regularly.


Preparation

Always wash your hands before preparing food, after touching raw meat, fish and raw eggs and before feeding your child.

Always use separate chopping boards for meat and fish and another for fruit and vegetables.  

Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.


Storage and Freezing

Keep raw meat, fish and eggs away from other foods

Never keep your baby’s left over food.  Saliva from the spoon will breed bacteria.  

Very small batches of baby food can be difficult to blend and process so make large amounts and freeze what you don’t need in small containers or ice-cube trays.  This, of course, has the added advantage of ensuring that you always have a delicious, home-made meal to hand in minutes.  Simply cook and process the food (if necessary), cover and allow to cool (never put warm food in the freezer) then freeze immediately in container or ice-cube trays that have been sterilized by placing them in a sterilizing unit or, if they won’t fit, simply boil them in a large pan or water for 5 minutes.  If freezing in an ice-cube tray wait until the food has frozen hard then pop the frozen purees out and place them in a freezer bag, clearly labeled with what the food is and the date it was made.  This will help to ensure that you don’t give your baby food that has passed it’s shelf life (use baby foods within 6 weeks of freezing).

To thaw, simply remove the number of cubes you think you will need from the bag defrost them in a microwave or heat them gently in a pan.  Alternatively, remove them in advance and allow them to defrost naturally at room temperature for approximately 2 – 3 hours or let it defrost overnight in the fridge.  A defrosted baby food stored in the fridge must be used within 24 hours.


Cooking and Re-heating

Spoon out the amount you think your baby will eat and heat this, rather than heating a large amount that will then need to go to waste as it is not safe to reheat previously warmed food. Also, don't refreeze any food that's been warmed or previously frozen.

Heat foods thoroughly until they are piping hot and allow them to cool, stir well (particularly if using a microwave as this can result in ‘hotspots’ within the food) and test that the food is luke warm before offering it to your baby.  A baby’s mouth is very sensitive so anything warmer could feel too hot and put them off eating.  

N.B. Never be tempted to re-heat foods until just luke warm as this is the perfect temperature for bacteria to grow.