Super quick and easy homemade Stage 1 baby food puree, that is fresh, packed with vitamins and minerals and a lot cheaper and healthier than store bought jars of baby food.
I started both my kids on solids when they were 6 months old and sitting up on their own. The recipes below are in the order that I fed them. I avoided rice cereal because of arsenic levels and lack of nutrients. Instead I started with veggies and moved to fruits.
Remember to wait 3-5 days before introducing a new food, to make sure there are no reactions and your baby is tolerating the food well.
About allergies: On March 18, 2019, the AAP released new guidelines for preventing childhood food allergies. The new guidelines recommend introducing your baby to allergenic foods as early as 4 to 6 months of age, to help reduce their risk of developing food allergies.
So, because I have a tree nut allergy, I also introduced all of the high allergen foods within the first year, after she had tolerated a few other solids and I made sure to keep giving it to her, weekly, to reduce risk of developing a food allergy, per the guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
“After a thorough review of the latest research on allergy prevention, the AAP issued updated guidance that reinforces that there is no reason for parents to delay allergen introduction, explains Board-certified Allergist Katie Marks-Cogan, M.D. In fact, parents should introduce allergens as early as 4-6 months according to the AAP and recent landmark studies. In addition, the AAP simplifies the advice for prevention by recommending early allergen introduction as the first line of defense against food allergies, even for breastfed or hydrolyzed formula-fed infants.”
See my post on allergy food introduction and the details in my: Food Allergy Guide for Infants
I almost always steam, instead of boil by fruits and vegetables when I am making baby food purees. Because steaming is a lot more gentle, you prevent the veggies and fruits from losing too many essential vitamins and nutrients.
Always wash hard fruits and vegetables before cutting them open, so the knife and cutting board doesn't transfer the dirt and bacteria on the peel to the cut parts of the produce.
Another trick for not loosing that nutrients, is to not overcook your fruits and vegetables. Green veggies should be bright green after they have been steamed.
I store my purees in an air tight container in fridge for 3-4 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3-4 months. Then I just thaw the individual portion in the fridge the night before. I always make a big batch and portion them out to freeze for later!
When Kinsley was first starting out on solids, I transferred the puree into a glass bottle to warm up in the bottle warmer and use the bottle as the feeding jar.
You'll also LOVE my Healthy Fruit & Veggie Muffins.
Homemade Stage 1 Baby Food Purees
Avocado Puree
Ingredients:
- 1-3 ripe Organic avocados
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
Directions:
Use a sharp knife to cut the avocado in half, lengthwise, around the pit.
Remove the pit and scoop the avocado out of its skin with a spoon and transfer to a dish to mash with a fork, or puree or using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender.
Mash or purée until smooth, adding some breastmilk, formula or water to achieve your desired consistency.
Mash or purée until smooth, adding some breastmilk, formula or water to achieve your desired consistency.
Avocado tends to brown in the fridge and freezer, but it doesn't affect the nutritional value or flavors.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Butternut or Acorn Squash Puree
Ingredients:
- 1 Organic Butternut Squash
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Wash the outside of the squash, cut in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the squash halves cut-side down on the baking sheet. Roast until completely tender when pierced with a fork, about 40-60 minutes, depending on it's size. Let cool.
When the squash is cool enough to handle, spoon the flesh into a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, and purée until smooth, adding some water, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Sweet Potato Puree
Ingredients:
- 2 organic sweet potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed with a vegetable scrub
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Wash the outside of the potatoes and pierce them with a knife 4-6 times, to allow steam to escape while cooking.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet. Roast until completely tender when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Green Pea Puree
Ingredients:
- 1lb bag Organic frozen peas
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, place the peas into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 3-5 minutes or until soft and bright green.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the peas cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Oatmeal baby cereal
Mixed with breastmilk or water as directed on package
Carrot Puree
Ingredients:
- Bunch of Organic, stem-on carrots, washed, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, place the carrot chunks into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 10-20 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the carrots cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the carrots cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Peach/Nectarine or Mango Puree
Ingredients:
- 2 organic peaches, nectarines, or mangos, washed (yields about 3/4 cup puree)*
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
*I have also used frozen fruit with great results, however you cannot refreeze, once you cook the frozen fruit.
Directions:
To peel the fruit, use a vegetable peeler OR cut an "X" into each bottom end and carefully add to a small saucepan of boiling water. Blanch for 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer to a cutting board and let stand until cool enough to handle, then slip off the peels.
Slice the fruit in half, lengthwise, remove the pits and chop into 1-inch slices.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, place the fruit into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 7-12 minutes, depending on the ripeness of your fruit, or until tender when pricked with a fork.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the fruit cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Slice the fruit in half, lengthwise, remove the pits and chop into 1-inch slices.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, place the fruit into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 7-12 minutes, depending on the ripeness of your fruit, or until tender when pricked with a fork.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the fruit cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Apple or Pear Sauce Puree
Ingredients:
- 2 organic gala apples or ripe pears, washed, peeled, cored, and sliced (yield about 3/4 cup.)
