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How to make baby food pouches


Best Baby Food Pouches (Easy Homemade Ideas)

Learn how to make homemade Baby Food Pouches, no muss, no fuss, with these 15 easy recipe ideas. These are a great way to save money, share lots of flavors with babies and toddlers, and have convenient foods ready to go!

Baby Food Pouches

I always made my own baby food pouches because I like how affordable they are and how once you have a set of reusable pouches, there are so many options! Plus, you can feed many things you’re making for the rest of the family in a pouch, which means you can share flavors with the little ones even if they aren’t quite up to finger foods yet.

I view baby food pouches as one component of feeding a baby and like to mix purees with baby led weaning as a way to expose baby to a wide variety of flavors and textures from an early age.

I also find them very convenient for offering smoothies well into the toddler years!

Ingredients in You Need

What you need for your pouch adventure will depend on what you want to feed your baby! Basically you need something pureed (or a food like yogurt or applesauce that has a very pouch-friendly texture already) and a reusable pouch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s the general gist of how to make a baby food pouch. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for recipe ideas and best tips!

  1. Choose your puree and prepare it. Let it cool as needed. (Or pull out the yogurt or applesauce.)
  2. Fill the pouch, making sure that the cap is on if using the kind with the zipper opening on the bottom. (Otherwise it will all run right out the top!)
  3. Store in the fridge or serve to baby.

TIP: As a quick an easy snack option, I like to mix half yogurt and half applesauce right in the pouch.

What can I put into a baby food pouch?

You just need the food to be smooth enough that it easily passes through the opening of the pouch, so anything that’s pureed or the consistency of pureed soup or yogurt will work. Generally speaking you can do:

  • Applesauce
  • Fruit purees
  • Vegetable purees
  • Baby food combinations
  • Pureed meats
  • Pureed soups
  • Smoothies
  • Yogurt

TIP: You can also use any of my go-to Baby Food Combinations too!

Making apple yogurt in a bowl

Flavor Ideas for Baby Food Pouches

These are some of my favorite recipe ideas to add to a pouch.

  1. Applesauce
  2. Apple Flax Yogurt: Equal parts Apple Puree and plain yogurt, plus a sprinkle of ground flax.
  3. Baby Oatmeal with Applesauce mixed in for flavor.
  4. Banana Yogurt
  5. Pear Coconut Puree: Pear Puree with full-fat coconut milk mixed in.
  6. Pear Yogurt: Equal parts Pear Puree and plain yogurt.
  7. Red Lentil Coconut Soup
  8. Sweet Potato Tomato Soup
  9. Mango Smoothie
  10. Mashed Butternut Squash
  11. Mashed Roasted Sweet Potato
  12. Spinach-Pea Puree (alone or with Applesauce)
  13. Simple Green Smoothie
  14. Strawberry Smoothie
  15. Veggie Chili, pureed smooth

TIP: For the foods, like soup, that you’d usually serve warm, you can serve them warm in a pouch too. Just be sure they are warm and not hot. Test on your wrist like you would a baby bottle.

How long can I store baby food pouches?

I recommend making them 24 hours ahead or less so they are as fresh as possible. But you can make batches of purees and stash them in the freezer, so the pouch assembly part is quick and easy.

Do I need a baby food pouch maker?

Honestly? No. I tried one and didn’t like it because it took up space in my cabinets and the pouches themselves weren’t reusable, which seemed like a waste and a lot of money. Using reusable pouches is easy and more affordable.

What are the best reusable pouches?

I prefer the silicone Squeasy Gear pouch, which comes in a few sizes (I start with the 3.5 ounce size for babies). It’s easy to learn from as early as 6 or 7 months and the kids can use them for smoothies and applesauce well through toddlerhood as they are very durable. You may want to remove the lid when serving to kids so they don’t play with it.

I also like this set of 3.4 ounce Weesprouts reusable pouches a lot, which are a nice size for babies (there is a larger size too!) and they are easy to clean and use.

Favorite Store-bought Baby Food

There are so many great store bought options! I like the Amara Organic Baby Food (paid affiliate link), which locks in the nutrients, texture, and taste of fresh foods. You just add breastmilk, formula, or water— and the flavors are delicious with straight forward ingredients.

I also like Happy Family Organics Clearly Crafted and Plum Organics. Those are just a few options—there is a lot to choose from as you well know from the baby food aisle!

TIP: I recommend serving pouches occasionally along with regular solids from a spoon and baby led weaning style so baby has a chance to learn how to suck, swallow, move all sorts of textures around in their mouths, and gain the skills needed to be ready for finger foods around 9 months.

