Eight nutritious, wholesome (and incredibly quick & easy) baby food recipes are fresh on the table for your little one! Along with all the best products and tips I found helpful for preparing, storing and feeding baby. Pass this page along to a family member or friend whose baby may benefit!
When I first started cooking, I dedicated myself to learning how because it was a cheaper, more wholesome, and more delicious way of eating. Little did I know that once our little one came along, I’d start making her food for all the same reasons!
Our girl is six months old now, and I’ve been successfully (and messily) feeding her homemade purees for a few weeks. It’s not a clean job, but it is a great way of giving your baby a delicious and nutritious start. Her first food remains her favorite – sweet potato!
In the post to follow, you’ll find quick, simple recipes for all the baby purees shown above. I’ve also included the products that have made feeding easy and enjoyable, and the best tips I’ve gathered along the way.
If you don’t find this post personally useful, send it to someone you know with a new baby, or one on the way!
First, the items that have been most useful to me in preparing, storing and feeding baby food:
For preparing food: Food steamer | Food processor | Measuring cup
For storing food: Freezer trays | Plastic freezer bags
For feeding: Baby seat | Washable bibs | Soft-tip infant spoons
Next, sing along now… THIS is how we dewww it:
I already had a food processor (and if you like to cook, chances are you do, too), so I found no need to buy an expensive baby food maker. Instead, I bought an electric food steamer for under $30 that can steam large portions of two foods at once. Cheap and easy! I steam the chunks of veggies and fruits until soft, blend them up (adding water to thin), and pour the purees into a liquid measuring cup. This makes pouring into the freezer trays a snap. I smooth the filled tray with a rubber spatula. Once the cubes freeze, I pop them out and into labeled plastic freezer bags. Before I feed baby, I let the cube thaw in a small bowl, then microwave for a few seconds to warm.
And lastly, some fun facts about each of the baby foods, because I’m a sucker for fun. And facts:
Sweet Potato: Packed with vitamins C, A + D, and beta-carotene, which strengthens immune system.
Butternut Squash: High in dietary fiber and potassium; good for bone health.
Beets: Full of fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants; natural anti-inflammatory.
Carrot: High in vitamin A; promotes healthy skin, hair, nails and eyesight; aids in cancer prevention.
Zucchini: Heart healthy and rich in antioxidants; high in manganese and potassium.
Spinach: Good source of vitamins A + C; helps healthy muscle development; lowers asthma risk.
Pears: High in fiber, folate, calcium and potassium; helps prevent constipation.
Apples: Antioxidant rich; helps regulate blood sugar and cleanses the body; high in vitamins C + A.
Now, let’s get to the recipes and tips!
8 Easy Homemade Baby Purées: First Foods
The amounts of ingredients in these purees are not specific. You can use any amount of each that you have. Steaming and roasting are the best choices to keep all of the fruits and vegetables' nutrients in tact.
Ingredients
- For Sweet Potato: 2 sweet potatoes/yams, peeled and cubed
- For Butternut Squash: 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- For Beet: 2 beets, quartered, skin on
- For Carrot: 2 medium carrots, chopped (You can also use baby carrots, grated carrot, etc.)
- For Zucchini: 2 organic zucchini, skin on (Choose organic because baby will eat zucchini skin)
- For Spinach: 4 cups fresh or frozen spinach
- For Pear: 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped (Choose Bartlett pears)
- For Apple: 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (Choose Gala, Red/Golden Delicious, Rome or Pink Lady)
Instructions
- For Sweet Potato: ● Steam sweet potato for 20-30 minutes, or... ● Roast whole peeled potatoes at 400 degrees F for 1 hour. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Butternut Squash: ● Steam butternut squash for 20-30 minutes, or... ● Roast halved, de-seeded squash, cut-side down at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Beets: ● Steam skin-on beets for 30-40 minutes, or... ● Roast whole beets at 400 degrees F for 1 hour. Trim off root and rub off skin. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Carrot: ● Steam carrots for 20-30 minutes, or... ● Roast carrots at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Zucchini: ● Steam skin-on zucchini for 8-10 minutes, or... ● Roast skin-on zucchini at 450 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Spinach: ● Steam spinach for 5-10 minutes, or... ● Roast spinach at 400 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Pear: ● Steam pears for 8-10 minutes, or... ● Roast pears at 400 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- For Apple: ● Steam apples for 15 minutes, or... ● Roast apples at 400 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. ● Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency; use breast milk or formula in place of water for a creamier texture.
- PREPARING TIPS ● Buy pre-cut, peeled sweet potato and butternut squash for quick and easy prep. ● I love this 2-tier electric steamer because I can steam 2 fruits/veggies at once.
- STORAGE TIPS ● Cool purees and pour into BPA-free containers or ice cube trays. ● Refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze up to 3 months. ● Thaw cubes overnight in your refrigerator. ● If you see ice crystals form on food, it's not freezer burn, it's just excess water from the fruit/veg.
- FEEDING TIPS ● Wait 2-3 days between offering new foods to spot allergic reactions. ● Don't ditch a new food if your baby winces after tasting it. Babies may need to try a food 10 times before accepting it, so offer it again days later, or mix it with something you know baby likes. ● Let baby play with the feeding spoon a few minutes before giving solids. This helps baby become more familiar and comfortable with what you're doing. ● Start with just a little puree at a time on the spoon. Wait for baby to swallow before offering more.
Love this!! My sister’s twins are almost 6 months and she’s been having so much fun letting them try new foods- she’s making it all, too. Great tips! And such pretty colors :)
LOOOOVE this! I fully intend to make homemade baby food when I have kiddos so this post is so helpful-pinned!
My chiclette is now 17 months and still loves pureed sweet potatoes!
There is a new baby expected in our family. What a fab post. I will have to
send this along. The purees all look so fresh and colorful.
Love this! I’ve been making Little Lady’s food (sweet potatoes are a favorite in our house too!) but haven’t ventured in to spinach and beet territory yet. Thanks for the inspiration! :)
This is a fabulous post! We are having so much fun trying new foods on Avery; she’s also a huge fan of sweet potatoes. :)
This looks delicious and nutritious! I passed it onto a friend of mine who had a little one not long ago :) x
I’m expecting and can’t wait to try this with my little one. Do you have an article on pureed meats for baby?
I’m so glad you find it helpful! I will have a new post very soon with more purees, including meats.
This is great! Soon, i will be introducting foods to my baby girl and your article is very informative for a first time mom! Can’t wait to try them out – and best of all, i can freeze them so it’s quick thaw and warm up for this working mom :)
I’m a new mom. My daughter is almost 5 months old and I’m getting ready to start her on solids soon. This post has been super helpful! I will be using it as I get ready to my my daughters first foods. :) Thanks!
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