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Best baby food starters


The Best First Foods for Babies 6 to 9 Months – Happiest Baby

By Happiest Baby Staff

On This Page

  • Best Baby Foods at 6 Months
  • Best Baby Foods at 7 Months
  • Best Baby Foods at 8 Months
  • Best Baby Foods at 9 Months

You've spent the first six months of your baby's life making sure that they are nourished with breastmilk or formula. As they grow and thrive, you might notice that your little sprout shows you some signs that they are ready to graduate from the bottle or breast to solid foods. If your baby can sit up and hold their head up, that's a great first sign! What's more, if they bring objects to their mouth and show an interest in what you are eating, your curious kiddo might be ready to start eating solid foods.

But what should you feed your baby? Here’s a list of perfect starter foods for your baby from ages 6 to 9 months.  

Best Baby Foods at 6 Months

At 6 months, babies may be starting to chew. Though this skill won’t be mastered just yet, they are typically ready to get messy with some mushy, pureed eats—helping them learn about flavor and texture. At this age, the goal is not to satiate your baby with full meals of solid foods but rather to get your child curious and excited about their culinary options. 

Because babies are growing so fast, their needs for iron are high to prevent iron-deficiency and support their overall health. Offer your little one iron rich foods like—infant cereal (read up on why you may want to skip rice cereal), well-cooked meat, poultry, mashed beans, and lentils. To keep your baby safe from choking, avoid adding solids like cereal to baby bottles.

Here are some great first foods for Baby to try:

  • Infant oat, grain, or barley cereals mixed with breastmilk or formula and spoon-fed to your baby
  • Sweet potato puree
  • Squash puree
  • Pea puree
  • Carrot puree
  • Mashed banana
  • Mashed avocado
  • Mashed or pureed beans
  • Mashed or pureed lentils
  • Pureed meats (beef, chicken, or turkey)
  • Soft, falling apart meats (salmon, beef, chicken, turkey)

Check out more of our favorite first food purees. Or, if purees aren’t your thing, read up on how to start baby-led weaning.

Best Baby Foods at 7 Months

By 7 months old, your baby will probably be eating more solids but not enough to replace breastmilk or formula as their primary source of food. The goal for this month is to keep introducing solid foods to your baby. What's fun is by 7 months, you can get more creative with mixing flavors and adding textures.

Here are a few nutritious and delicious food combos to try with your baby:

  • Peas pureed with breastmilk (or formula), sweet potatoes, or squash
  • Kale pureed with blueberry, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, pears, or bananas
  • Apples pureed with cauliflower, carrots, pears, prunes, or beets
  • Beef pureed with broccoli
  • Chicken pureed with carrots and potatoes
  • Chickpeas pureed with bananas, apples, or sweet potato
  • Sweet potatoes pureed with red bell pepper

Seven months is also the perfect age to start giving your baby a plate, bowl, and plastic utensils so they can begin to practice feeding themselves. If your baby is teething, you can place frozen chunks of fruit in a sieve feeder/mesh bag that allows them to gnaw on the fruit without choking. Learn more about helping your baby use a fork and spoon!

Best Baby Foods at 8 Months

By 8 months, your baby is likely eating more solids and relying a little less on milk as a primary meal (though it’s still where they get the bulk of their nutrition!). And they’re probably having lots of fun learning how to use their hands to feed themselves. Something else to consider: Babies should be exposed to potential allergen foods (like peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and fish) before their first birthdays to help prevent future food allergies. Starting at 6 months of age, peanut butter is safe to introduce as long as you are comfortable giving it to your baby.

In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that babies can begin having these foods when they start eating solids. But many families often feel more comfortable waiting to introduce these foods until around this age. Of course, consult with your little one’s pediatrician if you have concerns about potential allergen foods. 

Here are some foods to add to your repertoire:

  • Whole eggs, scrambled
  • Nut butter thinned out with water and mixed with cereal (nut butters are sticky and can cause choking)
  • Fully cooked fish, like salmon or tuna 
  • Full-fat yogurt

Here are some preparation ideas:

  • Well-cooked (think over-cooked until falling apart) pasta such as elbows or alphabet shapes 
  • Mashed meat with mashed or ground vegetables such as peas and potatoes or kale and squash
  • Rainbow on a plate: Using tiny pieces of soft, strained, pureed, and mashed food options, look for a variety of colors to offer. Some fun options could include banana, avocado, sweet potato, peas, blueberry, raspberry, cheese, and chicken. 

Best Baby Foods at 9 Months

Though there’s a greater variety of foods babies eat now, formula or breastmilk continues to be their primary source of nutrition until age 1. At 9 months old, babies get more comfortable with self-feeding and eating the foods their families enjoy. After all, eating solid foods is a sensory wonderland of texture, smells, and tastes. Not to mention all that fun making messes with those adorably curious fingers. 

As you begin to focus on meal planning for your baby, there are few things to keep in mind:

  • Babies need four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A serving size for a 9-month-old is less than a quarter cup.
  • "Eat the rainbow" is excellent advice because it gives your baby exposure to lots of different fruits, vegetables, grains, and starches. 

