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    • Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes -->This collection of easy chicken dinner recipes features some of our favorite family dishes, perfect for making a healthy, delicious home cooked meal on a busy night! Getting a healthy, home cooked meal on the table every night can be challenging. Particularly with the demands of work, school, activities and social obligations, well, it can be the last thing we want to do at the end of the day. So I’ve got tons of easy chicken recipes at my disposal that I turn to when I need to whip something up for us on one of those busy weeknights. (Or even busy weekends – dinners can be tough then, too!) And this collection of easy chicken dinner recipes has some that we make over and over again. It includes everything from skillet chicken dinners to slow cooker chicken recipes, one-pot chicken pastas, soups and salads with chicken, chicken burgers and meatballs, sheet pan chicken dinners and easy chicken casseroles. Are you looking for fast as well as easy? Me too. I’ve got collections of chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster still, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Or if you want to browse them all, my quick chicken recipes…
      • Easy Chicken Recipes with Few IngredientsThese easy chicken recipes with few ingredients include some great healthy lunch and dinner options, all made with 5 or fewer ingredients! I am all about the EASY when it comes to cooking. I don’t like to fuss much over my food and I certainly don’t like to spend a ton of time in the kitchen at the end of a long day. Easy chicken dinner recipes and healthy lunch recipes with chicken are much more my style. (As are chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, faster yet, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Cause life.) Speaking of life, a million trips to the grocery store also aren’t fun during a busy week. (Especially with little ones in tow!) So I’ve got these go-to easy chicken recipes with few ingredients that help me keep dinnertime simple. And my sanity intact. In fact, one of the first cookbooks I bought on my own, at a used bookstore in Washington, D.C., where I lived for a few years after college, was titled 3-ingredient recipes. I was pretty new to cooking and thought, I think I can handle that. My cooking skills have improved, but I still go for the simple chicken recipes…
      • Quick Chicken RecipesThis collection of quick chicken recipes features some of our favorite family dinners and go-to lunches, all ready in 30 minutes or less! From chicken skillet dinners to one-pot pastas, salads to burgers, you’re sure to find some new favorites! If you know me, you know I am ALL about the quick and easy recipes. I love making all of our homemade meals and home cooked dinners, but like you, I’ve also got a hundred other things to juggle and so keeping things simple in the kitchen is a must. And these quick chicken recipes include all of my chicken recipes in under 30 minutes and, even faster, chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. Sanity savers for sure. Busy weeknights have nothing on us! A few of our favorites from these quick chicken recipes: Healthy chicken Alfredo with broccoli Creamy chipotle chicken 20-minute chicken and tortellini soup with kale Skillet salsa chicken Easy creamy chicken This collection also has some healthy lunch recipes with chicken for mixing up your lunch routine. (It doesn’t include my slow cooker chicken recipes though, since those aren’t ready in 30 minutes. But they can be super quick to prep in the morning and then…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 15 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pot wonders to salads, chicken skillets to tacos, you’re sure to find some new fast favorites! You know those nights when you walk in the door and need dinner pronto?! Like, 5 minutes ago? That’s when I turn to these quick and easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes. I can make a healthy, home cooked meal for my family and be sitting down to enjoy it in no time. Cause plenty of evenings, 15 minutes is often all the time I have – or want to spend – on dinner. I’m not alone on that, right?! You can browse below but I thought I’d highlight a couple that I make over and over again. A few of our favorite easy chicken recipes in under 15 minutes: 15-minute honey garlic chicken (gets rave reviews!) Southwest chicken skillet dinner (pile on your favorite toppings!) Quick chicken curry (perfect with rice and peas) One-pot low-carb leftover chicken recipe with spinach (my dad’s go-to recipe) This collection also includes some healthy lunch options that are quick to put together — like the Asian chicken mason jar…
        • Chicken Recipes in Under 30 MinutesThese easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes are perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight! From one-pan meals to burgers, one-pot pastas to healthy salads, you’re sure to find some new favorites! Quick, easy and mostly healthy is pretty much the name of the game for dinner at my house. I love a home cooked meal and we eat a ton of chicken, which means I’ve come up with and found a lot of easy chicken recipes over the years. And this collection highlights some of my easy chicken recipes in under 30 minutes, when you want something delicious but need it on the table pretty quickly. Is that every single night for you too? We’ve got everything from skillet chicken dishes to chicken pasta and from soups and salads with chicken to chicken meatballs and burgers. All the chicken love! Many of these recipes use boneless, skinless chicken breasts (though you could substitute chicken thighs if you prefer) while others use ground chicken and some rely on pre-cooked chicken, such as a rotisserie chicken you pick up at the store or some leftover grilled or baked chicken. Lots of these 30 minute chicken dinners are complete meals but…
      • Healthy One-Pot Chicken DinnersHealthy one-pot chicken dinners are such a help on busy days! This collection includes everything from one-pot pastas and skillets to easy slow cooker and sheet pan recipes to help you get an easy, healthy and delicious dinner on the table any night! I am ALL about quick and easy meals. I cook our dinner 99% of the time, including on days when work has blown up in my face, or the kids have decided to coordinate their melt-downs, or we’re all just wiped out and hungry. And even though I love to cook, I definitely have those days when I’m just not feeling it. Enter some quick and easy one-pot chicken dinners for the win! These are great to have in your back pocket for busy days, busy weeks or in case of a “kids-are-making-me-crazy” kinda moment. (My husband also loves these meals because he’s on clean-up duty and it’s nice not to have a huge pile of dishes staring you down after dinner!) Many of these dishes are complete meals on their own. Others are low-carb as written, but can easily be paired with some rice, pasta, bread or potatoes to bulk them up a bit. Here are…
