Solid Food

How long you can keep it:

Some new types of organic and/or flash-frozen baby foods are sold in stores' freezer or refrigerator sections and must be kept cold, open or not. But most unopened jarred solids can be kept at room temperature. Once opened, here's how long you can store them:

Strained fruits and vegetables: Keep in the refrigerator for up to two to three days or in a freezer compartment with a separate door for as long as six to eight months.

Strained meats: Keep in the fridge for one day or in a freezer compartment with a separate door for up to one to two months.

Meat/veggie combos: Keep in the fridge for one to two days or in a freezer compartment with a separate door for one to two months.

Solid food safety secrets

Don't purchase sticky, cracked, or rusty jars, and make sure the safety button on the lid is down.

Give the top of the jar a quick wipe before you open it to get rid of any dirt.

Inspect the inside rim of the jar after opening for cracks or chips, and throw it away if you spot any; tiny shards of glass could be in the food.

Never nuke baby-food jars. If you need to heat the food, spoon it into a microwave-safe container first. After heating, stir well, then put a drop on your wrist or taste it yourself with a clean spoon (use a different spoon to feed your baby) to test the temp.

Don't serve food straight from the jar if you plan on saving part of it for later. Your baby's saliva can contaminate it. Spoon the amount you plan on feeding your baby into a separate bowl, and save the rest.

Store food in the back of the fridge/freezer to reduce its exposure to warm air when you open the door.

Freeze homemade baby food in an ice-cube tray, then store the frozen cubes in plastic freezer bags.

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