Here are a few menu ideas to help meal plan for your baby…

Breakfast Ideas for Babies

These morning meals pack a nutritional punch—and don’t forget to check out all of our favorite breakfast ideas for babies:

  • Soft fresh fruit cut up in small pieces (think: banana, raspberries, or blueberries)
  • Whole-grain waffles or pancakes
  • Unsweetened oatmeal made with breastmilk or formula combined with cut-up and cooked apples and pears or banana slices. (It is essential to steam the apples or pears to make them soft enough for your baby to mash with their gums.) 
  • Full-fat yogurt mixed with mashed or pureed berries such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries 
  • Soft scrambled eggs
  • Veggie frittata

Lunch Ideas for Babies

  • Spread hummus on soft crackers or bread
  • Grilled cheese sandwich with cooled tomato soup
  • Macaroni and cheese with cooked veggies like peas and carrots mixed in
  • Pizza bites with chopped bits of spinach in the sauce and melted shredded cheese
  • Quesadilla made with pureed spinach, squash, or beans

Snack Ideas for Babies

Babies this young won’t likely need to snack too much (remember, breastmilk or formula will provide the majority of your little one’s nutrition). Still, it’s not a bad idea to have snacks on hand for when your mini muncher needs something to eat that’s not quite a meal. A few baby snack ideas:

  • Apple and carrot slaw
  • Cheese slices
  • Full-fat plain yogurt
  • Hard-boiled egg
  • Avocado slices
  • Muffins made with fruits, veggies, and/or whole grains
  • Fruit and veggie pouches
  • Sugar-free, whole-grain cereal, like plain Cheerios

Dinner Ideas for Babies

To help your baby get and stay excited about eating solid foods, serve a version of whatever the family is having for dinner. Remember to steam or mash, grind or chop foods into appropriate softness and sizes to prevent choking. Some baby dinner ideas:

  • Pasta with softened vegetables
  • Well-cooked rice, soft veggies, and chicken
  • Baked sweet potato with butter or cheese
  • Beans or lentils served with rice and veggies
  • Flaky fish served with steamed zucchini

There are endless variations on what you can serve your baby for dinner. As long as your baby is safe and happy, try to encourage lots of food exploration! 

You must not feed any child under the age of 1 year honey, cow’s milk, juice, hard foods like candy, raw vegetables, popcorn, or sticky foods like peanut butter, as these each present choking hazards. 

Learn more about feeding your baby:

  • The Happiest Baby Feeding Guide
  • The Benefits of Homemade Baby Food
  • The Best Store-Bought Baby Food

***

REFERENCES

  • Unlocking Opportunities in Food Design for Infants, Children, and the Elderly: Understanding Milestones in Chewing and Swallowing Across the Lifespan for New Innovations. Journal of Texture Studies, August 2017
  • Complementary Feeding: A Position Paper by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, January 2017
  • Infant Formula Feeding Practices Associated With Rapid Weight Gain: A Systematic Review, Maternal & Child Nutrition, July 2018
  • Solid Food Introduction and the Development of Food Allergies, Nutrients, November 2018 
  • US Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025

View more posts tagged, feeding

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Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

Best First Foods for Baby (purees & BLW)

These 10 Best First Foods for Baby are perfect either as a baby food puree or as finger foods for baby-led weaning. Full of essential nutrients for a growing baby, these irresistibly delicious recipes are great for babies 6+ months of age. What’s more, this guide also contains 6 tips for getting started and more than 30 easy-to-follow recipes!

Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Best First Foods for Baby

Looking to serve your baby the best foods right from their very first bite?

Then this guide is for you! Filled with 10 of my all-time favorite foods for baby, all in one place!

These 10 wholesome foods are packed with vital nutrients for a growing baby, are full of flavor, and are hassle-free to make into a simple baby food puree or finger food for baby-led weaning. Plus, the ingredients are relatively easy to find in any grocery store.

10 of the Best First Foods for Baby
  • Apple
  • Broccoli
  • Salmon
  • Egg
  • Sweet Potato
  • Yogurt
  • Avocado
  • Banana
  • Squash
  • Green Beans

Let’s take a closer look into each of these mouthwatering foods, shall we?

First time making homemade baby food? Then, I would suggest that you start by reading my very in-depth Guide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food – which goes over all the important information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, how to know when baby is ready for solids, how to introduce purees, the best first foods for baby, and more! If you are doing Baby-Led Weaning, then be sure to check out my Complete Guide to Baby-Led Weaning – which covers what exactly is baby-led weaning, to every parent’s concern of baby-led weaning and choking, this guide goes over it all. I will also share how to know when baby is ready for BLW, the top 10 best first foods, a helpful sample blw feeding schedule, helpful tools to have on hand, and much much more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!

Best Foods for Baby Video

Watch this video to see how easy these 10 foods are to make for your baby.

When Is Your Baby Ready For Their First Bite?

Whether you decide to go with traditional weaning (purees), baby-led weaning or a combination of both, look for these readiness signs in your baby:

  • Around 6 months of age
  • Sitting with minimal assistance
  • Good control of their head and trunk
  • Bringing hands and toys to their mouth
  • Appears interested in food, possibly by reaching for or leaning forward towards food

Before you start weaning your baby, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.