      • Slow Cooker Chicken RecipesThese hands-off slow cooker chicken recipes will put your slow cooker to work and have you coming home to a delicious, healthy dinner that’s ready to go! Some days, you just need someone else to make you dinner. I’m not talking takeout or delivery or a restaurant dinner. I’m talking about your crock pot or slow cooker. I find it supremely satisfying to go about my day, knowing that a delicious home cooked dinner is cooking up at home for me. I can play with the kids, take them to practices, run errands or just relax with a book and breathe easy. These slow cooker chicken recipes mean there is just one less thing to do in the evening and that’s a great thing on a busy day! This collection includes slow cooker recipes for boneless, skinless chicken breasts as well as chicken thighs (though you can usually sub either one). And many of these take just minutes to prep in the morning! 👍 Here’s a few of our favorite slow cooker chicken recipes: Slow cooker balsamic chicken Slow cooker bistro chicken thighs Slow cooker apricot chicken Crock pot Mediterranean chicken Slow cooker teriyaki chicken And be sure to check…
    • Easy Vegetarian RecipesEasy vegetarian recipes include main-dish meals that are hearty and satisfying and can stand alone for lunch or dinner (with a few savory breakfast options as well). Everything from one-pot veggie pastas to stuffed squash to chili to veggie burgers and hearty grain bowls and salads, there are meatless options here for everyone! I am a veggie lover through and through. 💚💚💚 I adore getting in as many vegetables as I can, throughout the day really, and I often make easy vegetarian dinners a couple of times a week. (Hello meatless Monday, I’m looking at you!) So over the years, I’ve created tons of great veggie-based meals that can stand on their own for lunch or dinner and be hearty and satisfying. And that are also mostly quick and easy, because I work as a health and nutrition editor and we’ve got a busy family so cooking on a weeknight needs to be low-key. My one-pot vegetarian spaghetti has been a hugely popular recipe here on the blog and you guys can’t seem to get enough of my grain bowls and salads. I know the feeling. 😉 I wanted to round up some of these in an easy-to-browse category that features…
    • Healthy Oatmeal RecipesA collection of healthy oatmeal recipes, including sweet and savory breakfast and brunch options as well as delicious, wholesome snacks and desserts. We are pretty much oatmeal fanatics in my house. ALL of us adore oatmeal and it’s a rare day that we’re not making or eating something with oats or oatmeal in it at some point during the day. And I mean all four of us – my husband, myself and our kids (currently ages 6 and 4). Our go-to 3-minute microwave oatmeal is a morning staple for my husband and a weekly staple for the kids and me. My kids eat overnight oatmeal jars at least twice a week for breakfast and we often have baked oatmeal another morning of the week. For school lunches or afternoon snack, we can be found munching on some no-bake cookie or energy balls with oats, oatmeal cookies of some variety or if they’ve asked nicely, I’ll make a batch of granola and we all just shovel handful after handful until it’s gone. Want to know some of our very favorites of the group below? OK, I’ll share! Our family’s favorite healthy oatmeal recipes: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Overnight oatmeal jars, 3…
    • Healthy Muffin RecipesA collection of easy, kid-friendly healthy muffin recipes for all times of day: breakfast, school lunch, snacking, dinner and dessert! We are BIG muffin lovers in this house, at all times of day! My kiddos love them for breakfast, brunch, school lunch, afternoon snack and sometimes even savory muffins at dinner. Muffins all the time! I’ve made thousands of healthy muffin recipes over the years and I love sharing them with you! There are plenty to browse below and plenty more I plan to add! (You can sign up for my newsletter so you never miss a recipe. You’ll also get my FREE e-book of easy weeknight dinners.) Wondering where to start? Spinach banana mini muffins and whole wheat pumpkin muffins are some of our constant favorites. Healthy peanut butter and jelly muffins are fun for lunch and easy cheesy cornbread muffins are great for a quick + easy dinner side, especially with soup or chili! And if you’re in the mood for a little chocolate (I know I always am!) you can’t go wrong with my healthy chocolate chip muffins. Hope you find some new favorite healthy muffin recipes! XO, Kathryn
    • Healthy DessertsThis collection of healthy desserts features everything from lightened up cookie bars and brownies to cakes, muffins and breads to no-bake energy bites. It’s the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying on track with healthy choices! Healthy desserts are kind-of my jam. I like a dessert that gives back. One that has redeeming qualities. A sweet treat that’s going to treat me right. But of course, it also needs to be delicious so I actually satisfy those sweet cravings! The healthier dessert recipes you’ll find below are some of our go-to treats that are perfect for a healthier late-night option and many of which are great for offering kids a wholesome, but fun, treat for an after-school snack or tucked in their lunch box. Most of these recipes are whole grain and naturally sweetened, others are recipe makeovers that are lower in sugar and/or butter. A majority of them contain chocolate. 🍫❤️ And ALL are easy to make. (You can also check out my healthy muffin recipes and my entire category of sweets & desserts if you want more.) Here’s a few of our favorite healthy desserts: Healthy chocolate chip muffins Healthier no bake cookie bars No…
    • Healthy Fall BakingThese healthy fall baking favorites include everything from muffins and baked oatmeal to snacks to cookies and cakes. These fall recipes are whole grain and most are naturally sweetened for a wholesome, delicious treat at breakfast, snack, school lunch or dessert! Does anyone else get the baking bug when the cooler weather starts to roll in during autumn? I know I do! I get excited for all the apple baking projects, pumpkin baking projects and even getting ready for all the holiday baking to come! 🍎🎃 The spices, the warmth, the aroma of having something in the oven is just part of the season for me. Plus the love that comes from a homemade baked good – it just can’t be beat! ❤️ And y’all know my style is definitely a healthier version of baking. I use whole grains and most of my recipes are naturally sweetened. I try to lighten things up where possible and keep to mostly wholesome treats, maybe with a little indulgence here and there! 😉 Wondering where to start? Here are some of our healthy fall baking favorites: Chocolate chip apple cake Pumpkin baked oatmeal with chocolate chips Whole wheat pumpkin applesauce bread Easy healthy…
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Homemade baby food combinations

