Delicious food for babies

10 Easy Homemade Baby Food Ideas (No-Cook, Super Fast, Stage 1)

Learn how to make the EASIEST homemade baby food recipes (stage 1) for your little one with these super simple no-cook ideas. Plus: I have the best tips for making them ahead and freezing them so you can batch cook and simplify your days!

Homemade Baby Food

As a mom to three kids, I know firsthand how the urge to make homemade baby food can be both exciting and a little daunting. And if you have a busy schedule or other kids in the house, finding the time to actually do it can seem impossible. But, there are so many healthy foods that you can transform into stage 1 baby food purees with hardly any work or special equipment at all!

TIP: I use a regular blender for all of these recipes, so you don’t need to buy a special baby food maker unless you want to.

Baby Food Recipes for 6, 7, and 8 Month Old Babies

These homemade baby food ideas are designed for younger babies who are still eating thinner purees, but you can of course use them for older babies and toddlers too. Each can be served as is, or you can combine more than one together to create new flavors if you’re feeling creative!

TIP: If you want to add fat or protein to any of these fruit or veggie purees, simply stir in a little whole milk yogurt, coconut cream, or Avocado Puree.

Best Way to Make Baby Food

I’ve found that the easiest and most approachable way to make baby food is to simply use a blender. With fresh ingredients and a little water, breastmilk, or formula to thin it as needed, you can easily make your baby meals without investing in equipment you may not use very long.

TIP: You’ll want to start with at least 1 cup of any base ingredient to ensure that there’s enough in the blender to fully blend up.

Tools You Need to Make Homemade Baby Food

To make these baby food recipes you’ll need:

Blender (you could also use an immersion blender if yours is very strong)
Water, formula, or breastmilk to thin as needed
Knife for chopping produce
Spoon
Bowls
Ice cube tray
Freezer bags for storage
Baby food storage containers

Stage 1 Baby Food

These baby foods are meant for early eaters as they are typically very thin and easy for a baby to move around in their mouths. I follow the recommendations to wait until 6 months to start solids, so I personally don’t worry excessively about this distinction as I like babies to experience some texture in their purees. (The ones you find at the store are low allergenic foods and are meant for 4+ months.)

Stage 2 Baby Food

These baby foods are typically a little bit thicker, sometimes include more than one ingredient, and offer a wider variety of ingredients. Most babies are ready for these sorts of purees around 7-8 months, or once they’ve mastered thinner purees. (Again, since I like to do a combined baby feeding approach with both baby led weaning and purees, I don’t worry too much about following the calendar to decide when to introduce these.)

TIP: As a backup to my homemade baby foods, I love the options from Amara Organic Baby Food (paid affiliate link) since you simply need to stir it together with breast milk, formula, or water and it’s ready to serve.

And now, for my ten go-to homemade baby food purees that you don’t even need to cook!

1.

Avocado Puree

To make avocado puree for a baby, you just need a fresh avocado, a blender, and some lemon juice if you plan to store it for later. I sometimes even do this with just a fork if the avocado is super soft! It’s a perfect way to introduce a low allergenic food that’s rich in healthy fats.

TIP: Get the full recipe for Avocado Puree here.

2. Bean Puree

Baby’s early foods don’t have to be all one food group and beans are a great food to have in the mix. You can do this easy bean puree with chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans, or even white beans, thinning it as needed with water, formula, or breastmilk. This is a great puree to mix with a little sweet potato or butternut squash.

TIP: Get the full recipe for Bean Puree here.

3. Blueberry Puree

Using fresh or frozen blueberries, this easy berry puree is loaded with fresh flavor and antioxidants. It’s delicious on its own or stirred into plain whole milk yogurt or baby oatmeal. (Note that it thickens up as it sits in the fridge, so you’ll need to stir it well to serve.)

TIP: Get the full recipe for Blueberry Puree here.

4. Kiwi Puree

With a bright flavor, this puree is great for babies who seem to love flavor—and it’s a fun one to make and store for later. You’ll want to make sure that you choose very ripe and sweet kiwi and taste it before you make the puree to ensure that it’s not too tart. (If it seems tart, you can mix with banana or applesauce.)

TIP: Get the full recipe for Kiwi Puree here.

