Snack hack unlocked: homemade applesauce pouches! They’re sweet, smooth, and perfect for tossing into a diaper bag, lunchbox, or car snack stash. Baby, toddler, big kid—everyone’s happy when they have an applesauce pouch in hand.

2 hands holding a bunch of reusable baby food pouches full of homemade cinnamon applesauce.
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Homemade Applesauce Pouches

These homemade applesauce pouches are the one snack I can always count on to get us through every season of life—long summer days at the park, back-to-school lunchbox chaos, or busy weeknights when dinner takes longer than planned. They’re endlessly reliable, and my kids never seem to get tired of them.

Making your own is surprisingly easy and way more affordable than the store-bought versions. Plus, they cut down on extra packaging, which makes them better for the planet and my wallet. Win-win.

#MyMomHack: Don’t stick with plain applesauce—mix it up! I love blending in berries for extra flavor or adding a blueberry + spinach combo for a sneaky veggie boost. Kids think it’s a fun new pouch, and I know they’re getting a little extra nutrition. 🙌

Applesauce Pouch Video

Ingredients

Spread of ingredients on a pink napkin on a white counter for homemade applesauce with graphics next to each one.

Let’s Get Cooking —>

Wooden cutting board with chopped apples.
Peel, core and roughly chop the apples.
Silver saucepan on a burner with chopped apples, cinnamon and vanilla, getting ready to be simmered.
Place the apples, cinnamon, vanilla and water into a saucepan.
Silver saucepan on a burner with cooked apples and spices.
Simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.
Clear blender with pureed apples.
Transfer ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth.
Cup of homemade applesauce and reusable pouches on a white counter, getting ready to be filled.
Spoon or pour the applesauce into reusable pouches.
Four reusable baby food pouches on a white counter full of applesauce for kids.
Serve and enjoy!

How to Store Applesauce Pouches

To Store or Freeze

You can store the pouches in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. We recommend placing the pouches in a small reusable Tupperware before placing them in the fridge or freezer, just in case there is any leakage.

To Thaw

To thaw frozen pouches, simply place the pouches in the fridge and let them thaw overnight. For a cool toddler treat, you can pack the pouches straight out of the fridge in their lunch box or snack bag, and by lunchtime, they will be a soft frozen consistency.

Spread of applesauce pouches on a white counter with one of the lids off and homemade applesauce coming out.

Add-Ins

The great thing about homemade applesauce is that it offers a solid base to get creative with many other kinds of fruit. You can include many kinds of fruits in your fridge or freezer that need to be used up, like these:

  • strawberries
  • carrots
  • blueberries
  • mixed berries
  • spinach
  • raspberries
  • mangoes
  • cherries
Spread of applesauce pouches on a white counter with one of the lids off and homemade applesauce coming out.

Get the recipe: DIY Applesauce Pouches (no sugar added)

5 stars (1 rating)
Snack hack unlocked: homemade applesauce pouches! They’re sweet, smooth, and perfect for tossing into a diaper bag, lunchbox, or car snack stash. Baby, toddler, big kid—everyone’s happy when they have an applesauce pouch in hand.
Yield: 6 pouches
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Pouch Filling: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: baby food, Snack
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients 

  • 6 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions 

  • Prep: peel, core and chop apples.
  • Simmer Apples: in a large stockpot, bring the apples, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly.
  • Blend: transfer all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Puree for 30-60 seconds or until you reach a smooth consistency.
  • Pouches: using a spoon, fill the pouches with the applesauce until you reach the fill line. Securely close the zip-lock and wipe off any spills on the pouches.
  • Eat: serve or store in the fridge or freezer for another snack.

Notes

Age: 6+ months. Babies can eat the applesauce at 6 months, but you may want to wait until they are a little older until you have over the applesauce pouch to them. 
Storage: Applesauce Pouches will keep for 4 days in the fridge (if they lasts that long!) or for 4 months in the freezer.
Apples: Make sure to use apples that are ripe and sweet, such as Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady or Golden Delicious
Applesauce Pouch Tips
  • Cool Down the Puree – you do not want to put warm or hot puree into the reusable baby food pouches. Make sure the puree has cooled to the touch before pouring it into the pouch.
  • Max or Fill Line – the line is there for a reason; use it! In fact, I like to fill the pouches just below the fill line just to make sure the puree doesn’t go everywhere when closing the ziplock.
  • Lid on Pouch – make sure to have the pouch lid securely fastened to the pouch before you start filling the puree.
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Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).