Tips for Getting Started

  • Start Slowly – Start by serving a small amount of one food item to your baby once or twice a day to see how they will react. If they are reaching for more, then, by all means, give them more. If they keep tossing it on the floor or refusing to open their mouths, then take that food away and try again in a couple of days. It takes some time before they are eating entire meals.
  • Cut Up Finger Foods – To avoid choking hazards, make sure you are cutting finger foods for baby-led weaning into long, 2-3 inch strips or small, mashable, pea-sized pieces. Usually, babies starting baby-led wearing prefer using their palmar grasp (holding onto the long 3″ piece of food), but you can also cut the food both ways to see which one your baby prefers.
  • Be Patient – It might take a while for your baby to get into their eating groove. They may also love the idea of eating but get more food on the floor than in their mouths. Babies might even seem interested in food but then turn their heads every time a spoon comes near their lips. It’s frustrating, I get it! But keep on serving healthy foods and be patient.
  • Eat as a Family – Whether you are doing purees or baby-led weaning, eating as a family promotes healthy food habits right from the start. By eating with your baby, you show them how to bring food from a plate to your mouth, chew, and swallow. And when babies see their mom or dad eating the same thing as they are, they are more likely to eat it!
  • Mix It Up – Please do not take these 10 foods and serve them to baby all at once and for every meal. Sure, they are loaded with nutrients and flavor for a growing baby. But babies also need to be exposed to various fruits, veggies, grains, and meats. So mix things up and try to serve them different items each week.
  • Add Seasoning – I definitely recommend serving food with spices, herbs, and added healthy fats (refined coconut oil, high-quality olive oil, or butter). Not only do healthy fats aid in brain development and keep babies full up for longer, but they also make food taste way better! Fats are also needed to help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. 

Purees vs. Baby-Led Weaning

Regardless of what you read or hear, there is no right or wrong way to feed your baby.

Purees might work better for your family because you can prep a ton of purees in an afternoon and have a freezer stash of food ready for your baby to eat anytime they are hungry.

Perhaps Baby-Led Weaning might be a more flexible way to serve food to your baby right alongside everyone else.

Or maybe a combo of purees and baby-led weaning would work best.

Either way, it’s important to remember that this stage of feeding is all about exposure to new flavors and textures of foods.

So, you do you!

Again, there is NO right way to feed your baby! Play around and find out what works best for both your baby and family and go with it.

Helpful Tools

Kitchen Tools

Here are my favorite kitchen essentials to make the best homemade baby foods for your baby! These kitchen tools will help make the process of cooking, blending, and freezing baby food hassle-free. You can find a full list of my favorite baby food-making tools in my online Shop.

  • Blender or Food Processor
  • Freezer Storage Tray
  • Fridge Storage Containers
  • Stasher Bag
  • Baking Sheet
  • Steamer Basket
  • Medium Saucepan
  • Reusable Pouches
  • easy to hold fork and spoon
  • GOOtensils

Feeding Essentials
  • High Chair
  • Suction Bowl and Spoon Set
  • Bib with Food Catcher

Avocado

Avocados are often called one of nature’s superfoods because they contain so many nutrients a person needs to survive and thrive.

Benefits of Avocado for Baby

They are packed with all the B vitamins (minus B12), vitamin C, a wide array of minerals and are high in brain-building omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, 88% of an avocado is made up of healthy fats, helping us absorb certain fat-soluble vitamins, control blood sugar, and support a healthy cardiovascular system. In other words, avocados are so nutritious; they are also ideal as the first food for your baby.

How to Make Avocado Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Peel and pit a quarter of a ripe avocado and place it on a cutting board.
  • With the back of a fork, mash the avocado until smooth.
  • If needed, you can add a teaspoon or two of formula or breast milk to make the puree extra smooth and creamy.

How to Serve Avocado for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Cut a slice of avocado off of the pit.
  • Using a small knife, cut into the peel 1/3 of the way up the slice of avocado until you get to the flesh.
  • Peel off 2/3 of the peel and hand your baby the peel side of the avocado. This provides a nice handle for babies to hold while they eat the avocado.

Want more avocado recipes? Get 4 more ways to serve avocado to baby here!

Egg

Eggs are another amazing first food for babies and can be served any time of the day.

Benefits of Eggs for Baby

Egg yolks are packed with choline, an important nutrient for your baby’s brain development, and the whites are excellent sources of protein. Pasture-raised eggs are a good course of brain-boosting Omega-3s.

How to Make Egg Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Hard-boil an egg, then peel away the shell and white part.
  • Place the cooked egg yolk on a cutting board or baby-safe plate.
  • Using the back of a fork, mash the egg yolk until smooth, adding a teaspoon or two of breast milk or formula if needed to make it creamy.

How to Serve Egg for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Peel a hard-boiled egg and cut it into quarters the long way. Scrambled eggs, plain omelets, or egg roll-ups also work great as finger food for babies.
  • Place the egg quarters on baby’s highchair tray or in a bowl.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are also at the top of my list when it comes to the first foods to introduce to babies. The nutritional value of sweet potatoes is outstanding, and their naturally sweet taste makes them easy to introduce to your baby.

Benefits of Sweet Potato for Baby

Sweet potatoes are also high in beta-carotene and vitamin C and the ultra-important electrolyte mineral, potassium!  Sweet potatoes also contain good levels of vitamin E, calcium, and folate. Due to their high fiber content, sweet potatoes helps support a healthy digestive tract and promote regular bowel movements for your baby. 

How to Make Sweet Potato Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Peel and chop 1-2 sweet potatoes.
  • Place them in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 10-12 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
  • Add cooked sweet potatoes to a food processor or blender, and puree for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth, adding water, fresh breast milk or formula, in 1/4 cup increments if needed. I had to use 1 cup of water for the puree above.
  • For more sweet potato recipes your baby can enjoy, visit these posts: Sweet Potato + Curry Baby Food Puree, Sweet Potato + Thyme Baby Food Puree, and Sweet Potato with Coconut Milk Baby Puree.

