Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Beta carotene-rich sweet potatoes are a nutritious addition to your baby's diet. They're also sweeter in flavor than normal potatoes, and they take on a fluffy texture when mixed with breast milk or formula. Show
Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (2) Carrot is a very versatile veggie; after your baby has mastered single-vegetable purees, you can mix carrots with a variety of fruits, other veggies, and meats. (Note: Some pediatricians recommend that you feed your baby commercially-produced carrot puree instead of fresh, due to nitrates; consult your doctor for advice.) Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (2) Homemade applesauce is mildly sweet, filled with fiber, and rich in vitamin C. It's definitely a crowd-pleasing baby puree recipe! Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Bananas have a smooth, squishy texture that's easy for babies to mash between their gums. They're also rich in potassium, and they add creaminess when mixed with other ingredients. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (2) Homemade pear puree is sweet, filled with fiber, and rich in vitamin C. Babies also love its mild, sweet taste. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Butternut squash is pure and simple, with a sweet, nutty flavor. When roasted, it takes on a velvety texture, and it provides Baby with vitamin A and potassium. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) You can make pea puree with fresh or frozen peas. Either way, your baby will get plenty of fiber and nutritional benefits. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Peaches are rich in beta-carotene and potassium, and their mild, sweet flavor makes them a crowd-pleasing hit. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Rich in vitamin A and fiber, green beans can introduce your baby to vegetables. We recommend using the frozen variety, since fresh green beans can have a grainy texture after blending. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Antioxidant-filled and calcium-rich spinach is an ideal veggie for babies 8- to 10-months-old. (Note that some pediatricians do not recommend making your own spinach puree because the veggie can be higher in nitrates; ask your doctor for advice). Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) Avocados are rich in brain-boosting omega-3s, and they have a mild flavor and velvety texture that many babies love. Get the Recipe. Illustration by Francesca Spatola; Getty Images (1) When mixed into a puree, potassium-filled potatoes pair well with other fruits and vegetables, including peas, green beans, carrots, and butternut squash. Get the Recipe.
Try these simple and tasty fruit baby food recipes. Your baby will love the taste of fresh fruits and you will love how quick and easy it is to make these fruit recipes. A word about cooking fruits for baby – Most pediatric sources recommend cooking fruits that will be fed to an infant until that infant is about 8 months old. Bananas and avocado are a few of the exceptions. For infants who start solids prior to 6 months old, cooking fruits is really a good idea. Cooking fruits breaks them down thus enabling easier digestion in an immature tummy. An older baby will be better able to handle the fibers and sugars of raw fruits than will the baby who is younger and just starting on solids. Apples/Applesauce(Use Gala, Braeburn, Rome or Macs) Vitamins: A, C, Folate Minerals: Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium This recipe is written so that you may use any amount of apples you wish. We recommend Fuji, Gala, Braeburn or Macintosh Directions Step 1: Peel, core and cut apple into slices/chunks
If your baby is constipated, you might also use the juice that is leftover from the cooking to mix into cereals, or with water in a bottle or sippy cup. Avocado (yes, avocado is a fruit.)Vitamins: A, C, Niacin, Folate Ingredients: Directions Step 1: Peel and take out the pit of a ripe avocado – do not cook There should be no need to use a machine as just like bananas, avocados have a very soft consistency and texture. Avocados do not need to be cooked. How to Select an Avocado – When selecting an Avocado, you want a dark green color with bumpy texture. The fruit should be firm yet yielding when gently pushed. When an avocado is sliced in half, the flesh color should be a green that gently transforms into a buttery yellow around the pit. Visit our Avocado Topic for more recipes and information Apple ‘Cado (4)6-8months+Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Mash the avocado half. Bananas
