15 Stage One Baby Food Purees
These 15 Stage One Baby Food Recipes will tempt your baby’s taste buds! These simple, homemade baby food recipes are made with nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables with an added pinch of spice that makes these purees out-of-this-world delicious! They’re great for babies 4-6+ months of age!
Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Stage One Baby Food Purees
Are you looking to make your baby homemade purees, but don’t know where to start? Does the process intimidate you?
Then you have come to the right place! Here you will find 15 of my all-time favorite starter baby food purees that have been viewed (and made) millions of times by my readers and combined have over 400 5-star reviews!
I would also like to personally welcome you to the wonderful world of baby food, this is a fun (and yummy) club to be in.
Does your baby’s first bite need to be boring?
Of course not!
Baby’s food can (and should be) delicious from the very start!
While it may seem daunting at first, making your own baby food is super easy once you get the hang of it.
And I’m here to walk you through it every step of the way.
First time making homemade baby food? Then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. The detailed guide goes over all the important information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, how to know when baby is ready for solids, how to introduce purees, the best first foods for baby, and so much more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!
15 Stage One Baby Puree Video
While the recipes themselves are simple, in this video I will show you how to add in a pinch of cinnamon, rosemary, curry, or mint to quickly roasted or steamed fruits and vegetables that enhance their natural flavors. In other words, these are simple purees that I am pretty sure you will want to eat as well!
What is In Each Puree Recipe
After going through this guide, you will want to check out some (or all!) of the homemade baby food recipes below. Each recipe goes into detail about the:
- produce that is in the puree
- benefits of that produce for your baby
- recipe cooking options
- detailed photos and videos with step-by-step instructions
Reminder: The homemade baby food recipes below are made for babies that want to try the most delicious food from the very first bite! 😋
Helpful Tools
Let’s start with a few of my favorite kitchen essentials to make the best homemade baby food purees! These kitchen tools will help make the process of cooking, blending, and freezing baby food hassle-free. You can find a full list of my favorite baby and toddler food making tools in my online Shop.
Kitchen Tools
- Blender or Food Processor
- Freezer Storage Tray
- Fridge Storage Containers
- Stasher Bag
- Baking Sheet
- Steamer Basket
- Medium Saucepan
- Reusable Pouches
Feeding Essentials
Learning Resources: looking for the best high chair, cups or spoons for your baby? Then we’ve got you covered! Here you will find How to Find the Best High Chair for Baby, an easy guide on Best First Open Cups for Baby (plus 4 tips when introducing a cup) as well as 3 Tips on How To Spoon Feed Baby (plus – our favorite spoons for purees or BLW).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, yes, yes! Babies can absolutely have spices mixed into their purees from the very first bite. Adding a pinch of spice or herbs to a baby’s food makes it taste better and gives the food additional medicinal properties. Read more here. But as I always say — you do you! If you don’t want to add spices to your baby’s food, you can certainly leave them out. Don’t worry, I give instructions on each recipe card for both.
My rule of thumb is that unless there is an immediate family member that has a true allergy to a certain spice or food, then introducing your baby to spices at the same time as new food is completely acceptable. Spice and herb allergies in babies and adults are very rare. But remember, it’s always recommended to keep an eye on your baby when introducing any new food or spices.
When a baby can start on solid foods is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready for solids.
How to Make Baby Food Purees
All of our baby food recipes are designed to enhance the natural taste of the fruits and veggies while keeping as many nutrients intact as possible. In other words, the goal is to make a puree that’s both healthy and delectable.
There are several ways you can cook baby food purees, but the main techniques I use are:
- Steaming
- Roasting
- Simmering
- Raw
Keep in mind, that as long as the produce is cooked until soft, that there isn’t a right or wrong way to cook it for baby food.
If a recipe for broccoli calls for steaming but you want to roast it because you will already be roasting some broccoli for yourself for dinner, then go ahead and roast the broccoli for your baby’s puree. Play around and have some fun with it!
Adding Spices to Baby Purees
It’s encouraged that you can serve your baby a homemade puree with a pinch of spices or herbs from the very first bite.