Published on April 19, 2015 Last Modified: November 18, 2020 By Kathryn Doherty

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy

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Tons of ideas for easy homemade baby food combinations — both the basics for beginners and more interesting combinations for older babies and adventurous eaters!Tons of ideas for easy homemade baby food combinations, both the basics for beginners and more interesting combinations for older babies! | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

Hi and welcome!

Whether you’re a first time visitor or you’ve already made your way through all of my beginner baby foods and quick + easy batch cooking recipes, I’m glad you are checking out these homemade baby food combinations!

(And if you do need some help on getting started, here’s my guide on how to make homemade baby food purees. It can seem intimidating and overwhelming, but I promise it’s really easy. This resource is my way of holding your hand to walk you through it step by step. 😊)

If you really want everything all in one place though, be sure to check out my new cookbook! Healthy, Quick & Easy Baby Food has all the resources and info you need to get started making homemade baby food, plus 100 recipes on everything from single purees to combinations to finger foods to toddler meals. It’ll take you through the whole journey and give you everything you need for success. (Oh, and it makes a great gift, too!)

I think combining purees and foods for my kids was my favorite part of making homemade baby food. I loved trying different combos and figuring out what my little ones liked best.

I started slow and pretty basic but then I got more and more creative as I went, guided both by my own ideas, those I picked up from others and mostly by what each of my two kids would eat. Or not. Cause not everything will be a hit and that’s OK. Exploration is the name of the game.

(Patience is the other name of the game. As is BIG messes and lots of clean up. I highly suggest you invest in a dog. 😂)

I kept tons of notes when I made my kids’ baby food (and I made ALL of it — not a store-bought jar or squeeze pouch to be had) and I’m so glad I did because now I can share it all with you!

Homemade baby food can be so easy to make! Check out these tips for getting started, some beginner baby foods and our favorite combinations and recipes! | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

Some of these homemade baby food combinations sound scrumptious, some sound strange, and some may even seem a little icky. Just being honest. 😉

But all have been thoroughly taste tested and approved by little mouths at one stage or another.

Before we get to the lists though, a few overview notes for you.

