Make banana baby food

Banana Puree Baby Food: Quick, Easy, Make-Ahead

byAmy Palanjian

Updated June 16, 2021

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Turning ripe banana into a super smooth baby food is quick and easy. Which makes this Banana Puree baby food a great one to start with and make often as your baby explores solid foods!

Banana Puree Baby Food

With just one simple ingredient—bananas!—this no-cook baby food is so easy and straight forward to make. You’ll need just one banana and you can add extra flavors if you want or you can leave it sweet and basic. This is a great early baby food since babies tend to like the flavor, it’s easy to make smooth, and you don’t need to spend extra money on fancy ingredients.

TIP: To make this recipe, you just need a blender.

Ingredients You Need

To make this easy baby food, you just need ripe banana, pure and simple! Which makes this a great recipe to make when you don’t have a lot of time or didn’t remember to shop for ingredients.

Tips for Choosing a Ripe Banana

To pick a ripe banana that’s pleasantly sweet but not over ripe, look for one that’s yellow with a smattering of small brown spots. Avoid ones that have large brown areas as that may mean they’re mushy and brown on the inside.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe.

Slice a very ripe banana and add to a blender.
Blend until very smooth.
Add cinnamon if desired and serve or store for later.

TIP: You can stir in a few drops of fresh lemon or orange juice to help prevent the puree from browning, as it will otherwise naturally do.

Tips for Making the Best Banana Puree

To store, place into small airtight storage containers and store in the fridge.
To freeze, place into an ice cube tray, freeze, then transfer frozen cubes to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in an airtight container in the fridge.
Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for additional flavor.
To make a thicker banana puree, you can simply mash a ripe banana until mostly smooth using a fork or potato masher.
To help prevent the puree from browning, you can add a few drops of an acid such as fresh lemon or orange juice.
Mix with whole milk plain yogurt, Baby Oatmeal, Baby Rice Cereal, Avocado Puree, Broccoli Puree, or any other baby food you like as desired. (If you stir into oatmeal, you can still freeze it! Just make sure to stir well once thawed.)
See more of my favorite baby food combinations here.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please comment below to share!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Baby Food

Calories 13kcal

Servings 8

▢ 1 ripe banana (about 1 cup sliced)
▢ Cinnamon, optional

Slice banana to measure out about 1 cup.
Add to a blender. Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add a tiny pinch of cinnamon if desired.
Serve immediately.

Vitamix Blender
Silicone Ice Cube Tray
Storage Containers

To store, place into small airtight storage containers and store in the fridge.
To freeze, place into an ice cube tray, freeze, then transfer frozen cubes to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in an airtight container in the fridge.
To make a thicker banana puree, you can simply mash a ripe banana until mostly smooth using a fork or potato masher.
Add a sprinkle of cinnamon for additional flavor.
To help prevent the puree from browning, you can add a few drops of an acid such as fresh lemon or orange juice.
Mix with whole milk plain yogurt, baby oatmeal, mashed avocado, sweet potato, or any other baby food you like as desired.

Serving: 2tbsp, Calories: 13kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 9IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg

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

Banana Puree for Babies - Eating Bird Food

Banana puree is a great first food when introducing solids to babies and can be made easily by mashing or blending fresh ripe bananas.

It seems like only yesterday we were starting our little one on solids! Bananas were one of her favorites foods, which was great because they’re so easy to serve to baby because there’s no need to cook the bananas before mashing or pureeing!

I know there are outliers but most babies tend to love bananas because of their sweetness so hopefully your babe will enjoy this banana puree too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bananas are widely available and inexpensive.
Banana puree is a great stage 1 food for babies because it’s sweet and has a smooth consistency.
They are low on the allergy scale so they’re often a safe choice to start baby on.
There are two easy ways to make banana puree and it’s also easy to meal prep and store in the freezer!

Bananas Make a Great First Food For Babies

Bananas are a great first food to introduce to babies because they’re naturally soft and mushy, easy to digest and loaded with vitamins and minerals. You can also easily mix bananas with rice cereal or oatmeal to add a little natural sweetness or just serve bananas straight up – mashed, pureed or you can serve larger spears or halves of a banana if you’re following a baby led weaning approach.

How to Make Banana Puree

Option 1: Mash

Mashing a banana is super simple and all you need is a fork! Place your banana on a plate and mash with a fork until the banana is the consistency you desire. Use in desired recipe or serve to baby as is.

Option 2: Blend/Puree

Blending the bananas in a food processor or blender makes for a smoother puree, which is perfect when you’re just introducing babies to solid foods and need thinner purees.

Simply add 2 bananas into a food processor or blender and process until the bananas are smooth and creamy. You can make the puree thinner by adding a little breast milk or formula, if needed. Once you’ve made the puree, serve to baby as is or mix with another puree to make a new flavor. See some ideas below.

