10 Simple Baby Recipes To Make Your Life Easier

You don’t have to be a master chef to prepare delicious and nutritious baby meals. Homemade recipes are exciting and include those vitamins and nutrients most commercial baby foods lack. These 10 recipes are inexpensive, nutritious, and fairly easy to make.

Before starting, it’s important to clear a few doubts. For example, how long should you wait to add solid foods to your baby’s diet? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until the 6th month. But, some people start a bit earlier, especially if their baby is ready and waiting for a bit of real food!

The following recipes are for “stage one” or early eaters (4 to 6 months old). They are simple, mostly single-ingredient purees that are easy for a baby to move around in their mouths, and digest. What’s more, they may help you identify any potential food allergies. In most cases, having a food processor, blender, or hand blender will come in handy!

Rice cereal

Rice is packed with protein, fiber, iron, manganese, and many other vitamins, making it perfect for new eaters! You will need just a couple of ingredients and less than an hour of your time.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rice (organic short-grain brown rice).
• Water or formula.

Preparation

1. Rinse the rice. You can place it in a fine-mesh colander and rinse it with cold water. This will remove any excess starch from the rice grains and will make them easier to blend.
2. Place the rice into a saucepan and add the water. Cover with a lid and boil it over high heat.
3. Turn down the heat and let it simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.
4. Transfer the lukewarm rice to a blender or food processor. Blend for around 2 minutes. Add water or formula to thin out the purée.

And your purée is ready! Your baby will love this super creamy and smooth meal. You will love it too as it’s easy to freeze and reheat, making it the perfect easy-to-grab meal.

Baked sweet potato purée

Sweet potato purée is sweet and soft when cooked, making it a perfect first food for babies. And the best thing is that it’s loaded with vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes

Preparation

1. Put the potatoes in the oven and roast at 400 °F (200 °C) and roast for about 45 minutes or until tender.
2. Once ready, cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh.
3. Put the potatoes in a food processor until smooth. If you don’t have a processor, you can always prick with a fork.

You will have six portions, which you can store and freeze for later use.

Banana purée

Bananas are the perfect food for your baby! They are rich in fiber, potassium and are gentle on the stomach. A banana purée is not only nutritious, but it’s also an excellent recipe for when you don’t have much time or enough ingredients.

Ingredients

• 6 small bananas
• Whole milk or plain yogurt
• Cinnamon (optional)

Preparation

1. Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork or blend it until it’s very smooth.
2. Mix it with a bit of whole milk or plain yogurt.
3. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for additional flavor.

You have six portions, which you can store or freeze. Just make sure not to overdo it as too much banana can cause constipation.

Avocado purée

Babies love avocados’ creamy texture. What’s more, this fruit contains healthy fats and it’s usually not allergenic. An avocado purée is delicious, healthy, and super easy to make as it doesn’t involve cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 avocados
• Whole milk or plain yogurt
• Lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

1. Cut the avocado in half. Remove the pit carefully and scoop out the flesh.
2. Add to a blender or mash the flesh with a fork.
3. Blend or mix adding formula, breastmilk, or water to thin the consistency.

Your purée is now ready to be served! If you want to store it for later, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of it to prevent browning.

Carrot purée

Carrots are rich in vitamin A and the antioxidant beta carotene. Their natural sweetness and pleasant texture make them perfect for first-eaters. This carrot purée involves a bit of cooking, but nothing too difficult.

Ingredients

• 350 grams of bundle carrots
• 1 cup of water

Preparation

1. Peel and dice the carrots.
2. Put them in a pot. Add the water and cover. Cook until the carrots are soft.
3. Blend or mix with a fork. Thin with water to achieve the desired consistency.

Serve to your baby lukewarm. You’ll get 8 portions, enough for later!

Apple purée

What’s that old saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away? Apple purée is nutritious and easy for your baby to digest. If you are feeling creative, you can mix it with some of the purees mentioned above. Before starting, just double-check the apples are ripe.

Ingredients

• Two sweet apples
• 5 teaspoons of water

Preparation

1. Peel, halve, and dice the apples.
2. Put into a pot or saucepan with the water. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 minutes until tender.
3. Blend in a food processor or using a hand blender.

Bon appetit! Now you have 4 delicious portions of apple purée that you can freeze for later.

Broccoli purée

Looking for an easy, green starter purée for your baby? Then, this broccoli purée recipe is for you. Full of essential vitamins and healthy fats, broccoli is an ideal food for a growing baby.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of broccoli
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)

Preparation

1. Chop the broccoli.
2. Place the broccoli into a steamer basket and steam until it’s tender. Alternatively, roast the broccoli in the oven at 425 °F (220 °C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Puree the broccoli with a hand blender or food processor until smooth. You can add a sprinkle of olive oil.

Easy, right? If you’re feeling adventurous and have ingredients to spare, you can add sweet potato or apple purée to the mix.

Bean purée

If you are in a rush, this recipe is perfect as it only takes around 5 minutes to make. Beans are rich in protein and vitamins, which do wonders for your baby’s growth.

Ingredients

• 1 can of white beans or chickpeas
• Water
• Cinnamon or cumin (optional)

Preparation

1. Rinse and drain your beans for a better flavor. Remember that you can do this using a fine-mesh colander.
2. Puree the beans by placing them into a blender. Add a bit of water to create a smooth consistency.
3. You can add a sprinkle of cinnamon or cumin for extra flavor.

Your bean puree is ready to go. Enjoy!

Basic chicken puree

Get your baby a protein boost with this basic chicken purée. Chicken and other types of meat have essential vitamins, iron, zinc, fat, and proteins that babies need.

Ingredients

• 100 grams of boneless chicken breast.
• 1 cup of water or chicken stock (low in sodium)

Preparation

1. Cut the chicken into small cubes.
2. Put the chicken into a saucepan. Pour the water and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
3. Turn the heat down to low, cover it, and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Let it cool for a few minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Add more water or chicken stock if needed.

And your fantastic baby chicken puree is done. You can serve it with any of the other purees mentioned above.

Oatmeal cereal

You’ll probably find stage 1 oatmeal cereal at your nearest grocery store. If you are running low on supplies or can’t find this particular product, you can always make homemade oatmeal cereal using regular oats.

Ingredients

• ½ cup of oats
• 1 cup of water
• Cinnamon (optional)

Preparation

1. Place the oats in a food processor. Blend them for about 30 seconds until they are finely ground.
2. Bring the water to a boil and add the oats. You can also add a sprinkle of cinnamon.
3. Whisk for the first seconds and then occasionally for the next 3 or 5 minutes until the mixture is creamy.

Happy cooking!

It’s time to test your knowledge and cooking skills. All you need is basic ingredients, a few kitchen supplies, and a few minutes of your time to make a wholesome and delicious baby meal.

For more tips on parenthood and taking care of your growing family, check out Beginning.com’s masterclasses. You’ll get advice from renowned experts on health, lifestyles, and much more!