Benefits of Spices
- boost and compliment any fruit or vegetable puree
- broaden baby’s emerging palate
- add more flavor and depth into their foods
- decrease picky eating in the years to come
- have medicinal properties in them — they can help with digestive issues, boost brain functions, repair muscle tissues, and so on.
While each puree recipe on this site has a selection of spices or herbs that complement the flavors of the fruit or vegetable in the puree, it’s up to you if you want to add them. You do you! Either way, the puree recipes on this site will be delicious.
Top Spices to Add to Baby’s Puree
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Basil
- Mint
- Parsley
- Mild Curry Powder
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Rosemary
How to Store Baby Purees
Every recipe below has specific instructions on how to store that particular puree, but these are the general guidelines.
How to Freeze Baby Food
Your freezer is about to become your new best friend, allowing you to keep several weeks’ worth of baby purees at the ready. Whenever you make a puree, put several ounces in the fridge for your little one to enjoy that week, then freeze the rest of the batch for your baby to eat at a later date. Please make sure you get it in the puree into the fridge or freezer within 1 hour of cooking to prevent bacteria growth.
- Make a puree.
- Let it cool slightly.
- Transfer the puree to freezer trays or freezer jars.
- Cover the freezer trays with a lid or plastic wrap.
- Label with date and name of puree.
- Place the tray in the freezer.
- Let it freeze for at least 5 hours.
- Take the tray out of the freezer.
- Crack the purees out of the trays.
- Place the frozen purees into zip-lock baggies or stasher bags.
How to Store Baby Food
Purees can be stored for up to four days in an airtight container in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer.
How to Thaw Baby Food
Thawing may seem like a no-brainer, but it never hurts to know your options. There are three different ways to thaw purees.
Microwave
- Take the frozen puree cubes that you want to serve out of your freezer.
- Place them in a glass microwave-safe container.
- Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring every time.
- The puree is ready when it is just warm to your touch.
- Grab two clean spoons, one for you and one for your baby, and test your puree before serving.
Heating Tip: To prevent the microwave from unevenly heating the puree, which can leave it with cold and really hot spots and can burn your baby’s mouth, make sure you stir between each interval and taste test it before serving to your baby.
Refrigerator
This one takes the longest time, but it is an excellent alternative to using a microwave.
- Take the frozen puree cubes you want to serve out of your freezer.
- Place the cubes in an air-tight glass container.
- Place the container in the fridge and let the cubes thaw for 8 to 12 hours, usually overnight.
- Do not leave the puree in the container to thaw on the counter or anywhere out of the fridge, as bacteria will start to grow at a rapid rate — which is definitely not recommended.
- Note that the puree will be cold but thawed. So if your baby likes their puree warmed, you’ll have to finish the job using the microwave or stovetop method.
Stovetop
- In a small saucepan, add the frozen puree cubes you want to serve to your baby.
- Over medium-low heat, gently cook the puree until warm, stirring occasionally.
Thawing Tip: Some infants like their puree cold, warm, or really warm, and some will eat it no matter the temperature. You will get to know your baby’s personal preferences as the two of you bond over food.
Feeding Tips
- Make sure baby is showing readiness signs for eating – good control of their head and trunk, sitting with minimal assistance, bringing hands or toys to their mouth, and appearing interested in your food when you’re eating.
- Follow your baby’s lead – when feeding purees from a spoon, sometimes there’s a tendency to keep offering bites past the point of your baby being full. Always follow your baby’s cues for when they are done eating. Turning away from the spoon, closing her mouth, or pushing food away are all signs that your baby is finished with the meal.
- Throwing spoons – is a common phase that all babies go through at one point or another. One of the best ways to handle spoon throwing is to ignore it and keep feeding your baby as usual (with an extra spoon you already have at the table). If your baby ends up also throwing back up spoons #2 AND #3, simply encourage your baby to eat with their hands until they appear to be finished with the meal.