How to Serve Sweet Potatoes for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Peel and slice the sweet potato into long strips that are half an inch thick.
  • Place wedges a steamer basket and steam for 8-10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Remember, you want them soft but not overcooked. Overcooked sweet potatoes tend to fall apart when babies fist them.
  • Let them cool and serve to baby. This recipe will last 5 days in the fridge.

Want more sweet potato recipes? Then head over to Sweet Potato for Baby – 6 Delicious Ways

Apples

Apples are a yummy, nutrient-dense first food for babies too. They’re easy to digest, high in immune-boosting nutrients, and perfectly sweet on their own.

Benefits of Apples for Baby

We’ve all heard the saying “An apple a day…” well, there may be some truth to this — apples are high in polyphenols and phytonutrients, which are potent antioxidants that help protect babies and kiddos from disease and illness. In addition to antioxidants, apples contain insoluble and soluble fiber, helping protect babies from diarrhea and constipation. 

How to Make Apple Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Peel and chop 2-3 apples and place them in a steamer basket over boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
  • Transfer the apples to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, adding liquid (water, fresh breastmilk, or formula) in 1/4 cup increments if needed.
  • For more amazing apple puree recipes, check out Apple + Cinnamon Baby Food Puree, Apple + Clove Baby Food Puree and Apple + Coconut Milk Baby Food Puree.

How to Serve Apples for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Peel and slice an apple and place in a steamer basket over boiling water for 6-8 minutes or until just tender when pricked with a fork. You want the slices soft but not falling apart.
  • Let them cool and serve to baby. You may also add a pinch of cinnamon to the apple slices before serving, but this is optional. Steamed apple slices will last in the fridge for 3 days.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent them from browning.

Broccoli

Broccoli is definitely one of the best first food choices for your baby.

Benefits of Broccoli for Baby

This green cruciferous veggie has been shown to lower cholesterol, aid in detoxification, rebuild vitamin D stores, and help combat inflammation. Steaming ensures the broccoli retains the most nutrients and that it won’t become too mushy — a characteristic many kiddos frown upon.

How to Make Broccoli for Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place 2 cups of broccoli florets in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 10-12 minutes until tender.
  • Transfer to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding 1/4 cup of liquid (water, fresh breastmilk, or formula) until you have a creamy puree.
  • Here are some more amazing broccoli recipes: Broccoli + Chives Baby Food Puree and Broccoli + Olive Oil Puree Baby Food Recipe.

How to Serve Broccoli for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place a cup of broccoli florets into a steamer over boiling water and steam for 8-10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
  • Let them cool and serve to your baby in florets or chopped up into pea-sized pieces. Here is a recipe for my fav roasted broccoli for baby.

Salmon

Wild-caught salmon is one of the world’s healthiest foods and believe it or not, is a great first food for baby.

Benefits of Salmon for Baby

This is because it is packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamins D and B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3s! Combined, these nutrients help improve bone health, boost brain function, promote a healthy heart, and reduce ADHD symptoms in children.

How to Make Salmon Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • I used grilled salmon as that is what I had on hand, but any cooked salmon would work. Place 1/4 cup of cooked salmon along with 1 cup of cooked sweet potato or squash into a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding 1/4 cup of liquids (water, fresh breast milk, or formula) until smooth.
  • You can use any fruit or veggie your baby prefers in this recipe. Adding another veggie to the puree also helps the salmon blend into a nice, smooth puree.

How to Serve Salmon for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Flake some cooked salmon onto a baby-safe plate or their high chair tray, making sure to pick off any bones. Let your baby eat them with their hand or with this baby-led weaning fork.

Yogurt

Plain, whole milk yogurt is a tasty first food for your baby and is great served by itself or mixed into other purees.

Benefits of Yogurt for Baby

Produced by the bacterial fermentation of cow’s milk, yogurt is full of beneficial probiotics that improve digestion and constipation that help keep our gut in good working order. Yogurt is also high in protein (especially Greek or skyr varieties) and calcium, helping our bones and teeth stay healthy and strong.

Whole milk yogurt is recommended over low fat because fat helps with brain development. Plus, fat and protein can help maintain fullness for longer. Yogurt has also been shown to help improve blood sugar control (the plain variety, not the sweetened, fruit, or vanilla flavored) and help reduce total cholesterol levels while increasing our “good” HDL cholesterol. It’s best to avoid any flavored yogurt at this age so your baby does not get too much sugar. You can also serve your baby plain goat’s milk as a nice alternative to cow’s milk yogurt. I recommend waiting to serve plant-based yogurts to your baby until 7 months, but keep in mind; they will not have the same nutrient profile as dairy yogurts.

How to Make Yogurt Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place a small spoonful in a bowl and serve to your baby.

How to Serve Yogurt for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place a small spoonful of yogurt into a bowl, load up this self-feeding GOOtensil with a small amount of yogurt, and hand it to your baby.
NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils

Our favorite spoon for baby! Designed to work great with both purees and soft solid foods, the spoon holds onto the food and makes it easier for baby to self-feed themselves.

View Product

Banana

Bananas and babies are pretty much synonymous.