5. Mango Puree

Using fresh or thawed frozen mango, this baby puree blends up in seconds. It’s bright, flavorful, and a great source of immune-boosting vitamins. Taste your mango to be sure that it’s sweet and not too tart. (If it’s tart, you can add Applesauce or ripe Banana Puree.)

TIP: Get the full recipe for Mango Puree here.

6. Peach Puree

Turn fresh or frozen and thawed peach slices into a super smooth Stage 1 baby food with this easy blender method. You’ll want to strain out the skin since it’s hard to blend up smooth, even with a high powered blender, but that’s so easy to do! This baby food recipe is a nice alternative to applesauce.

TIP: Get the full recipe for Peach Puree here.

7. Whipped Peanut Butter

This may not have occurred to you, but whipped peanut butter is a great baby food! This is a perfect way to introduce baby to peanut butter and to offer it safely there after. You just need to stir water into unsweetened creamy peanut butter until it forms a whipped consistency like yogurt. It’s smooth, not too sticky, and packed with protein.

TIP: Get the full scoop on introducing peanuts to baby here.

8. Pineapple Puree

Blend up fresh or frozen pineapple chunks into a tropical baby food puree that’s smooth and creamy. This is yummy on its own or paired with whole milk plain yogurt. Taste your pineapple to ensure that it’s not too tart. (If it’s tart, you can add Applesauce or ripe Banana Puree. )

TIP: Get the full recipe for Pineapple Puree here.

9. Strawberry Puree

Fresh strawberries blend up into a perfectly smooth homemade puree without the need for any additional liquid. You can serve this as is, or mix with applesauce if desired. The flavor of your berries will determine the flavor of your puree, so be sure to taste them for sweetness.

TIP: Get the full recipe for Strawberry Puree here.

10. Banana Puree

Ripe bananas make great homemade baby food with the help of just a blender. This is a super simple baby food to make at home and it’s easy to digest as a Stage 1 baby food. Use ripe bananas with brown spots to ensure that the puree tastes sweet and is easy for baby to digest.

TIP: Get the full recipe for Banana Puree here.

Homemade Baby Food Storage

The easiest way to store homemade baby food is to add fresh purees to an ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, simply pop out the cubes and store in labeled freezer bags for up to 3 months. These are a perfect way to make it easy to send homemade baby food to daycare or to simply get ahead for the coming week.

TIP: Find more information about storing baby food—including the best small food storage containers—here.

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Tips for Making the Best Homemade Baby Food

Use at least 1 cup base ingredient to ensure that a blender has enough volume to blend well.
Thin any homemade puree with water, formula, or breast milk.
Freeze any baby food you won’t use within 3 days in an ice cube tray. Transfer frozen cubes into freezer storage bags for up to 3 months. Thaw these frozen baby food recipes in an airtight container in the fridge overnight before you plan to serve.
Taste all fresh foods for sweetness and to ensure that your puree isn’t too tart. To tame tartness, mix any puree with Banana Puree , Avocado Puree, Applesauce, or Mashed Sweet Potato.
If you want to add fat or protein to any of these fruit or veggie purees, simply stir in a little whole milk yogurt, coconut cream, or Avocado Puree.
Use breastmilk or formula in place of the water if desired.
Mix two purees together for more complex flavors.
Add texture to any puree by stirring in baby oatmeal or hemp seeds.
For more details on each of these, find them here: Avocado Puree; Banana Puree, Bean Puree; Blueberry Puree, Kiwi Puree, Mango Puree, Pineapple Puree, Peanut Butter Puree, Peach Puree, Strawberry Puree

I’d love to hear your feedback on this way of making simple baby food, so please comment below. I so appreciate hearing your experience with my recipes!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Baby Food

Calories 42kcal

Servings 4

▢ 1 cup blueberries, diced strawberries, diced peaches (peeled), diced kiwi (peeled), diced pineapple (peeled), diced banana (peeled), diced mango (peeled), diced avocado (peeled), OR beans (rinsed and drained)
▢ water, formula, or breast milk (as needed)

Choose one fruit, the avocado, or beans and add to a blender.
If making the puree with blueberries, strawberries, peaches, kiwi, pineapple, mango, or beans, add ¼ cup water and blend, adding more water as desired to make a thin, very smooth puree. If making avocado or banana, just blend (without water) until very smooth.
Serve or store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Vitamix Blender
Storage Containers
Silicone Ice Cube Tray

