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The wet food industry is now big business, with commercial brands like Rafferty's Garden, Heinz and Natureland, and ever increasing popular organic brands such as Only Organic, Bellamy's and Organic Bubs.

Wet food is available in either a fruit or savoury base, and marketed for different age groups: pureed food is suitable for babies 4 months and over; small lumps in food for infants 6 months+; then progressively lumpier food for 8m+, 10m+ and 12m+.

Cheaper commercial brands tend to have a longer shelf life and may contain preservatives, GM ingredients, flavours, colours, added salt, added sugar and thickeners, as well as often containing cheap ingredients such as apple or pear puree, to bulk up the product and add sweetness. Whether you choose a non-organic or organic brand, always read the list of ingredients well, especially for allergen advice.

As a young mum, I would only buy simple pre-made baby wet food as an emergency solution, always preferring to make my own. I recall my love of home-made food was cemented after my well-intended in-laws took my daughter out for a day of fun and treats resulting in a trip to the emergency department for anaphylaxis due to "chemical overload" from various foodstuffs...yes, fresh is best. Making your own wet food is easy. All brands are producing more imaginative ingredient mixes in their products these days, so it is easy to get ideas and get cooking in the kitchen. Sure, pre-made wet food has its place, but it's so easy to make your own, store and package it like the professionals.

Once you buy your desired ingredients, you'll need the right kitchen tools. Having two children myself, I couldn't live without a hand held blender to puree food. Philips Avent also have 2 great products: the Combined Steamer and Blender (great for cooking and pureeing fruit and vegetables) and Mini Blender (ideal for blending fruits and cooked vegetables or grains, nuts and even cooked meats). The Dr Brown's Designed To Nourish Make-A-Smash Food Masher is also a great little product, allowing cooked foods to be mashed by hand. After creating natural, healthy food the way your baby prefers, you'll need to store it.

There are now so many baby food storage systems on the market, that a parent or carer is spoilt for choice. There are containers specifically for freezing, for the fridge and also on-the-go, in different shapes and sizes. For just freezer trays, try Heinz Baby Basics, Qubies, Munchkin or Happy Baby. There are lots of freezer pots on the market - some with custom made trays and many of them designed to go from the freezer to microwave to table. Once again, look for Heinz Baby Basics Freezer Pots, Closer To Nature Explora Pop Up Freezer Pots, Philips Avent Via Gourmet Set and Dr Brown's Designed To Nourish Food Storage Pods. For on-the-go food storage, Dr Brown's Designed To Nourish Snack-A-Pillar Dipping Cups are great, but my favourite storage solution for out and about is the Cherub Baby Food Storage Pouches. These cleverly designed soft pouches easily fit into a baby bag, can't break, are leak proof, pre-sterilised, self-standing, and are also freezer, microwave and bottle warmer safe. Furthermore, Cherub Baby have even designed a Click 'n Go Travel Food Pouch Warmer & Travel Bag, to warm food to the right temperature. Combine this with a pouch serving spoon by Cherub Baby, Heinz Baby Basics or Only Organic, and home-made ready-to-serve, convenient, nutritious meals for babies can be consumed anywhere.