Benefits of Banana for Baby

Bananas are sweet, mushy, and easy to digest, so they are ideal as first foods for babies. They are a good source of potassium and fiber, and here’s the best part: you don’t have to peel, chop, steam, or puree them. Just peel, pinch with your (clean) finger, and then serve! Spoons are totally optional. Older babies love to squish bananas on their own with a little pincer grasp. But beware of messy banana on bibs, faces, high chair trays, clothing, the floor, the dog, your hair. Oh, bananas! Many a happy baby has gobbled, gulped, and giggled his way through those first delicious bites of bananas! 🍌

How to Make Banana Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Take a ripe banana and peel.
  • Place half of it on a cutting board, and mash with the back of a fork until it’s rich and creamy.

How to Serve Banana for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Cut a banana in half, and then gently cut about 2 inches from the stem around the banana.
  • Peel the top off, but leave the banana attached to give your baby a handle to hold onto.
  • Hand your baby the stem part of the banana for them to hold onto while they eat it.

Looking for more banana recipes for your baby? I’ve got you covered: Banana Baby Food – 8 Ways (Puree & Baby-Led Weaning)

Squash

Squash comes in many delicious varieties and is one of the healthiest first food for babies. 

Benefits of Squash for Baby

Delicata, Acorn, Hubbard, Kabocha, and Butternut are all part of the winter squash family and are all high in carotenoids, a special class of antioxidants that may help prevent cancer and inflammation. Winter squash may also help regulate blood sugar, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve mood, thanks to its high content of mood-boosting Omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, winter squash has a robust, naturally sweet taste that babies will enjoy year-round. 

How to Make Squash Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place cubed squash (any variety) in a steamer basket and steam for 10-12 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
  • Transfer to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes on high, adding liquid (water, fresh breastmilk, or formula) in 1/4 cup increments until creamy. You can use frozen or precut squash to make your life a little easier.

How to Serve Squash for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Cut long strips of squash and place them in a steamer basket over boiling water.
  • Steam for 8-10 minutes until tender.
  • Let them cool and serve. I love using this crinkle cutter to make veggies easier for my baby to grip.

Green Beans

In just one serving of green beans, your baby will be getting a nice big dose of essential nutrients.

Benefits of Green Beans for Baby

Nutrients found in green beans can help prevent various conditions, including asthma, ear infections, and even the common cold and flu! Although green beans have a rich, green color, they also provide your baby with carotenoids, normally found in vibrantly colored orange fruits and veggies. These carotenoids are potent health-supporting antioxidants that will help keep your baby free from illness!

How to Make Green Beans Baby Food Puree

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place two cups of green beans in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 8-10 minutes or until tender.
  • Transfer the beans to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding 1/4 cup liquid (water, fresh breastmilk, or formula) if needed until smooth.
  • Here are some more awesome green bean puree recipes: Green Bean + Basil Baby Food Puree, Green Bean + Coconut Oil Organic Baby Food Puree, and Green Beans + Parsley Baby Food Puree.

How to Serve Green Beans for Baby-Led Weaning

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Place a cup of green beans in a steamer basket and steam for 6-8 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
  • Let them cool.
  • If they are too long, cut them in half before serving to your baby.
  • 1/4 avocado
  • 1 large egg
  • 1-2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1-3 apples, such as gala, fuji or honeycrisp
  • 1-2 cups broccoli florets
  • 1/4 cooked salmon
  • 1-2 tbsp yogurt, plain whole fat or 2% fat
  • 1/2 ripe banana
  • 1-2 cups squash
  • 1-2 cups green beans, trimmed
Avocado For Baby

  • For Puree: Simply peel and pit a quarter of a ripe avocado and place on a cutting board. Then with the back of a fork, mash the avocado until smooth. You can add in a teaspoon or two of formula or breast milk to make it super smooth and creamy.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Cut a slice of avocado off of the pit. Using a small knife, cut into the peel 1/3 of the way up the slice of avocado until you get to the flesh. Peel off 2/3 of the peel and hand baby the peel side of the avocado. This provides a nice handle for baby to hold while they eat the avocado.

Egg for Baby

  • For Puree: Using a hardboiled egg, peel away the shell and white part of the egg. Then place the cooked egg yolk on a cutting board or baby-safe plate. Using the back of a fork, mash the egg yolk until smooth, adding in a teaspoon or two of breast milk or formula if needed to make it creamy.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Peel a hardboiled egg and then cut into quarters the long way.

Sweet Potato for Baby

  • For Puree: Peel and chop 1-2 sweet potatoes. Place in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 10-12 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Add cooked sweet potatoes to a food processor or blender, and puree for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth, adding in water in 1/4 cup increments if needed. I had to use 1 cup of water for the puree above. 

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Peel and slice the sweet potato into long strips that are half an inch thick. Place in a steamer basket and steam for 8-10 minutes or until just tender when pricked with a fork. You want them soft but not overcooked. Overcooked sweet potatoes tend to fall apart when baby fists them. Let cool and serve to baby. Will last 5 days in the fridge.

Apple for Baby

  • For Puree: Peel and chop 2-3 apples and place in a steamer basket over boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Transfer the apples to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, adding in liquid (water, breastmilk or formula) in 1/4 cup increments if needed.  

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Peel and slice an apple and place in a steamer basket over boiling water for 6-8 minutes or until just tender when pricked with a fork. You want it soft but not falling apart. Let cool and serve to baby. Optional – sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on apple slices before serving. Steam apple slices will last in the fridge for 3 days, add a squeeze of lemon juice to help them from browning.

Broccoli for Baby

  • For Puree: Place 2 cups of broccoli florets in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 10-12 minutes until tender. Transfer to blender and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding in 1/4 cup of liquid (water, breastmilk or formula) until you have a smooth puree. 