Use at least 1 cup base ingredient to ensure that a blender has enough volume to blend well.
Thin any homemade puree with water, formula, or breast milk.
Freeze any baby food you won't use within 3 days in an ice cube tray. Transfer frozen cubes into freezer storage bags for up to 3 months. Thaw these frozen baby food recipes in an airtight container in the fridge overnight before you plan to serve.
Taste all fresh foods for sweetness and to ensure that your puree isn't too tart. To tame tartness, mix any puree with Banana Puree , Avocado Puree, Applesauce, or Mashed Sweet Potato.
If you want to add fat or protein to any of these fruit or veggie purees, simply stir in a little whole milk yogurt, coconut cream, or Avocado Puree.
Use breastmilk or formula in place of the water if desired.
Mix two purees together for more complex flavors.
Add texture to any puree by stirring in baby oatmeal or hemp seeds.
For more details on each of these, find them here: Avocado Puree; Banana Puree, Bean Puree; Blueberry Puree, Kiwi Puree, Mango Puree, Pineapple Puree, Peanut Butter Puree, Peach Puree, Strawberry Puree

Serving: 0.25cup, Calories: 42kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 57mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 40IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

Tips on Freezing and Best Containers

Learn the secrets to storing and freezing homemade baby food for ultimate freshness—AND the best baby food storage containers to use to ensure that you never waste what you make!

Baby Food Storage

Going through the effort to make homemade baby food really only works if you have a good plan for how to store the food to ensure that it stays fresh and that baby has plenty of opportunities to enjoy it. After making a LOT of baby food for my third kiddo to send with him to daycare, I got into a good routine of making and storing baby food—both in the fridge and freezer. Here’s how you can do it too.

TIP: You can find my favorite baby food recipes here.

Homemade Baby Food Storage: In the Fridge

You can store baby food in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3 days. You can use masking tape and a Sharpie to label the containers with the contents and the date if you have a hard time keeping track of when you made something. (It’s definitely helpful to do that!)

Best Baby Food Storage Containers

I have a four favorite baby food storage containers that I use regularly.

1. Wean Green Baby Food Cubes

These are small, incredibly durable, and made from glass. They’re easy to clean and last forever. (Seriously, I’ve been using the same set for 7 years and they’re still as good as new!) $19.99 for a set of 4

2.

Easy Lunchboxes Mini Dippers

These small containers are a perfect size for 1-2 frozen baby food cubes and they’re my go to for packing food for a baby to take to daycare. They also nest nicely when stored in the cabinet. $7.95 for a set of 8

3. Beaba Food Storage Containers

I have two sets of these and I use them regularly for larger amounts of baby food (you could probably fit 4 cubes of frozen food) and for toddler snacks. When assembled, they snap together, so they’re an easy way to stay organized. $14.95 for a set of 6

4. Oxo Tot Baby Food Blocks

This neat system is easy to keep contained in the fridge and is also made from a polypropylene body that is PVC, BPA, and phthalate free. They are dishwasher and microwave safe. $9.99 for a set of 6

Homemade Baby Food Storage: For Freezing

Storing homemade baby food in the freezer allows you to make a bigger batch at once, and then serve it to baby over the course of a few weeks or months. The easiest way is to use an ice cube tray, which has the added benefit of portioning out the baby food nicely.

TIP: Any ice cube tray will do. You can use silicone ice cube trays if you prefer a non-plastic option.

Baby Food Storage Without An Ice Cube Tray

If you don’t have an ice cube tray or you’d just rather not use one, you can place a predetermined amount of baby food into a pint-size freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, press flat, and seal. Place flat in the freezer to freeze. Then you can thaw the entire bag in the fridge overnight, or break off a portion of it to thaw.

How to Store Baby Food in the Freezer Step by Step

Place baby food into each compartment of the ice cube tray, or fill as many as you need to with the amount of baby food you have.
Cover (if your ice cube tray has a cover) and freezer for 4-6 hours or overnight.
Pop out frozen cubes and transfer to freezer storage bags. Label as desired with the type of baby food and the date.
Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

TIP: I like to have a bag of sweet fruit purees and more savory vegetable purees to avoid having too many separate bags in the freezer at any given time. Then you can combine them into baby food combinations easily!