How to Store

Store pre-made pouches in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store leftover pouches in the fridge for up to 24 hours and serve again. You can also freeze pouches for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature.

Best Tips for Success

  • If using a pouch with a zipper bottom, like this one from Wee Sprout, avoid overfilling to prevent difficulty sealing the pouch.
  • Be sure the mixture is totally smooth to avoid it becoming stuck in the opening of the pouch.
  • Add ½ teaspoon hemp seeds to any mixture for extra healthy fats.
  • Add 2 tablespoons full fat coconut cream or plain yogurt to the mashed sweet potato or squash for healthy fats.
  • Try any other Baby Food Combination or my No-Cook Baby Foods in a pouch.
  • Serve foods you’d usually serve warm (like soups) just warm, not hot. Test on your wrist to be sure the temperature is not hot.
  • Omit any added salt or sweeteners as needed.
  • Combine pouches with baby led weaning foods for a wide range of texture exposure.

Related Recipes

I’d love to hear your feedback if you try these ideas out, so please comment below to share—I love hearing from you guys!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Baby Food

Calories 46kcal

Servings 1

  • ▢ 1½ ounces Apple Puree
  • ▢ 1½ ounces plain whole milk yogurt (regular or Greek)
  • ▢ ½ ground flaxseeds (or hemp seeds)

  • Add the ingredients to a small bowl. Stir to combine well.

  • Add to the pouch, avoiding overfilling. If using a zip bottom style of pouch, be sure the cap is on to prevent the puree from coming out.

  • Serve or store for up to 5 days. (If storing leftovers in a pouch, store in the fridge and serve within 24 hours.)

  • If using a pouch with a zipper bottom, like this one from Wee Sprout, avoid overfilling to prevent difficulty sealing the pouch.
  • Pouch flavor ideas:  
  • Be sure the mixture is totally smooth to avoid it becoming stuck in the opening of the pouch.
  • Add ½ teaspoon hemp seeds or 2 tablespoons full fat coconut cream or plain yogurt to any mixture for extra healthy fats.
  • Try any other Baby Food Combination or  my No-Cook Baby Foods in a pouch.
  • Serve foods you’d usually serve warm (like soups) just warm, not hot. Test on your wrist to be sure the temperature is not hot.
  • Omit any added salt or sweeteners as needed.
  • Combine pouches with baby led weaning foods for a wide range of texture exposure.
  • Store leftover pouches in the fridge for up to 24 hours and serve again.

Calories: 46kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 21mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 54IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 0.2mg

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

Homemade baby food pouches {how-to and 5 recipes}

Published on By Kathryn Doherty

Jump to Recipe

Portable, squeezable and with lots of flavor options, homemade baby food pouches are easy to make and a great way to serve healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your little ones!

I made ALL of the baby food for both of my little ones. Which was no small feat because they were very hearty eaters. A good thing, but whew, kept me busy in the kitchen!

I always made big batches of purees, to knock out a bunch at a time, and inevitably, I’d be left with extras when they were moving onto finger foods and self-feeding.

So I started turning those purees into homemade baby food pouches.

(I also have tons of other ideas of ways to use leftover baby food - I didn't want to waste a bit!)

You can of course buy squeeze pouches in the store.

They have lots of different kinds of applesauce mixes, yogurt squeezies, and fruit and veggie combinations.

But you can make your own so quickly, easily and for much less money. Plus, you can customize them to your little one’s liking and feel good that you’re controlling the ingredients.

My kids are older now - M is 5 next week (yikes!) and J is coming up on 3 - but they still love these squeezies. M says she has lots of friends who bring them for lunch, so she’s always asking for me to send them to school.

And I'm happy to.

I love that it’s an easy way to ensure they are eating their veggies. They will take down one of these pouches in a matter of minutes but they don’t always dig into a big bowl of peas or a plate full of broccoli. #yet #Iwontgiveup

So today I’m giving you the run-down on what I use, how it works and five easy homemade squeezie combinations to get you started. (Check out these 5 additional homemade baby food pouches for more ideas!)

Equipment for baby food pouches

I have the Infantino Squeeze Station and it's been great. It's the only specific baby food equipment I've bought and was definitely worth it.

You’ll also need to buy refill pouches (they come in batches of 50 and you will go through them!)

They have other accessories, but I’ve stuck to these basics so far.

You’ll also need an immersion/hand blender or regular blender to make the purees to put into the squeeze pouches.

How to make baby food squeeze pouches

You set up the squeeze station by inserting three pouches into the bottom (they fit through some grooves and sort of snap in.) Then you put the empty containers on top and screw them onto the bags.

