I always had good intentions of making homemade baby food but it never lasted more than a few butternut-squash baking sessions. Perhaps if I’d had more of a how-to guide than a simple collection of recipes I’d have stuck with it. That’s why I wish I’d known about the So Easy Baby Food Kit months ago (10 to be exact).

The So Easy Baby Food Kit is like your four-star all-inclusive resort. It has everything you need - and will teach you everything you need to know - to make fresh, natural meals for your little one. In less than 30 minutes a week you can ensure your baby is getting a balanced diet and on her way to establishing healthy eating habits.

The So Easy Baby Food Kit includes a cookbook full of recipes and info on introducing solid food; two BPA-free stackable, dishwasher-safe freezer trays (my favorite items) in pre-portioned one-ounce servings; how-to DVD walking you through choosing the right produce to preparing the food to serving it; nutrition card offering tips on everything from the best sources for nutrients to first-aid for choking. Add a few fresh ingredients and you’ve got a recipe for solid-food feeding success!

This kit is perfect for babies about 6 months old, who are just transitioning to solid foods. It is also perfect for moms like me who have the desire to make fresh and healthy food for their babies but need a little more than a recipe book. You can purchase the So Easy Baby Food Kit for a very tasty price of $27 from Amazon.com.

Z Recommends tested two baby food kits last year - the So Easy Baby Food Kit, and Mumi & Bubi's Solid Starter Kit. If you're looking for the hardware without instructions, recipes, and other helps, that post got some excellent recommendations in the comments, including:

• OXO Good Grips ice cube trays - These trays are given higher marks by moms looking for inexpensive baby food freezing trays (at under $5 apiece) than by the general population. Baby food makers love them because they have firmly fitting lids.


• KidCo's BabySteps Natural Feeding System - includes a food mill and a bunch of other stuff, but KidCo has switched from a food mill with metal parts to an all-plastic one, and quality has suffered. It is also pricey at about $60 for the set, but the ZRecs Guide established that the entire set is BPA-free, despite the clear hard plastic used. You can get a "basic" set for $39.


• Standard ice cube trays by Rubbermaid with plastic wrap to cover. The cheapest, although their twist-to-release design doesn't work as well for thick frozen items like baby food as it does for ice.


• Orka's Freeze and Press Ice Cube Trays - Easy in, easy out, and easy storage by combining firm plastic with silicone bases. $10 apiece.


• Silicone ice cube trays release food the most easily, but aren't as easily stacked.

- Emily H.