Mealtime with Baby: Unique & Healthy Baby Food Recipes

Recently I bought a few jars of baby food because my 8 month old wasn’t very interested in eating so I never knew when I might offer him some food. The jars just seemed convenient even though I had some frozen cubes of homemade apple and butternut squash baby food that I had made. Over the past couple of weeks, he has shown an increased desire to eat food and we now feed him at least twice a day.

I was heating up a jar of food in some hot water on the stove while holding him on my hip and making some food for the rest of the family. After thinking about it for a minute I didn’t understand why I wasn’t making him food. The logic is pretty simple, I make wholesome meals for everyone else in the family, why wouldn’t I make homemade food for our baby?

Of course buying first foods in a jar isn’t too bad. Since they are single foods, they don’t have preservatives and “extra” ingredients. But when baby gets older and eats combinations of foods, making homemade baby food is a better option. Here are some combinations that I recently made for our little guy and what I think about them. Use organic ingredients when available.

Winter Squash & Apples
2 winter squash (I used acorn)
4 apples (I used Gala)

Cut winter squash in half and bake until tender. Peel and core apples and cut into small cubes. Cover the bottom of a stainless steel skillet with a thin layer of water and saute apples until tender. When squash is done baking, scoop the meat out using a spoon. Combine apples and winter squash into a blender or food processor. Be sure to add the liquid from the skillet. Add more water if needed to puree.

What we think of it: I think it tastes great and so does my little guy. I might even make a baked winter squash dish stuffed with some apples.

Great Greens
Organic Spinach (4 oz.)
2 Pears
1 Mango

Cover the bottom of a stainless steel skillet with a thin layer of water and cook spinach until limp. Peel pears and mango and cut into cubes. Add pears and mangos to spinach and saute for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Stir frequently. Transfer contents of skillet into a blender or food processor and puree.

What we think: This combination is so good and it’s a great way to introduce nutritious spinach to your baby. Some people might cringe at the first thought of this but the combination of pears and spinach are often found in fall salad recipes… it’s one of our favorites.

Peas, Greens & More
Use equal amounts of peas and green beans. Heat in a skillet with a thin layer of water to prevent scorching. Mix equal parts brown rice cereal and barley cereal to the desired consistency. When peas and green beans are tender, combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree to desired consistency. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired.

What we think: This is a much milder taste than peas from a jar. But I wouldn’t recommend this recipe until baby has some teeth and is accustomed to eating solid foods because some of the pea shells don’t puree.

Black Beans, Quinoa & Bananas
Quinoa is an excellent grain to feed baby because it is wheat and gluten free and has a lot of nutrients. Beans are a good way to make sure baby is getting some protein without feeding him meat.

3 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 ripe banana

Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and add 1/2 - 1 cup of water. Puree, add more water if needed.

What we think of it: This tastes great but is also a food that should be fed to a baby accustomed to eating solid foods. The quinoa grains adds some texture to the food so it’s a great opportunity to add texture to baby’s meal time.

Lentils, Potatoes & Carrots
2 organic potatoes
2 cups cooked red lentils
3 organic carrots

Peel the potatoes and the carrots. Cut into chunks and saute using a tablespoon of olive oil. When tender, combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 cup of water or more to puree to desired consistency. (optional: try adding a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom.)

What we think: This is a wholesome dinner for baby and we love it with the added spices.

Do You Have Some Baby Food Recipes?
Have you tried some unique and healthy baby food recipes that you and baby love? Share them here with us so we can get away from the daily grind of feeding baby the boring usuals.