Top Rated Baby Food Purees
Pea Baby Puree (Stage One)
Apples Baby Food Puree
The Best Sweet Potato Baby Food
Broccoli Baby Food
Carrot Puree Recipe for Baby (Stage 1)
Oatmeal for Babies (Stage One)
Avocado for Baby – Puree & BLW
WeeSprout Baby Food Freezer Tray
My all-time favorite freezer tray! Individual servings pop out easily. The hard plastic lid snaps on with ease and allows for convenient stacking of freezer trays. Dishwasher safe!
Roasted Banana Baby Puree (Stage 1)
Butternut Squash Baby Food
Green Bean Baby Food
Creamy Mango-licious Baby Food Puree
Pear Baby Puree (Stage One)
Peach Baby Puree (Stage One)
Basic Chicken Baby Food
Homemade Baby Rice Cereal
Red Pepper Baby Puree
More Baby Fooe Purees
- Strawberry Baby Puree
- Blueberry Baby Puree
- Pumpkin Baby Puree
- Rasberry Baby Food
- Banana Puree
- Homemade Quinoa Baby Cereal
Or watch the shortened video here.
Get the recipe: 15 Stage One Baby Food Purees
Ingredients
Pea Baby Food Puree
- 2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
- 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped (optional)
- 4 mint leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
Sweet Potato Baby Food Puree
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1/4 tsp mild curry powder (optional)
- 1/4-1 cup liquid, (water, fresh breast milk, formula or sodium-free chicken stock) for pureeing
Roasted Banana Puree
- 4 bananas, cut lengthwise
- 1/8 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
Carrot Baby Food Puree
- 2 pounds carrots, trimmed, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2-1 cup liquid, (water, reserved water, fresh breast milk, formula or low-sodium stock) for pureeing
Apples Baby Food Puree
- 6 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Broccoli Baby Food Puree
- 2 cups broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 1 small white potato, apple or pear, peeled and roughly chopped, roughly 1/2 cup (optional)
- 1 tbsp good quality olive oil (optional)
Butternut Squash Baby Puree
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1-2 tsp olive oil (optional)
- 1/2-1 cup liquid (water, fresh breast milk, formula, low or no-sodium stock or bone broth), for pureeing
Green Bean Baby Food Puree
- 1 pound green beans, fresh or frozen, trimmed
- 1 big pinch fresh basil, cilantro or parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Creamy Mango-licious Baby Food Puree
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mango, deseed, peeled and roughly chopped. If using frozen mangos, thaw first
- 1 medium banana (optional)
- 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
Pear Baby Food Puree
- 6 pears, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/8 tsp cardamom or cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 cup water
Peach Baby Puree
- 3 fresh peaches or 12oz frozen peaches, do not thaw frozen peaches – use frozen
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean pod (optional)
- 1 pinch pinch nutmeg (optional)
Basic Chicken Baby Puree
- 1 8-ounce boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cubed
- 1 cups chicken or veggie stock, low-sodium or sodium-free
- 1 tsp dried parsley (optional)
Homemade Baby Rice Cereal
- 1 cup brown rice, I prefer organic short grain
- 2 cups water for cooking
- 1-2 cups of liquid for blending, (water, fresh breastmilk or formula)
Red Pepper Baby Puree
- 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup white potato, apple or pear, peeled and roughly chopped
Oatmeal for Babies
- 2 cup water
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp chia seeds (optional)
- 1/2 tsp hemp seeds (optional)
Avocado for Baby
- 1/4 avocado
- 1 tsp breast milk, formula or water
Instructions
Pea Baby Food Puree
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the zucchini in a steamer basket, and place over boiling water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
- Add in the peas, and steam for an additional 3-5 minutes. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
- Add the zucchini, peas and mint leaves to a blender or food processor and puree for 1 minute or until you have achieved the desired texture. If the puree is too thick, add in 1/4 cup of the reserved steamer water until you have the right consistency.Note on Zucchini: while this is a 2 vegetable starter puree, zucchini allergies are very low, so I added it to this recipe to give the peas a mild taste and smoother texture. You can completely leave them out if you prefer. Just steam the peas as directed.
