This Homemade applesauce recipe is easy to make with three ingredients and no sugar or artificial ingredients.

In fact, it’s easy to make this recipe organic by using organic ingredients and skip the additives, preservatives and sugar. You can even make a large batch in the fall when apples are the best (in season), and can or freeze it to use all year long.

In this applesauce recipe, fresh, sweet apples are slow-cooked with the skins on (for more nutrition), blended until smooth and then spiced with a pinch of cinnamon.

It’s a well known fact that the peel contains most of the nutrients in an apple, which is why I prefer making this applesauce recipe that contains the peels! Did you know that unpeeled apples (with the skin in tact) contain 184% more fiber, 332% more vitamin K, 171% more iron, 300% more folate, 142% more vitamin A, 115% more vitamin C, 20% more calcium, and 19% more potassium than apples without the peel! I want my family to enjoy those nutrients!

Homemade Applesauce Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Apples. I suggest using organic apples to ensure you are avoiding pesticides and preservatives. Make sure to wash all apple varieties well before using, since they are not peeled. You can pick your favorite variety or use a combination of different types of apples. I recommend pink lady, honey crisp, gala, jazz, granny smith, McIntosh, etc. A sweet/tart mixture is my favorite.
• Water. I don’t suggest making substitutions for water.
• Cinnamon. Cinnamon is optional, but recommended for the best flavor. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg.

How to Make Applesauce

Let’s walk through how to make applesauce step by step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

To begin, you can peel the apples, if desired. however, I prefer to leave the skins on for added fiber and nutrition, as discussed above.

Next, quarter the apples and remove the seeds/core. Then, add ½ cup water and the cut/cored apples to the container of a slow cooker.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t look like there is enough liquid. As you cook the apples on high for 2 hours you will see that there is enough and the apples will release some liquid as well.

Once the apples are soft to the touch (easily mashed with a fork), add the contents of the slow cooker (liquid and all) to the container of a high powered blender.

Blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high speed, until the mixture is smooth.

Then, if desired, add the cinnamon and blend until combined (5 seconds).

How to Store Applesauce

Store the crockpot applesauce in an airtight container (I prefer a glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the jars for up to 2 months. Or, if it’s your thing, canning the applesauce is an option (here’s a great article on how to can applesauce) to make it last even longer.

Serve

There are many ways to enjoy homemade applesauce! First, you can simply grab a spoon and dig in.

It also makes a great baby food! Homemade applesauce is always one of the first purees I feed to my babies.

You can also use this applesauce recipe in your favorite recipes. I use it in homemade breakfast bars, the best carrot cake, homemade waffles, etc.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Applesauce Recipe

This homemade applesauce recipe is easy to make with 3 ingredients and no sugar or artificial ingredients! Learn how to make applesauce in the slow cooker that's more delicious than store-bought varieties.

Course baby food, condiment, sauce, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Servings (5 cups applesauce)

Calories 71kcal

Author Laura

Cost $3

Equipment

• Slow Cooker
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• Vitamix blender

Ingredients

• 3 pounds apples organic (about 10 medium apples)
• ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• If desired, peel the apples (I prefer to leave the skins on for added fiber and nutrition).
• Quarter the apples and remove the seeds/core.
• Add ½ cup water and the cut/cored apples to the container of a slow cooker.
• Cook on high for 2 hours.
• Transfer the contents of the slow cooker (liquid and all) to the container of a high powered blender.
• Blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high speed, until the mixture is smooth.
• Add cinnamon and blend until combined (5 seconds).
• Store in a glass jar or serve

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes

• Apples. I suggest using organic apples to ensure you are avoiding pesticides and preservatives. Make sure to wash all apple varieties well before using, since they are not peeled. You can pick your favorite variety or use a combination of different types of apples. I recommend pink lady, honey crisp, gala, jazz, granny smith, etc. A sweet/tart mixture is my favorite.
• Water. I don’t suggest making substitutions for water.
• Cinnamon. Cinnamon is optional, but recommended for the best flavor. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg.

Store

Store the crockpot applesauce in an airtight container (I prefer a glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the jars for up to 2 months. Or, if it’s your thing, canning the applesauce is an option.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

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Pears are one of the first fruits I introduce to my babies, and they all go crazy for them. They are sweet, and full of fiber to help keep things moving in the digestive tract (if you know what I mean), plus it’s so easy to make baby pear baby food at home!

I always have made my baby food from scratch, from sweet potatoes, to baby food carrots, to combinations like pumpkin apple baby food, I always prefer homemade over store bought! Same with lactation cookies – you need to keep your milk supply up even when your baby starts eating solids so make your own! Not only does making your own baby food save SO much money, but it’s also easy to make it organic with minimal ingredients! 

This homemade pear puree is an easy baby food recipe that is great for little ones of all ages. It’s made with only two ingredients- pears and water – with the option of adding some cinnamon once you’re certain your baby isn’t allergic to pears! 

How to make Pear Puree for Baby

There are two ways to make baby food pears. For younger babies with sensitive tummies, I recommend cooking the pears first. For older babies who still love their purees, you can simply blend fresh pears with water, no cooking required! I will show you how to make baby food pears that are cooked!

Cut and Cook the pears

Begin by cutting each pair into about six pieces. Then place the pears into the container of a slow cooker.

Add water

When using 8 small pears (which measured to be about 6 cups), add 1/2 cup of water.

Cook 

Next, cook the pears (if desired). I have used two methods to cook pears to make pear puree: 

• Slow cooker – Cook the pears on high for 1-2 hours, or until the they are soft. Notice they will change color as they cook! I love this method because I just toss them in the slow cooker and walk away. No need to watch them as they steam! 
• Steam on the stovetop – If you’d prefer, simply put the pears in a pot with the water, or in a steaming basket, and steam the pears on the stovetop for about 10-20 minutes, until they are soft. 