Vitamins: A, C, Folate Ingredients: Directions Step 1: Peel ripe banana – do not cook You can also mash the banana in a bowl using a regular fork – heat in microwave for 25 seconds prior to mashing for extra softness Add formula/breast milk or water to thin or add cereal (if desired) to thicken up. Bananas and banana puree may be frozen. Using a bit of lemon juice will help to prevent the browning of a banana (and most other fruits) when freezing it. It is the citric acid or the ascorbic acid that aids in the preservation of fruits. The exposure to oxygen and the enzymes in a banana (and most other fruits) are what cause it to go from green to yellow, and then brown to black, as it ripens. A blackish or brownish banana is not necessarily rotten or bad. Banana Applesauce MushIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Peel, core and cut apples into slices/chunks. Add applesauce to the banana and sprinkle with wheat germ* or crushed cheerios* Puree if necessary but mashing with a potato masher will typically get this mix smooth *8months+ Banana ‘CadoIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Mash the avocado half and mash the banana Pears
Vitamins: A, C, Folate Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Steam gently until tender if baby is between 4-6 months old otherwise peel & mash – removing the seed portion Peel and cut into chunks so as to avoid the little seed portion. Or Cut the pears in half (no need to peel unless your little one has issues with digestion) and cut out the seed/core portion then dice the pear halves. Peel and cut into chunks so as to avoid the little seed portion. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a shallow pot with a steamer basket insert. Add the pears to the steamer basket in the pot and then steam until soft and tender. You may also add the pear dices to wee bit of boiling water and steam them this way if you do not have a steamer basket. Using a scant amount of water ensures that you are not boiling them. Place in a blender/food processor and puree until smooth. You may be able to just use a fork too. Use the leftover cooking water if needed but Pears tend to be very runny and watery without adding liquid. Add some baby cereal to thicken if needed. Apples & PearsIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Dice apple & pear and simmer together until tender. Mash or puree as needed. Baked ApplesIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Core apple and leave peel on Apple Peach BananaIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Dice apple & peach and simmer together in a small pot with water until tender. Apricot Puree(using dried, un-sulphured apricots) Vitamins: A, C, Folate Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Bring liquid and fruit to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Mango* Creamy PureeVitamins: A (1262 IU in one cup.), C, E, K, Folate If your infant is currently not eating yogurt and/or you do not wish to use any juice, simply peel, de-seed and mash the mango with some water until the proper consistency for Your Infant is achieved. Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Peel, seed and mash mango until smooth *Mango does not need to be cooked as it is typically introduced at an age where baby can tolerate raw fruits. Mango may be steamed to tender and then mashed if you prefer without harming it. HINT. You may use mango as a great Baby Finger Foods. Simply peel, de-seed and then cut into dices or chunks that are manageable for your baby. You may wish to coat the mango pieces with “cheerio dust”, wheat germ or another cereal “dust” to help baby easily pick up the bits. Papaya
Vitamins: A, C, Folate Ingredients: Directions Step 1:To prepare a papaya (ensure it is fully ripened.), peel, de-seed and then mash into a consistency your baby will tolerate. Some parents who have infants with sensitive tummies will give fruits a gentle steaming to help break down the sugars and fibers for easier digestion. If you feel this is the case for your infant, chunk the papaya and then steam for 5-10 minutes until very soft. Ideas for serving Papaya to your Baby: Mash and mix with banana and avocado Make a Papaya, banana, yogurt smoothie Plums
Vitamins: A, C, Folate Ingredients: Directions Step 1: Peel, pit and cut into chunks then steam until tender in a scant amount of water. Peaches
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Steam Peaches – Method 1 1. Scrub fruit clean and carve an X into 1 side of the fruit 2. Place X side down in a pan with an inch of water 3. Bring water to a boil and steam until soft and tender 4. Peel skin from fruit and remove pits and/or seeds 5. move to step #6 below Steam Peaches – Method 2 1. Peel fruit 2. Pit the peach 3. Cut the peach into dices 4. Steam until soft and tender then 5. move to step #6 Bake 1. Halve the fruit and place “open” side down in a pan filled with 1 inch of water 2. Bake at 400F until soft and tender and/or puckering of the skin appears. 3. Peel skin from fruit and remove pits and/or seeds (you may also leave the skin on your baked peaches – the skin may simply melt into the fruit.) 4. move to step #6 “Blanch” 1. Bring 3 or 4 cups of water to a rolling boil 2. Add cleansed peaches or nectarines to the boiling water and boil the fruit for 3-5 minutes 3. Remove fruit to a bowl of cold water, allow to cool for 2 minutes 4. Slip off the skins and then take out the pit 5. move to step #6 Moving to Step 6 6. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the fruits 7. Peel off skin if you have not done this already. Place fruit(s) into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing. 8. Add the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree 9. Add cereal (if desired) to thicken up. (prints all 4 methods) Peachy MangosIngredients: Directions Step 1: Peel, pit and cut peaches into chunks Plums with ApplesauceIngredients: Directions Step 1: Peel, pit and cut plums into chunks Prunes