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Place a cup of broccoli florets into a steamer over boiling water and steam for 8-10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Let cool and serve to baby in florets or chopped up into “pea” size pieces.  

Salmon for Baby

  • For Puree: I used grilled salmon as that is what I had on hand, but any cooked salmon would work. Place 1/4 cup cooked salmon along with 1 cup cooked sweet potato or squash into a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding in 1/4 cup of liquids (water, breast milk or formula) until smooth. You can really use any fruit or veggie your baby prefers in this recipe. Adding another veggie in the puree helps the salmon blend into a nice smooth puree.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Flake some cooked salmon onto a baby-safe plate or their high chair tray, making sure to pick off any bones. Let baby eat with their hand or with a baby fork.

Yogurt for Baby

  • For Puree: Place a small spoonful in a bowl and serve to baby.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Place a small spoonful of yogurt into a bowl and load up a self-feeding baby utensil with a small amount of yogurt and hand it over to baby.

Banana for Baby

  • For Puree: Place half of a ripe and peeled banana on a cutting board and mash with the back of a fork until smooth.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Cut a banana in half, and then gently cut about 2 inches from the stem around the banana. Peel the top off, but leave the banana attached, thus giving baby a handle to hold onto. Hand baby the stem part of the banana for them to hold onto while they eat the banana.

Squash for Baby

  • For Puree: Place cubed squash (any variety) in a steamer basket and steam for 10-12 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Transfer to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes on high, adding in liquid (water, breastmilk or formula) in 1/4 cup increments until smooth. You can use frozen or pre-cut squash to make your life a little easier.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Cut long strips of squash and place in a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam for 8-10 minutes until tender. Let cool and serve.

Green Beans for Baby

  • For Puree: Place two cups of green beans in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Transfer the beans to a blender and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding in 1/4 cup liquid (water, breastmilk or formula) if needed until smooth.

  • For Baby-Led Weaning: Place a cup of green beans in a steamer basket and steam for 6-8 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Let cool, cut in half if green beans are too long and serve to baby.

Age: 4+ months (stage one)

Storage: Purees can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baby-led weaning foods can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. 

 

Freezer Tray

Grabease Utensil

Bumkins Baby Bowl

Tripp Trapp High Chair

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More than just a blender and steamer. Top 10 products for preparing baby food

With the advent of children, you have to look at life differently: habits and even diet change. Now you can’t order delivery with breakfast from “Appetizing, but the sides will get bigger, period”: you need to cook something for the child and watch how he eats. Especially for young parents, we have compiled a list of products with which you can cook something useful for the younger generation and yourself.

Contents

What should be the right baby food

Top 10 devices for preparing children's meals

food. Mandatory products are animal or poultry meat, dairy and sour-milk products, vegetables, fruits, bread, cereals, vegetable and butter, fish and eggs.

  • Meat dishes: 2-3 times a day
  • Fish dishes: 2-3 servings per week
  • Eggs: 2-3 per week
  • Edible fats: 3-4 teaspoons of butter and/or vegetable oil per day
  • Cereal products: bread - 2-3 servings per day, cereals and side dishes - 1 time per day
  • Fruits and/or vegetables: at least 5 times a day
  • Dairy products: at least 3 servings per day (including breast milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, infant formula or cereal ingredients)

Such nutrition will provide the child with all the necessary vitamins, help him grow and develop, strengthen his brain and nervous system, which is especially important in the troubled XXI century.

With regard to prohibitions, do not give your children, even if they strongly ask you, foods such as:

  • Mushrooms, canned snacks, pickled vegetables and fruits
  • Canned homemade products
  • Dry concentrates for side dishes
  • Spicy sauces, mustard, horseradish, pepper, vinegar, mayonnaise
  • Natural coffee
  • Juices and drinks in the form of dry concentrates, sweet carbonated drinks
  • Products containing food additives (flavorings, dyes of artificial origin, including chewing gum), popcorn
  • Compound fats, cakes and pastries

Multicooker Moulinex Fuzzy Logic MK707832

Price: 6 49RUR 9*

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Almost all dishes can be prepared in the multicooker: soup, side dish, porridge, vegetables, meat, casserole, yogurt or baby food. This model has a large bowl (5 liters), maintains the temperature to feed the child whenever he wants, as well as nine programs, most of which are listed above. And any dishes can be steamed.

Multicooker porridge recipe:

  • Millet - 1 cup
  • Water - 2 cups
  • Butter - 2 tbsp. l.
  • Salt - to taste

Rinse 1 glass of millet, pour over with boiling water (to remove bitterness), put in a multicooker bowl.

Add 1 tbsp of oil, pour 2 multi-glasses of water and turn on the Cereals mode for 35 minutes.

After the signal for the end of the program, add the remaining oil to the porridge and mix.

Moulinex Quickchef Immersion Blender DD656832

Price: 4 999 р.*

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How to make raspberry-banana puree / chickpeas and vegetables puree without an immersion blender? Especially without one like the Moulinex Quickchef with its 20 speeds, turbo mode, convenient 800 ml measuring cup and 500 ml chopper. You can whip food with the help of a special whisk, while you don’t have to worry about splashes: a special shape will protect you and the kitchen from lumps flying in different directions.

Raspberry banana puree recipe:

  • Raspberry - 150 g
  • Milk - 100 g
  • Banana — 1 pc.

Puree fresh or defrosted raspberries, peeled banana and milk in a blender.