Blend

Place the contents of slow cooker (water and cooked pears) into a Vitamix Blender (or anther high-powered blender). Blend for 30-60 seconds until smooth.

Store or serve to baby

Transfer the pear puree to ice cube trays to freeze, or individual containers to store in the refrigerator. I love these silicone ice cube trays. I found them after I had baby #4 and I couldn’t believe I went so long using floppy, difficult trays! These silicone ice cube trays have a firm outer rim, making them easy to transport, and a lid for storage! The wells hold a good amount of puree too! 

To reheat frozen pear puree:

Reheat one or two cubes of pear puree in a glass container in microwave for 40-60 seconds. You could also warm it on the stovetop or let it thaw at room temperature for several hours! 

FAQS: Pear Puree for Baby

Here are some frequently asked questions about pear baby food!

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Pear Puree for Baby (Pear Baby Food)

This homemade pear puree is an easy baby food recipe that's made with only two ingredients- pears and water! Making homemade pear baby food costs so much less than store-bought jars! It's so easy to make it organic too, by using organic pears!

Course baby food

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 19 Servings (2 TBS per serving)

Calories 43kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• Vitamix blender
• silicone ice cube tray

Ingredients

• 8 small pears about 6 cups
• ½ cup water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cut pears into slices.
• Add pear slices and water to the container of a slow cooker.
• Cook in slow cooker on high for 2 hours.
• Place the contents of slow cooker into a Vitamix Blender (or anther high-powered blender).
• Blend for 30-60 seconds until smooth.
• Transfer to ice cube trays to freeze, or individual containers to store in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

What kind of pears are good for baby food?

I recommend using organic pears, especially if you will be cooking and pureeing them with the skins on. Stick to soft, sweet varieties like Anjou, Bartlett, Bosc, and Comice!  

How to steam pears on the stovetop 

If you’d prefer to not use a crockpot, simply put the pears in a pot with the water, or in a steaming basket, and steam the pears on the stovetop for about 10-20 minutes, until they are soft. 

How to store pear puree

Transfer the pear puree to ice cube trays to freeze, or individual, airtight containers to store in the refrigerator. 

To reheat frozen pear puree:

Reheat one or two cubes of pear puree in a glass container in microwave for 40-60 seconds. You could also warm it on the stovetop or let it thaw at room temperature for several hours! 

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

I can describe my favorite thing about fall in two simple words – Apple Season!  If you find yourself with an abundance of delicious fall apples, you need to make these Cinnamon Apples! Not only are they easy to make in minutes, but they’re healthy and delicious!

These sautéed cinnamon apples are like eating a warm apple pie (or apple crumble pie), but without the crust! They take 15 minutes to prepare and can be used in a variety of ways!

Serve these Cinnamon Apples as a topping over pancakes, scoop them onto some vanilla ice cream or just eat them with a spoon for a healthy sweet treat! They are easy to customize to comply with just about every dietary need.

One of the reasons I created this healthy cinnamon apples recipe is so that my babies could enjoy eating apples too!  These soft, cinnamony, bite-sized apples are perfect for adults and kids of all ages!  (Note: when I serve these apples to my babies I do peel them first).

Sautéed Cinnamon Apples: Ingredients & Substitutions.  

 Let’s start by chatting about the ingredients in these cinnamon apples! This recipe uses coconut oil or butter, cinnamon, a dash of salt, vanilla and a touch of maple syrup to create the tastiest little bits of apple bliss you’ve ever eaten!  Here are a few possible substitutes that could be made in this recipe.

• Apple Variety. I recommend honey crisp or pink lady apples, but any variety works beautifully in this recipe! Here are some suggestions:
  • Gala
  • Jonagold
  • Golden delicious
  • Honey Crisp
  • Pink Lady (pictured in this post)
  • Granny Smith
  • Jazz 
• Coconut oil. Butter or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil with delicious results! As you can see, I used butter in the photos and coconut oil in the video. Both taste amazing, just choose your favorite that complies with your dietary needs. 
• Maple syrup. Honey is a great substitution, although I love the flavor of maple syrup in this recipe! You can also use granulated sugar, brown sugar, etc. 

How to make Cinnamon Apples 

Now let’s walk through how to make these sautéed apples step-by-step! They’re super easy but I like to make sure you know exactly how it’s done to ensure your culinary success!

Cook apples in water

Start making these cinnamon apples by placing diced apples into a non-stick fry pan and add water. Cover and cook until the apples are slightly soft. 

Add the rest of the ingredients

Add the maple syrup, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and stir until everything is evenly distributed. Cover and cook again, stirring occasionally. 

Cook 

Once the apples are soft, remove the lid and cook uncovered until all the ingredients caramelize onto the apples and they brown slightly. 

Serve

Transfer to a dish and serve the cinnamon apples warm! We like to serve them as a side dish, but they can also be used as a topping to your favorite breakfast foods! Here are some serving suggestions: 

• Mix into overnight oats.
• Scoop on top of homemade waffles. 
• Serve over a piece of warm french toast.
• Add more apple goodness to this apple cinnamon baked oatmeal (or this pumpkin baked oatmeal). 

