It can be overwhelming to figure out where to start when you are first introducing your baby to purées. Should you buy pouches or jars of baby food at the store? Or should you jump right into making your baby’s food yourself? There is not just one right answer! Some parents simply don’t have the time or tools to prepare purées. While others may prefer to do the food processing themselves and that’s totally fine!
When I began introducing purées to my little one, I focused on preparing his food by myself. As he got older I started to branch out and buy pouches for him as well. So again, there really is no right or wrong way to go about it.
One of my go to purees I make for my son is an oatmeal purée. It is a great “base” where I can easily add in fruit and veggies. Not to mention, it does wonders when constipation strikes. Even though he is a young toddler now, I still give him a thicker version of this oatmeal purée for breakfast to make sure he is getting some extra fiber!
Don’t tell my son this, but I like to mix an apple and broccoli purée into his oatmeal to sneak some fruits and veggies into his diet… you can find that recipe here.
How To Make
Start by cooking your desired oats. Cook the oats until the water is completely absorbed.
I use old fashioned oats and make a big amount to make sure I have plenty leftover to keep in the freezer. You can also use steel cut or instant oats as well.
If this is your first time making oatmeal purée for your baby, I would recommend making a small amount of oatmeal (about 1/2 cup). As you get more comfortable with the process you can increase the amount!
Set aside to cool off. Once the oats are almost room temperature add to a food processor or blender.
Add your liquid of choice.
When serving to a baby you can add breastmilk or formula for extra nutrients! For my toddler, I add in 2% milk.
Much like the oatmeal, there isn’t a specific amount that I use. Start by adding a little bit of liquid at a time (about 1/4 cup increments). It’s easier to just eyeball this part!
While blending, keep an eye on the consistency. Slowly add more liquid in until you reach your desired texture.
For younger babies, you’ll want to add quite a bit of liquid so it’s easier for them to eat. You’ll definitely want it to be on the thinner/ runnier side until your baby is more accustomed to eating purées.
Once you reach your desired consistency, you’ll be able to store the extra purée.
My absolute favorite way to store purées is using an ice cube tray.
I don’t use any special sort of ice cube tray, just your run of the mill cheap tray will work!
Fill the ice cube tray up with the purée and stick it in the freezer for a few hours, or even overnight. While waiting for the cubes to freeze, label a gallon sized bag with the ingredients and the date that you made the oatmeal.
Once it is frozen solid, pop the cubes out and put into a gallon sized bag.
They should last you about 6 months in the freezer.
How To Serve
When you’re ready to serve the oatmeal to your baby or toddler simply place the desired amount of cubes into a microwave safe dish and pop it into the microwave.
Every microwave varies, but I microwave in 30 second increments to make sure I don’t make it too hot.
Helpful Tips
- You’ll want to make sure your child is developmentally ready for solids so make sure to talk with your baby’s pediatrician before introducing them to purées. This will usually be around 5-6 months.
- The oatmeal does tend to get thicker once it is reheated after being frozen. You will probably need to add extra liquid when reheating. Adding an additional fruit or vegetable puree would work as well!
- Once your baby has been introduced to a wide variety of foods, it’s easy to mix in different purées and spices to see what your baby prefers. I would recommend waiting on adding spices until your baby has tried many different purees.
- Once you’re confident that your baby has the hang of swallowing different purées (and you get the “go ahead” from their pediatrician) you can start making the oatmeal thicker to introduce more of a texture. This will usually be around 8 months or so.
Oatmeal Purée
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 cup Liquid of choice ex: water, breastmilk, milk
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a saucepan.
- Stir in oats.
- While stirring occasionally, cook oats for about 5 minutes on medium heat, or until water is absorbed.
- Set aside and cool.
- Once cooled, add cooked oatmeal to a food processor or blender.
- Add liquid of choice in about ¼ cup increments, while blending, until desired consistency is reached.
Let me know if you give this a try! Enjoy watching your little’s reaction to their first few bites!
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