Most people believe that spoiled food is easy to spot. Because it looks bad, it smells bad, and it tastes bad. But by the time our senses have detected the bacterial growth, it’s probably too late for a baby’s immature immune system to cope with. Babies are much more sensitive to bacteria than adults are, so what might be OK for us, might make your baby very sick indeed. Follow these simple rules, and don’t take any risks!
Shop Bought Food
An unopened jar or packet of baby food will last until the date printed on the package as long as it is stored in cool to moderate temperatures, but always check that the safety button is down on jars or the seal is unbroken on plastic containers (they should pop when you open them).
To prevent contamination, don’t feed your baby straight from the jar, spoon the portion she will likely eat into a separate serving dish.
An opened container of baby food will only be safe for about one hour at room temperature, around 12 hours in an ice cooler, and about 1-2 days in a fridge. If the food is a vegetable or fruit blend that contains no meat it can last for up to 3 days in the fridge. But then you must discard.
Always date the food you put into your fridge or freezer. your memory is not always that reliable. maybe the food is hiding behind something and then when found looks similar to a fresh portion in there?
Homemade Food
Homemade foods are almost always more nutritious and can save you alot money, but they don’t last quite as long as they don’t contain preservatives. Fruits and vegetables can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days, but meats should be eaten within 24 hours. Again, don’t feed your baby from the same container you keep it in so that their saliva doesn’t add bacterial contamination.
If you are making your own baby food, you can save time by making large batches and freezing it. Meats can last up to 2 months in the freezer; fruits and vegetables can be kept up to 4 months before losing nutritional value. But be sure to mark the date and ingredients on the container because frozen foods are pretty hard to identify. You should also split the food into smaller containers or bags before freezing because once thawed, you can’t refreeze it, and it can only be stored for an additional 24 hours in the fridge.
