Baby Food Recipes to Start With

The easiest way to go is to just ignore all baby food recipes and buy canned baby food.

That is also by far the most expensive alternative.

And there is no guarantee that your baby will like the canned food.

Our oldest son hated canned baby food. Our daughter hated my homemade food. Our youngest son hated everything but breast milk and banana for a looong time.

Now they all eat well, especially our 2-year-old daughter, who refers to salmon as candy...

Well, food should be fun in my view. No matter what age you are, eating should be an enjoyable moment.

Most babies (and parents...) are ready for solid food at some point between 4 and 6 months old. Remember though, that the general recommendation at present is to not start with solid food (or actually anything but breast milk) until the baby is 6 months old.

Talk to your baby's health care provider about your specific situation.

First a few general pieces of advice for cooking baby food:

• Use fresh, organic ingredients as much as you can! Organic vegetables are often lower in nitrates.
• No salt ever until your baby is 1 year old.
• Steam vegetables as often as possible. This will preserve the vitamins better that boiling.
• When boiling, use as little water as possible without risking to burn the food. This way you'll keep more of the vitamins in the food.
• Always add some oil or butter to the baby food, a teaspoon or so per serving.
• The more inexperienced your child is with eating solid food, the more soupy the food should by when you serve it. Add a lot of breast milk or formula in the beginning. You can add as much as you like regardless of what is stated in the baby food recipes. Reduce the amount when your baby gets more used to eating solid food.
• If you want to save time and cook many portions at once, be sure to cool the food down and freeze it quickly. This way you avoid bacteria growth in the food. Use an ice cube tray for example.
• Try new baby food recipes once to see if your baby like the food, before you make many portions to freeze. otherwise you might have to throw away a lot of food!

For some more instructions on how make baby food, click here.

Baby Food Recipes to Start With

Potatoes

• 1 potatoe
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of oil or butter
• some breast milk or formula

Do like this

• Peel the potato.
• Boil it in pieces in water without salt until tender.
• Puree the potato by using a strainer or a blender or food processor.
• Don't overdo the pureeing. Potatoes transform into something reminding of glue if processed for too long!
• Add the oil
• Add breast milk, formula or possibly some of the water use used for boiling the potato to get the right consistency.

Potatoes have a mild a neutral taste and can easily be used to mix with other vegetables to vary the food. This is a good way to introduce new tastes to your baby if he has gotten used to potatoes.

Carrots

• 3-4 ounces (75-100 gr) of carrots (organic)
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of oil or butter
• some breast milk or formula

Do like this

• Peel, wash and cut the carrot in small pieces.
• Steam it or boil it in water without salt until tender.
• Puree the carrot by using a strainer or a blender or food processor. You can also use a garlic press that you only use for baby food.
• Mix with some potato if you want a milder taste.
• Add the oil.
• Add breast milk, formula or possibly some of the water use used for boiling the carrot to get the right consistency.

Note that carrots can make you baby constipated (or help a baby with diarrhea). Mix the carrots with potatoes to reduce this effect.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes.

Carrots can also contain some nitrates, which can impair the oxygen transportation in the red blood cells in small babies. Wait with carrots until your baby is 6 months old and choose only organic carrots for the use in all baby food recipes!

Vegetables

• 3-4 ounces (75-100 gr)of for example parsnip, sweet potato or celeriac, green peas, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus or corn.
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of oil or butter
• some breast milk or formula

Do like this

• Peel, wash and cut the vegetable in small pieces.
• Steam the vegetable or boil it in water without salt until tender.
• Puree the vegetable by using a strainer or a blender or food processor. You can also use a garlic press that you only use for baby food.
• Peas, corn and asparagus can be hard to make completely smooth, due to their peels. You'll have to work a little bit harder! Pressing the puree through a strainer might help.
• Mix with some potato if you want a milder taste.
• Add the oil.
• Add breast milk, formula or possibly some of the water use used for boiling the vegetable to get the right consistency.

Avocado

• 1/2 avocado

Do like this

• Take out the pulp using a small spoon.
• Mash the avocado using a small fork or strain it.

Avocado is great food, containing 25 nutrients, including vitamin C, folate, vitamin E, fiber and unsaturated fats. They are also naturally sodium-free, contain no trans fats and are low in saturated fat

Banana

• 1/2 banana

Do like this

• Take out the pulp using a small spoon.
• Mash the banana using a small fork or strain it.

Bananas are also great to-go snack for babies. Bring one and a small spoon in your baby bag. Just scrape out some pulp and give to your baby.

Don't let your baby bite the banana peel. Non-organic bananas are grown using loads of pesticides!

Apples or pears

2 servings

• 1 apple or pear
• (1 star anise)

Do like this

• Wash and peel the fruit.
• Cut it in pieces and take away the core.
• Boil it until soft together with the star anise.
• Puree it.

A very soft pear can be grated instead of boiled.

Strawberries

• 3-4 ounces (75-100 gr) of fresh or frozen strawberries

Do like this

• Wash the berries and top them afterwards.
• Puree the berries by using a strainer or a blender.

Give only a small amount of strawberries to your baby the first time. Some sensitive babies become red around their mouth from strawberries. In such case wait a few weeks before you try again.

Apricot mash

• 3-4 ounces (75-100 gr) of dried organic apricots

Do like this

• Wash the apricots.
• Leave them to soak in water for a few hours.
• Boil them for a few minutes until soft.
• Puree them.

Apricots are high in iron. Great!

Good luck with your cooking!

Use the form below and please tell me for what age the baby food recipes are.