Why buy store-bought baby food when you can easily make them at home, commercial baby food contain additives and processed so-called ‘natural’ ingredients that lack freshness. Some store-bought baby food includes added sugar; the only sugar an infant should be consuming are natural sugars from fruits; honey should be avoided in the first year as it can risk botulism. Added sugars are just empty in calories and nutrients; they can also damage an infant’s developing teeth and is best avoided until your baby turns a year old. Preparing home-made baby food is easy; all you need is a blender and a few fresh ingredients; it’s also far more cost-effective. With these delicious, simple baby food recipes you can easily make at home, you might find yourself sneaking a spoonful or two.
Banana Mash
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- One small banana
- A fork
- 1 Tablespoon of breast or formula milk
This recipe will only take 5 minutes of your time, and you won’t even need to whip the blender out. Peel a small-sized banana and place it in a bowl, use a fork to mash the banana until it becomes a mushy consistency. Add some breast or formula milk to liquid down the thick mash; the milk also reinforces with a familiar taste. Bananas are full of potassium and fiber, they work well with sensitive stomachs, and they will provide your baby with a whole load of nutrients and energy. Bananas are deemed as the perfect baby food, but too much banana can lead to constipation, so be sure to mix up the variety.
Cherry Yogurt
Cherry Yoghurt
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- 1 cup of cherries
- 1 Tablespoon of water
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt
- Blender
- Saucepan
Make sure the cherries are pitted, add them along with a tablespoon of water to a pan and let them simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes; stir now and then. Set the cherries aside to cool and then transfer them into a blender. Blend the cherries until they turn into a smooth puree, serve the cherry puree with equal parts of Greek yogurt (2 tablespoons of Cherry Puree and two tablespoons of Greek Yogurt); swirl them together. Greek yogurt is easier to digest, protein, and calcium that are found abundantly in yogurt is essential for bone growth; yogurt also contains vitamin D and potassium. Cherries contain massive amounts of calcium and are known as a superfood; they’re healthy and incredibly nutritious for little ones.
Pea Puree
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 cup breast or formula milk
- Blender
- Pot/Steamer
- Fine-mesh sieve
Begin with either steaming or boiling the frozen peas for 15 to 20 minutes or until they turn tender. Remove any access water from the peas to avoid the mixture from getting too runny, set the peas aside to cool. Place the peas and the milk into a blender, puree them well until a creamy, smooth consistency is achieved; if the mixture is too thick, add more milk. Strain the creamy puree through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of lumps; this is a crucial step to avoid choking hazards. Peas pack a punch with iron, protein, calcium, vitamins A, and C.
Quick Tip
Place the pea puree into an empty ice cube tray and store it in the freezer. To serve, transfer frozen pea puree cube into a bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes. The frozen cubes can be stored in the freezer for up to two months.
Apple-Cinnamon Sauce
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- Six apples
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- Blender
- Saucepan
Peel and core the apples; cut them into bite-sized pieces. Place the apples in a saucepan with water and cinnamon; leave them to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Leave it aside to cool down before putting the ingredients into the blender. Be sure to blend it thoroughly for a much smoother consistency or leave the puree chunky with a quick pulse, but be sure the puree is free of big chunks to prevent choking.
Quick Tip
Use the ice tray method to store the excess in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Chicken and Carrot Puree
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- One large chicken breast
- One large carrot
- 1/2 cup of vegetable broth
- Blender
- Slowcooker/Pot
Dice the chicken breast into small pieces, skin and slice the carrot. Place the carrots and chicken pieces into a slow cooker or pot, pour in the vegetable broth. Let it cook for a good 3 hours on high until the ingredients become tender; stir every once in a while. Transfer the entire pot’s content into a blender and blitz it until you achieve a creamy, smooth consistency. If your baby is on the older side, use a fork to shred the chicken and to mash the carrots; leave the chicken in bite-sized pieces.
Butternut Squash Puree
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- One butternut squash
- Blender
- Steamer/Oven
- Breast or formula milk/Water
Steaming method
Cut the butternut squash into half, remove the seeds and cut the squash into pieces. Place them into a steamer and steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the steamed butternut squash pieces into a blender and puree, add water or milk to water it down.
Oven method
Cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds and place the halves into the oven skin side down on a parchment paper. Cook for 45 minutes at 180C. Let it cool down and scoop out the flesh with a spoon straight into a blender, and hit the switch.
Butternut squash is packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, making it the perfect ingredient for baby-food.
Berry-Delicious Puree
What you’ll need for this recipe:
- A handful of blueberries
- A handful of strawberries
- A handful of raspberries
- Tablespoon of water
Whether you decide to use frozen or fresh berries, they both work fine for this recipe. Defrost the frozen berries or wash the fresh ones, place them into a blender, and add a tablespoon of water to thin out the mixture. The perfect combination of berries that are delightful and wholesome.