Tips on making homemade baby food combinations:

  • Most pediatricians and experts recommend introducing new foods one at a time, waiting a few days between new foods, to ensure there’s no allergy or reaction. (I’ve got a sample introducing baby food schedule if you want something for reference.) After you’ve got a few first foods under your belt, you can begin to combine those. And every new food you introduce can be added to the combination possibilities.
  • In general, baby food grain or starch purees — such as oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, barley and couscous — are good in combination with pretty much any fruit or any vegetable.
  • Grains and starches are also useful if you have a puree that’s very watery — such as green beans, zucchini or pears) and you need to thicken it up a bit so you can get it on a spoon. Mix and match textures as well as flavors.
  • All of these combinations can be made into homemade baby food pouches – just follow my directions in the post and make sure you puree everything well. It’s a great way to start to transition your baby to finger foods!
  • The list of ideas below is far from exhaustive. Use your imagination, try foods you pair together, try foods you would never pair together, browse the baby food aisle for inspiration and just play with it!

Homemade baby food - make 5 easy, beginner foods in just 20 minutes! Peas, green beans, applesauce, butternut squash and oatmeal | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

One final thing: Does your baby have an absolute favorite food? Something they always gobble up without fail? Use it to your advantage!

For my daughter it was pureed black beans and for my son it was mashed up banana. Anytime there was some homemade baby food they weren’t keen on, I would mix it with their favorite and it was gone in a flash! It’s a great way to ensure there’s no waste!

So without further ado, here are some ideas for beginner homemade baby food combinations as well as some more interesting baby food combinations for older or adventurous eaters.

Beginner baby food puree combos:

Peaches and pears
Broccoli and pineapple
Spinach and banana
Avocado and banana
Peas and carrots
Peas, pears and spinach
Green beans and barley
Broccoli, cauliflower and carrots
Prunes with pears, banana or pumpkin
Butternut squash with quinoa
Sweet potato, apple and barley
Oatmeal with applesauce
Chicken and pears or peaches
Chicken, brown rice and zucchini
Black or pinto beans and rice or quinoa
Black beans and sweet potato
Black beans and broccoli or zucchini
Pumpkin with cinnamon
Roasted banana and pear
Potatoes, peas and corn
Applesauce with fruit mix-ins
Yogurt with fruit mix-ins (I also add spinach or kale to my fruit mixes for yogurt – basically a thick smoothie!)
Cottage cheese with peaches or pears or berry applesauce or fruit mix
Oatmeal with peanut butter and banana
Easy homemade hummus (leave out the salt for baby)
Roasted sweet potato and parsnips
Roasted zucchini and peppers
Chicken with broccoli and cream cheese
Sauteed zucchini and squash with onion and thyme

Homemade baby food quinoa, peaches, avocado, pumpkin and cottage cheese - make these 5 easy beginner foods in just 20 minutes! | www.familyfoodonthetable.com

More interesting baby food puree combinations:

Okra couscous
Beet hummus
Spinach-artichoke hummus
Avocado hummus
Edamame hummus
Pea and parsley hummus
Guacamole (no salt added)
Tilapia with sweet potato and carrots
Salmon with butternut squash and parsnips
Chicken and roasted veggies (broccoli, yellow or butternut squash and/or carrots)
Chicken with sweet potato, broccoli and soy milk
Chicken or turkey with cream cheese and oatmeal or barley and broccoli
Pork, sweet potatoes and peas
Pork and applesauce
Ground beef with potatoes and peas

So there you are – tons of ideas to keep you sane and keep your baby happy and well fed. 👩🙌👶

I’d love to hear from you with your baby’s favorite foods and combinations! Comment below, shoot me an email or tag me on Instagram. 😊

(And head back to my homemade baby food landing page to explore tons more ideas, resources and recipes. I’ve also got you covered if you need ideas for using leftover baby food!)

Happy cooking!

XO,

Kathryn

Note: This post has been updated with new photographs and revised text. It was originally published in April 2015.

Tons of ideas for easy homemade baby food combinations, both the basics for beginners and more interesting combinations for older babies! #babyfood #babyfoodideas #homemadebabyfood #healthybaby

 

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Filed Under: Baby food, Baby Food Combinations + Recipes, Baby Food Resources

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Comments

  1. Catalina Kocherhans says

    February 3, 2017 at 5:14 PM

    Thank you so much for all this super helpful information. My daughter just turned 6 months but is been eating purees since last month, but I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t made any of those food yet, i’very bought the organic jar baby food :(. I’ve been so anxious to start cooking baby food for some reason, but to all your information gave me strength to start doing it!! So again thank you

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      February 3, 2017 at 8:04 PM

      I’m so happy to hear this was helpful Catalina! The hardest part is getting started – and then you’ll see how quick + easy it can be and you can add it to your routine as a supplement or replacement of store-bought baby food – just do what works for you! Also, I’m actually in the process of re-photographing and re-doing all of my baby food round-up posts and adding some more combination ideas – so stay tuned for updates! Have a good weekend – and hope that sweet baby girl gives you some full nights of rest 😉

      Reply
      • Lesley-Anne says

        September 16, 2019 at 10:50 AM

        Can all of these combinations be frozen?

