Yummy Puree Recipes for your Baby 

Perhaps it’s time to wean your baby off breast milk and it seems like a scary thought because there’s just so much to be worried about. From the anxiety that whispers “What if my baby is a picky eater?” to the fear of force-feeding or possible choking – if they can’t stand the food, the list is endless. 

But it doesn’t have to be a war. Remember, it’s simply a change in diet and that’s one of the numerous things that come with life and growth. So, inform your baby that it’s time to relax, sit tight and enjoy the best of blends. (Wink!)

Why Baby Puree?

Having been on exclusive milk or formula-based diet for the first 6 months of life or thereabout, pureed foods are one of the topmost recommendations of child nutrition experts to get babies going. And it’s not hard to see why.

At this stage, there is a robust chance that your child is yet to break their first set of teeth. Even then, foods that require chewing are a no-no; because, at this stage, children have only so far mastered the art of swallowing (remember, the milky diet until this moment?). 

More so, the motor skills or neurological development that allows for a complex activity like chewing is not yet attained.

So, the goal is to go a step higher than breast milk but still retaining the softness that absolute solids do not have.

What to try

Making baby food from scratch doesn’t have to be perplexing. You can whip up countless meals using any of these (either as stand-alone or a combination of one or two).

• Vegetables – carrots, broccoli, potatoes, butternut squash, etc.
• Protein – fish, eggs, chicken, beans, etc.
• Cereal – oatmeal, single grain cereal, etc.
• Fruit – avocados, apples, bananas, raspberries, etc.

Subsequently, as your baby grows, you can include meat, poultry, pasta (pureed with its sauce), and more complex foods like rice. With time, you’d be able to incorporate finger foods in the form of chopped veggies and tiny (de-seeded) fruit chunks.

What to avoid

No salt, seasonings and spices should go into your baby’s puree foods. Nevertheless, a dash of freshly chopped chives or rosemary, grated ginger or cinnamon (not exceeding ¼ or ½ teaspoon) can be used. Whatever you do, you don’t want to exchange the natural for processed ingredients.

Recipes

We bring you THREE RECIPES your baby is sure to love:

1. Carrot, Corn & Pumpkin Puree

What you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups carrots peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup sweet corn fresh or frozen
• 1/4 cup pie pumpkin peeled, seeded and chopped

Method:

In a medium saucepan, boil 2 inches of water and place the chopped carrots and pumpkin atop the water in a steamer basket. Cover and steam for 7 minutes. Add in the corn, cover and steam for 3 more minutes. Set down to cool but reserve the steamer water. Pour all ingredients into a blender and puree on high for 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth. If the puree is too thick, add some of the steamer water, breast milk, formula, chicken broth or water in 1/4 cup increments until you reach your desired consistency. Set to cool then serve.

2. Apple and Banana Puree

What you’ll need:

• 2 whole apples, sweet
• 1 whole banana, very ripe

Method:

Peel and core both apples. Slice into small chunks. Next, peel and chop the banana into small pieces. Bring to boil in a pan, covering the fruits in water. Allow simmering for six to eight minutes (or until soft). Drain and puree in a food processor to desired consistency.

3.  Chicken and Sweet Potato Puree

What you’ll need:

• 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast half
• 12-ounce large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

Method:

Cook chicken breast half in enough boiling water to cover for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from broth and set aside to cool. In a medium saucepan, cook the sweet potato, covered, in boiling water enough to last for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Remove sweet potatoes from water but reserving steamer water. With a fork or potato masher, thoroughly mash potatoes. Grind chicken in a food mill or food processor. Mix ground chicken and mashed sweet potatoes together. Add half cup of the reserved cooking liquid till you achieve desired consistency.

Please take note that these recipes cover more than one meal serving, and all excess puree should be stored in sizeable one-meal serving quantities to avoid repeatedly reheating it. Use up or discard any leftovers per day. (Here’s why you want to divide the portions into baby-friendly servings.)

Don’t forget that you want to be watchful for possible allergic reactions even as you double-check the freshness of every food item you use, avoid GMO-products and keep to home-made food for your baby. Cheers to an exciting journey of discovery and sumptuous meal creation.