Sweet Potato Baby Food Puree
- Heat oven to 400°. Line baking sheet with tin foil, parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Prick with a fork in several places and then place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until a fork can easily prick the sweet potato. Let sit until cool to touch.
- Puree on high for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, adding in additional liquid in 1/4 cup increments if needed. I had to add in 1 cup of water to the puree pictured. Serve or freeze for a later meal.Additional Spices: Feel free to use the following spices instead of the curry – 1/2 tsp of cumin, 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of cloves, 1 fresh garlic clove, 1/2 tsp of chopped fresh thyme, 3-4 basil leaves, 1/2 tsp chopped rosemary or even a big pinch of fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ginger powder. Or you can leave out the spices altogether.
Roasted Banana Baby Puree
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place bananas on a baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly.
- Place bananas and rosemary into a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth. You may need to add additional water, so start by adding in 1/4 cup increments until you get the desired consistency.Additional Spices: This recipe is also great with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, or for a fun twist, 1/2 tsp mild curry.Note on Bananas: while any ripeness of bananas will work, I have found that the bananas that are ripe to very ripe tend to work best in this recipe.
Carrot Baby Food Puree
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat.
- Place the carrots into a steamer basket, cover and cook for 9-11 minutes or until tender. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
- Place the carrots, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of liquid into a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes on high, adding 1/4 cup liquid at a time until you achieve the desired consistency. Serve and enjoy, or freeze for later.Notes on Nutmeg: adding in spices to babies first purees are completely optional, but totally safe. Nutmeg rounds out the acidic taste carrots sometimes have and make this puree taste grounded and full-bodied. Additional Spices: Feel free to substitute 1/2 tsp ginger powder or 1/4 fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp mild curry powder, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp finely minced fresh chives or 1/2 garlic clove instead of the nutmeg.
Apples Baby Food Puree
- In a medium saucepan, place the apples, water and cinnamon. Cover and heat on medium-low for 15-20 minutes or until apples are tender. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth. For a chunky puree, quickly pulse the ingredients 10-15 times or until you receive your desired consistency. Serve or freeze for later.Additional Spices: Feel free to sub in these spices instead of the cinnamon for this recipe – 1/8 tsp of cloves, 1/8 tsp of nutmeg, 1-2 leaves of fresh mint, 1-2 leaves of fresh basil, a pinch of fresh or 1/4 tsp of ginger powder or even 1/4 of coriander for a fun twist.Apples: you can use any sweet apple in this recipe – Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, McIntosh, etc.
Broccoli Baby Food Puree
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the broccoli and potato (or apple/pear) into a steamer basket and place over boiling water, cover and steam for 10-12 minutes or until the broccoli and potato are tender. Reserve water from the steamer. Let cool slightly.
- Add the broccoli, potato and olive oil into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, adding the reserved water from the steamer basket in 1/4 cup increments if needed.Adding In Spices: Feel free to add in 1 tsp of chopped chives, 2-3 mint leaves, 1 tsp of chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp cumin or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Butternut Squash Baby Puree
- Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Line baking sheet with a silicone mat, tin foil or parchment paper.
- Cut butternut squash in half, deseed and place flesh side up, skin side down. Optional – Feel free to drizzle the squash with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil for some added healthy fat. Bake for 45 minutes or until you can easily prick the squash with a fork. Let cool until you can handle the squash with your hands.
- Scrape off the skin and discard. Place the butternut squash into a blender or food processor. Add thyme and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding water in 1/4 cup increments until you have your desired consistency. I had to add 3/4 cup of water to my puree shown below.Additional Spices: Feel free to sub the thyme for 4 basil leaves, 1 tsp chopped rosemary, 1 tsp ginger powder, or 1 big pinch of fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, or even 1/2 tsp of coriander.
Green Bean Baby Food Puree
- Fill a medium saucepan with 2” of water and bring to boil over medium heat. Place the green beans (fresh or frozen) into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Let cool slightly. Reserve steamer water.