        Reply
        • Kathryn Doherty says

          September 17, 2019 at 7:42 PM

          Yup! I pretty much froze all different kinds of combinations of baby food and it was always fine for me. I have some more information on storing (including freezing) homemade baby food in the Q&A part of this post if you want to check it out: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/homemade-baby-food/ Hope that helps!

          Reply
          • Lesley-Anne says

            September 23, 2019 at 10:09 AM

            Thank you so much! I have another stupid question…If I use frozen veggies to.make the purees can I re-freeze them for a later date? I have a baby bullet and I have been trying to meal plan for baby and us at least a week in advance.

            Reply
            • Kathryn Doherty says

              September 23, 2019 at 2:52 PM

              Not a stupid question at all! Yes, you can use frozen veggies to make baby food and then freeze the extra baby food. I did this a lot with frozen peas and frozen butternut squash, as well as others. And yay for meal planning – I think it makes a big difference! I hope that helps and good luck! 😊

  2. Caitlin says

    July 23, 2017 at 5:39 PM

    I picked up a good baby food making blender a few days ago (baby just started rice cereal last week) thinking to myself that while I wish I could be one of those moms who makes all their baby’s food, it was doubtful. That’s so much extra work. And those jars…you just pop them open…After reading many of your posts I’m now confident that I can do all his food myself! Unfortunately there’s so much information out there that I just didn’t know what to do or where to start. Thank you for compiling so much VERY helpful information in one place!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      July 23, 2017 at 9:59 PM

      Oh I’m so happy to here that Caitlin! I hope this does help and that you can at least get started making some baby food on your own so you can see how easy it is! Let me know if you have any questions!

      Reply
  3. Allisyn says

    September 7, 2017 at 9:44 AM

    A combo I’ve found my 6 month old enjoys is carrot mango! I’ve mixed in prunes for an added laxative boost because he has been quite constipated since I started solids at 4 months.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      September 7, 2017 at 1:39 PM

      I love that combination Allisyn! I used prunes a lot too, especially with my son, because the constipation was a big issue for us too. I often mixed them with dried apricots (I’d soak each of them and then blend together for a puree). Also put them with bananas so they’d offset the constipation that bananas can cause! And when your son is a little older, the carrot mango, or carrot-mango-prune combo would be a great one for homemade baby food pouches!

      Reply
  4. Sindy says

    September 14, 2017 at 3:37 PM

    Wow this is so helpful as a mom you always want to know new ways of mixing the good stuff for babies.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      September 15, 2017 at 8:39 AM

      I’m so happy to hear this is helpful for you Sindy!

      Reply
  5. Dana says

    January 11, 2018 at 10:55 AM

    This is great! One question I have is do you mix the different foods together, put them in the pouches and freeze them together, or do you freeze each individual food in the pouches and then mix them once thawed?

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      January 11, 2018 at 1:41 PM

      I’m so glad you found it helpful Dana! You can store each food individually, if you think you’ll be using them for several different combinations. But if you are planning to serve certain purees together as a mix or combo, I’d suggest mixing them together before storing/freezing – then it’s ready to go! Hope that helps!

      Reply
  6. Ashley says

    February 7, 2018 at 12:25 PM

    Wow so much good info! Love all the easy combination ideas. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      February 7, 2018 at 7:08 PM

      Thanks Ashley! So glad it’s helpful! 😊

      Reply
  7. Samantha says

    February 14, 2018 at 5:48 PM

    I’m so glad I found your website! We just started solids this week with my 6 month old daughter and so far have been making her baby food. One question I have is how do you thaw the frozen purees (i.e. one frozen cube)? Do you leave it in the fridge the night before? Do you ever microwave it? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      February 15, 2018 at 8:27 AM

      Hi Samantha! So glad you found me too 😊 You can thaw the frozen puree cubes overnight in the refrigerator and then just stir them to get them smooth. But I’ve also used the microwave to do a quick thaw when I hadn’t planned ahead to take them out and that was fine, too. Just make sure to stir it well so there are no hidden hot spots in the food that could burn the baby’s mouth.

