August is Stay Cool! month at The Kitchn, as we all sweat through one last month of summer heat. We love hearing from readers on how they're staying cool, and we were especially intrigued by an email from Stephanie, who says that she has been eating a very unusual frozen treat — baby food! I had to try this for myself!
Here's how Stephanie explained this rather unusual cool treat:
I remember how popular your banana ice cream post was, so I thought I'd share a little trick I've been using to eat healthier on my diet.Being that I am an ice cream lover myself, I had to find a quick and easy alternative that would allow me portion control and the convenience of being pre-made. Then it hit me. Baby food!
I bought a few jars of Earth's Best Organics banana, pear, and a few mixed fruit flavors, and even sweet potato (since I wanted to experiment) and tossed 'em all in the freezer for about 2 hours. And lo and behold! Perfectly creamy, healthy, low-calorie portioned jars of "ice cream" with numerous great flavors.
Maybe the whole idea of baby food seems weird but it's really only pureed adult food! It's the best diet trick I've ever learned, and it really gets rid of my sweet tooth.
Well, I had to try it. I bought a couple jars of baby food and put them in the freezer overnight. They were too hard to do anything but scrape out flakes of pureed fruit, so I let them sit out for about 10 minutes. After that they turned to the consistency of creamy sorbet.
So — how did they taste? Light, fruity, and rather good! Both were velvety smooth, once they warmed up a little, and the fruit tastes were pure and bright. They were both refreshing without being too sweet, and at 60 to 90 calories a pop, without any added sugar or fat, they are indeed simple, healthy treats.
What do you think? Would you eat baby food as a cold treat? Or will you stick to more traditional ice cream or sorbet?
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
Related: How To Make Creamy Ice Cream with Just One Ingredient!
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I'd do it. My roommate from a couple years ago used to diet a lot and would buy baby food jars as snacks and keep them in the fridge. I admit I thought it was a little weird but since I had tried it I knew it was good. This is even better though because I've been craving ice cream so much due to the weather. Great tip
this is such an interesting idea! I'll have to try it, I wonder if it will be sweet enough for me to satisfy my dessert craving, maybe a small sprinkle of mini chocolate chips would be needed for me, but that would still be better than a big ol' bowl of ice cream. Thanks for sharing this idea!
What a waste of resources. You are going to use a little glass jar with a BPA-lined lid for every little snack?
You want an easy snack? Make it. Puree ripe fruit and freeze it in ice cube trays. Or make a quick compote (fresh or frozen fruit, water, sugar) and do the same. You can do it on the stovetop or microwave.
Or household favorite is "purple" apples, peaches, and dark sweet cherries. However, if you want something with more of sherbet effect you need to use a banana.
Huh, I must admit, when my son was eating baby food, I actually really liked the fruit, especially the banana. I might have to try this.
JudiAU, you have the PERFECT idea!!
How funny. I actually make my preschooler's popsicles in a similar fashion. Just puree fruit (add a couple tablespoons of water if needed), maybe a teaspoon of sugar, pour into popsicle molds, and tada! His favorite ones are melon (particularly honeydew), but he hasn't turned down any of the versions we've tried. I don't understand why it's so hard to find a popsicle that doesn't contain a bunch of crap and doesn't cost me $1.50 a popsicle. So much easier this way.
I think that JudiAU has the best idea, make it yourself!
and at least she's (judiau) not being judgmental or anything!
i think it's OKAY for people to look for convenient alternatives to making things from scratch sometimes. this poster said that she was specifically looking for a premade, convenient thing. i think it's a great idea to fill that need. if you have the wherewithal to make your own from scratch, by all means, more power to you! there's a place for both ideas.
JudiAU, I had the same thought, but once you get through a few jars, you can make your own and then refill them for the portion control. I try to put my ice cream into 4oz mason jars for the same reason.
I think making them is a great idea. Honestly, it wouldn't take much time at all, maybe twenty minutes to make a weeks worth. You're really just throwing things in a blender and pouring it into popsicle molds. Even with more decadent desserts, like homemade ice cream, popsicle molds are wonderful for portion control.
I say gross. I know, I know...it's just pureed fruit, but unfrozen baby food from a jar creeps me out...and freezing it just raises that to the nth degree...more power to those who can get over it though.
I do something similar with juice - I tend to juice at home but if I'm ever out and decide on a naked juice, I never seem to be able to finish the whole thing. I throw the leftovers in the freezer and eat it like italian ice later, cutting off the top of the bottle for access with a spoon. I think this is a great idea, including the reusing the jars bit.
I have a sort of hard time accepting this, just because I relate baby food to baby eating, and the messy way babies eat basically makes me want to puke. I would definitely be more into making it myself, if only to get rid of the weird mental hangup I have about babies and how gross they are :[
I second judiAU. why waste money and resources when it's snap easy, cheaper and even healthier to make it yourself?
Ew. I rarely even fed baby food to my babies. To me, baby food (even Earth's Best) does not taste like pure pureed fruit. It just tastes a bit sour- maybe they use something acidic to preserve it?- and definitely jarred. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with feeding it to babies and if people like it, good for them, but I can't believe there are adults who voluntarily consume baby food. To each his own, I guess.
I was (re)introduced to baby food (fruit only, by my mom's recommendation) when I had my wisdom teeth removed, and have used it a time or two since when I have a sore mouth for some reason. I think it would be great frozen!
I love these outside of the box concepts!!!
Not sure if I will try this one, but I think it's a creative idea, this is why I love the Kitchn!
I love adding baby food to my yogurt or eating it straight up. Sure, I could cook and puree it myself, but I don't make my own applesauce either. It's an issue of convenience for me. I love the idea of freezing the jars!!!