Editor's note: This is the first of a weekly column in which the San Clemente Patch Moms editor shares tips and asks for feedback on all sorts of child-rearing issues. Let us know what you think in the comments. The more you share, the more useful Moms Talk will be for all parents in the community.

Raising kids is not cheap.  In our case, when we had babies, we took a double hit in more ways than one. 

We had twins back in April, which means double the work, double the stress, and double the middle-of-the-night wakeups. But, financially, it was also a double hit because I decided to stay home with the boys.

While I do not for one second regret this decision, it has meant many changes for us. I am trying to cut corners and save money wherever possible, which I’m sure is true for many families in this economy. 

While some cost-cutting experiments have not been hugely successful (I will save the cloth diaper discussion for another day), there is one way to save money and make your kids both healthier and happier eaters.

Yes, I am talking about making your own baby food. 

Before you call me a hippie-granola-health-nut with too much time on my hands, look at the numbers.

I can buy a 10-pound bag of organic carrots at Costco for $4.29.  That bag, if I were to use it all to make baby food, would yield approximately 175 ounces of baby food. Now, an average 4-ounce jar of baby food costs about 99 cents—$1.29 if you are talking organic.

That’s roughly 25 cents per ounce. My homemade food costs less than three cents per ounce.

Of course, you don’t want your kids to turn orange eating that many carrots, but you can freeze the food and mix it with other vegetables. Huge bags of frozen peas are also a great deal, as are sweet potatoes and yams.

Plus, when the children begin eating more complex foods, it is simple to transition to feeding them what you are eating. As long as you are eating relatively healthy meals (sorry, no fast food or flaming-hot Cheetos), you can give your baby what you are eating. You might need to make a few modifications, such as blending it up before you spice it up, but these are easy to do. 

When I tell people that I am making my own baby food, I usually get one of two responses.  Either they dismiss me as crazy, or they say, “yeah, me too.”

I understand that the ones who think I’m crazy are probably moms who work or who have older kids and really don’t have the time. But I think that it is starting to make sense to more and more women. Not only is it a money saver, but it also helps your children develop into better eaters.

Have you ever tasted baby-food peas?  It is no wonder that many kids grow up hating vegetables. Best of all, I have total control of what goes into the bodies of my little babies (well, except for what they pick up off the floor). I can say no to preservatives, additives and “natural” flavors and colors.

Correction: An earlier version of this article contained an error concerning the difference in cost between store-bought and homemade baby food.