I am just about to start weaning my baby and there seems to be such a good choice of ready made, commercially prepared organic baby food out there I can't help questioning whether it's worth bothering making my own?

There are usually two main reasons why a parent chooses commercially prepared or shop bought baby food instead of home-made. The first is convenience. If you are away from home, on holiday or if you find yourself particularly stretched for time they can be a godsend but take a look at the expiration date and you'll see that the food inside is designed to last for up to two years. Not exactly the sort of fresh, natural food that most would want their little one to become accustomed to eating.

Such a long shelf life is achieved by heating the food to high temperatures then allowing it to cool. This sterilises the contents but also destroys a lot of the flavour and some of the nutrients in the process. They also tend to be very bland in taste. Probably so that the chances of your baby rejecting them (and therefore you not buying them again) are greatly diminished. The problem is however, that a baby weaned predominantly on bland, processed foods will develop a taste for; you've guessed it - bland, processed foods! Therefore, although the temptation to reach for the jarred stuff can be huge (especially when your baby routinely turns his or her little nose up at your lovingly prepared concoctions) it really is worth persevering as the long term result will be a child that enjoys the taste of real, home-cooked food and is far less likely to become a fussy eater later on.

Remember, that the weaning process is not just about feeding your baby- it's about educating their little palates. Therefore, even if that spoonful of lovingly prepared mango or avocado puree comes back out your baby's mouth just as quickly as it went in you can still view it as a success. Although they may not have eaten it this time, they have experienced the taste and texture of the food and the more they do this the broader their palettes will become - ensuring that they develop a healthy, adventurous love of food for the rest of their lives.