In recent years, a lot of moms have started making their own baby foods. It’s got to be tough to come up with some interesting, healthy things to whip up though and let’s face it you can’t just blend a banana and call it a day. So here are two recipes that are best for babies 6 months and up.
QUICK TIP: babies new to baby foods typically only require 1-2 tablespoons of food for healthy feeding. Small portion sizes mean you don’t *need* to make huge amounts unless you prefer to freeze and store meals for later.
Healthy Baby Food Ingredients and Meal Prep Items to Have on Hand
Note: We prefer to shop locally or use what we have at home, but this list contains a few Amazon affiliate links for reference. As Amazon Associates we make a small commission on qualifying purchases.*
- Organic fruits and vegetables for purees (carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, pumpkins, mangoes, etc.)
- Organic fruits and vegetables for mashes (blueberries, pears, apples, beets, bananas, etc.)
- Pureed oats and rices
- Quinoa (for purees)
- Herbs and spices
- A Blender or food processor (these small Magic Bullets work so well!)
- Reuseable pouches (like these) or ziplock bags (great for on-the-go meals or freezing)
- Ice cube trays (for freezing)
- A Vegetable steamer (like this)
QUICK TIP: Baby food mixing is a fabulous way for older siblings to help out in the kitchen. Whether they’re dumping ingredients into the blender, making a mash, or measuring servings, simple food prep is a great way for them to practice all sorts of practical skills!
A Few Foods to Avoid Using in Baby Food
Not all foods (even some that are okay for toddlers) are good for use in your homemade baby foods. Whether it be hard on a baby’s tummy, a common allergen, or cause of a known health risk – here are a few to avoid for the first year…
- Honey (although it may seem well-suited to baby foods, honey has been known to cause infant botulism)
- Common allergens such as eggs, unmodified cow’s milk, wheat and soy
- Foods with added sugar or salt, such as store-bought juices
- Gas-inducing foods (think beans or broccoli)
- Highly acidic foods such as citrus fruits or papaya
3 of Our Own Classic Baby Food Recipes
Believe it or not, I used to eat baby food by the bowlful in high school! From infancy to adulthood, here are a couple of the homemade baby food recipes that were classics in our own household…
Banana Blueberry Buckle
This first recipe is intended to make one serving and serve immediately:
- 2 tablespoons fresh blueberries
- 1/2 large ripe banana, peeled
Puree blueberries and banana in a blender; serve.
“Ras-peary” and Banana Puree
- 1 ripe pear, peeled
- 1/2 banana, peeled
- 10-15 raspberries
Puree pear, banana and raspberries in a blender; serve.
Mango, Carrot and Apple Puree
Makes 10 servings, to be made and stored until needed:
- 1/2 cup baby carrots, chopped
- 1 cup mango, chopped
- 1 cup apple, peeled and chopped
Put carrots in a steamer pot over boiling water for 3 minutes. Add mango and apple and steam for another 2 minutes or until everything is fork-tender. Put in a food processor until smooth. Cool and serve. Place in Ice cube trays or reusable pouches and freeze.
A Few of Our Favorite DIY Baby Food Resources
Looking for the best-of-the-best when it comes to DIY baby food-ing? Look no further than these links – a collection of my tried-and-true favorites when it comes to healthy food-making for kids.
1. Baby Foode
What I refer to as the Holy Grail of healthy baby food-making, Baby FoodE is basically the ultimate #1 resource for all things homemade baby food.
You can quickly and easily search for recipes by age right from their homepage, they have a handy “start here” reference guide with everything you should know before you get started, and every recipe looks so deliciously good!
Visit their list of 36 healthy homemade baby food recipes for a great first introduction to their easy-to-follow DIY food primers.
2. Yummy Toddler Food
Yummy Toddler Food isn’t just for toddlers. This site is chock full of recipes and resources to help you conquer DIY baby food-ing.
Their free printable baby food chart is a fantastic guide to print off and reference as you go you through the first year of feeding. And you’re sure to find something super-yummy in their master list of original baby food recipes.
3. Easy Baby Food
Easy Baby Food is an absolute bonanza of DIY baby food learning. Along with recipes galore, you’ll find invaluable information and tips like tricks to feeding a fussy baby and shortcut baby food ideas.
Bonus: Their Seasonal Produce Lists are great monthly reminders of the local produce you’ll be able to find at the farmer’s market.
Quick Links we Love
- Little Gourmet’s Magic List of Baby-Led Weaning Foods
- Spice Spice Baby’s Cardamom Pear Puree Recipe
- Annabel Karmel’s First Foods Recipe Finder
- Oh Baby’s Nutrition Guides
- The Homemade Baby Food Recipes’ Food and Product Recall List
*A note about Amazon affiliate links: We strive to use simple, earth-friendly supplies that can be purchased locally whenever we can, but sometimes we find the best universally available options, a rare eco-friendly find, or a niche product only available on Amazon. When included in our supply list, these products are affiliate links, and if you click-through to make a purchase, we receive a small commission that helps us re-order these supplies!