      Reply
  8. Melissa says

    February 15, 2018 at 10:46 AM

    When defrosting in the microwave or warming up your baby’s food, what kind of dish do you use to warm it up in? I’m not sure if I should be microwaving any plastic.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      February 15, 2018 at 1:50 PM

      Hi Melissa! I would transfer the baby food to a small microwave-safe glass or Pyrex bowl to microwave it, to avoid using a plastic container. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  9. Antonella says

    February 28, 2018 at 3:45 AM

    Hi Kathryn

    Thank you so much for all these recipes. Just two questions please? How would you go about cooking the chicken? I once read that it’s best to bake to keep all nutrients but won’t it go dry since no water/sauce would be added to it while baking? Or would u just boil or steam the chicken?
    Also are all these combos suitable from 6 months please?
    Thanks loads.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      March 2, 2018 at 7:46 PM

      Hi Antonella! You can cook the chicken a couple of ways. I usually would boil it and use water from that to add to my blender as I puree the chicken, which helps retain some of those nutrients. You can also bake it. If you don’t overcook it, it shouldn’t get too dried out. You’ll still need to add water when you go to puree it.
      As for the timing of when to start these, you need to introduce foods to your baby one at a time to watch for reactions or allergies and some foods aren’t appropriate for beginner eaters. I have a sample introduction schedule here that you can check out: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/introducing-baby-food-schedule/ Once they’ve had some of the early foods, you can start to combine them and add on from there. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. Stephanie says

    March 24, 2018 at 10:53 AM

    Hi there. I see several recipes on the internet where the foods are mixed and pureed together, such as apricots and apples. Can I just mix foods together on the plate after they’re pureed or must I combine them into one puree as if I were following a recipe? Sorry if this sounds silly….I’m a total newbie and not the greatest cook either! Thanks for taking the time to respond.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      March 25, 2018 at 5:29 PM

      Hi Stephanie! Yes, if you have a puree of apples and a puree of apricots, you can just mix some of each together in a bowl instead of pureeing them together. I often did that — made each puree by itself and then mixed some together — so I could mix and match and see what my babies liked best. I hope that helps! You may also want to check out my introduction to homemade baby food post (https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/homemade-baby-food-101-introduction/) and my beginner baby foods, where I make 5-6 different individual baby purees, most in just about 20 minutes: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/category/beginner-baby-foods/ Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!

      Reply
  11. lorna says

    April 16, 2018 at 2:17 PM

    Hi
    How do you cook the starches such as oats, quinoa etc. separate then blend together? or would you grind them first before cooking?

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      April 17, 2018 at 9:17 AM

      Hi! I always cooked the starches first and then blended them into a puree (adding extra water or milk as needed) after they were cooked. You can grind them first, I just thought that was harder to do. Either way, once it’s cooked, you can combine it with whatever fruits or veggies you are planning to mix. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  12. Annmarie says

    April 21, 2018 at 11:50 AM

    Hi!
    I was wondering if using frozen vegetables and fruits worked as well as fresh? Things like peaches, pears, mangos in particular, but also veggies like green beans and peas.
    I’m so glad I found this info, it’s been very helpful! It’s overwhelming to know where to start, but this helps so much!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      April 22, 2018 at 8:23 AM

      Hi there! Yes, you can definitely used frozen fruits and veggies – just make sure to thaw them out and/or cook them though, depending on what it is. You can check out my post here with lots of commonly asked questions about homemade baby food: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/homemade-baby-food/ And here’s where I have some tips on getting started: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/homemade-baby-food-101-introduction/ I know it can seem really overwhelming at first, but I promise you’ll get the hang of it in no time! Let me know if you have other questions and good luck!

      Reply
  13. Nidhi says

    April 30, 2018 at 8:16 AM

    Hi
    Thank you for such a helpful article. I am first time mom and was really looking for such ideas.

    Can u suggest if fruits and vegetables specifically needs to be organic.
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      April 30, 2018 at 7:15 PM

      Hi, I’m so glad you found this useful! Buying organic is a personal preference, so if that’s what you want to do, go for it. I buy some things organic, some regular. Just be sure to wash your produce well!

      Reply
  14. Emily says

    July 14, 2018 at 1:11 PM

    Any ideas for sweet cherries?

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      July 16, 2018 at 9:54 AM

      You could use fresh sweet cherries in a smoothie or mixed with yogurt or applesauce. They also make a good finger food if you cut them up into small pieces. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  15. Genease says

    July 25, 2018 at 12:03 AM

    Hi, Thank you got all the great ideas. You inspired me. Tonight i made apples,blueberries,strawberries and cherries purée. But it didn’t have a taste at all it was very tangy. What was I missing? I added brown sugar to give it some taste. I also made meatloaf that I was going to purée for the baby, what should I add with that?

