10 Baby Food Recipes


I feel like part of being a parent is the ability to eat whatever I want when it is convenient to eat but making sure my kids always have balanced meals even when we are on the go. This started when they were babies transitioning to solid foods. I refused to buy the jarred baby food. Not because it was expensive, but because it tasted terrible! During one of my baby showers, we did a tasting and I gagged – maybe it was because I was pregnant, but I doubt it. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to make any of these, but I have a lot of friends with little ones that could benefit from some of these 
recipes.  These are just my daughter’s favorites, but you can find many more.

My mother bought me the specialized blender for baby food, but having twins meant double the food. I ended up burning the motor on two of them before I gave up and used my regular food processor. I also had tons of those little sauce Tupperware containers that ended up the perfect size for a serving of baby food.  I never made so much that I would freeze the food for later, because, again, twins. I assume these could be frozen for later if needed.

So, at what age should you start introducing solids foods to babies? Well, Mayo Clinic suggests that between 4 and 6 months most babies are ready for solids. If your little one is showing interest in what you are eating, can hold him/herself up with no difficulties, and mouthing hands or toys, then it is time to start solids. Do not take away milk or formula! In fact, it is best if you continue 32 ounces until your little one is at least 12 months old.

Now, if your baby is new to solids, these aren’t the recipes you need. You need single ingredient food. This is a safety precaution as you learn if your little one has any food sensitivities or allergies. Do not avoid highly allergenic foods out of the fear your child might be allergic. New studies have shown that introducing 4 – 11 month old babies to these foods may actually help prevent allergic reactions.

I guess these aren’t so much recipes as much as flavor combinations. I dug out my old journal of combinations I used but feel free to tweak any of it. I know some people don’t like to add any spices to the recipes, but garlic and cinnamon are known for their health benefits. I felt like it would be ok.
  1. Garlic Chicken (1 baked chicken breast, 2 tablespoons chicken broth, half clove pressed garlic)
  2.  Avocado Banana (1 banana, half an avocado)
  3. Sweet Potato and Carrot (1 medium steamed sweet potato and 5 baby carrots)
  4. Cinnamon Sweets (1 medium red apple, ½ medium steamed sweet potato, 1 tsp cinnamon)
  5. Green bean and onion (1 cup green beans, 2 tablespoons cooked onion)
  6. Cinnamon apple sauce (2 red apples, 1 tablespoon water, 1 dash cinnamon)
  7. Cinnamon apple turkey breast (1/2 medium apple, 1 baked turkey breast, 2 dashes cinnamon)
  8. Peaches and apples (1 peach, ½ medium red apple, dash of cinnamon)
  9. Sweet Cream of Wheat (1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, 1 cup prepared cream of wheat)
  10. Noodles and sauce (1 cup cooked elbow noodles, 1/2 steamed and peeled tomato, dash of pepper, dash of salt, 1 fresh basil leaf)
Warning: If you start your baby on homemade foods, it is highly likely that if you have an emergency while out and pick up a jar of food, your precious one will not eat it. My daughters cried and cried until we got home and they could get the good stuff.

I don’t know if it was because they started eating healthy when they were younger, but my daughter definitely are healthy eaters at 7 years old. Yes, they like potato chips and pizza, but they prefer salmon and asparagus or Brussell sprouts.

Quick bonus recipe: If you have some left over sweet potato, try adding a dash of pure vanilla extract and dash of cinnamon.

Comments

  1. Some nice sounding reciepes listed here. Am sure lots of parents out there will be very interested to read this post. I, myself, like the sound of the garlic chicken!

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