Store

Store leftover apples in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Easy Cinnamon Apples Recipe

These Cinnamon Apples taste like a warm apple pie, but they come together in 15 minutes on the stovetop! This cinnamon apples recipe makes a perfect breakfast, pancake topper, snack, or light dessert.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cups of apples (4 servings)

Calories 95.8kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• saute pan
• measuring spoons
• spatula

Ingredients

• 3 apples (about 3 cups, chopped)
• 2 TBS water
• 1 TBS salted butter (or coconut oil)
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cut apples into same-sized pieces (about ½-1” cubes).
• Put apples pieces into a skillet with 2 TBS water. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples become slightly soft and water is absorbed.
• Add 1 TBS of butter to the skillet. Stir apples and oil together until all the apples are coated. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the apples become soft (you may need to cover them for the last 2 minutes).
• Add Maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Stir until well mixed.
• Cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring every minute until the apples reach your desired softness!
• Remove from heat and serve!

Video

Notes

• You can choose whether or not you peel your apples (if I’m feeding them to a baby without teeth I always peel them)!

Ingredient Substitutions 

• Apple Variety. I recommend honey crisp or pink lady apples, but any variety works beautifully in this recipe! Here are some suggestions: 
  • Gala
  • Jonagold
  • Golden delicious
  • Honey Crisp
  • Pink Lady (pictured in this post)
  • Granny Smith
  • Jazz 
• Butter. coconut oil or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil with delicious results.
• Maple syrup. Honey is a great substitution, although I love the flavor of maple syrup in this recipe! You can also use granulated sugar, brown sugar, etc. 
•  

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 95.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.6g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 3.7g | Saturated Fat: 3.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 112.7mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 12.8g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 7.5mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.3mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

This post is sponsored by World Vision. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Today, I have a very special blog post for all of you. Not only does it include the recipe for these healthy Carrot Zucchini Muffins, but I will also be sharing a little bit about World Vision and ways that you can make a difference in the lives of children and families around the world!

It’s no secret that my mission here on JoyFoodSunshine is to show all of you that maintaining a healthy lifestyle while raising kids is attainable, delicious and fun. Well, these Carrot Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins were the very first baked goods I ever made for Bethany.

These carrot zucchini muffins are a great breakfast to feed our children (and ourselves). They are packed full of vegetables, fiber, protein and nutrients so they keep us full all throughout the morning!

I also love this carrot zucchini muffin recipe because it is not too sweet! Which leaves plenty of room to add a drizzle of honey or a dollop of nut butter to add to your morning breakfast enjoyment!

World Vision Common Pot Program

Much like the main focus of JoyFoodSunshine, World Vision has a program called Common Pot, which works with mothers in local communities to train and teach them how to best nourish their children.

As moms, we try to teach our kids how to choose healthy and nutritious foods for their cute little growing bodies! But what if you and I didn’t have access to such knowledge? What if we didn’t know how to go about feeding our children healthy meals?

What if, when our children failed to thrive, we didn’t know how to fix it or who to turn to for help?!

That’s why World Vision develops nutritional and cooking training for parents using fruits and vegetables that can be grown in their very own gardens (like these Carrot Zucchini Muffins)!

Sponsor a Child

So how can YOU and I help World Vision and children all over the world?! By sponsoring a child! For only $39/month you will not only help the child you sponsor, but an entire community full of families who need help.

Your donations go towards helping World Vision create long-term, sustainable plans to keep the communities out of poverty, even once they have moved on to help other communities. It’s the classic “teach-a-man-to-fish” philosophy!

Sponsor a Child for the holiday season. Ok, did you know there are only 14 more Saturdays until Christmas?! My kids are already talking about what they would like to receive, which we try to avoid (as much as we can).

We teach our kids that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. And that we should be more excited to give during the season celebrating God’s eternal gift to us, than to receive temporary possessions that will likely break within the year.

What better way to teach your child the beauty of giving than by sponsoring a child who is truly in need (as opposed to “needing” that new lego set, lol)! If you sponsor a child now, you should receive your first letter from that child before Christmas!

So, in tandem with World Vision’s Common Pot program, I’m going to discuss how to make these delicious Carrot Zucchini Muffins to nourish our children, and I will also share a few tips that we use with our kids to encourage healthy eating habits!

How do you make Carrot Zucchini Muffins? 

These Carrot Zucchini Muffins are really simple to make! But as always, let’s walk through the steps together!

Step 1: Process/Blend veggies. 

Use a food processor fitted with an “S” blade or a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix), to process the zucchini and carrots until they are finely shredded (see middle picture below). This will ensure that the veggies will do two things. 1) they will add moisture to your carrot zucchini muffins, and 2) they will be undetectable to your picky little eaters!

Remember, there are two more processing steps in this recipe, so the veggies will become even more finely processed as you go!

Step 2: Add the wet ingredients and process again!

After the veggies are finely processed, add the rest of the wet ingredients and process some more, until the mixture is smooth and uniform throughout.

Note: Using a high-powered blender in place of a food processor will result in a more silky smooth wet mixture.

Step 3: Add dry ingredients and process some more!

Once the wet mixture is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout), add the dry ingredients and process until everything is fully combined!

Step 4: Let the batter rest. 

In order to ensure that the dry ingredients soak in all the moisture that they can, let it rest for about 5 minutes! It will thicken as it rests, making it easier to scoop into the muffin tin (which just so happens to be the next step…).

Optional: At this point you could add mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, etc.

Step 5: Scoop & Bake!

Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into a prepared muffin tin that has been well greased! I don’t recommend using liners! If you grease your pan well the muffins are very easy to remove!

Bake until the muffins are set, slightly brown around the edges, and the tops spring back when touched! You can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin, if it comes out clean, they’re done!

Step 6: Cool!

Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes after baking. After that time, use a spoon or knife to loosen the edges. Then remove the muffins from the baking tin and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely!

Step 7: Enjoy! 

Serve these Carrot Zucchini Muffins with a dollop of nut butter and a drizzle of honey! My kids also enjoy them with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar! Or just eat them plain!