Vitamins: A, C, Folate Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Soak dried prunes in warm water until they plump up or steam gently. Step 2: Once plump and tender, toss into food processor or blender and begin to puree. Note: Prune puree, like apricot puree, will not freeze solid, but will freeze into slightly soft/slightly frozen cubes. Prunes are great to help babies with constipation. Try this for babies from 4 months old +. Pumpkin
Vitamins: A (12230 IU in 1 cup.), C, K, Folate, Niacin Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Cut sugar pumpkin (the kind meant to be baked and eaten.) in half, scoop out seeds Pumpkin & PearsIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Mash the pear and then mix in the pumpkin – puree if needed. Peary Pumpkin PeachesIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Combine all food (steam pear and peach together if need be) and mash or puree if needed. You may also buy a can of pumpkin from your local grocers. Make sure you buy Pumpkin and NOT Pumpkin Pie mix however. Learn more about Cooking with Pumpkin Blueberries** (Read our Blueberry Information page)Vitamins: A, C, K, Folate
Directions Step 1: Bring water to a boil. Add blueberries and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. *You can save the liquid to serve as juice or to blend in with cereals etc.. Serve raw and pureed or raw and smooshed if preferred. Yummy Blueberry ApplesauceIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Peel, core & dice apples. Puree or mash as needed. Add yogurt or cereal or both for a yummy breakfast, lunch or snack. Blueberry Peach SurpriseIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Peel, pit & dice peaches. Puree or mash as needed. Add yogurt or cereal or both for a yummy breakfast, lunch or snack. *The color of this will look very icky* Blueberry Banana YogurtIngredients:
For Babies: Use 1 cup of your already made blueberry puree OR Microwave the blueberries just until the juices start to run, about 30 seconds. Place the banana, yogurt and blueberries in a blender and puree until smooth. For Toddlers: Slice the banana. Microwave the blueberries just until the juices start to run, about 30 seconds. Place a little yogurt in a dish and top with banana slices, blueberries, wheat germ and serve. This will make 2-3 servings. Learn about Introducing Yogurt to your baby. Kiwi
Vitamins: A, C, K, Folate Ingredients: Directions Step 1: Peel ripe kiwi Kiwi does not need to be cooked and it should not need to be de-seeded as it is typically introduced at an age where baby can tolerate raw fruits and a bit of texture. *Kiwi is high in Vitamin C and is also acidic, you may wish to wait to introduce it when baby is 10 months or older. Visit our Kiwi Page for more recipes and information about Kiwi. Kiwi Banana TangoIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Mash all fruits together and then blend or puree as needed. Make it Creamy Kiwi Banana Tango by adding yogurt and/or cereal. Melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon)Vitamins: A, C, K, Folate Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Puree or mash with a fork – add cereal (if desired) to thicken up the melon achieve a smooth, thin consistency. **Melon does not need to be cooked as it is typically introduced at an age where baby can tolerate raw fruits. Melon may be steamed to tender and then mashed if you prefer without harming it. More Fun Fruit Baby Food RecipesFruity-PopsHere are some ideas to get you making healthy teething/ice pops for your older baby or child. Visit our Introducing Yogurt to Baby page to learn about yogurt in your baby’s diet. Buy Ice Pop Trays and offer these healthy pops to your toddlers and older kids as well. Cooling Baby Banana Yogurt Pops Ingredients:
Directions Step 1: Blend and/or puree until you have a smooth liquid Variations: Blueberry Yogurt Pops Peach Yogurt Pops Papaya Yogurt Pops Mango PopsIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Blend and/or puree until you have a smooth liquid Apple Ice – Yummy for ToddlersIngredients:
Directions Step 1: In large saucepot, simmer apples, water, and juice until apples are tender — about 20 minutes. Once tender, transfer to blender or food processor and add 1 drip lemon juice. Puree mixture until smooth **Some babies enjoy holding and manipulating ice cubes on a hot day. If you don’t mind the mess, let baby have the “ice pops” while sitting in the highchair** Tofu-Fruit MushIngredients:
Directions Step 1: Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until a fluffy type texture is achieved.
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