Fast and Healthy Homemade Baby Food Recipes
There are many benefits to making homemade baby food. You can save money, you will know exactly what ingredients are in your baby’s food, and homemade baby food tastes fresher and is more appealing than jarred baby food. However, with little ones, sometimes it’s hard enough to cook your own dinner, much less separate food for them. But even if you’re pressed for time, there’s still some quick and easy baby food recipes you can make.
Peas: Frozen peas make great baby food. Grab a bag of frozen peas (organic frozen peas are typically nice quality) and cook them according to the bag’s instructions. Skip adding any salt, pepper, butter, or other additions. Put them in a large bowl, add some breast milk or formula to thin them, and use your stick blender to puree them. (You can also blend them in a regular blender or food processor.) Peas may stay a little chunky, but you can get them pretty thin, depending on how much liquid you add. You can also strain the peas with a fine mesh sieve to get a thinner texture. My baby liked the texture, and the peas will be a gorgeous color green. Much more attractive than the jarred variety! Peas are a great addition to your child’s diet around 6 or 7 months. Use within 3 days if you’re refrigerating, or freeze in ice cube trays and use within 3months.
Squash: Look for butternut or acorn squash steamer bags in your produce section. Precut squash that steams right in the bag is a great choice for making easy baby food. Cook according to the bag instructions. Place in bowl, again using breast milk or formula to thin, and puree with your stick blender. (Again, you can also puree using a regular blender or food processor.) Pureed squash is also great to mix with plain, unsweetened applesauce for some variety. Squash could be introduced around 5 to 6 months. Again, use within 3 days if you’re refrigerating, or freeze in ice cube trays and use within 3months.
Avocado: You might not think of avocado as potential baby food at first, but it’s among the easiest to feed your infant. Pick a ripe avocado, soft to the touch but not too squishy. Cut in half and remove the pit. Use a spoon to remove the fruit from the skin. Mash in a bowl with a fork until soft, adding breast milk or formula to thin. Avocado does turn brown quickly, so I would only make what I used at a time. Cover the other half with plastic wrap so it’s flat to help keep the air out. Avocado doesn’t go bad when it’s brown, it’s just not as pretty.
These are just a few examples to show that you don’t need a ton of time to prepare your infant healthy baby food. You can easily prepare one of these if you’re having a crazy day or week. You’ll be left with more time to enjoy your little one and their silly meal-time messes.