How do you freeze Carrot Zucchini Muffins?

To freeze these Carrot Zucchini Muffins simply let them cool fully to room temperature. Then put them in an airtight container in the freezer!

To Reheat: Place frozen muffins  in the microwave and warm for about 45 seconds per muffin!

Carrot Zucchini Muffins: Ingredients and Substitutions

As always, let’s chat about some of the ingredients in this carrot zucchini muffin recipe, and possible substitutions.

• Whole wheat flour. I have used all of the following substitutions with great results: all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, and a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend!
• Old-fashioned oats. Quick-cooking oats or rolled oats work well in this recipe too! You can also just substitute 1 cup of oat flour for the ground up oats!
• Vanilla Greek yogurt. Any type of yogurt, Greek or not, will work in this recipe. Just remember if you choose a plain variety (with no sweetener/sugar), the recipe turns out less sweet, so you might want to increase the brown sugar.  Dairy-free yogurts work really well too!
• Butter. I personally love the taste of butter in this recipe, and there are only 2 TBS! However, for a dairy-free version use coconut oil or ghee!
• Brown Sugar. For a refined sugar-free version use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar!
• Unsweetened applesauce. Any type of applesauce works well in this recipe! You can also substitute 1/2 cup mashed banana for the applesauce!

IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING FROM JOYFOODSUNSHINE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR CREATIONS! DON’T FORGET TO RATE THIS RECIPE AND LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW! ALSO, FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME ON INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND  TWITTER FOR MORE RECIPE INSPIRATION AND A GLIMPSE INTO OUR EVERYDAY LIFE!

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Carrot Zucchini Muffins

These Carrot Zucchini Muffins are made with whole wheat flour and oatmeal! They are the perfect healthy breakfast recipe that's loaded with nutrition! AKA: Baby Muffins! 

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Muffins

Calories 142.1kcal

Author Laura

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats or 1 cup oat flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup zucchini shredded
• ½ cup carrot chopped
• ¾ cup 6 oz vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 TBS butter melted (or coconut oil)
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Grease a muffin tin. Set aside
• Place old fashioned oats in the container of your food processor or blender. Blend on high until they reach the consistency of flour (15-30 seconds). Transfer oat flour from the container to a medium bowl.
• Add whole wheat flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder to the oat flour. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Put zucchini and carrot into the container of your food processor or blender. Process/blend until they are well chopped/minced into very small pieces.
• Add Greek yogurt, butter, applesauce and brown sugar and process/blend until smooth.
• Add eggs and vanilla and pulse to combine.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend until combined.
• Pour ¼ cup portions of batter into each well of the prepared muffin tin.
• Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 142.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 145.1mg | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 13.2g | Vitamin A: 1600IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 0.6mg

More Zucchini Recipes

Here are a few more of our favorite zucchini recipes!

• We love muffins around here. Some of our favorites featuring zucchini are: paleo zucchini muffins, healthy double chocolate zucchini muffins, and these pumpkin zucchini muffins. 
• This chocolate zucchini cake with a fudgy chocolate ganache is seriously the best. 
• Who doesn’t love healthy zucchini cookies? 
• We love making these corn and zucchini fritters in the summer. 
• Want to add nutrition to pizza night? Try this zucchini pizza crust!
• The simplest way to use zucchini is in this zucchini smoothie – it’s delicious! 

How we to teach our kids to make healthy food choices! 

Ok, now here are just a few things we do to teach our kids the importance of eating healthy foods. However, I wanted to start with one thing we have chosen NOT to do…we will NOT make food a battle. There will be many other, far more worthy, battles worth fighting in our lifetime as parents, and we have decided that eating is not one of them.

So our magic phrase is, “you don’t have to eat it.” But the caveat is that if they don’t eat their meal, they don’t get dessert (which we enjoy mostly every night). Don’t like dinner tonight? No problem…don’t eat it. But we don’t allow them to eat until breakfast the next morning.

And if we decide that their choice not to eat was purely defiant, then sometimes we save their uneaten dinner and give it to them for breakfast!

Now, onto what we DO do.  

1. Always say yes to vegetables. Our kids’ eating habits are unpredictable. They can be ravenous one day and eat practically nothing the next. So on days when they are particularly famished, we tell them they can choose a veggie from the fridge to snack on. Their favorites include baby carrots, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes, so I make sure to always have plenty on hand!
2. Serve fruit and vegetables at every meal. I have learned that I am the only one in my family who prefers my vegetables cooked (including Ritch). So every mealtime I cut up a giant plate of raw veggies and set out a bowl of whatever fruit we have on hand. Then I let the kids choose their veggies for the meal.
3. Serve veggies BEFORE dinner. Around 4 PM my kids all wake up from their naps and finish their rest time, this is when I start cooking dinner. I always put out a plate of cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, etc. for them to snack on while they help me. Then if they eat their fair share I don’t even have to think about their vegetable intake during dinner!
4. Teach them to eat their veggies first during mealtime. Sometimes they get full before they finish what is on their plate. We don’t make our kids clean their plates at every meal. I mean, sometimes I accidentally serve them too much! However, they all know that they need to start with their veggies, because that’s more important to finish than…say…their piece of pizza!
5. Teach them the difference between a snack and a treat. This has been really helpful for me. A snack is a healthy food (fruit, vegetables, nuts, cheese, sometimes a protein bar, yogurt, etc.). A treat is something like candy, cookies, cake, chips etc. Then when they ask for a piece of candy for a snack, I remind them that candy falls in the “treat” category, and to try again!
6. Use Sneaky Veggies! For the days that you know will be indulgent or you just don’t feel like thinking about getting your kids to eat vegetables…make recipes that taste delicious but are loaded with sneaky veggies…like these Carrot Zucchini Muffins! Some other ideas are: spinach banana muffins, chocolate peanut butter green smoothie, paleo zucchini muffins, double chocolate zucchini bread, and the list goes on and on!