Note: Be sure to write the contents and date on your bags before you start to fill them. Much easier than after they’re done.

Next, you spoon your puree mix into each container, filling it almost to the top. You use the press tool and push the puree down into the pouch. It’s a weirdly gratifying feeling.

If the mixture gets stuck or won’t push, you probably have a small chunk in your puree that got caught in the hole. Just unscrew your tube, dump the contents back into your blender and reblend (or pick out the offending piece if you see it).

After the bags are filled, unscrew the tubes and carefully pull the bags out. Twist on the orange top and voila!

You can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days or pop them straight into the freezer to have on hand later.

It’s really easy and actually, really fun! 

Notes about baby food pouch combinations:

  • Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to all of these to help preserve them. The only exception is the pineapple-broccoli mixture. The citrus from the pineapple is enough on its own.
  • You can keep the peels on the pears and apples, just be sure to puree them very well so pieces don’t get stuck and prevent the mixture from going into the squeezie bags.
  • The vegetables and grains need to be cooked and soft, so plan ahead. Or use leftovers. These can be a great way to use up scraps and reduce food waste.
  • If any of your mixtures seem too thick (because the water content of fruits and veggies can vary), just add a bit of applesauce or a splash of water to the blender until its thin enough.
  • Each pouch holds about 4 ounces. Most of these batches for me make about 3 squeezies worth. You can of course always double up if you want to knock out a bunch. They freeze great, so you might as well!

Check out the recipes below and get to making some baby food pouches. I hope your little one enjoys!

(And let me know if you want to see another round-up like this - we have lots of other flavor combinations we’ve made over the years that I can share!)

XO,

Kathryn

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the apple-brown rice-spinach pouches:

  • 1 apple, core removed and roughly chopped
  • ½ cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves (raw)
  • Juice of ½ lemon

For the pineapple-broccoli pouches:

  • 1 cup cut pineapple (thawed if frozen)
  • ⅔ cup cooked broccoli florets

For the mango-sweet potato-quinoa pouches:

  • 1 ripe mango, peeled, seed removed and roughly chopped
  • ½ cup cooked sweet potato
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa
  • Juice of ½ lemon

For the banana-barley-zucchini pouches:

  • 1 ripe banana
  • ½ cup cooked barley
  • ½ cooked chopped zucchini
  • Juice of ½ lemon

For the pear-peas-spinach pouches:

  • 1 ripe pear
  • ½ cup cooked peas
  • 1 cup raw spinach
  • Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions

  1. Make sure all of your grains and veggies are cooked, if indicated.
  2. Combine all ingredients for each pouch combination in a blender or immersion blender and blend until it’s a smooth, pourable consistency. (See notes.)
  3. Label your bags, set up your station and add the mixture to the squeeze station containers, filled to the indicated line. Push down with the press tool and fill each bag. Remove the bags from the station and twist on the tops.
  4. Store pouches in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply move the pouch to the refrigerator - it thaws in less than a day.

Notes

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to all of these to help preserve them. The only exception is the pineapple-broccoli mixture. The citrus from the pineapple is enough on its own.

You can keep the peels on the pears and apples, just be sure to puree them very well so pieces don’t get stuck and prevent the mixture from going into the squeezie bags.

The vegetables and grains need to be cooked and soft, so plan ahead. Or use leftovers. These can be a great way to use up scraps and reduce food waste.

If any of your mixtures seem too thick (because the water content of fruits and veggies can vary), just add a bit of applesauce or a splash of water to the blender until it's thin enough.

Each pouch holds about 4 ounces. Most of these batches for me make about 3 squeezies worth. You can of course always double up if you want to knock out a bunch. They freeze great, so you might as well!

Here are 5 more homemade baby food pouches if you want more flavor/combination ideas!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1 pouch
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 50

The different varieties will yield different nutrition information.

More Baby food

Reader Interactions

Packaging of baby food, order packaging in Moscow at an affordable price

Manufacturers of baby food (fruit purees, nutritious cereal-milk mixtures and other products), the company "Custom Upakovka" offers a profitable product packaging service. We pack batches of any size in doy-packs with a convenient dosing fitting (side or central). Pouring the mixture is carried out on modern filling equipment, marking and stickering of products is carried out at the same time. A special food-grade polymer with an internal metallized layer is used as a material for the manufacture of a doypack. We strictly comply with the normative requirements of the technical regulations regarding the packaging of food products intended for children, as well as hygiene standards. We guarantee the safety of the product during the prescribed expiration date, ensuring the strength of the packaging and ease of storage. The design of the package is carried out by applying drawings and images, informational and advertising texts. With the help of eight-color flexo printing, the packaging is given an attractive look that will favorably distinguish the brand's products from the retail assortment. Doypacks are conveniently stored in a horizontal position and displayed on display cases in a vertical position due to the stable bottom of the bag.

