Store Baby Food

Proper baby food storage is essential for your baby's health and well-being. Poor storage can cause bacteria to grow, and these bacteria could prove harmful to your baby. Store closed jars of commercial food in cool, dry locations until the expiration date. Store open jars in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. Freeze homemade baby food in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

Steps

Commercial Baby Food

  1. Store unopened jars and pouches of baby food in a dry, dark location. A pantry or cupboard works best. Look for a relatively cool location and avoid notably warm spots. Even though the packaging should prevent the food from spoiling, prolonged heat still has the potential to spur bacteria growth.
  2. Rotate jars and pouches out by expiration date. Place the jars with the earliest expiration dates toward the front of your stockpile every time you restock. Doing so may help you to remember to use food before it expires.
  3. Store uncontaminated, opened jars in the refrigerator. Tightly close the lid and use the food within 2 or 3 days.
  4. Never store contaminated jars. If you fed your baby directly from the jar, throw it away. Bacteria from your baby's saliva will transfer into the food and grow as it sits, making it unsafe for consumption later.
  5. Do not allow open containers to sit out at room temperature for more than two hours. Bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature, especially in liquid and pureed foods.

Homemade Baby Food

  1. Thoroughly clean several ice cube trays. Use warm, soapy water or run them through a dishwasher cycle. You can also submerge the trays in boiling water. Before doing so, however, check the manufacturer's instructions to ensure that the trays are dishwasher safe and able to withstand boiling water.
  2. Spoon or pour pre-cooked, pureed baby food into each cube of the ice cube tray. Fill each cube to the top, but do not allow the food to overflow.
  3. Cover the trays with cellophane wrap. Make sure the wrap forms a sturdy seal along the edge of the tray to prevent dust or other contaminants from getting into the food.
  4. Freeze the trays for several hours until the food is frozen solid. The food must be solid enough to maintain its shape outside of the tray.
  5. Pop the frozen cubes of baby food out of the tray. Place them inside a large freezer bag or an airtight, freezable container.
  6. Alternatively, pour the pureed food into a small freezer-safe jar. Most glass jars will chip under extreme cold, but some manufacturers produce freezer-safe glass and plastic containers. Leave an inch of air in between the food and the rim to give the baby food room to expand as it freezes.
  7. Label each bag or container with the contents and date.
  8. Rotate your stock. Put the most recently frozen food behind the oldest food in the freezer. Store baby food in the freezer for up to three months, but no longer.
  9. Do not store homemade baby food in the refrigerator. Use the refrigerator to slowly thaw frozen food, but use any baby food you place in the refrigerator within 48 hours. Anything that sits in the refrigerator past that amount of time may start to develop bacteria.



Tips

  • If you are using both commercial and homemade baby food, save the glass jars from the store, clean, sterilize and reuse.
  • Slowly thaw frozen baby food in the refrigerator. Thawing frozen food in the microwave increases the likelihood of creating hot patches that can burn your baby's mouth.
  • If freezing homemade baby food directly inside a glass or plastic jar, select a jar that holds approximately 1 or 2 servings of food. This allows you to safely thaw an entire jar and use its contents before they spoil.
  • Spoon your baby's portion into a separate bowl instead of feeding him or her directly from the container. Doing so allows you to store the leftover, uncontaminated food for another meal.

Warnings

  • Discard unopened jars if you notice moisture gathering on the inside. This could indicate that the airtight seal has broken, and the food inside may spoil faster as a result.

Things You'll Need

  • Ice cube trays
  • Cellophane wrap
  • Plastic freezer bags
  • Freezer-safe jars

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Sources and Citations

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