Finally, remember food is to be enjoyed. You can still feed your kids healthy meals that they LOVE! Try blending zucchini into your pizza sauce and make your own pizza dough! make a lightened-up version of mac & cheese, and don’t forget a generous dollop of guacamole on taco night!

Please check out these other recipes by amazing bloggers who are also promoting the mission of World Vision!

Goat Cheese Cheesecake by Food Faith Fitness

Huevos Rancheros by Chef Billy Parisi

Almond Flour Loaf Cake by Cotter Crunch

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

The process of transitioning a baby to solid foods is a huge milestone. The very first time you feed your sweet baby can be really fun. However, the novelty wears off very quickly, and the process of feeding your baby pureed foods 3x/day becomes a little taxing.

I’m just being real here. With my first daughter I couldn’t wait to start the solid food journey. But with each successive child I’ve waited longer and longer to add solid foods to our daily routine. Which means I make these lactation cookies for longer too!

This time around I got tired just thinking about feeding one more person every time we sat down to eat. However, the glorious reality that solid food brings of switching from nursing every 3 hours, to every 4 hours motivated me to get the ball rolling, and make some of these baby food carrots.

The first real foods I feed my babies are usually avocado and sweet potatoes. Next, I introduce baby food carrots since they’re in the same “orange vegetable” family.

Just like most varieties, homemade baby food carrots are so much more delicious than store-bought varieties. There is absolutely no contest when it comes to the rich, slightly sweet, flavor when you make your own baby food carrots.

How to make Baby Food Carrots 

This recipe is simple to make. I prefer to roast the carrots for flavor but you could cook them in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.

Roast the Carrots

Like sweet potatoes, I recommend roasting the carrots since it brings out their natural sweetness. I toss them in a small amount of olive oil and spread them on the pan. Then I roast them at 425 degrees F until they look like the picture below. A little shrively, a little browned, a whole lot of deliciousness (I have to keep myself from eating all of them before I get to the blending phase)!

You can also just toss 2 lbs of carrots into the slow cooker and let them cook. You won’t get the roasted flavor but they’re still yummy and easier to make.

Blend the carrots

Using the Vitamix to make homemade baby food is the best ever. Silky smooth purees are ready in minutes (or seconds)! Start by using a small amount of water, and then  I add more until you achieve the consistency that’s best for your baby.

In the early weeks/months make sure the mixture is silky smooth, because your baby is not ready to handle texture yet. As your baby grows it’s important to introduce them to more texture, so leave it a little chunkier.

How to Freeze baby food carrots

I recommend making a large batch and freezing some for later. Drop 2 tablespoon portions into the wells of these silicone ice cube trays (which are my absolute favorite because they have a hard rim, making it easy to transport them from the counter to the freezer)!

Then let the baby food freeze, pop the cubes out and store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer.

Reheat the baby food carrots

Simply warm frozen cubes in the microwave for about 60 seconds on high. Stir and test the temperature to be sure it isn’t too warm, then feed your baby.

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Baby Food Carrots

Homemade Baby Food Carrots are so easy to make and only contain two ingredients – organic carrots and water! Plus they taste so much better than store-bought baby food!

Course baby food

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 15.5kcal

Author Laura

Ingredients

• 1 lb organic carrots (peeled)
• 1 TBS Olive oil
• 2-4 TBS water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toss carrots in olive oil and spread evenly on a large baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes, stir and bake for 20 more or until soft and golden brown.
• Add desired amount of water and roasted carrots to your Vitamix {or other high-powered blender or food processor} and blend until smooth.

Video

Notes

How to Freeze baby food carrots

I recommend making a large batch and freezing some for later. Drop 2 tablespoon portions into the wells of these silicone ice cube trays (which are my absolute favorite because they have a hard rim, making it easy to transport them from the counter to the freezer)!

Then let the baby food freeze, pop the cubes out and store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer.

Reheat the baby food carrots

Simply warm frozen cubes in the microwave for about 60 seconds on high. Stir and test the temperature to be sure it isn’t too warm, then feed your baby.

Cooking methods

If you’d prefer not to roast the carrots, you can steam them on the stovetop for 15 minutes or cook them in a crockpot set to high for 1-2 hours – until soft. 

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 15.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.6g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Potassium: 120.7mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 1.8g | Vitamin A: 4540IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Making your own baby food at home is SO easy, and totally worth it. It saves so much money and you know exactly what you are feeding your baby {carrots and water}!

I feel like I need to apologize to all of you for not being more on top of sharing all the yummy foods I have fed Mara so far! I have a few more already shot and ready to go, and I will continue trying my best to post as I introduce new foods/combinations to her! I’m trying to soak in all of her sweetness {as well as being fully present for my three other kids}, so there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all!

Check out these other baby food posts!

• How to Introduce Solids to your Baby
• Homemade Bay Food Sweet Potatoes
• Homeamde Pumpkin & Apple Baby Food Puree 
• How to Introduce Peanuts to your Baby 

The links in this post are affiliate links, thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine.

I have had four kids over the last 7 years. It’s amazing how much the “rules” have changed in that timeframe. From carseat use, to the introduction of specific foods, updated research seems to suggest a new set of “best practices” every six months.