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, place the fruit into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 9-12 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the fruit cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the fruit cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Salmon Puree
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. wild caught salmon
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
- ripe avocado, or cooked sweet potato, or steamed carrot or puree of choice, depending on which your baby has already had and tolerated
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the salmon on the baking sheet and set it aside. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or the until opaque and flakey and the internal temperature of the salmon reaches 140°F (about 4-6 minutes per half inch of thickness).
When cool enough to handle, add the salmon (and whatever additional ingredient of choice) into a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, and purée until smooth, adding some water, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Green Bean Puree
Ingredients:
- 1lb bag Organic green beans
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 1-2 inches of water to a boil. Once water has come to a boil, place the green beans into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover and steam for 7-11 minutes or until soft and bright green.
Turn off the heat, remove the steamer basket, and reserve the cooking liquid. Let the beans cool slightly. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
Kale/Spinach Applesauce Puree
Ingredients:
- 2 organic gala apples, washed, peeled, cored, and sliced (may use pears or a combo)
- Small handful of baby kale or baby spinach (wait to introduce leafy green 8-10m due to nitrates)
- pinch of cinnamon (Optional)
- Breastmilk, formula, or water to thin (Optional)
Directions:
Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, purée until smooth, adding a pinch of cinnamon if desired and some of the reserved cooking liquid, breastmilk or formula to achieve your desired consistency.
Store in an air tight container in fridge for 3 days or in individuals portions in the freezer for 3 months.
At 8 months old I added the below puree, mashed a little chunkier/thicker:
Scrambled Egg mash
Sesame tahini in apple sauce or yogurt
Full fat organic yogurt
strawberry, steamed, pureed and strained out the seeds
spaghetti squash, roasted and pureed
green beans, steamed and pureed
banana, mashed
mango, steamed and pureed
oat and quinoa baby cereal
At 9 months I introduced finger foods and the below mashes or purees:
Sesame tahini in apple sauce or yogurt
Full fat organic yogurt
strawberry, steamed, pureed and strained out the seeds
spaghetti squash, roasted and pureed
green beans, steamed and pureed
banana, mashed
mango, steamed and pureed
oat and quinoa baby cereal
At 9 months I introduced finger foods and the below mashes or purees:
cauliflower & zucchini, steamed and pureed
beets, parsnips, steamed and pureed
lentil and black bean pasta, steamed
grape (insides, no skin)
raspberry cherries and berries, steamed if needed
rice, wheat, rye, buckwheat kashi 7 grain cereal made soggy in water
spinach pear applesauce: Click here for the recipe
beets, parsnips, steamed and pureed
lentil and black bean pasta, steamed
grape (insides, no skin)
raspberry cherries and berries, steamed if needed
rice, wheat, rye, buckwheat kashi 7 grain cereal made soggy in water
spinach pear applesauce: Click here for the recipe
Healthy Fruit & Veggie Muffins: Click here for the recipe
MY ULTIMATE NEW BABY GUIDE
The notes, spreadsheet and schedules below that I put together along the way are my ultimate go-to guides that I hope you find helpful (and share with your friends)! From what to pack in your hospital bag, to sleep schedules (so they actually sleep), easy recipes to feed your baby for their first solid foods or homemade play dough to keep them entertained... I hope these resources help prepare and guide you through your journey through parenthood.
@THELINDSAYANN NEW BABY GUIDE RESOURCES:
- {VIDEO} My Story: If you want some background behind my first baby's pregnancy announcement and our infertility journey
- Ultimate Baby Registry Checklist & Notes 2021 (with links!) - What you NEED and DON'T need for your new baby
- Minimalist Hospital Bag (for New Baby, Mom and Dad/Partner): What you NEED and DON'T need for labor, delivery and recovery
- Nursery Reveal: Pink & Gold Baby Girl Room Tour
- Nursery Reveal: Black & Natural Baby Boy Room Tour
- Ultimate Baby Schedule List (2 months - 2 years old): feedings, wake times, naps and sleep times
- Nanny Guide: Info to leave for your baby's nanny, babysitter, grandparent or care giver while you are away
- Easy Homemade Stage 1 Baby Food - Quick Fruit and Vegetable Purees (Green Bean, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, Carrot and more!)
- Kale Spinach Applesauce For Kids (Healthy Veggie Apple Puree Baby/Toddler Food)
- Healthy Fruit & Veggie Muffins For Babies, Toddlers & Kids (NO refined sugar, salt free, gluten free + kale, broccoli, zucchini, carrots & more!)
- The Best Play Dough (easy homemade playdough)
