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When preparing food for the little one, you need not be a master in the kitchen but must know the tricks and healthy recipes for them. While the convenient commercial baby foods lose vitamins and nutrients during their processing and come with additional artificial tastes, there are other homemade nutritious food recipes that you can try.
To help you narrow down the best picks, we’ve listed the top 10 best baby foods that are not only inexpensive but are more nutritious as compared to the others on the grocery store shelf.
Baby Food Recipes - Is Your Baby Ready For Solids?
According to the 2012 publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, they recommend that parents wait for at least 6 months to start introducing solids. Nevertheless, there are some parents who choose to start feeding the baby solids, as early as the 4th month, as long as certain developmental stages are reached.
Also according to the 2013 study, babies who started with solid foods by 6 months old also happen to have a reduced risk of allergies and asthma.
Make sure your baby is able to sit upright and hold their head up. In addition, they must also show signs of interest in solid food. Once that is evident and the child’s pediatrician is ok with it, you’re ready to bring the baby’s first foods to the table!
How To Make Baby Food - Baby Food Recipes
Listed below are the top 10 best baby food recipes that you can also prepare in the best baby food makers with much ease and comfort. So Let’s get started!
1. Pea Purée
- Place a steamer and insert a saucepan into it
- Now, fill it with water to just below the steamer’s bottom
- Bring the water to a boil and add peas
- Now cover and let it steam until tender, which is for about 15 minutes
- When done, add breast milk with the peas in a blender/food processor and puree until it is nice and creamy.
- Strain it using a mesh sieve to remove the lumps
- Spread this mixture into an ice cube tray and cover with plastic wrap to freeze until solid – roughly about 2 to 3 hours.
- Transfer these frozen cubes to a resealable plastic bag and store them in the freezer
- While serving, heat these cubes in the microwave for 30 seconds or until warm, and stir thoroughly.
2. Banana Purée
- Peel a banana and use a fork to mash
- Add some milk to make the consistency thin
- Now, add a taste the is familiar for them to eat
- Serve with formula or breast milk if served for breakfast
3. Avocado Purée
- Mash avocados using a fork or blend them in a food processor
- Now, mix the mixture with breastmilk, formula, or water to reach the desired consistency
4. Baked Sweet Potato Purée
- To start, preheat 400 F
- Scrub the potatoes and prick with a metal fork or skewer
- Now, place it on the baking tray and roast them for about 45 minutes or until tender and wrinkled
- Next, remove it from the oven and cut them in half
- Scoop the flesh and puree it in a food processor until smooth. You can also add a little milk to thin out the consistency
- Most might also want to use this method with baking potatoes as they tend to take longer to cook than sweet potatoes for about 45 minutes and 1 hour. Do not puree the ordinary potato flesh in a blender as they tend to break the natural starches and produce a sticky texture. This is why it is best to puree the potato in a baby food grinder and mash with a fork for slightly older babies
- To make the method quicker, you can also microwave the sweet potatoes and prick them with a fork. When done, cook it in the microwave on high for about 8 to 10 minutes until soft. When done, cut the potato into half and scoop the flesh, mix with breast milk or formula to smooth the consistency.