As a parent it can be tricky to navigate the changing “rules” when it comes to raising kids! We all just want our babies to be happy & healthy and wake up every morning knowing they are loved. That’s why I’m an advocate for *going with your gut*. While you should obviously choose a doctor who you trust with your kids’ lives {because you just never know}, and generally abide by his/her health advice, when it comes to making the day-to-day decisions about your kid’s well-being you – as your child’s parent – are most likely to know what’s best for them.

When I had Bethany her doctor told me not to feed her peanuts until she was a toddler. I nodded along, but inwardly laughed to myself and thought, “no chance that’s happening.” It just didn’t make any sense to me.

Now, it should be no surprise that the topic of introducing your baby to peanuts is incredibly important  to me. The absolute last allergy I would want my children to develop is an allergy to peanuts {and I feel a deep, real sympathy for moms who sacrifice their love of peanut butter daily for their children with allergies}! I’m pretty sure we’d just have to move to a new house because of the amount of peanut butter consumed here.

No joke…at one point my husband had an employee with an airborne peanut allergy. I had to tell her that setting foot in our house would almost definitely send her instantly into to anaphylactic shock.

Any who, I’m fairly certain that my babies’ sweet little bodies are comprised of about 85% peanut butter when they are born due to the fact that I consume it in embarrassingly large quantities. Plus, while I’m nursing I eat said amount of peanut butter without batting an eye. This means that my babies are exposed to peanuts every day of their lives. So I went with my gut and fed all of them peanuts very early {5-6 months}.

And while the “no peanuts” rule was still in effect when my second child was born, by the time baby #3 came along the “best practices” had changed. At Naomi’s 6-month checkup my pediatrician explained that it was time to introduce her to solid foods if I hadn’t yet {check out this post on how to introduce solids to your baby}. He literally said, “You can feed her anything. In fact, you can make her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if she’ll eat it.”

He then went on to explain that studies show that early introduction to peanuts prevents peanut allergies! Honestly, I wasn’t surprised at all (hence why we let our kids eat food off the floor and don’t freak out when they eat a handful of dirt at the park). {I know I’m not the only mom who does this}! “It builds their immune system,” we say.

How to introduce Peanuts to Baby: Start them young!

Check out the results from a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2015.

“Researchers found that babies at high risk of developing a peanut allergy who were fed the equivalent of about 4 heaping teaspoons of peanut butter each week, starting at the age of 4 to 11 months, were about 80 percent less likely to develop an allergy to the legume by age 5 than similar kids who avoided peanuts.” 

Those numbers are pretty remarkable if you ask me! Yes, I rely a lot on *going-with-my-gut* when it comes to parenting. But the scientist in me loves it when my gut and research coincide so beautifully. {I majored in chemistry and was a high school teacher until Bethany was born}!  Note that the study says to introduce peanuts between 4 and 11 months of age! That is much younger than the previously held “best practice” of waiting until their toddler years! (Yay for PB!)

How to introduce Peanuts to Baby:  Use powdered peanut butter!

While early introduction of peanuts and peanut butter into your baby’s diet may be beneficial, they can be choking hazards for babies. When they are 4-6 months old they are still learning the mechanics of eating. Even purees can be difficult for them to eat at this stage.

And while I’m not a safety-crazed mom, I am extremely mindful and careful with my children around food. Please never leave your little ones unattended while they are eating.  And only feed them foods that do not pose obvious choking threats. {This is one of the reasons I am not a proponent of baby led weaning}.

So, in order to ensure that my kids are introduced to peanuts at a young age without the risks of choking, I use Crazy Richards 100% peanut powder! Simply mix it into a food you have already introduce and know they are not allergic to {like bananas or – as in these photos – applesauce}. I promise they will love it. 

How to introduce Peanuts to your Baby!

I am a firm believer in introducing babies to single-ingredient foods with 4-5 days in between. This ensures you can monitor whether or not they are not allergic to the foods you are feeding them.

I recommend mixing Crazy Richard’s peanut butter powder into a food you already know your baby is not allergic to. That way, if your child does have a reaction, you will be able to reasonably determine that it was caused by the new food- peanuts – and nothing else! Here is the “recipe” I used to introduce Mara to peanuts….

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Peanut Butter Powder Applesauce

How to introduce peanuts to your baby and avoid choking risks.

Course baby food

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 1 Serving

Calories 24kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons

Ingredients

• 2 TBS unsweetened applesauce store-bought or homemade!
• ½ TBS powdered peanut butter

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add ½ TBS Crazy Richards powdered peanut butter to 2 TBS unsweetened applesauce.
• Mix until combined and mixture is homogenous (e.g. no lumps)
• Feed it to your baby immediately!

Notes

Any fruit puree can be used in place of applesauce. Recommendations include but are not limited to: bananas, pears and avocados.

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

I also recommend other fruit purees such as bananas, pears and avocados!

As you can see, my sweet baby girl loved her first taste of peanuts! Peanut butter always makes me smile too, Mara!

Use Crazy Richard’s!

One more note before I sign off and let you go feed your babies some peanut butter powder {or grab a spoonful for yourself….}. I highly recommend using Crazy Richard’s products. Since I go through a borderline crazy amount of peanut butter and peanut butter powder in our house, it’s very important to me to buy the best of the best.

Not only does Crazy Richard’s peanut butter have the best taste and texture of any other variety on the market, but it’s ingredient list cannot be beat. See it below?

INGREDIENTS: PEANUTS

That’s it. Because what else needs to be in there?! Salt? No way! Sugar? Get outta here. I wouldn’t feed my pure sweet babies anything that had either of those two ingredients at this stage of their lives!

Even the powder contains no fillers or added ingredients! See for yourself….