Foods That Pair Well With Banana Puree

Banana puree pairs well with so many things, especially veggies because its natural sweetness will make them more palatable to baby! Here are some ideas:

Green veggies – kale, spinach, avocado, zucchini, peas
Orange veggies – sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot
White veggies – cauliflower
Other fruit – mango, strawberries, peaches, apples, kiwis,
Dairy – yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese
Grains – quinoa, oats
Legumes – chickpeas, lentils
Seasonings and spices – curry, ginger, mint, nutmeg, cinnamon

Banana Baby Food Combo Ideas

Here are some banana baby food combos that might be fun to try:

Banana, peach and strawberry
Banana, cinnamon and oatmeal
Apple, banana and strawberry
Banana, zucchini and spinach
Yogurt and banana
Avocado and banana
Peas, banana and kiwi

Olivia also loved the combo of banana, blueberry, quinoa and flax that I shared in my baby food combinations post. This one has a lot going on so it’s best for stage 2 eaters.

Banana Puree for Toddlers

For toddlers, banana puree can be used as a mix-in to sweeten up yogurt or baby oatmeal, as a dip for baby pancakes or put into reusable pouches for an easy, mess-free snack.

Bananas and Constipation

One thing to note is that bananas can slow digestion and in turn cause constipation. I know there were a couple times when we first started solids that Olivia dealt with constipation. Whenever it happened we tried to cut back on bananas knowing that they wouldn’t help the situation. If your baby does deal with constipation, I recommend limiting bananas and trying to add in more foods with fiber like pea puree or prune puree or juice. We used prune juice a couple times and it worked!

How to Store

Fresh banana baby food should be stored in the fridge and used within 3-4 days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing the puree! I like using silicone ice cube tray or freezer safe jars because they make it easier to thaw smaller amounts for serving to babies.

How to Thaw

I recommend thawing frozen banana puree in the fridge the night before you want to use it, but you can also thaw it with a warm water bath. It thaws quickly if you’re defrosting a small amount to serve to a baby.

Banana Puree FAQ

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes! Using frozen bananas is an easy way to save ripe bananas before they go bad. Check out my tips on how to freeze bananas.

How can I tell if a banana is ripe?

Look for a banana that is yellow with some brown spots. Typically you will find green bananas or overly ripe bananas at the grocery store, so it’s best to buy them a few days before you want to use them. Using a banana that is ripe will result in a slightly sweet flavor. If the banana is too brown it will be mushy and overly sweet.

Can I use a green banana?

Using a banana that is ripe is the most ideal, as it will result in a slightly sweet flavor. If the banana is too brown it will be mushy and overly sweet. Too green and it won’t be very sweet.

Are bananas healthy?

Yes! Bananas are loaded with full of vitamins and minerals like potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

Can you quickly ripen bananas?

Bananas not ripe yet? There are a few things you can do! Start by keeping the bananas together, they will ripen faster when close together, and store them in a warm or sunny spot.

If you need them to ripen faster, you can place them in a brown paper bag with another high ethylene producing fruit, such as another ripe banana, an apple, potatoes, peaches, pears, avocados or blueberries. Fold the bag over a few times to trap the ethylene in the bag and allow the bananas to ripen. This will take about 1-2 days.

Other Ways to Use This Puree

Banana puree is great for babies, but there are so many other ways for older kids and adults to enjoy it too. Here are some ideas:

Topping for pancakes and waffles – level up your breakfast or brunch by topping pancakes or waffles with this puree. Try it on my almond flour pancakes!
Serve over ice cream – mix banana puree into your favorite ice cream or simply serve over top of ice cream or frozen yogurt for an extra touch of sweetness that packs in some nutrients!
Swirl into oatmeal, yogurt or chia pudding – add a boost of flavor and nutrition by adding banana puree to oatmeal or chia pudding. It’s perfect for my banana bread overnight oats.

I also have a ton of banana recipes that require mashed or pureed bananas! Highly recommend my vegan banana bread or oatmeal chia cookies.

More Baby Food Purees

Sweet Potato Puree
Butternut Squash Puree
Peach Puree
Avocado Puree
Carrot Puree
Pea Puree
Pumpkin Puree
Applesauce

More Recipes and Resources

Oatmeal For Babies
Healthy Smash Cake
Banana Pancakes For Babies
Baby Yogurt Melts

Be sure to check out my full collection of banana recipes as well as all of the baby food recipes here on EBF.

Banana Puree for Babies

5 from 2 votes

Fresh banana puree is a great first food and baby will love it because it tastes sweet! Easily make it by mashing or blending ripe bananas.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 4

1-2 ripe bananas

Smooth Banana Puree

Add 2 bananas into a food processor or blender and process until banana is smooth and creamy. Serve to baby as is or make the puree thinner by adding a little breast milk or formula.

Chunky Mashed Banana Puree

Place banana on a plate and mash with a fork until the banana is the consistency you desire. Use in desired recipe or serve to baby.

food processor

Serving: 4ounces Calories: 53kcal Carbohydrates: 13g Protein: 1g Sodium: 1mg Potassium: 211mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 7g

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and share on social media using the hashtag #eatingbirdfood.

I love seeing your recipe shares!