How to Thaw Baby Food

To thaw baby food, simply remove a cube (or as many as you need) and place into airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve. 1 cube may be plenty for a baby aged 6-7 months and older babies may enjoy two cubes.

Tips for the Best Baby Food Storage

Keep fresh baby food in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Use a regular ice cube tray to freeze, a silicone ice cube tray with a lid, or a small freezer bag with the contents pressed flat.
Store frozen baby food in a freezer storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To avoid freezer burn, try to remove as much air as possible from the storage bags.
Label your bags with the contents and the date.
To thaw baby food, simply remove a cube (or as many as you need) and place into airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Use leftover baby food to flavor yogurt, baby oatmeal, baby rice cereal, smoothies, or cottage cheese.
See some of my favorite Baby Food Pouch recipes here for more ideas on how to serve your baby food!

I’d love to hear your feedback if you have another storage technique or container that you love, so please comment below!

What to cook for children, menu from 1 to 7 years old: 350 recipes with photos

Recipes for meals that can be prepared for a child with step by step photos. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, afternoon snacks. Dishes like in kindergarten. Proven recipes with cooking times

Kindergarten Recipes Dinner Recipes for Kids Breakfast Recipes for Kids Soup recipes for kids Salad Recipes for Kids Recipes for baking and sweets for children side dish recipes for kids How to "hide" vegetables for kids

Thinking out what to cook for a child is another quest, because food should be both tasty and healthy, and meet many more children's whims.

Here you will find many suitable recipes for children to prepare for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Read more

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Incredibly tender, tasty and healthy chicken liver pancakes are obtained according to this PP recipe.

Donuts according to the classic recipe are cooked on kefir and from the simplest ingredients.

Salad with carrots, apples and dried fruits - a great option for a children's menu from 2 to 6 years old.

Mannik is one of the simplest and most economical types of baking. It is the easiest to prepare.

The recipe for a cake with raisins in milk is very simple. You don't need to beat anything for him.

An excellent low-calorie no-bake dessert for the New Year is panna cotta.

The low-calorie version of the Potato cake will never replace the original.

Quince has a pleasant aroma and delicate fruity taste, and can be used to make a variety of dishes, including delicious desserts.

These fragrant yeast-free dough tarts with juicy apple filling bake very quickly.

Sweet braided yeast dough with cinnamon - soft inside, spectacular, with caramelized crispy edges.

Royal cheesecake, despite its name, is more like a sweet pie with crumbly crispy dough and a delicate cheesecake-like filling.

A wonderful recipe for meatballs for children is hedgehogs, I cook them in a pan.

Cheesecakes with cottage cheese from yeast dough - a wonderful weekend breakfast.

Funny hedgehogs with gravy will surely please your kids. Light sour cream sauce goes well with unusual meatballs.

The recipe for the most delicious cake - this, of course, sounds subjective. But yes, I have it.

This simple and delicious cheesecake recipe uses only available and inexpensive ingredients.

Curd cake with raisins bakes quite quickly in the oven and will become a lifesaver for the arrival of guests and home tea drinking.

Carrot cake according to the classic recipe is prepared quite simply. And the products for him are also simple.

Meringue is a sweet, crunchy dessert made with minimal ingredients.

This grated cottage cheese pie always pleases my family with its aroma and taste, I bake it in the oven.

Many people remember from childhood the taste of tender cake Mishka in the north. Thin shortbreads soaked in fragrant sour cream with vanilla and a light crunch of walnuts.

Grated shortcrust pastry pie with apple from childhood. Now more and more people are looking for recipes for fashionable macaroons and canelli, and earlier our mothers and grandmothers baked the simplest pies that were and remain insanely delicious.

Thinking out what to cook for a child is another quest, because food should be both tasty and healthy, and meet many more children's whims.

Here you will find many suitable recipes for children to prepare for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

For your convenience, we have divided the recipes into categories: breakfasts for children, soups for children, side dishes for children, dinners for children, desserts for children.

There is also a category of recipes “how to hide vegetables for children in baking” – for those mothers whose children cannot stand everything healthy and prefer to eat only sweets. :)

All recipes are suitable for children's menus, tested by our authors and their children, so feel free to choose what suits you!

You will also be interested in our training “How to teach a child to eat right in 2 weeks”.