The moral of the story

If you want help prevent your child from developing an allergy to peanuts, feed them peanuts early and often! Oh, and one more pic of my adorable baby being the cutest ever…

More peanut butter recipes: 

If you’re looking for more delicious recipes to feed your toddlers or older kids that use peanut butter, you are in the right place! Click here for an index of all the peanut butter recipes on my site! Here are a few of my faves to get you started:

Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal

Chocolate Peanut Butter Green Smoothie

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Bars {all-time favorite recipe}

And a little treat…

Frozen Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Bananas

You can also click here to see the index of baby food recipes on my site {more to come soon as well}!

Question: When did you first introduce your baby to peanuts?! 

If you make something from JoyFoodSunshine I would love to see your creations! #joyfoodsunshine

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This post is sponsored by my friends at Crazy Richards. Thank you for allowing me to continue creating delicious recipes for you by supporting partnerships with amazing brands that I LOVE. As always, opinions are completely my own! 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

We try to eat seasonally as much as possible around here! We rely on farmer’s markets, produce stands, and our own garden for fresh, locally-grown produce.

Since seasonal eating is important to me when it comes to feeding my older kids, I adopt the same principles when feeding my babies. This Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree takes the best of fall produce and combines it into a delicious puree that your baby will love to eat!

I’ve been babies homemade purees for over 10 years now (see how I introduce solid foods to babies). I have made just about every baby food combination under the sun, and this is one of babies’ favorites.

I don’t know what it is about the orange veggies, but all of my kids have loved them. First I introduce sweet potatoes, then move on to carrots and pumpkin. The problem with pumpkin is that most of my kids haven’t loved it on its own.

That’s understandable right?! Have you ever cracked open a can of pumpkin puree and dug right in? (Me neither). That’s why I love adding apples to bring a little sweetness to the pumpkin in this Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree!

Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food: Substitutions

There are only two ingredients in this recipe, {well 3 including water} but here are a few notes about each!

• Apples. I recommend a sweet, flavorful apple variety like Galas, Honeycrisps or Pink Ladies. But any variety will do. If you already have homemade, unsweetened applesauce on hand feel free to use 1 1/2 cups of applesauce instead of the 3 cups of cooked apples. Use organic apples and make sure to wash them thoroughly.
• Pumpkin. I have included instructions to use freshly roasted pumpkin. But you can also use canned, organic pumpkin.

How to make apple pumpkin baby food

This recipe is simple, cook the apple and pumpkin, add water and blend. Here are a few tips.

Use a Vitamix!

A question you might be asking yourself is, “If I use pumpkin puree and applesauce (instead of whole apples and freshly roasted pumpkin), do I still need to blend them together?”

The answer is yes. You want your Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree to be as smooth as possible. Plus blending ensures that both the flavor and texture are consistent throughout the mixture! There’s no better way to make homemade baby food than in the Vitamix!

Blend until the mixture is smooth. I find young babies have trouble handling any sort of texture, so be careful to blend well.

How to freeze homemade pumpkin baby food

I have two different silicone trays that I use to freeze purees. When my babies are younger I use this individual silicone brownie pan, because each well holds 1 TBS of puree. The downside to this pan is that it doens’t have a lid, so you have to be careful when you put it in the freezer.

I recently purchased three of these silicone ice cube trays and LOVE them (pictured below). Two specific features that are great about these are: 1) they have a hard outer rim which makes it easy to lift & move even when it’s full. and 2) they come with lids! Each well also has a larger capacity of 2 TBS, so they’re perfect once your baby develops a larger appetite!

Let the mixture freeze completely and then transfer the frozen cubes to an airtight, freezer-friendly container. Gently warm the amount of baby food you need in the microwave or on the stovetop and serve it to your baby slightly warm but not hot.

Store

You can also store the baby food in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Don’t forget to nourish yourself as you feed your baby – try these lactation cookies to keep up the milk supply while you feed your baby solids.

Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree

This homemade apple & pumpkin baby food puree is an easy & healthy recipe to feed your baby this fall! Only 3 organic ingredients (pumpkin, apples & water) means no preservatives, food dyes or additives!

Course baby food, Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16 2 TBS portions

Calories 21kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• Vitamix blender
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• silicone ice cube tray

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree* 1 small sugar/pie pumpkin or 1 (15 oz can organic pumpkin puree)
• 3 medium apples peeled cored & chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Homemade Pumpkin Puree:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Remove the stem from the pumpkin, cut it in half and remove the seeds.
• Place both halves of the pumpkin flesh side down in a 9×13” baking dish.
• Pour water in the bottom of the dish until it fills the dish about ¼” high.
• Cover pan/pumpkins with foil and bake for 45-60 minutes or until the pumpkins are soft to the touch (the skin depresses when pushed).
• Set pumpkin halves flesh-side up to cool.
• Once cool, remove pumpkin flesh from the skin and measure out 1 ½ cups.

Cook apples:

• Place peeled & chopped apples and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are soft (about 10-12 minutes).
• Remove from heat and let the water and apples cool (do not discard water, reserve it to use in the baby food).

Make the puree:

• Add ½ cup of the water used to cook apples, cooked apples and pumpkin to the container of your Vitamix blender.
• Turn the machine on and slowly increase the speed to high, blend until smooth
• If necessary, add up to an ½ cup more water and continue blending until mixture reaches desired consistency (younger babies (4-7 months) need thinner purees, while older babies (8+ months) can handle a little bit of texture)!

Freeze/store:

• Freeze in 1-2 TBS portions using an ice cube tray or silicone mold.
• Once frozen, remove cubes from tray/mold and transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer.

To Reheat:

• Place desired number of cubes in a microwave safe container and warm for 30 seconds per cube. Check to ensure they are not too warm before feeding to your baby!

