Is It Good To Keep Baby Food?
Virtually all mothers wonder if it is good to keep baby food. Although it is preferable that it is fresh, there are several ways to store it without losing its nutritional properties. Food can be stored for up to three months, provided proper precautions are taken to ensure its health.
To safeguard the well-being of our children, it is important to avoid the proliferation of bacteria. It is very important not to feed him directly from the container where the food is stored. The bacteria that are in your saliva remain in the rest of the preparation and reproduce very easily. If we keep that food, in the next feeding we will be giving it harmful organisms.
Is it good to keep baby food?
Preserving baby food will help you save time and money. There are several procedures that will give you the peace of mind of taking care of your children while saving money.
What you need for each meal
It is important that you separate the portions that your child will eat at each meal. Take with a spoon what is necessary for the moment and store the rest in clean containers and very well covered. With these types of precautions you will prevent the food from being contaminated and you will guarantee that it is suitable for the next meal.
If you have chosen to put the spoon in a container and the baby did not eat all of it, it is better that you discard those remains. Thus, again, you will avoid the proliferation of bacteria that could make the child sick if that food is given later.
In a cool place
When unopened jars or bags can be stored at room temperature in a cool place. Hot places enhance the growth of bacteria and can damage food. If any of these containers show signs of moisture it is best to dispose of them immediately, as they can make the baby sick.
As new products are purchased, it is recommended that they be located in the back of the pantry. The oldest ones must be placed forward to consume them in that order and prevent them from expiring.
Two or three days
When the containers with puree, soups or any other food have been opened they can be stored in the refrigerator for two or three days. This should only be done if the lid is tightly closed and the food has not been contaminated. That is why it is always advisable to remove the portions that the baby will eat at the time to another container and save the rest.
When we prepare purees, porridges or soups, it is advisable not to let them rest for more than two hours at room temperature. The proliferation of bacteria is very fast.
If you prepare food at home, you should take the precaution of cleaning the containers to store it very well with detergent and boiled water. It is also important to allow food to cool well before freezing. Ice cube trays are ideal for freezing food: cover with paper film for better protection. Once frozen, the cubes can be stored in larger containers that allow you to store portions for different days.
Frozen, no more than three months
Freshly crushed fruits can be frozen immediately, but vegetables cannot. In the first case, it is advisable to add a few drops of lemon so that they preserve the vitamins and do not darken. In the case of vegetables, it is preferable to crush them when they are defrosted to preserve their texture.
How to defrost?
To defrost food, it should be taken to the refrigerator but not for more than 48 hours to prevent it from developing the dreaded bacteria. Another option is to place the container in a little boiling water, as if it were a water bath.
If you use the microwave it is necessary to stir the food well. Be careful with very hot parts, which can burn the baby’s mouth and tongue. It is not recommended to refreeze a puree once it has been thawed. The refrigerator should be kept clean and frost-free for added food safety and hygiene.