- Transfer the green beans and herb to a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, adding reserved steamer water in 1/4 cup increments if needed until you reach your desired consistency.Adding Spices: you can add a big pinch of roughly chopped basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, or chives to this puree before blending.
Creamy Mango-licious Baby Food Puree
- Mango Tip: I usually find that organic frozen mangos are easier and cheaper to find than fresh organic mangos, but if mangos are in season when you are making this recipe, by all means, you can use fresh over frozen. For fresh mangos, simply peel and chop.
Pear Baby Food Puree
- In a medium saucepan, place the pears, cardamon and water, cover and heat on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Let cool slightly.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the pears out of the saucepan, leaving water behind, and into a blender or food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes until you have your desired consistency. If your pear puree is too thick, add the leftover cooking water in 1/4 cup increments.
Peach Baby Puree
- If using fresh peaches, peel, pit and slice the peaches. If using the fresh vanilla bean pod, cut in half and then slice open lengthwise. Take the back of your knife or spoon and scrape out all of the vanilla bean, reserve.
- In a medium saucepan, add the peaches and water, cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes (fresh peaches) – 10 minutes (frozen peaches). Right before the peaches are done cooking, add in the vanilla and nutmeg (or any other spices you prefer) and stir until incorporated—Cook for 1 more minute.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to a blender or food processor, leaving all excess water in the saucepan. You do not want to add any additional liquids, or the puree might be too thin. Starting on low and increasing to high speed, puree the peaches until smooth and creamy. Serve to baby or freeze for later.
Basic Chicken Baby Puree
- In a medium saucepan, bring the cubed chicken, broth, and parsley to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Let cool slightly.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a blender or food processor, leaving the broth in the saucepan. Reserve the broth.Starting on low and working your way up to high-speed, puree the chicken until you reach your desired consistency, adding in broth in 1/4 cup increments if needed. I had to add in just 1/4 cup of broth to get the consistency seen in this photo.Extra Healthy Fat: For some extra healthy fat, this puree is also wonderful, with a teaspoon of grass-fed butter (salt-free) added to the blender right before pureeing.
Homemade Baby Rice Cereal
- IMPORTANT STEP: Place the rice in a fine-mesh colander and rinse with water until the water runs clear.
- Transfer the rice to a medium saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 35-45 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water is evaporated. Each batch of rice cooks a little differently, so taste at 35 minutes to see if the rice is tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes, covered. If using fresh breast milk or formula for blending, I would remove the lid and let the rice cool for 15 minutes.
- Place the rice into a blender or food processor and add 1/2 cup of liquid of choice. Blend for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy, adding in the additional liquid in 1/4 cup increments, if needed, until you have your desired consistency.
Red Pepper Baby Puree
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil.If using a potato: place it in a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes before adding peppers, and cooking for another 5-7 minutes. If using pear or apple: add in the red peppers and apple or pear and steam for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
- Add in all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree for 1 minute or until completely smooth, adding in a tablespoon of water at a time if needed.
Oatmeal for Babies
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add in 1 cup of old-fashioned oats along with the chia seeds, hemp seeds and any spices you are using. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook the oats for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until all of the water is gone and the oats are soft. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer the oats to a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding water in 1/4 cup increments if needed, until completely smooth. I had to add 1/2 cup of water to my oatmeal. You will want the oat cereal to be on the thinner side, so it doesn't become sticky. The oats will continue to absorb liquid as they cool, so you can add more water, fresh breast milk, or formula as needed. Serve to baby or freeze for later.
- Type of Oats: This recipe is for old-fashioned oats: for steel-cut or instant oats, read the full post. Adding Spices: you can add a big pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice mix or a smaller pinch of nutmeg or cloves to these oats before blending. Chia and Hemp Seeds: are added for a nutritional boost, but you can add or omit them if you prefer. You can get both of these at any health food store or online here (chia/hemp).
Avocado for Baby
- Place the avocado on a cutting board, and taking the back of a fork, smash until you get your desired consistency. For a smooth puree, add in the liquid and smash until completely smooth.You can also puree together 1/2 an avocado and 1/2 a banana for 1 minute in a blender or food processor for an extra creamy food for baby.