To find out the price and order the packaging of baby food in Moscow, please fill out the feedback form by clicking on the "ASK A QUESTION" button in the upper or lower right corners of the site, or call +7 495 664 51 31 .

5000 pcs
minimum packing run

3-10 days
packing time, taking into account the workload of production

25-30 days
time for packaging production and provision of turnkey packaging services

8
The maximum number of colors on the package

92%
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Types of Pogans

Doy Pak
(Doy Pack) 9000 9000
9000 9000 supply:

PET/PETmet/PE, PET/BOPPmet, PET/OPPmet, PET/AL/PE, APET/AL/PE, PET/PETmet/PVD, PET/CPPmet, OPP/OPPmet, BOPP/CPPmet, Kraft/BOPPmet, Kraft/OPPmet, White paper/BOPPmet/PE, White paper/AL/PE, Kraft/CPPmet, PET/PET/PE, PET/PE, OPP/OPP, PP/PP, BOPP/BOPP, BOPP/ CPP, Kraft/BOPP/PE, Kraft/PE, White paper/PE, White paper/PET/PE

Opportunities:

Installation of ZIP-Lock, installation of a cut handle, installation of Eurosrotes, installation of a fitting, rounding of angles, notch, demonstrative window, partial or complete lacation of

Type of packaging:
Vertical

Three-Should
( flow pack)

Film composition for making baby food packaging:

PET/PETmet/PE, PET/BOPPmet, PET/OPPmet, PET/AL/PE, APET/AL/PE, PET/PETmet /PVD, PET/CPPmet, OPP/OPPmet, BOPP/CPPmet, Kraft/BOPPmet, Kraft/OPPmet, White paper/BOPPmet/PE, White paper/AL/PE, Kraft/CPPmet, PET/PET/PE, PET/PE , OPP/OPP, PP/PP, BOPP/BOPP, BOPP/CPP, Kraft/BOPP/PE, Kraft/PE, White paper/PE, White paper/PET/PE

Possibilities:

Installation of zip-lock, installation of a cutting handle, installation of an euroslot, installation of a fitting, rounding of corners, notch, demonstration window, partial or full varnishing
(side fold)

Film composition for making baby food packaging:

PET/PETmet/PVD, PET/CPPmet, OPP/OPPmet, BOPP/CPPmet, Kraft/BOPPmet, Kraft/OPPmet, White paper/BOPPmet/PE, White paper/AL/PE, Kraft/CPPmet, PET/PET/PE, PET/PE, OPP/OPP, PP/PP, BOPP/BOPP, BOPP/CPP, Kraft/BOPP/PE, Kraft/PE, White paper/PE, White paper/PET/PE

Opportunities:

Installation of ZIP-Lock, installation of a cut handle, installation of euros, notch, rounding of angles, demonstrative window, partial or complete varnishing

Type of packaging:
Vertical

STIK
(STICK) 6666

Film composition for making baby food packaging:

PET/PETmet/PE, PET/BOPPmet, PET/OPPmet, PET/AL/PE, APET/AL/PE, PET/PETmet/PVD, PET /CPPmet, OPP/OPPmet, BOPP/CPPmet, Kraft/BOPPmet, Kraft/OPPmet, White paper/BOPPmet/PE, White paper/AL/PE, Kraft/CPPmet, PET/PET/PE, PET/PE, OPP/OPP , PP/PP, BOPP/BOPP, BOPP/CPP, Kraft/BOPP/PE, Kraft/PE, White paper/PE, White paper/PET/PE

Opportunities:

NASA, demonstrative window, partial or complete varnishing

Type of package:
Vertical

Box

Cardboard composition for children's power supply: 9000

Cellulose cardboard

Options:

Display window, partially or fully varnished

Packing type:
Vertical

Still have questions?

1. How is the packaging process?

The production process begins with the choice of material for future packaging. Next, the material is printed according to the layout. The main type of printing on film or kraft paper is flexo printing (a type of printing using flexo forms and special quick-drying inks). The package is formed after complete drying of the paints and lamination.

2. What is a flexo plate?

Flexo plate - a plate that is put on the shaft of flexographic equipment for further transfer of ink to the printed surface, thereby creating an impression.

3. What kinds of bags are available and which one should I choose?

There are several types of bags: doypack, with side folds, three-seam, sachet, stick, vacuum, packing, craft. To select future packaging, several factors should be taken into account: the type of packaged product and its properties, consistency, ways of placing on the counter.

