Moms want the best very best nutrition for their babies, and nothing is healthier or tastier than homemade baby food. The commercial brands that have been collecting dust setting on the store shelf just can’t beat it, especially when it is missing a lot of wholesome, rich, vitamins and nutrients that you will be getting from natural food made at home.
It might seem like a lot of work to cook for your baby but you will be happy to know that it is super simple and inexpensive to get your baby the tasty, healthy food they need to grow.
Rather you get your fruits and vegetables at the farmers market or get it from the store you can be sure to create fresh baby food that will make their little taste buds tingle.
Before you feed your baby…
Before you get cooking you want to keep a few things in mind. New eaters may only be able to consume about 1-2 tablespoons of food at a time, so it would be better to start them off with small portions.
When trying new food, always be on the lookout for any signs of allergic reactions, especially when feeding common allergy foods like eggs, wheat, nuts, fish, soy, and shellfish.
It is recommended that you start off feeding them single-ingredient purees and spacing new foods apart by 4 days to better identify if there is an allergy.
Also, be aware of any foods that may cause discomforting gas such as onions or beans.
Here are 5 recipes that it will get your baby excited to try different foods.
1. Apple Cereal
1/2 cup of oats
Half of an apple
1 cup of water
Start by peeling and chopping the apple into small pieces.
Add dry oats, apples, and clean water to a pan and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes on a low heat. Let it cook until the oats and apples are completely cooked and soft.
Now let it cool down a bit before you put it in a blender and make into a smooth puree.
You can now pour the porridge into a bowl and feed your baby!
2. Peas, Leeks, and Potatoes, Oh my!
1 Leek
Frozen peas
1 Potato
Add a chopped, peeled potato into a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and add the chopped white parts of the leek. Reduce the heat slightly and leave it to simmer for 10-15 minutes and add the peas.
Leave it to cook for 5 minutes or until the potato are nice and soft.
Then, you want to drain off the excess water and blend it into a puree. You can add water, formula, breast milk to get the desired consistency for your baby.
3. A Quick Fruit Snack
**Please be aware that strawberries may cause an allergic reaction in some babies**
4 medium apples
4 large peaches
12 strawberries
You will want to remove all seeds and peel the peaches and strawberries before you cook them.
Steam the apples for around 6 minutes or until soft and then add the peaches strawberries to the steamer. Continue to cook until all fruit is tender and blend the fruits to a smooth puree.
4. A Nice Chicken and Rice Dinner
3/4 cup of rice
1 cup of water
Cubed chicken thigh
1/2 peeled and diced Fuji apple
2 basil leaves
1 chopped carrot
Cut the chicken, peeled apple, and carrots into small cubes, then place the rice in a rice cooker or pan. Cover the rice with water.
You may now add the rest of your ingredients and let it cook in the rice cooker for around 45 minutes.
Once everything is fully cooked you can put it all in the blender and use a cup of your choice of milk, could be breast milk, formula, or you can even replace it with regular milk if they are at least 12 months old.
Mix everything together into a creamy puree and it is ready to eat.
5. Delicious High Protein Berry Dessert
1 cup of fresh or thawed frozen blueberries
1 cup of fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
Plain Greek Yogurt
You can also try this with peaches, strawberries, bananas, and other fruits.
Put the berries in a blender or food processor until it is a nice smooth consistency, then strain through a fine-mesh filter into a small pan.
Place the pan over medium heat let it simmer until the berry puree begins to thicken, in about 5 minutes, then pour it into a bowl to let cool completely, while stirring it occasionally.
When ready to serve, add some yogurt to your baby’s bowl and, using a spoon, swirl in a few spoonfuls of fruit puree.
Enjoy
You can poke the food with a fork to test if it is soft enough to puree, and extra food can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, frozen for 3 months. Now go have fun and try creating your own combination to find out which is your baby’s favorite.
