5 Easy Homemade Baby Food Recipes to Make at Home
Make your own baby food at home with these easy homemade baby food recipes.
When the time came to introduce our first child to baby food, I was shocked at all the ingredients. I had just started our journey into real food, and didn’t want her first foods to be things I couldn’t pronounce. I just wanted the basics {i.e., carrots, water, made a little Real Salt}. But it was so hard to find baby food in stores that I felt comfortable feeding her.
Around that time, I also found out I was pregnant with our second child. I was tired and nauseous. The thought of making my own baby food was overwhelming. Steaming fruits and veggies in one pan, pureeing them in the blender, and then freezing them while also coming up with another meal for my family, was just too much for this newly pregnant mama.
Little did I know, I was making it so much harder than it should be. Homemade baby food recipes didn’t have to be so hard. They could be easy!
Instead of making an entirely different meal, I just needed to take what we were already eating and puree it for her!! That would keep me accountable too. If I didn’t want her to eat it, we shouldn’t eat it either.
By making our own baby food, we save money by not buying out of convenience. I can control what goes in the food I feed my baby. No hidden ingredients or recalls to worry about. I can make sure the ingredients are fresh, some right out of the garden. It doesn’t have to be hard. it’s really simple.
5 Easy Homemade Baby Food Recipes
Thank you, Cuisinart, for sponsoring today’s story, and keeping my baby healthy with quick, homemade meals! All opinions are my own. Here are five easy homemade baby food recipes that all my kids have loved as their first foods.
1. Carrots | homemade baby food recipes
Slice carrots into small pieces and steam them for about 20 minutes, until they are completely soft. Process steamed carrots for about 20 seconds. Scrape work bowl. Process for 20 more seconds. For a smoother consistency, pulse in 1 tablespoon of breastmilk or formula. Allow mixture to cool. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or fill ice (affiliate link) cube trays or other containers to freeze.
2. Avocado
Scoop out the avocado and put it in the bowl of Cuisinart® food processor. Turn the dial to the right and process for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and process again for an additional 20 seconds. For a smooth consistency, mix in breastmilk or formula. Serve immediately.
3. Zucchini
Slice zucchini and steam until soft. Process for about 20 seconds. Scrape work bowl. Process for an additional 20 seconds until desired consistency is reached. Zucchini tends to be really watery, so you probably don’t need to add additional liquid. Allow mixture to cool. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days or fill ice (affiliate link) cube trays or other 1-ounce containers to freeze.
4. Bananas
Slice bananas and put slices in the food processor. Process for about 20 seconds. Scape the bowl and process for another 20 seconds. For a smoother consistency, add 1 Tablespoon of breastmilk or formula at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Serve immediately.
5. Peas
Steam peas for about 20 to 25 minutes, until they are soft. Process peas for about 20-30 seconds. Scrape work bowl. Process for an additional 20 seconds adding 1 tablespoon of breastmilk or formula at a time until desired consistency is reached. Allow mixture to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze.
Make your own combo
Want to make a combination of homemade baby food recipes? Easy! Steam vegetables to make sure they are soft. Add veggies to the food processor with other foods if desired, and process until smooth. Easy peasy.
The Cuisinart Baby Food Maker
When it comes to easy homemade baby food recipes it’s hard to stay on top of ingredients, consistencies, and servings – getting the facts straight can be extremely confusing.
We may earn a commission if you click a link in this post.
Introducing the Cuisinart Baby® Food Maker.
Never again worry that your baby isn’t receiving the best, freshest foods possible.
This powerful machine steams, chops AND purees your nutritious ingredients with ease making homemade baby food the gold standard for your baby.
The generous 4-cup work bowl produces large batches of vegetables, meats and even fruits that you can freeze and store for convenient future use.
Make baby food in 3 simple steps, first steam raw ingredients by using the integrated measuring cup to add the right amount of water. Next start by first chopping the ingredients then puree for quick and easy baby food with a perfectly smooth consistency every time!
The steam blade creates even steam distribution for quicker, more efficient results; the bowl seal prevents spilling and steam escape, and when you’re ready to pour the patent-pending blade lock system keeps the blade in place and out of your way.
You will never have to compromise when it comes to preparing meals and maintaining a healthy environment, you’ll always be able to provide your baby with the best.