Sprinkle ground cinnamon to taste. Pour the raspberry-banana smoothie into glasses, sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with whole raspberries.

Mixer Moulinex Silence HM653910

Price: 8 499 r.*

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Mixer, with which you can cook pancakes, as well as other tasty and healthy dishes for children. Has six speeds.

Mixer pancake recipe:

  • Premium flour - 1.5 cups
  • Milk - 500 ml
  • Granulated sugar - 1 tbsp. l.
  • Chicken eggs — 2 pcs.
  • Refined vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.
  • Salt - 0.5 tsp.

Break the eggs into a bowl, stir with a spoon or whisk.

Then add salt, granulated sugar, knead the dough again.

Pour warm milk, lower the mixer into the resulting mixture, beat at low speed until smooth.

Next add the flour. To make the pancakes thin, we introduce the previously sifted flour in small portions. Stir the dough after each addition of flour.

Then add the oil and make the final whipping with a blender until a homogeneous structure, breaking up all the lumps.

All that's left is to bake pancakes.

Solis Egg Boiler & More (827 97787)

Price: 4 890 rubles*

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As we have already found out, eggs must be in the child's diet. To be able to cook them with maximum convenience, you need an egg cooker. For example, Solis Egg Boiler & More with a compartment for seven eggs and several cooking modes (hard-boiled, in a bag, soft-boiled).

Recipe for baby salad with egg, peas and cucumber:

  • Cucumbers - 2 pcs.
  • Boiled eggs — 3 pcs.
  • Canned green peas — 100 g
  • Dill - 1 bunch
  • Sour cream 10% - 50 ml
  • Salt - 1 pinch

Boil the eggs in an egg cooker, then chop all the ingredients, mix, salt and season with sour cream.

Steamer Tefal Convenient Series VC145130

Price: $79.99*

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Steam cooking preserves healthy vitamins in the ingredients of the dish. With the help of Tefal Convenient Series, you can cook not only for children, but also for the whole family: the steamer has two tiers, and the total volume of the bowl is 6 liters. The water tank is 1.5 liters, while the liquid can be added directly during the cooking process using a special compartment.

Steamer Broccoli Chicken Recipe

  • Chicken Fillet - 200g
  • Fresh potatoes - 3-4 pcs.
  • Cauliflower and broccoli to taste
  • Salt - pinch

Chicken fillet and potatoes cut into small pieces.

Put the potatoes and chicken on the first layer of the steamer, as they will need more steam to cook.

On the second tier - cauliflower and broccoli.

Cooking time - 30 minutes.

Mini-oven Artel AMD 3216 E

Price: 4 499 rubles*

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It is much easier to prepare dishes from meat, fish and vegetables that children need with the help of a mini-oven. The Artel AMD 3216 E model with a volume of 32 liters can operate in several modes. Management is very simple and convenient - mechanical. The kit comes with a baking sheet. A special feature is the high power of 2000 W, thanks to which dishes will be cooked quickly. For example, a casserole takes 25 minutes to cook.

Mini oven casserole recipe

  • Cottage cheese - 400 g
  • Natural fruit yoghurt - 250 g
  • Egg — 1 pc.
  • Semolina - 2 tbsp. l.
  • Sugar

Combine semolina with yogurt and let it swell for 15-20 minutes.

Drive 2 eggs into the mixture, mix.

Add sugar, continue mixing thoroughly.

Combine with cottage cheese and mix thoroughly again.

Line the paper in a fireproof baking bowl. We put the mass in a mini-oven, set the temperature to 200 degrees.

Bread machine Redmond RBM-M1921

Price: 9 999 rubles*

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The bread machine cooks delicious and healthy bread, muffins, biscuits, jams and even soups with cereals. This model has 25 programs - even for making yogurt. Bread can be Borodino, rye, French, whole grain and even gluten-free.

Carrot cake in a bread machine

  • Wheat flour - 1 cup
  • Sugar - 130 g
  • Margarine - 100 g
  • Chicken egg — 3 pcs.
  • Grated carrots - 1 cup
  • Baking powder - 2 tsp.

Beat eggs with sugar, add well-softened margarine and mix thoroughly.

Add finely grated carrots. Sift flour, mix with baking powder, add to the mixture. Mix well.

Cover the bucket with parchment paper and spread the dough. Bake in the “Baking Only” mode for 1 hour and 20 minutes. 15 minutes before the end of baking, check the cake with a dry wooden stick.

After baking, leave the cake in the bread machine for another 10 minutes and take it out.

Yoghurt maker Tefal La Yaourtiere YG500132

Price: 7 399 rubles*

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Yoghurts will help satisfy the child's need for fermented milk products. At the same time, working with the device is very simple: you just need to fill the containers with ingredients, and then the yogurt maker will do everything by itself. Tefal La Yaourtiere holds 8 jars, has a display to show all important information, and automatically turns off by a timer. Also included is a container for cottage cheese.

Yogurt recipe in yoghurt maker

  • Milk - 1 l
  • Natural yoghurt or dry sourdough

Put 2 tablespoons of yogurt or diluted dry starter into a container.

Add 100 ml milk and stir.

Add milk and mix again.

Pour contents into jars.

We put it in the yogurt maker, turn it on and wait 9 hours.

Juicer Redmond RJ-980S

Price: 7 499 rubles *

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The best juice is not in an aluminum can, but from apples and carrots that grows in the garden of your own dacha. In this case, you should not worry about any concentrates that can be added at harmful imperialist factories. The model has a 0.6 liter juice tank, one speed and a reverse function to get any trash that has not passed through the auger.

