Making homemade baby food may be as easy as 1-2-3 (prep! cook! puree!), but it takes time. And let’s be honest, it’s not easy to stay excited about pureeing carrots. Again. If you’re going to invest some of your precious free moments making baby food from scratch, you might as well keep it interesting. In honor of this year’s Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide (have you seen it?!), check out these essential baby food recipes from our essential baby food sources.
Keeping baby food interesting just got easy.
Your baby food may not look quite like the bébé meals that Béa photographs for her blog La Tartine Gourmande, but it will taste as good. Her inspired ingredient combinations are easy to replicate and sure to get your little one excited about eating. The catch? Start saving for that epicurean tour of France now: children weaned on squash and chicken with fennel are primed to develop discerning palates. Or you can just pick up Béa’s new book to keep up with your little one’s sophisticated taste!
Need a change from the fruit plus yogurt routine? This blackberry and ricotta parfait from Cooking for Baby–a great book to help get you and baby started on solids–layers pureed blackberries and protein-rich ricotta spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg for a little something different.
Weelicious is a great resource for easy and healthy family-friendly meals. I especially love how Catherine puts a fun twist on beloved standards like hummus. She’s turned what can be run-of-the mill chickpea puree into fabulous dips using ingredients from edamame to beets. My favorite is her white bean and basil hummus which makes an excellent baby meal and healthy mama snack. Keep those pita chips nearby!
Long before the explosion of mommy food bloggers, Annabel Karmel was inspiring mums across the pond to go homemade. Luckily for the rest of us, Annabel’s books and recipes have gone global, making it easy for all of us to follow in her tasty ways. Annabel’s lovely lentils are still a staple in my house–effortless, great for the whole family and (for you more adventurous cooks) endlessly adaptable.
Then–of course!–there is One Hungry Mama. My guide on solids and feeding baby is chock full of helpful tidbits and all-star baby food recipes like beets, yogurt and dill. Recipes on One Hungry Mama are categorized by age and come with notes on everything from allergies to adaptations for turning grown-up recipes into baby food (and vice versa).
Bonus! Every homemade baby food making mama should bookmark Wholesome Baby Food. Wildly comprehensive and packed with easy, nutritious recipes, it’s a must-visit source for all foods pureed. –-Stacie
Do you have any favorite baby food recipes to share? Let us know! For more healthy baby food ideas, check our Food and Drink archives.