Notes
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52 Comments on “15 Stage One Baby Food Purees”
would it be okay to start with avocado with cilantro?
Yes. Absolutely! Avocado is one of my favorite first foods for baby.
My son is 5 months old and has HLHS which is a congenital heart defect. Weight gain is an issue for him. He is currently 11 pounds and drinks Breastmilk with added formula. We will be starting food soon. I’m looking for some high calorie baby food ideas. If you have any recommendations please email me.
I’m sorry to hear of your sons heart defect. Some good healthy high calorie foods for 4-6 month olds would be smashed avocado and smashed cooked egg yolks. You can also add coconut oil, grass-fed butter, olive oil, whole milk plain yogurt or whole fat plain goats yogurt to any (and all) purees. You can also add homemade bone broth into the purees as you blend them. Let me know if you need more information and how these foods go over with him.
Do you strain any of your baby foods or find the need to? Or just purée? I started with green beans and carrots as 2 of our first foods and the texture didn’t seem right. I used the instant pot to cook, maybe I needed to cook longer? Thanks for any help.
Hi! Yes I would recommend straining the puréed foods to get out small seeds and extra clumps. If it still seems too runny, try adding rice cereal for a thicker consistency along with a few scoops of formula powder. If it is too thick, you can always add a tad bit more water or any other liquid (like breast milk, water, broth, etc). Hope this helps!
I never strain my purees, but Amy you have some good options if that works for you! I usually cook harder veggies under just soft when pricked with a fork and then puree. You do have to give the blender some time to work – usually 1-2 minutes and then you will get a similar consistency to what is shown in the photos. Hope that helps.
You can also add good quality oils to their foods, that is what a GI recommended to me when I had trouble with my son. Coconut oil, good olive oil etc. A little goes a long way
How do you freeze/store it? And also about how long will it be good for once frozen/stored? Thanks in advance!
Do you have recipes stage 1 for babies with eczema and milk allergy?
All of these recipes should be good for a baby with eczema and a milk allergy.
Think I’ll try the carrots & the red pepper recipes next. I’ve already made green beans, broccoli, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, pears, apple, mango & avocado. All without spices.
You are on a roll! Way to go!
I’m viewing this on my phone and there are SOOOOO many ads it’s insane and extremely frustrating. All I want is to see the recipe and I have to keep scrolling and scrolling and there’s lots of ads and that weird video pop up and it’s incredibly annoying.
I’m sorry your experience on my site was frustrating. Ad placement have gone up in the last couple of weeks as I make my living off of ads (since my content is free) and the entire advertising industry is taking a hit right now. I will take another look at it and adjust going forward. Also, once you are in a recipe post there is a teal button at the very top that will take you directly to the recipe card. I hope this helps.
Love your site!
Wanted to see if you recommended doing a new food every day or every couple of days? We are planning on starting on Monday. So should I just introduce avocado by itself at two different times that day and then maybe switch to sweet potato? Then a couple days later I can offer both if he likes them? Thank you in advance!
Yes.. that sounds like a great plan! I think for the first couple of foods you offer baby, having a day or two in between is a good idea for allergies but also to get them used to having different tastes in their mouths, but then you can speed that up to a new food every day if you wish.
Thanks for all these AMAZING recipes! I am working on making this today, I am sure my boy’s will love it!
I have to save it in my wall for my children. Thanks for sharing and love your site.
Wowza!!! There are so many tasty looking things on this page! Definitely saving this page. We can’t wait to try this, thank you
Waw am sooo happy to read this my baby is a breastfed baby of 4months 2weeks have not tasted anything apart from breastmilk please want to introduce her to puree which should I start with ?
I love introducing avocado and banana first, but you can start with any puree on this list. They are all amazing for baby’s first bite!
Thank you so much for all this information and guidance! Everything is so extremely helpful! I wasn’t sure where or how to start. The recipes, the starter guide, the supply list, just your general advice, it all helped a lot. I was so anxious about making our own baby food and worried about how much time it would take or even just how to do it. So far everything has been going so great! I’m sure I’ll have questions as our little journey continues, we are only about a week or two into this new little phase, a messy but fun one! So THANK YOU for making it so easy for this stressball of mama! THANK YOU!!