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      July 25, 2018 at 4:33 PM

      Hi there – good for you for trying out some fruit purees! I’m not sure whether you made those all together or in different combos, but either way, the sweetness will depend on the sweetness (which usually means the ripeness) of the fruit you used to make them. I will say, babies don’t have quite the sweet tooth yet like we do. I definitely did not add sugar or sweeteners to my baby’s food until they were about two and they woofed down pretty much everything! So even when it doesn’t taste sweet to us, it may be just fine for them. That said, if your baby doesn’t seem happy with it, you could try mixing it with some more ripe/sweet fruit to sweeten it up more naturally. Pineapple is a great one that usually adds a huge hit of sweetness. Banana and apples too. When my kids were older and their fruit mixes needed some sweetening, I sometimes added a touch of honey. (But please note that babies under age 1 cannot have honey.) I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Kathryn says

        July 26, 2018 at 1:53 PM

        Oh, and as for the meatloaf – if it’s cooked and done, you can just puree it up for you baby. It would also make good finger food, crumbled up, for an older baby. (Though I would try to avoid using any salt for a baby under 1.)

        Reply
  16. Elizabeth Cox says

    August 16, 2018 at 7:54 PM

    Hi Kathryn,

    My son is 7 months old and my sons GI specialist recommended me to start making my sons baby food to help him with his digestive issues and honestly when I heard her say that, it was so intimidating and scary to think about lol but then I tried your recipes and now it seems funny that i thought it was going to be difficult.

    So I’m confident in making the baby food but the switch from the store bought to the homemade for my son isn’t going great, also I just started so i haven’t introduced a whole lot of new homemade food yet, but what I have introduced he hasn’t liked at all!😑 like bananas by them selves, mixed berries, and mixing the fruit with his cereal.

    So I was wondering if you had any tips?
    Thank you for any help you can give!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      August 17, 2018 at 6:56 AM

      Hi Elizabeth! I’m so glad the recipes have been helpful – it really is easy, right?! As far as what he’s eating, I’d just tell you to stick with it. It’s completely normal for him to reject a lot, if not most, of the foods. Just keep offering (and use small amounts so your hard work doesn’t go to waste!) and trying different things – maybe sweet potatoes. Maybe oatmeal. Try some peas or avocado too – mix it up! I’m sure something will stick eventually. (For both of my kids, they each had a favorite and then I could mix that with pretty much anything else to get them to eat it.) Also, keep in mind that he’s still getting all of his nutrition from breast/formula milk, so the food is just for fun and just to start exploring flavors and eventually textures. No big deal if he doesn’t eat much. I hope that helps and I hope you find some things he loves! 😊

      Reply
  17. Roxy says

    October 21, 2018 at 2:29 PM

    Hi,
    How about barley and carrots? Would that be a good mix?

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      October 22, 2018 at 7:14 AM

      Yes, Roxy! I think that would work well together!

      Reply
  18. Maria says

    January 4, 2019 at 1:00 PM

    Please tell me about this fabulous handheld blender you are using!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      January 5, 2019 at 4:34 PM

      Oh I love it so much Maria! It was pretty much all I used for homemade baby food, but I still use it for simple sauces, smoothies, etc. It’s a hand blender/immersion blender and I have a Cuisinart one. You can check them out here: https://amzn.to/2CQOBgL
      You can get all my baby food equipment recs here: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/homemade-baby-food-equipment/
      Or shop my Amazon baby and kid products here: http://a.co/h3bmSfh
      Hope that helps!

      Reply
    • Phenix says

      May 5, 2019 at 9:35 AM

      As for the meats- I’m big on cooking pork chops and chicken. How exactly should I be cooking them and feeding them to baby?

      Reply
      • Kathryn says

        May 5, 2019 at 11:41 AM

        Hi there! I have some information in this post about how to do chicken as a puree. It’s a great one to mix with sweet potatoes, grains and applesauce to get some protein. https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/homemade-baby-food-round-2/ (Basically, I boil them, then let them cool, roughly chop them and puree them with water or breastmilk/formula.) I gave my kids ground turkey and ground beef as finger foods – cooked and crumbled – once they were older. I did the same with pulled pork pieces. But you can also cook and puree turkey or pork with a good blender and use them to mix in with other foods for younger babies. I hope that helps!