20 recipes from Eat at Home. Cooking articles and life hacks

Pleasing young gourmets is not an easy task, especially if you need to prepare not only tasty, but also healthy dishes. When the supply of ideas runs out, time-tested recipes and children's smiles come to the rescue. See the selection from "Eat at Home" and delight young household members with delicious treats!

Children's vegetable soup

Grated cheese, pieces of boiled meat can be added to this soup, and older children will love the fried bacon added before serving, sparkling golden snake in the middle of the plate. If you are whipping soup, then 2 tbsp. l. cream will make it even more tender.

Detailed recipe.

Children's sausages and sausages with cream

Homemade sausages and sausages can be prepared in reserve and kept in the freezer. Hearty meat products will always be a good addition to lunch or dinner, and most importantly, this is a natural product.

Detailed recipe.

Children's pumpkin risotto

Who said that children won't like risotto?! Add fragrant pumpkin, grated cheese, cream, and your gourmets will not resist such an appetizing dish. Parmesan can be substituted for any other hard cheese in this recipe.

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Sloppy Joe Sandwich

If your child has long dreamed of a hearty burger or sandwich, please your child! Make Sloppy Joe with homemade bun and toppings. Cooking will not take much time, and the result will exceed all expectations.

Detailed recipe.

Multi-grain porridge with baked banana

Breakfast porridge is healthy! And to make the kids like it, add baked bananas, cinnamon, some fresh berries. Cook the dish in milk and put a little butter for flavor. Overeating!

Detailed recipe.

Curd cakes with carrots

Sometimes an unexpected impromptu can result in an original dish. Curds with carrots and apples are very tender and tasty. And if you bake them in the oven, children's delight is guaranteed!

Detailed recipe.

Hot chocolate on a stick

Hot chocolate on a stick is both a drink and a dessert. Undoubtedly, the younger family members will like the treat. The author also suggests picking up beautiful packaging, writing a wish and presenting such chocolate on a stick to relatives and friends.

Detailed recipe.

Cottage cheese donuts

Fluffy and fragrant cottage cheese donuts with a crispy crust are a delicious treat for children and adults.

Detailed recipe.

Healthy candy

Prepare healthy candy for the whole family! They can be served with tea and taken with you as a snack. The ingredients are completely natural and healthy. What could be more important when it comes to the health of a child?!

Detailed recipe.

Cottage cheese cookies with almonds

Have a fun and healthy time with your children — make delicate fragrant cookies together! Young household members will like to cut out the dough using different molds, and when ready, the treat will delight them doubly.

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Chicken pancakes with cheese

Tender and tasty chicken pancakes. They do not contain anything superfluous and are prepared from simple and affordable products. We recommend the dish especially for the children's menu.

Detailed recipe.

Vegetable puree soup with peas

This light vegetable soup will appeal not only to children, but also to adults: vegetarians, those who adhere to a healthy diet or fast. From the main products you will need potatoes, broccoli, green peas. Complement the meal with toasted pumpkin seeds or crispy bacon strips if you're a meat eater and want to make your meal more satisfying.

Detailed recipe.

Mini pizzas

The author of the recipe makes mini pizzas from homemade yeast dough, so it will take time to proof. The filling can be completely different, be guided by the taste of your young gourmets.

Detailed recipe.

Pasta with Meatballs

This is a hearty and tasty dish that can be served both for lunch and dinner for the whole family. Tender meatballs, juicy baked vegetables and pasta that help fill you up.

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Chocolate rice porridge with sea buckthorn

Chocolate porridge with berries is almost a full-fledged dessert that a child is unlikely to refuse. The dish can be supplemented with any chopped nuts.

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Cherry cake

Very soft, porous cake with juicy cherries. Berries are also suitable frozen, and cooking takes only 1 hour. Such pastries will be delicious the next day.

Detailed recipe.

Mini breakfast pancakes

Look at those babies! Mini pancakes will cause tenderness and genuine interest in the child. Put berries in a plate, pour over everything with topping - and a wonderful children's breakfast is ready.

Detailed recipe.

Lazy dumplings

Another favorite childhood breakfast is lazy dumplings with just four ingredients. You will need cottage cheese, flour, sugar and chicken eggs. Serve the dish with sour cream and berry sauce or jam.

Detailed recipe.

Milk slice

If you want to please the whole family with a delicious dessert this weekend, prepare a milk slice. Younger households will appreciate the soft airy biscuit and delicate creamy layer.