Baby food is one of the biggest concerns that young mothers have. It is after all, the first food that you will be feeding your child. It is recommended that you feed your baby breastmilk till they are one year old, but they start teething and eating other food apart from breastmilk from as early as 4 months old. Today, I will be telling you about the best recipes for homemade baby food that you can make on your own.
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Buying baby food is another hassle that young mother have to deal with. You don’t know which formulas to buy, you don’t know whether it is safe for your baby, and you don’t know how they will react to it. When you make your own homemade baby food, you are doing so with the full knowledge of your baby’s body, what they are allergic to, how they react to food, and the ingredients that you will be using. It is safe, cheap and hassle-free, if you know the right recipes to use for your babies. Here are a few simple baby food recipes that you can make right at home!
- Sweet potato puree
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Sweet potatoes are some of the best vegetables to start off a baby’s diet with. They taste really yummy and are packed with important nutrients such as beta carotene, Vitamin A, calcium, etc. they are also really easy to prepare, so you don’t have to worry about spending too much time preparing your baby’s food.
Ingredients:
100 grams sweet potato, diced
1 cup water
Method:
Place the diced sweet potatoes in water and boil it for about 15 mins. If the potatoes haven’t broken down by then, mash it with the back of a ladle or a spoon. You can even blend the mixture to get the desired consistency, and if it is too thick, then you can always add more water.
- Banana puree
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Another great food for infants and toddler is banana mash. For this, there is no cooking involved and you can literally prepare this instant snack in a matter of seconds. Bannaas are loaded with nutrients such as potassium and calcium, which is important for the growth of your baby, and other good things like fiber and antacids which is easy on the stomach of a baby.
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
Method:
After peeling the banana, mash it with a fork till it is the same consistency as a puree. If you want to thin it down even further for your baby, then you can do so with breastmilk or baby formula.
- Peach puree
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One of the most common problems that babies face when they are small, is constipation. Because their bodies are not used to bowel movements yet, they are unable to excrete at a normal rate. A lot of doctors recommend the consumption of peaches for such problems, because it helps clear the system, and also cools down their stomach. It is also super yummy, and loaded with nutrients such as Vitamin C and Vitamin A.
Ingredients:
5-6 peaches
water (if required)
Method:
Peel the peaches, remove the core, dice them and place them in a steamer or pressure cooker. Make sure the water level is just below the container which contains the fruit. If you are using a pressure cooker, fill a couple of inches of water and place a bowl inside with the peaches in it. Steam it till they are soft and can be punctured with a fork.
Remove them and put them in a blender and make a smooth puree. Pour the puree in an ice tray and use these peach puree cubes as an instant snack for your baby, as and when required.
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- Brown rice cereal
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Brown rice might seem like an extreme thing to give your child, especially between the age of 4 moths and 6 months, but it is, in fact, one of the safest, yummiest and healthiest alternatives for store bought baby food. Brown rice is an anti-allergen, and doesn’t cause any harm to your baby’s growing system. In fact, it is packed with fiber and Vitamin A and C.
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup water
Method:
take a cup of uncooked brown rice (long grain or short grain) and put it in a food processor. Grind it to a fine powder and put it in a cup of boiling water. Cook it till the rice has taken on a paste like texture with the water. You can wait for it to cool down to serve it instantly, or freeze it in small containers for up to 3 days.
- Apple puree
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Apple puree is one of the most sought after baby food ever, firstly because it is extremely yummy; secondly because it is one of the best sources of nutrition for your growing baby. People also extensively use pureed apples as baby food because it is also easier to feed baby this sweet treats as they are less likely to throw a tantrum about it. You can also make this really quickly, and amp it up with a little cinnamon for extra flavor.
Ingredients:
2-3 apples
Water
Cinnamon to taste
Method:
Peel the apples, take out the core and chop it up into small pieces. Put it in a large container of water and bring it to a boil. Boil it for 10-15 minutes till the apples are soft. Strain the water and put the apples through a blender. You can save some of the water in case you need to dilute a puree that is too thick for your baby. You can store pureed apples in ice cube trays and use them as and when required.
- Avocado puree
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Avocado puree is one of the lesser known baby foods that you can make at home, even though it is extremely nutritious and the buttery and creamy texture of the substance is something that baby’s seem to find appealing. Avocados contain a number of healthy fats which are great for your baby’s health and well-being, and also help in development and growth.
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
Method:
all you have to do is peel the avocado, scoop out the flesh and mash it up with the back of a spoon or a fork. Initially, to make the mixture smoother, you can also add baby formula or breastmilk. If one avocado is too much for one sitting for your baby, then you can also put the rest in a container and store it in the fridge. However, if you want it to remain fresh and not get brown, then make sure that you store the core along with the mash as well, in the same container.
- Mashed beets and blueberries
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Beets and blueberries make a wonderful combination, especially for babies. When blended together, it becomes a striking magenta colored paste that your baby will enjoy eating. It is also another wonderful all-natural recipe for your baby because it is packed with wonderful ingredients such as antioxidants and Vitamins which keeps your baby’s immune system healthy and functioning properly. To this when you mix breastmilk or formula it becomes even more nutritious.
Ingredients:
2 beets
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
water
Peel and chop the beets into small cubes and put them in a container with boiling water. Add half a cup of blueberries (you can use the frozen kind as well) and let the fruits boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the beets are completely cooked through. Strain the water and put the beets and blueberries through a blender or food processor till you get a smooth, runny paste. If you want to make the puree even smoother, then you can use some of the water that you used to boil the fruits.
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Making homemade baby food is not as difficult as you think it is. It is infinitely cheaper and hassle-free and is also much, much safer for your baby. Even though store bought baby food is pretty safe, it is always good to know what you are feeding your baby, and when it is all natural ingredients then there is nothing you need to worry about.
By now, you should have gotten the hang of making baby food. You have to boil, strain and puree the ingredients till you get a paste that you can give to your baby. If you don’t have the time for peeling, chopping, cutting, boiling and the whole process, then you can mash up fruits like avocados, mangoes, bananas, peaches, pears and other soft fruits for an instant snack.
Once your baby starts growing older then you can experiment with other snacks such as chicken, turkey, zucchini and other more complex foods. Either way, you will know that you will be giving your baby the best form of nutrition, which is also easy on the wallet for you.
Featured image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License
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