        Reply
  19. Meggie says

    January 11, 2019 at 9:03 AM

    These sounds great! Can’t wait to try some of these out! I feel like I’ve gotten stuck in a rut of the same 3 things. Can all of these be prepared ahead and frozen? I like to have a “baby food day” where I make a ton of baby foods, jar them up, and stock pile in the freezer. Also, how long will they be good frozen? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Kathryn says

      January 11, 2019 at 9:36 AM

      I kept this list when mine were little because I was always getting into a rut too! I hope this is helpful! And yes, these can all be prepped in advance. I was all about batch cooking too. (You can see some of my round-ups here. Most are 5-6 foods in about 30 minutes: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/category/beginner-baby-foods/) Also, you can refrigerate homemade baby food for up to 3-5 days and freeze it for up to 6 months. Just be sure to label everything and keep it tightly covered!

      Reply
  20. Robin says

    September 25, 2019 at 3:19 AM

    This is great. I need to share with my sister. She makes her own baby food.

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      September 26, 2019 at 2:36 PM

      Oh that’s so thoughtful! I hope she finds this helpful!

      Reply
  21. Mina says

    January 8, 2020 at 9:08 PM

    My 2 year old is so picky and I feel like I should go back to making baby food because she will not chew on any veggies hopefully these work !!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      January 10, 2020 at 12:02 PM

      I feel your pain! Both my kiddos devoured their baby food – including any and all veggies – but became lots more selective once they started picking up foods. The picky part will come and go in phases so hang in there, appreciate anything she will eat, add veggies to sauces where you can and keep offering those healthy foods! Good luck!

      Reply
  22. Jenny says

    January 28, 2020 at 8:56 PM

    Hi! This is super helpful, I love your site! I’m always looking for different combos for my 8 month old. We hit pause on the purées due to a stomach bug, but hoping to get back in soon! I saw the question about the starches. So you recommend cooking the starch, rice, quinoa, oats, etc. blending them separately and adding them to whatever mixture. Can you freeze the left overs? I feel new and so unsure how to work with starch! I love making food for her, I swear our freezer is now all baby food cubes! 🙂 thanks again for this awesome site and this amazing post with the combo ideas!!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      January 29, 2020 at 7:05 AM

      I’m so happy this is helpful Jenny! Yes, I think it’s easiest to make a big batch of the starch (rice, for example) and then puree it to have on hand to combine with other fruits, veggies, proteins, etc. If you are fixing rice and chicken at the same time, for instance, you can certainly blend some of those together to mix them. I just liked having single ingredients to have the option to mix and match as needed. And yes, you can definitely freeze the grains after you make them. Helps you prep once, feed baby lots. 🙂 Do keep an eye on the consistency though, as the starches will thicken up as they cool and again after they have sat in the fridge or freezer. You can either add water and reblend or mix them with a more watery puree (like zucchini or a watery fruit puree) to get them to your needed consistency. I hope that helps and good luck! 😊

      Reply
  23. Marjorie says

    March 31, 2020 at 12:31 AM

    How did you make your spinach, lentils, and pineapple baby foods? Strawberries?

    I’ve enjoyed making my own for Baby 3. 💕

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      April 1, 2020 at 12:31 PM

      Hi Marjorie! For spinach, I blend up fresh spinach leaves and pair it with another food – bananas or berries, or even chicken or rice or a combination food. It doesn’t affect the flavor so it’s a good veggie to add in. Pineapple and strawberries, you can use fresh or frozen and just blend them into a puree. They can cause rashes in some babies under 1, due to acidity, so I waited until mine were a year old, but then they make a great veggie to offer and to mix. I’m not sure I used lentils when either of mine were babies, but you would just need to cook then puree the lentils until they’re a good texture for your baby. They would mix well with fruits or veggies, just like other whole grains. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. Shital says

    September 7, 2020 at 11:47 PM

    Hi,
    Can I use all of these combinations for my 5 month old baby?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      September 8, 2020 at 1:08 PM

      Hi there! So, you should introduce new foods to a baby one at a time, waiting 3 days in between, to monitor for signs of a food allergy or reaction. Once your baby has had any two foods on this list, you can combine those and offer it as a combination. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  25. Samantha says

    November 16, 2021 at 9:03 PM

    Hi,

    Was wondering if it is okay to freeze the individual fruits and veggies separately and then mix them once defrosted. for example freeze an ice tray of apples and then an ice tray of pears and when you want to feed the baby apple and pear mixture you defrost one cube of each and combine. Thinking this way would make it easiest to play with different combinations.

    Or is it best to blend it all together from the start?

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty says

      November 17, 2021 at 7:51 AM

      GREAT question Samantha! I prefer to freeze purees individually, for just the reason you mention – because then you can mix and match different combos. You’re not stuck with a tray of applesauce and pear, you can make applesauce and chicken, applesauce and blueberries, applesauce and brown rice, etc. If you do make a big batch of a combo and don’t use it all, it’s of course to freeze that as well. Hope that helps!

      Reply

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