So happy to hear this has helped you so much on your baby feeding adventure! Make sure to sign up for the 5 Day Free Baby Food Guide where I give you even more information!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello, thanks for all these great recipes! I’ve heard it’s good to add rice cereal to all purées for babies, is this true or can most do without? Also, is it ok to freeze things like the banana recipe or avocado recipe? What’s the best way to thaw out foods that have been frozen, is it ok to put them in the microwave for a few seconds or is it safer to defrost using boiling water as the heating method?
Great qustions – you can add rice cereal to purees if you prefer, but you don’t have to. Serving fruit and veggies purees is also great. I added a grain puree once a day starting at age 9 months, but that is just what I did. You can freeze the banana and avocado puree – there should be instructions on each of their recipe cards. Just freeze them right away and they shouldn’t discolor. Read this guide for all the freezing/thawing quesitons.
Thanks for the great recipes and suggested spices! My baby loved them as intro foods until she realized that there was better food on my plate and stopped eating her purees. We ended up switching to BLW. Thanks for making it an easy transition!
So glad you found these recipes helpful. Make sure to check out my Guide on Baby-Led Weaning for your next feeding journey!
Can i add formula milk into rice instead of water for a 4 month old. ?
Yes! I would add the formula (or fresh breast milk) into the puree while blending the rice so that you don’t lose any of the nutrients.
Great post. Thanks for sharing the valuable information on baby food.
Great recipes! With my fourth child I finally am making my own baby food! With your recipes! I’m curious about mixing two fruits/veggies as a first stage ? I thought you are supposed to use one at a time? A little confused with being told different things all the time .
I’m so impressed you are making your own baby food with 4 kids at home! You are amazing! I give directions in each recipe card to use just the single ingredient for the puree. For some watery veggies/fruits (peppers, zucchini, mango) or very strong tasting (peas), I have found that adding in a small amount of apple, pear, potato, etc., helps give the main veggie/fruit some creaminess and thickness that it needs. In all the cases where I add in the extra ingredient, those have very little allergens for babies. But it’s up to you, you can definitely leave them out if you prefer. It’s also very common to serve baby multiple ingredients to baby right from the start. Hope that helps.
Can I put any of my baby puree in a food flask to the day care for lunch?
Yes, that’s a great idea!
In the rice cereal, have you ever used instant brown rice?
I have used 20-minute brown rice with great results. So I would say it will work, but I am not for sure. If you try it, let us know how it works.
My brother is allergic to peanuts & treenuts so i get nervous about allergens 😅. So would you only avoid the spices if the family member is allergic to that specific spice? Or one thing at a time if there are ANY allergies??
I would recommend talking with your pediatrician to come up with a game plan on peanuts with your little one. But spices should be fine.
Are all of these freezer friendly and if so for how long?
Yes, all of these purees are freezer friendly. Most of them are good in a freezer for up to 4 months, but each recipe card has the exact dates.
I love it its amazing, I made one for my little sister she liked it 😁😘
So happy to hear you made some baby purees for your baby sister! Sounds like you are a great big sister:)
Very hopeful
This was a great recipe to introduce peanut butter. I added 1 tablespoon and my daughter loved it!
Wonderful recipes
Thank you! So glad you are here.
hello dear!
I am new mom here looking for baby solid food recipes and thanks for this site for it gives us idea on what to offer our babies by the way I just want to ask about oatmeal what brand do you perefer for oats? i’ve been searching for oats but i can’t find an oats for baby
I usually use the store-brand, or Bobs Red Mill rolled or old-fashioned oats (sometimes the gluten-free version since I am gluten-free). Hope that helps.
I just made some of these for my daughter and added formula for the liquid to thin it out. I am freezing most of them and I realized that formula is only good for 24 hours once made. How does freezing affect this? Is it still safe to freeze with added formula?
You can freeze formula in purees – completely safe:)