Oven Baked Butternut Squash Risotto looks delicious!
When my first baby arrived all i had to think about were his needs, so when it came time to start solids i loved making his food. Now with my second baby this has become more of a challenge than a joy. I think that the Cuisinart Baby Food Maker would really help. I love that it steams the veggies for you instead of having to do it over the stove. This is the step that I never seem to get to ahead of time. This was my favorite stage 1 baby food http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/273.html but it looked like there were some great ones for when my son gets a little bigger. I would obviously love to win the baby food maker but I am grateful to have seen the helpful website to give me a little inspiration. Thanks!!
I think this would be my most used recipe: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/299.html
simply b/c we eat broccoli, chicken and rice a lot in this house. I had never seen this product until now, and I LOVE that it has a steaming feature. How cool is that?!
I just started making baby food for my son and it’s overwhelming at first…but I love knowing exactly what he is eating. I am using a whole bunch of different appliances to make each batch so this thing would be awesome!
I would def be making the South of the Border Chicken http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/295.html
When I was pregnant I ate Mexican all the time…I’m thinking this would taste good to him!
I’d really love to be able to make my own baby food. The squashed apples for babies sound like a great place to start!
I would love to make to make the recipe Broccoli and Sweet Potato. She loves sweet potatoes but never thought about adding broccoli.
I love that you can find the right consistency for the baby food with the Cuisinart Baby and love to try the recipe
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/289.html
I love what an amazing multitasker it is! It can warm bottles, steam the little veggies for my little one and puree is a soft paste!
I would love to make the peach banana rice combo for my little guy!
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/273.html
I love that it has a steaming feature! How awesome! This recipe looks fantastic: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_3/9541.html. I think my little man would love it!!!
The Banana-Apricot Oatmeal looks delicious and incredible easy with this gadget. I’d love to win one!
I love that it does all the work for you!! I NEED one of these. I am 18 weeks pregnant and planning on making my baby’s food from whole foods like this. No more jars of food! I would make a ton of recipes on that website, but one thing we really like in our house is butternut squash! Yum!
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/262.html
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/299.html
Broccoli Chicken w Rice.. When I make baby food, I never know how to make it with meat. It never seems to come out right. This product looks great because it is a 2 in 1!
Butternut squash
I like the compact size and I’d like to try the Peaches with Bananas and Rice recipe.
My favorite is the simple Broccoli and Sweet Potato recipe. You cant go wrong with a classic! http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/289.html
I think we’d use the Baby Beef the most: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/291.html Meat is what I always have the hardest time with; it’s hard to get it to a consistency my babies won’t choke on because they’ve all cut teeth late.
So that’s what I’d like best about the machine – that it can make real meat manageable for little mouths.
That is so cool that it even steams the food. The Tropical Fruits with Barley recipe I thought was interesting.
I forgot to leave the link to the recipe, here it is: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/287.html
Bananas chicken and rice. I made my son something similar ! I love that this machine is safe heated to high temp.
I love the smooth consistency it can achieve
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/278.html
katherinedibello (at) gmail.com
I’m so happy to see young mother’s like you making their own baby food for their little ones. My daughter and 2 daughter-in-law’s did this for my grandchildren. Unfortunately I did not do this for my babies 40 to 50 years ago.
Awww. Thanks, Pat! Sometimes convenience wins out, and that’s okay. We do the best for our children that we can. A sane mommy is better than one trying to do it all.
I love that it steams & purées all in one!
I would of never thought of doing fish!
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/292.html
I love how the website has links to stage specific recipes, and of course, being the sweet potato lover that I am, the Sweet Potato, Spinach, and Chicken Dinner recipe looked the best!
http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_3/9541.html
I love how simple it is that is steams and purees. I like this recipe http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_2/297.html
I Love That The Cuisinart Baby Food Maker Can Also Be Used To Warm Bottles!
I Like The Peaches With Bananas And Rice Recipe: http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/273.html
What a great idea! I have never heard of this product. We are the process of adopting a baby, our third. Would love to use this with her! My favorite is the brown rice, avocado and squash. All super yummy and healthy foods. We could definitely do a variation on this for the adults and older kids in the family. Thanks for the info! http://www.cuisinart.com/baby/recipes/stage_1/278.html