The days of colorful jarred baby food seem to be over as more and more families turn to home-cooked meals for their infants. Making your own baby food fresh does have multiple benefits: You can control exactly what goes into it (no surprise sugar or additives), you can pick fresh, organic, in-season ingredients, and you can customize baby’s meals to his or her tastes.

There’s a lot of options when it comes to baby food makers on the market. Oftentimes, these appliances are all-in-one: they steam and then purée the food. But like many all-in-one appliances, these baby food makers are difficult to clean. Plus, they can only be used for one thing: to make baby food (obviously).

Chances are you already have the most powerful tool for making baby food in your kitchen: the microwave. Baby food is made incredibly easy with Anyday’s microwave cookware — and you can make much more than just baby food with it. 

Here’s why and how to use the microwave to make your little one’s meals.

Why the microwave makes great baby food

Steam is the key to making baby food

Whether you’re making puréed baby food or doing baby-led weaning, the food needs to be soft enough to blend or for your baby to eat with their gums, with little to no oil. This means that steaming is the best option when it comes to cooking fruits and veggies for your baby. The microwave’s superpower is generating steam: It vibrates the water molecules in the produce itself, which heats them up and creates steam.

But you can’t just throw some broccoli into the microwave and expect it to come out tender. That’s where Anyday comes in. The glass dishes with airtight lids trap moisture and create a steam chamber to gently cook food, making soft fruits and veggies perfect for blending or for baby to eat with their hands (cut up, of course!).

Cleanup is a breeze

Other baby food makers have multiple compartments that need to be cleaned by hand. Anyday’s dish and lid are also dishwasher-safe, so you barely need to think about cleanup. The interior is made of polished glass, so even if you don’t have a dishwasher, food comes off easily with soapy water.

Microwave is the healthiest method of cooking

Yes, you read that right. Studies done by Harvard University, Cornell University, and many others have proven that the microwave actually keeps more nutrients in your food than other cooking methods. It makes sense — the microwave cooks at low heat, for a very short time, with no extra water, all of which preserves nutrients!

How to make baby food in the microwave

Make sure you’re following CDC’s guidelines for introducing new foods

Many parents start feeding their child solid foods at around six months. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has some helpful guidelines for safely introducing new foods into your baby’s diet.

Rinse your produce under cold water

It’s important to get your fruits and vegetables clean for baby, but that little bit of water also helps produce steam in the microwave. That’s right, no need to dry — just chop and throw everything into the Anyday and close the lid.

Cut your ingredients before cooking

The smaller you cut your ingredients, the faster they’ll cook in the microwave. Microwaves penetrate only the outer few centimeters of food, so if you cut your fruits and veggies to be a few centimeters in width, they’ll be done in a flash.

Introduce some grains

Try adding healthy grains to your baby’s food, like quinoa or oats. They’re also great cooked in the microwave. Check out our complete guide for cooking grains in the microwave, then add them to your baby’s purées.

Always lift the knob on your Anyday lid before cooking 

Anyday’s lids are tight-fitting to trap heat and steam, but also have a knob to release excess steam to ensure the pressure doesn’t build. Lifting the knob before cooking is super important to allow that extra steam to escape. Otherwise, the lid may lift a bit — a safety feature we purpose-built — letting off too much steam. Rest assured, Anyday will never explode in your microwave. 

Use an immersion blender for ease

Hauling out your countertop blender can be a hassle. Immersion blenders are easy to clean and allow you to make your purée right in the Anyday dish! Just place the blade on top of chunks you want to smooth out. 

Have fun and play around with different ingredients

The good news about baby food is that it’s super easy to customize! Experiment with different combinations of fruits, veggies, dairy, grains, and even meat for well-balanced meals for your baby.

Looking for more inspiration? Here are some suggestions: