On this page you will learn how to use a Kidco Food Mill. Kidco Food Mills are an inexpensive way to make your own homemade baby food that is nutritious, inexpensive, and tasty. Kidco Food Mills are on the lower-end of infant food mill price ladder, ranging from about $15-$30 depending on the model and special features that the mill may come with, including a carrying case or food storage containers.

Learning how to use a Kidco Food Mill is extremely easy. The unit is user-friendly, and uses no electricity or battery power. It is easy to transport and use in restaurants. As with all food mills, you should follow manufacturers instructions carefully and not allow your child to play with the Kidco Food Mill.

Before you get started using the Kidco Food Mill, you should know your child's developmental level and what foods will be appropriate for their consumption. You should have a basic idea of your child's food likes and dislikes. You should also consult with your child's pediatrician if you have any concerns about food allergies and intolerances.

If you would like to learn how to use the Kidco Food Mill, you should follow the steps listed below.

The following foods are easily blended by the Kidco Food Mill and are usually safe for babies under one year of age:

• Chicken: Chicken should be boiled fully before placing in a baby food mill. Remember to be especially careful about raw chicken juice left on the counter top after cutting, and make sure that you use chicken without any bones. You can also use turkey in your food mill recipes in a similar manner.

• Pumpkin: Pumpkin is especially easy to blend after fresh chunks have been baked skinless in a banking pan half-full of water. You can also mix store-bought pumpkin puree into any recipe in your food mill.

• Sweet Potato: Remember to cook or steam sweet potato bits until they are tender

• Avocado: Avocado is rich in vitamins and nutrients and is ready to blend immediately after cooking.

• Carrots: Over-steam your carrots slightly to make them tender enough to puree.

• Apples: Make your own apple sauce by pureeing fresh apples in your food mill. Remember to remove any seeds before serving the applesauce to your child.

• Bananas: Easy to blend right out of the skin, bananas go well blended in your food mill with apples.

• Rice: To add some carbohydrates to your baby's meal, you can use your food mill to blend rice into other foods such as chicken and turkey.

• Pears: Baby's typically love pureed pears. Combine pears, apples, and bananas in your food mill for a fruity snack.http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

There are many high quality cook books available that focus on creating healthy, nutritious blended meals for your child. Most of these recipes can be used with a Kidco Food Mill.

Please be advised that almost any food can be an allergen to a child. If your child shows signs of an allergic reaction such as abdominal discomfort, hives, itching, swollen lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing, you should contact your doctor or local hospital immediately.

The Kidco Food Mill is a hand-cranked unit that does not use battery or AC power. The benefits of this unit are that it is light-weight, easy to clean, easy to transport and use in restaurants, and easy to use.

To use the Kidco Food Mill, you should follow the steps listed below:

For a manual food mill such as the Kidco Food Mill, you should first and foremost pay attention to the manufacturers instructions, especially any safety features that will keep you and your child safe. Generally, manual food mills work by filling a cylinder full of food, either of the same type or several different foods that compliment each other. After filling the cylinder with food, you should crank the handle on your food mill to blend and chop your baby's meal. The Kidco Food Mill does not come with an attached compartment to store food in. However, you can easily remedy this by using your freshly blended baby food immediately, or alternatively using simple Tupperware to store the food long-term. You can also store your blended baby food in ice-cube trays in the freezer for small meal-sized portions.http://www.thebabydepartment.com/feeding/food-mill.aspx For a manual mill, the first run through with a particular batch of food may leave chunks or a varied texture. For a younger baby who is new to solid foods, you may have to run the food through the mill several times before reaching the desired pureed consistency.

Cleaning the Kidco Food Mill after each use is important to keeping the unit sanitary and workable. Without cleaning the Kidco Food Mill, you may find that the the hand-cranked mechanism may not work as well. You may also find mold growing on old food particles stuck to the blade system. Seeds and skins that are caught in the food mill may hamper it's performance.http://www.fantes.com/food-mills.html

To wash your Kidco Manual Food Mill, follow the steps listed below:

• After use, turn the hand-cranked unit a few extra times to expel any additional food that may be caught in the blades.

• Rinse the entire apparatus in cool, clean water.

• Allow water to pass through the unit as if it were food being milled. Turn the hand-crank to mix the water throughout the inner working of the unit. Turn the unit over in your hands several times to completely rinse the inner-workings of the mill.

• Allow your unit to air-dry overnight before putting back in your carrying case or cabinet. Check your Kidco Food Mill often for chips, wear, defects, or mold due to improper washing.