Banana Puree Encyclopedia Baby Food

Recipes 8-10 Months Gluten Free Milk Free Flour Free Meat Free Sugar Free Egg Free Boil Second Breakfast Low Calorie Lunch First Food Snack Cooked Puree Raw Fruits and Berries

No Comments

Levchuk Victoria©

8 months +

Vitamins: A, C, folate
Minerals: potassium, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium, calcium

Banana puree - helps digestion. Bananas are sweet, so babies love their first eating experience. Although most pediatricians believe that it is best to postpone the introduction of sweet vegetables and fruits due to the child's possible refusal to eat other less sweet foods.

Bananas and banana puree can be frozen. To keep the banana from turning brown, you can add a little lemon juice while freezing. Citric acid or ascorbic acid helps in keeping fruits fresh. The effect of oxygen on the enzymes in the banana (and most other fruits) causes them to turn from green to yellow to brown to black as they ripen. A black or brown banana is not necessarily a rotten or bad fruit. nine0003

Banana puree

Print a recipe

Banana puree - a gentle sweet taste will be pleased with the baby.

Portions

2 Portations

passive time

5 minutes 5 minutes 9 minutes 9 minutes0033

Print the recipe

Portions

2 Portations

04 Peel ripe banana - do not cook

Place banana in food processor or blender and puree

Alternatively use a fork to puree - heat in microwave for 25 seconds for extra softness

Add milk formula / breast milk or water to dilute or add oatmeal (if desired) to thicken.

Recipe notes

The first time the banana is offered after processing, either boiled or as directed in the recipe after the microwave oven. After banana puree is introduced into the child's diet, fresh fruit can be offered. nine0003

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recipes for child feeding, dessert and puree preparations from bananas for winter

Anyutan - Sep 7th, 2017

Categories: Puree

Tags: Banana puree

Bananas are an affordable fruit that won our hearts and the hearts of our children. The delicate texture of the pulp is to the taste of both infants and adults. Today we will talk about the different options for making banana puree. nine0003

Ingredients: orange juice, banana, water, lemon, nuts, sugar, apples
Time to bookmark: All year round

Contents

1 What bananas to use
2 How to make a delicious banana dessert 30013 9016 Banana puree for children
- 3. 1 Simple recipe without additives
- 3.2 Added water
- 3.3 Added milk
- 3.4 Added juice
- 3.5 From baked bananas
4 Banana puree with apples for the winter

Which bananas to use

The variety of bananas and their size does not affect the final result at all. Banana puree is soft and delicious. It is important when choosing fruits to pay attention to their quality and ripeness.

Bananas that are slightly unripe and without dark spots on the skin are best for preparing baby food. It is even permissible to use fruits with a barely noticeable green near the stem. The pulp of such bananas is dense, without darkening and friability. nine0003

If bananas are harvested for future use, then fruits with a darkened skin can be used, without visible damage to the pulp. Brown places are necessarily cut off.

How to make a delicious banana dessert

Peel a bunch of bananas (4-5 pieces). Cut the pulp of all fruits into wheels 6-7 millimeters thick. Leave a part of banana rings (6-8 pieces) for decoration, break the rest until smooth with a blender. In the resulting puree, add 1 tablespoon of honey and the juice of one lemon. Whip the puree for another 30 seconds. nine0003

Toast 2 tablespoons of peeled hazelnuts in a dry frying pan. Grind the cooled kernels with a blender into crumbs.

Fry the remaining banana rings in a pan until browned on both sides.

Put the finished puree into bowls with a wide bowl. Top with a few wheels of fried bananas, and sprinkle the dessert with chopped nuts.

The Cook Note Recipes channel brings to your attention another banana dessert dish

Banana puree for kids

Simple recipe without additives

Ripe bananas are peeled and mashed until smooth. For this manipulation, you can use a fine grater, sieve, food processor or blender. The more homogenized the mass is, the thinner the puree will be.

With the addition of water

If the child is very small and accepts complementary foods only with a very liquid consistency, then the banana puree is diluted with the required amount of warm boiled water. nine0003

It is best to start giving mashed bananas to a child from boiled fruits. To do this, pieces of banana pulp are pre-boiled in a small amount of water for 7-8 minutes. For one medium fruit, 50 milliliters of liquid will be enough. Then the boiled slices are pureed until smooth and cooled before serving to an acceptable temperature.

With the addition of milk

From a year old, you can dilute banana puree with boiled milk. To do this, excess liquid is drained from boiled bananas, and hot boiled milk is added instead. The mass is crushed with a blender or fork, and served at the table. nine0003

With added juice

If the child is not allergic to citrus fruits, you can dilute baby banana puree with freshly squeezed orange juice. At the same time, banana pulp can be used both raw and boiled.

Roasted bananas

Two peeled bananas, washed well under running water. Line a small heat-resistant bowl with foil or parchment paper. Fruits in the peel are laid out in a baking dish. Keep bananas in an oven preheated to 120 degrees for half an hour. After that, the fruits are taken out and cleaned. It is better to do this over a bowl in which the pulp will be mashed in the future in order to preserve the resulting juice as much as possible. It is very tasty and fragrant. You can also drain the juice from the baking dish. nine0003

Then 100 milliliters of water is added to the banana pulp, and the fruit is ground to a puree state.

Prepared food is brought to a boil over medium heat and cooled to a temperature of 37-38 degrees.