Juice recipe apple - carrot in juicer

  • Apples - 5 kg
  • Carrot — 1500 g
  • Sugar - 300 g

We wash apples and carrots.

Peel the carrots.

Squeeze juice from apples, pour into another container, wait for the foam to thicken.

Extracting juice from carrots.

Remove the foam from the apple juice, strain it through a sieve with a cloth.

Mix apple and carrot juice, add sugar (can be without sugar).

We heat the juice to 90 degrees, but do not boil it.

Turn off, let cool. Juice is ready.

What should I do if my baby refuses to breastfeed? Use a breast pump. There are manual and automatic.

Balio Rh308 breast pump

Price: 990 RUB*

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Inexpensive manual breast pump with a silicone pad massager that provides gentle breast stimulation. Included is a 150 ml bottle.

Electric breast pump Maman LS-AE1

Price: 3 690 rubles *

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A breast pump that I would like to recommend solely because of its name. Bad technique "Maman" will not be called. This is an electric model with a convenient arrangement of controls and two modes of operation. Bonuses: pumping intensity is adjustable, and a massager is built in.

ARDO Calypso Double Plus breast pump (63.00.198)

Price: 13 690 rubles*

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A real machine for expressing milk and helping mom in difficult life situations. There are as many as 64 operating modes, as well as 8 speeds and 8 levels for the volume of pumped milk. This will allow mothers with different sensitivities and body characteristics to find their optimal regimen. In addition, the device can be used without connecting to the network: it runs on six AA batteries (up to six and a half hours).

View all kitchen appliances and choose your own

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*Information about products posted on Eldoblog is not a public offer. The price of goods is given for reference. You can find the current prices for goods in the respective region on the website eldorado. ru

Do you like to share your opinion about equipment? Then write a product review in Eldoblog and get up to 1000 bonuses for new purchases!

Top 10 best car starters in 2022

  • Doesn't help with less than 25% charge
  • Doesn't help with tire inflation

What type of starter do you want?

Jump blocks and plug-ins are completely different from each other. The jump boxes are completely enclosed and use permanent, maintenance-free batteries. The plug-in units are designed to provide the necessary amperage to keep your car's engine running smoothly. The following details will help you

  • Connect jumpers

These chargers can provide 2 to 6 amps of current. They have several settings to start the device and have a long battery life. After you start the device, you will have to wait until the device gives enough power at the right time.

These car jumpers are cheaper than regular ones. You won't get an instant charge, but they will charge your car's battery.

  • Drawers

The drawers have a battery inside the drawer ready for hard work. The battery is not accessible and does not require maintenance. They don't have the power to recharge a dead battery, but they provide a load of amperage to instantly start a car's engine.

This can be frustrating as you end up driving without a generator. However, these boxes do have some positives, such as being more versatile than you might think.

use

Not all of us are professional automotive experts. Jumpstarting can be a major and major undertaking in emergency situations. For this reason, you need to consider using your launcher. Most of them are complex with more than one button to control them.

However, if you are a car enthusiast, the idea is that you will get something as simple as a single button. An additional design might be the best option, but be aware that you know how to use it so it doesn't cause any damage.

Amps and power

Amplifiers and power are the main concern of car starters. Higher amps mean longer battery life. Keep in mind that this also obviously depends on the type of launcher. If you are going to use the Jump Starter plugin, then 10 amps of power is enough for you.

Meanwhile, if you decide to upgrade to a jump box, you'll need something higher, like around 1000 amps of peak use, at least for a proper start.

Battery and charging

Since both jump starters are battery powered, choosing the right battery is very important. The first thing to do is to see how long the batteries can stay charged. Some batteries can last up to 3 months if not used. These options are good since you won't always be using a launcher.

Another important aspect is how long does it take to charge the battery? Why is charging time relevant to a battery? The reason is simple; because you don't want to spend your whole life charging the launcher.

Charging time of 4 to 5 hours is very suitable and loved. If you want to go greener, you can also opt for solar panels. It can be powered by solar energy and, surprisingly, doesn't cost that much. The only problem can arise when the weather is not in your favor.

An important feature of the battery is the indicator light or screen. The indicator will help you know the battery status so that you can be aware of the charging procedures.

Portability

Portability may not seem like much, but if you're planning on getting something that stays on the go, it might be important. Buying a big and hefty jump starter is not the friendliest decision. If you want to use it, you'll have to go the extra mile to get it out of the truck and use it.

Portable starters fit conveniently in the glove box. They are lightweight but you can easily carry them around and use them however you want.

Additional miscellaneous features

There are several different features that beginner motorists are beginning to acquire in them. They are no longer just a jump starter, but they can also help in many different emergencies. Learn more about the various emergency features.

  • USB slots:

One of Debbie's most popular failings in today's world is the draining battery of our smart devices. They die quickly because they are overused and take up a lot of battery. If you're in your car and planning to get a jump starter, then something with USB sockets that helps keep your phone charged could help a lot.

  • Flashlight:

These flashlights will help you see in the dark and even call an ambulance. Hence, having it is a great and smart option.

  • Tire inflation:

Tire puncture can be solved with the tire inflation that car manufacturers offer to their customers. This may temporarily fix a flat tire, enough to help you get help.

  • Circuit protection:

Every electrical device needs protection.

Learn more