This is the fourth post in the Baby on a Budget series.
I want to start off with a disclaimer. I’m in no way trying to tell you how to feed your baby. Breastfeeding, formula, store food, homemade food. I’ve done it all. Do I think one way is better than another? Absolutely not. Each mom, baby, and situation is different and unique. You need to do what works for your family, your baby, and your budget. Okay. Now that I’ve got that out of the way. Let’s get to it!
Now isn’t that just the cutest baby ever?! The dimple gets me every time! Sorry, proud mommy moment!
Both of my boys have had very different feeding experiences. I breastfed Caleb until he was about 8 weeks old. I was young and probably gave up earlier than I should have. Nevertheless, he went to formula for the next 10 months and is a healthy, happy, growing, smart little boy.
Ben is currently 7 months old and has been 100% breastfed from birth. In fact, he is now refusing to take a bottle so I don’t really have a choice at this point! 🙂 I made the decision to try to breastfeed him until he was at least a year old before I gave birth. I won’t say that money was the biggest factor, but it definitely was near the top of the list.
We spent an average of $125-$140 a month on formula for Caleb. So that means over the course of a year’s time, breastfeeding will save $1500-$1680. That’s a huge money savings.
A few things I did to strive for success in breastfeeding:
- I asked a lot of questions to friends who had breastfed for a year or longer.
- I researched some ways to overcome some of the struggles I had with my first son. I made sure to prepare myself with everything I needed to overcome those same struggles the second go around.
- I read a lot of blogs and books on the topic.
- I told myself I was going to do it. I didn’t say I would try. I said I would do it for a year.
I’m not going to lie. The first 2 weeks are so difficult you will cry a lot! The next 4 weeks are a struggle trying to regulate your milk supply. The next 2 months you will begin to fall into a groove. By 4 months, it will be like second nature.
I’m by no means an expert. I have taken a ton of advice from some amazing moms who’ve gone before me. I had many struggles with breastfeeding just like every other mom.
I don’t want this to be a how to overcome breastfeeding struggles post. Breastfeeding is free. It’s as simple as that. If you can breastfeed, you will save yourself a huge chunk of money.
Once your baby hits 4-6 months old, you will begin to start solid baby food. If you plan to use purees, you can really spend a ton of money if you aren’t careful.
However, here are a few tips to help you save money on purees in those first few months of solids.
1. Make Your Own
I make a few different types of baby food for my son. Mainly vegetables such as sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots. I dice them up, boil them until soft, then put them in my food processor with some water.
I will usually make a large batch and freeze in ice cube trays. Each cube is about 1 ounce so it’s easy to just grab a few cubes when Ben needs to eat.
Don’t waste money on those expensive baby food makers! A blender or food processor does the same job. Plus, you will save space in your kitchen!
NOTE: Flash freeze the food in the ice cube trays, then remove to a freezer bag to avoid freezer burn. They should stay good for at least 3 months this way.
2. Use What You Have
Do you buy a bundle of bananas every week at the store? Just feed your baby a piece the banana mashed up with a little water. Do you make mashed potatoes for dinner as a side some nights? Add a little water to a few of the mashed potatoes, let cool and feed to your baby. Using what you already have or are making for dinner is the best and easiest way to save on baby food.
3. Think Outside the Box
Think of ways you can feed baby what you already have on hand. For example, instead of buying baby food apples, buy a large jar of unsweetened, no-sugar added applesauce. Here is the price difference:
A 2 pack of 4 oz. containers of baby food apples cost $1.17 at my grocery store. That’s ~$0.15 an ounce.
A large 46 oz. jar of applesauce costs $1.97. That’s $0.04 an ounce!
Needless to say, I never buy apples in the baby food section. Try to think outside the box and feed baby what you may already be buying or have in your refrigerator.
4. Use Coupons & Shop Sales
Sometimes time just doesn’t allow you to make homemade baby food and you don’t have anything planned for dinner that baby could eat. I purchase jarred baby food all the time. It’s just part of life for us and that’s fine. However, I do try to find ways to save.
My store will offer coupons at the register for $1 off your next purchase on different brands each week. I’m not brand specific, so I always take advantage of these offers.
I find coupons online that I stack with sales to get baby food super cheap.
Feeding your baby doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg and can be done on a tight budget. Babies are not as expensive as many let on. Babies are a blessing. Not a burden.
BONUS!
If you plan to breastfeed, don’t forget to check with your insurance to see if they provide a breast pump. Many insurance companies provide at least a basic breast pump. It definitely pays to check it out!
How do you save on baby food?
If you’ve missed any of the other posts in my Baby on a Budget series, be sure to check them out!
Kelly S says
We do “baby-led weaning,” which sounds more complicated than it is. basically, it’s your step #2 - Use what you have… we just do it all the time. We’ve never messed with making “baby food” - we just started feeding our kids typical solid “finger” foods around 6 months. Scrambled egg yolk, avocado, banana, apple slices… not mashed up into baby food, but served so that baby can self-feed. As they get older, we add in black beans, ground beef/turkey, shredded chicken, etc…
It’s easier than making baby food, but cheaper than buying baby food because you already likely have all this food, or you’ll eat the leftovers, since it’s not strained peaches. 🙂 I have never had to add “baby food” to our budget - just maybe tacked on a couple extra dollars for a very slight amount of more food.
Plus it saves lots of time, because you are not having to sit and feed the baby.
We’ve loved it with both our kids!
Kelly S recently posted…A Meaningful Thanksgiving Celebration
Thank you so much for sharing Kelly! We will have to try that out more when we have our third! 🙂