12 Easy Vegetable Puree for Babies

Did you know you can incorporate nutrient-rich vegetables into your children’s diets as early as four months? You can get your little ones used to tasting leafy greens at this stage. This can help you ease their liking of vegetables as they grow older. All you need to do is make delicious baby food recipes.

Purees are one of the most common options, and they are typically made of blended fruits, vegetables, or grains. The good news is that you can create these meals at home—a vegetable puree for a baby doesn’t always need to be bought from stores. Generally, babies below six months are only given breast milk or formula foods.

Introducing Vegetable Purees for a Healthy Baby

Solid foods are typically recommended for babies aged six months and above. Before then, you must give them proper meals for their age and body.

A Quick Baby Puree Recipe

Making a puree for your baby is as easy as pie. First, you need to get good ingredients from frozen vegetables or other locally sourced crops.

Prepare your chosen ingredients and tools,  such as a food processor or blender. After your vegetable has been cooked or steamed, chop it finely. Mix it with water or breast milk until you reach a thick and creamy consistency.

Vegetable Purees for Babies

The best thing about making food for babies is that you get to customize it and discover their favorites. These baby puree recipes are not only delicious—plant-based ingredients also power them. Here are a few vegetable purees that your baby will love.

Beetroot Puree

Harvested from the beet plant, beetroots have a rich, earthy taste that pairs well with many other flavors. Packed with vitamins A, C, and B9, it is also low in calories and cholesterol.

You might need more ingredients if you’re opting for a beetroot puree. Since these vegetables can be bitter, a sweet fruit—such as an apple—is recommended to balance the flavor.

Pea Puree

Green peas are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Rich in protein, these vegetables are easy to incorporate into a child’s diet. They are a fan-favorite for adults, especially as a side dish along with carrots or corns.

Since it doesn’t contain potent flavors, green peas are recommended for babies. Steam one to two cups of fresh or frozen peas and mix with water or breast milk as you blend.

Carrot Puree

Carrots are the way to go if you want to boost your baby’s intake of vitamin A, biotin, potassium, and more. These beta-carotene-packed vegetables are an easy pick among parents because they go well with many recipes—including baby foods.

Wash and peel a carrot or two, then chop it up and blend with water or breast milk. If you want to take the flavor up a notch, you can add applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, or even fruits like peaches and pears.

Sweet Potato Puree

A sweet potato puree is perfect for babies who prefer something more pleasant to the tooth. Plus, it’s filled with nutrients such as vitamin A and C. You don’t need anything else for a puree—this fiber-rich crop already makes a delicious dessert.

To make this sweet treat, peel off the skin of your vegetables. Boil them in hot water until you can smash them with a fork. Add the mashed sweet potato to a food processor, then pour some milk for a richer consistency.

Butternut Squash Puree

Sweet, buttery, and nutty, the name of this vegetable can’t be any more apt. Butternut squash is infused with essential minerals like calcium and potassium. It goes well with lots of other foods and ingredients.

A butternut squash puree already has a lovely, sweet taste that your baby will surely like. But you can always add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, or even healthy herbs like thyme. Put them together with the mashed vegetables as you blend away.

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkins are one of the most versatile vegetables used in many recipes. And for a good reason—it’s tasty, nutritious, and easy to cook. From pumpkin soup to even pumpkin spice lattes, this zinc-infused vegetable is always the star of the show.

Pumpkins promote eye, metabolic, and skin health, making them incredible for your growing baby. Since they are already creamy and tasty, you can forego any other additional ingredients.

Parsnip Puree

These root crops are a great source of antioxidants, protecting and boosting digestive health. Parsnips are easily accessible, highly nutritious, and have a sweet, starchy flavor.

Like other sweeter vegetables, this crop won’t need any other ingredient in the puree. You just need to steam the parsnips until soft, then mash and blend with water, breast milk, or other formula liquids.

Broccoli Puree

A relative of cabbages and cauliflowers, broccoli is a favorite side dish for many. These nutritional greens have high protein content. Uncooked, it has an earthy, somewhat bitter taste, but cooked broccoli becomes sweeter. Its vegetal flavor often puts kids off, but fortunately, you can get them to start liking it by combining it with other ingredients.

Fruits or milk can help balance the vegetable. An apple can add a layer of sweetness and tanginess to the puree. But if your baby prefers milkier textures, add more breast milk to the mix.

Potato Puree

It’s the beloved mashed potato—but in baby food form. As carbohydrates, potatoes provide energy essential to your growing baby. They are also filled with fiber to help regulate weight and improve digestion.

To make a puree reminiscent of the beloved dish, dice some washed potatoes and cook. Put the pieces into a food processor and add baby milk or water for a smoother, creamier taste.

Spinach Puree

Famous for being a superfood, spinach is among the healthiest of vegetables. Spinach is highly rich in essential nutrients such as iron and calcium that aid bone health, eye health, the immune system, and more. It is excellent for keeping the baby hydrated.

These soft, mild-tasting greens make great purees because of their texture and taste. Darker spinach is more bitter than brighter ones, so use fresher vegetables for a sweeter recipe. Blend with breast milk to balance the vegetal flavor.

Green Bean Puree

Green beans are easy to eat and versatile, making them ideal for baby recipes. These string-like vegetables contain fiber, vitamin C, and calcium to boost cell growth and maintain strong bones. They also contain protein, which can improve the development of your baby’s organs and muscles.

For a tastier puree, frozen green beans are recommended over fresh ones because it yields a smoother texture. Since they have a milder taste than most vegetables, green beans can be pureed on their own or with water or milk as an accompanying ingredient.

Mixed Veggies Puree

Want the ultimate nutritional package? Mix and match vegetables to puree for your baby—it adds nourishment, variety, and flavor. Of course, you’ll need to use ingredients that go well together. Here are a few combinations you can try:

• Spinach + green peas
• Broccoli + sweet potatoes
• Green peas + green beans + carrots
• Carrots + butternut squash
• Corn + green peas + carrots
• Parsnips + green peas

Feel free to try more combinations for your child, but don’t be too daring with your choices. The better and milder the taste, the more likely your baby will love it.

Is Frozen Food Healthy for Your Baby?

Some may believe that fresh food is better than frozen when it comes to feeding your child. However, frozen food works just fine, if not better sometimes. These packaged foods do come with several benefits.

Convenience

It’s easier to find and maintain packed, frozen food over fresh ones. Fresh vegetables or fruits demand to be used immediately and all at once. However, you won’t have this problem with frozen food since it takes longer to spoil.

Affordability

Since frozen food doesn’t take extra factors like labor and spoilage into account, it is typically cheaper. You get a bang for your buck with them since they are much more affordable and last longer.

Retained Nutrients

Contrary to popular belief, frozen fruits and vegetables retain their vitamins and nutrients. Individually quick frozen foods, or IQF, can even preserve more nutritional content because of how they are stored. They won’t get disintegrated so quickly during the delivery and storage processes.

Find the Perfect Ingredients for Your Baby Puree Recipe

Of course, you want the best for your child, and that means giving them a well-balanced diet even before starting solids. Luckily, vegetables are easy ingredients to work with, and your growing baby will benefit from their nourishment.

Are you looking for the perfect ingredients to make plant-based food? Sunleaf has a variety of solutions for your best products yet. Contact us to inquire more about our services.