4. Is it possible to do everything on a turnkey basis and what is the production time?

The company's capacities allow to implement any package on a turnkey basis, from the development of a unique layout design to packaging and placement of packaging in special show boxes. Material production time - 30 calendar days, shaping and packaging - 10 calendar days.

Calculate the cost of packaging baby food

How to choose a baby food blender?

For baby food, you need to prepare mashed potatoes and cereals - any blender can handle this task. But modern models have various nuances that are not so obvious. We will tell about them below.

Baby food blender: things to consider

Materials are safe and durable

Blender bowls come into contact with food, so the quality of the material is in the first place, because the children's digestive system is very sensitive. There are blenders made of glass, polycarbonate and tritan. What is the difference?

Power: for cream soup or nuts

The more powerful the blender, the faster it grinds foods with complex and hard textures: nuts turn into paste and milk, fibrous herbs and wild plants into green smoothies, frozen fruits into ice cream .

To prepare puree and cream soup from thermally processed products, a stationary blender with a power of 1200 watts or more or a personal blender of 250 watts is sufficient. But if you want to turn peanuts into homemade Nutella in no time, and spinach leaves into absolutely uniform green juice, take a closer look at more powerful, semi-professional and professional models.

Portable: convenient to take with you

If you often travel with your child and cook outside the home, choose personal blenders. Such models are compact, they are convenient to take with you. The advantage of personal blenders in the small volume of the glass. You can cook in small portions without transferring food to another container and without losing part of the product and your time. There are also fewer dishes for washing: grind, close the glass with a lid and take it with you.

Silence of operation

Everything affects the volume of the blender: the materials and construction of the body, knives, bowl and fasteners. High-quality models make less noise without losing their power. Professional blenders are not quiet, but some models come with special noise-absorbing hoods (for example, Blendtec Professional 800). Blenders with tritan bowls tend to be a little quieter: tritan does not amplify, but absorbs vibrations. Due to their compactness and low power, personal blenders make less noise than professional models.

Additional options

When your child is older, you may want to please him with other dishes: frozen berry sorbet, nut paste, vegetable milk. Yes, and it will be useful for mom to restore strength with a glass of green juice. Choose from models that are suitable for different tasks: with medium power, special modes or additional knife blocks (separately for grinding dry and wet products).

What other nuances to consider?

Models to look for

Stationary blenders have more options than personal blenders. However, in a fundamental moment, they lose: they will not be able to cook a small portion of baby food (the products must at least cover the knife blades for normal grinding).

Another aspect is mobility. For regular trips to your parents or country house, a portable personal blender is more suitable.

Personal and stationary models complement each other in the kitchen, so ideally use both. But if this is not possible, choose the type that best suits your needs and lifestyle.

The Hurom BL-C01 blender is a novelty of this year from a Korean company that has been known on the market for more than 45 years. Portable model, which is convenient to take with you when traveling with a child. Two tritan cups of 350 and 600 ml allow you to prepare small portions of purees, soups and smoothies, as well as easy storage of the product, thanks to travel lids.

Tribest Personal Blender Glass PBG-5050 is one of the latest developments of the company, a personal, but at the same time quite powerful blender (as much as 500 watts). The model is suitable not only for purees and soups, but also for homemade sorbets, nut milks and healthy smoothies. And three glass bowls with lids of 240, 480 and 720 ml allow you to quickly chop and easily transport the right amount of baby food.

Tribest PB-350 is a versatile and compact model, a real classic that has proven itself in the market. The blender is equipped with two glasses (for whisking and chopping), as well as 120, 240 and 350 ml glass jars for easy storage (and preparation) of even the smallest portions of baby food. The model is equipped with automatic and manual pulse control mode, as well as two knives for comfortable grinding of liquid and dry textures.

BlendTec Classic 575 is a classic stationary model from a well-known American manufacturer. Equipped with blunt blades made of reliable stainless steel (10 times stronger than blades from other manufacturers), which cannot be cut when disassembling and washing the blender. Sufficiently powerful (1560 watts) and durable model combines two types of control (4 modes + pulse). The blender is also equipped with a self-cleaning function for more comfortable use.

The L'equip BS5 Cube blender is a professional stationary model. This blender is great for processing hot and cold foods. You can also grind dry foods like grains, beans, and nuts into flour or a paste without adding liquid. The high-strength tritan jar and ultra-sharp titanium-coated Japanese stainless steel blades ensure reliable and fast preparation of any, even the most complex dishes.

The King Mix KM-2000 features simple, intuitive controls, high power (2000 watts) and soft start.

Learn more