5. Pumpkin Thyme Purée
- To start with, preheat the oven and line a baking sheet
- Next, slice the top of the pumpkin and cut it lengthwise to the middle until there are 2 halves of a pumpkin
- Scoop the seeds out and string, try not to get too obsessed with getting all the strings out as they will nicely puree with the rest of the pumpkin. You can also choose to chop the pumpkin into small pieces and place them on a baking sheet skin side down or roast it in the oven until tender
- Peel the skin and blend by placing the pumpkin inside a food processor or the blender
- Add thyme and breast milk or formula before blending it for 1-2 minutes or until you get the desired consistency
- Serve or store in the freezer for later
6. Avocado & Banana Baby Food
- Take the avocados and cut them in half. Remove the pit and scoop the flesh out using a spoon
- Peel bananas and add them to the avocados
- Next, place all ingredients into a medium bowl/food processor/blender and blend till smooth
- You can also use a food strainer to help remove all the lumps in case your child needs a texture-free puree
- Pour puree into individual containers and refrigerate them for up to 4 days or freeze containers and thaw as needed
7. White Fish, Leek, and Carrot Purée
- Take a medium saucepan and bring water to boil over medium heat
- Now, place the white fish, leek, and carrots into a steamer basket and steam for about 15 minutes
- Once done, let it cool
- Transfer all the ingredients into a blender or a food processor and blend it until smooth by adding 1/4 cup of liquid at a time, do this until you reach your desired consistency
8. Baby Beef Stew
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot on medium or high heat
- Now, add chunks of beef and sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until brown
- Now add onions, potatoes, carrots, and water. Make sure to keep stirring the ingredients and bring it to boil
- Next, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until the vegetables and beef are tender
- Puree the mixture in a food processor until smooth or until desired texture for the baby
9. Raw Baby Purée Of Blueberries, Avocado, Mango, and Mild Chilies
- To puree the ingredients, place all into a medium bowl, and using an immersion hand blender, blend all until smooth
- Next, add water in tbsp increments as per the need
- For older babies, place all ingredients on a cutting board, and using a fork, mash it all until all the fruit is incorporated
10. Cherry and Mint Greek Yogurt Baby Food Purée
- In a small saucepan, add cherries and water
- Now, cook it on medium-low for about 10 minutes or until the ingredients are tender
- When done, let it cool
- Use a slotted spoon and transfer the cherries into a blender or food processor leaving the liquid in the saucepan
- Next, add in the mint leaves and puree for about 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth
- Add the reserved liquid increments if needed
- For serving, take 2 tablespoons of the puree and 2 tablespoons of yogurt in a baby-safe bowl
- Gently stir together.
To Conclude: Baby Food Recipes, Things To Keep In Mind
Here are a few things that you must keep in mind when thinking about baby food:
- Babies who are just starting off with solids, only need about 1 to 2 tablespoons of food. So make sure to keep the portions small
- Be aware of the allergies, especially when feeding foods that contain common allergens, such as eggs, wheat, soy, fish, peanut, and shellfish.
- There is no order for you to introduce them, so start with the ingredients you are very sure about. It is also best to check with your doctor to be double sure.
- Try and make the process fun and eventful! There is no better way to feed them!
FAQs: Top 10 Best Baby Food Recipes
1. What are the foods that are higher in pesticide residue?
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Sweet bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Spinach
- Apples
- Snap peas
- Potatoes
2. What to keep in mind when preparing for solids for a 4 to 6-month-old baby?
3. Are rice cereals good solid foods?
Reviewed By:
Jessica - Nutritionist Dietician
Jessica is the owner and registered dietitian nutritionist at Nutrition That Heals, LLC. She started her dietetics career working in acute care where she gained a great deal of invaluable experience, learning all about different disease states and their appropriate nutrition interventions. She then worked in long term care where she was able to develop her skills and knowledge base dealing with the elderly population. Following long term care, she worked as an outpatient dialysis dietitian, working with patients to help them eat their best for their kidney failure and often other health conditions (diabetes, heart disease, etc.). She then made the jump back to be an inpatient clinical dietitian. There, she was able to work with patients with strokes, cancer, orthopedic issues, as well as the pediatric population. During her most recent time working as an inpatient clinical dietitian, a great opportunity presented itself and it was a great way to move into focusing more on her dream of opening a private practice. She currently works full time as a contract dietitian with Dietitians on Demand conducting 1:1 nutrition counseling sessions while also working with patients here at Nutrition That Heals, LLC. She has been grateful enough to know how powerful good nutrition can be, but after being diagnosed with endometriosis in March 2022, she had to fully focus on the importance of anti-inflammatory foods, proper hydration, and self-care. This diagnosis motivated her to put pen to paper and get her business started - she wanted to teach what she had learned to others - food should be nourishing. Jessica wants to show you how you can heal with good nutrition, and feel your absolute best!