Notes

Ingredients

• Apples. I recommend a sweet, flavorful apple variety like Galas, Honeycrisps or Pink Ladies. But any variety will do. If you already have homemade, unsweetened applesauce on hand feel free to use 1 1/2 cups of applesauce instead of the 3 cups of cooked apples. Use organic apples and make sure to wash them thoroughly.
• Pumpkin. I have included instructions to use freshly roasted pumpkin. But you can also use canned, organic pumpkin.

Store

Store in an glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Freeze

Transfer the puree to ice cube trays to freeze, or individual containers to store in the refrigerator. I love these silicone ice cube trays.  they have a firm outer rim, making them easy to transport, and a lid for storage! The wells hold 2 TBS of puree. 

Once they are frozen, transfer the cubes to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Reheat

Reheat refrigerated puree until just warmed.

Reheat one or two cubes of frozen puree in a glass container in microwave for 40-60 seconds. You could also warm it on the stovetop or let it thaw at room temperature for several hours.

 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.3g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 0.9mg | Potassium: 27.7mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 3.4g | Vitamin A: 2825IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg

An important note about combination purees.

 Always start your babies on single-food purees.

This is important to ensure that your sweet baby is not allergic to the foods you feed her. If you feed her a combination of foods, like this Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree and she has a reaction, you will not be able to decipher which food caused it.

So, before you feed this Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree to your little one, be sure you have introduced her to both apples and pumpkin, separately!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

I am always a bag of mixed emotions once I begin feeding my babies solid foods. On the one hand, it’s so fun to introduce our kids to new foods and experiences, but on the other, it’s just another reminder of the irreversible passing of time. Sigh.

I wrote about introducing solid foods – don’t forget ot keep eating these lactation cookies when you start! and have shared some of my baby food recipes. I want to help take the guesswork out of feeding your babies and show you just how easy it is to make your own baby food at home, starting with this Homemade Sweet Potato Baby Food Recipe.

When my first baby was ready to eat solids I did a ton of research before I started. So I’m hoping that my experiences with 6 kids can help all of you moms out there! I usually start by feeding my babies sweet potato puree!

How to make Sweet Potato Baby Food 

Making homemade baby food is really simple. To make baby food sweet potatoes begin by cooking the potatoes, then add water, blend and store.

Cook the potatoes

There are a few way to prepare sweet potatoes to make baby food.

1. Roast. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake them until they are soft. Then open up the foil to let the potatoes cool.
2. Crockpot. With my last baby I started cooking the sweet potatoes in my crockpt and it is now my favorite method. Put about a fourth of a cup of water in the bottom of the crockpot and then add as many sweet potatoes as you’d like. Then let them cook on high until they are soft (2-4 hours depending on the size of your potatoes). Remove and let them cool slightly.
3. Boil. You can also peel and boil the sweet potatoes until they are fork-tender.

Add Water & Blend

Add water and blend/process for about 60 seconds. Check the consistency, scrape the sides and blend longer or add more water if necessary. At this point your food is ready to feed your baby! However, I like to save a small portion for now, and then store the rest for future feedings.

How to Freeze Sweet Potato Baby Food

To keep baby food fresh longer this, scoop the puree in 1 or 2 TBS portions into the wells of a silicone ice cube tray or individual silicone brownie pan. I have used regular ice cube trays in the past, but it’s much easier to remove the food cubes from molds made of silicone!

Once the pan or tray is full, pop it in the freezer and wait for the cubes to freeze completely.

Store the Frozen Sweet Potato Baby Food

Once the puree is frozen, remove the cubes of Homemade Baby Food Sweet Potatoes from the molds and transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-friendly plastic bag.

Warming up the Sweet Potato Baby Food from frozen

When it’s mealtime, simply remove the desired number of cubes from the freezer and heat them in the microwave on high for 30 seconds per cube.

Important: be sure to test the temperature of the puree before feeding it to your baby! You might need to let it cool slightly after heating it!

Sweet Potato Baby Food Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Sweet Potato Baby Food

Easy homemade sweet potato baby food puree. This recipe has only two ingredients, sweet potatoes and water! Making your own baby food is less expensive, tastier, and more nutritious than store-bought varieties!

Course baby food, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20 2 TBS portions of baby food

Calories 16.2kcal

Author Laura

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes
• 1/4-1/2 cup water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
• Thoroughly wash your sweet potatoes.
• Wrap each sweet potato individually with aluminum foil.
• Place your sweet potatoes on a pan and put them in the oven.
• Bake for 1 to 2 hours, or until potatoes are soft to the touch.
• Remove potatoes from foil and let cool.
• Scoop out insides and place in a blender (Vitamix) or food processor with 2 TBS water.
• Blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
• Scoop puree into a silicone individual brownie pan or silicone ice cube tray with individual square compartments and freeze for at least 4 hours.
• Remove squares from the pan and place in a plastic bag labeled “sweet potatoes.”

Video

Notes

To feed to your baby just reheat the desired number of squares in the microwave for 1 minute (then let cool to a palatable temperature for your baby)! You can also let sit in the fridge or at room temperature to thaw. But who has time for that?

Nutrition

Serving: 2TBS | Calories: 16.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.7g | Protein: 0.4g | Sodium: 6.5mg | Potassium: 85.5mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 1.2g | Vitamin A: 1080IU | Vitamin C: 3.5mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg

3 Reasons you should make your own baby food: 

1. It is cost effective.
2. You know exactly what you are feeding your baby.
3. Homemade baby food tastes worlds better than store-bought!

It’s cheaper

Let’s start by discussing cost. One pound of organic sweet potatoes costs $0.98 on sale, which yields about 20 TBS of food (10 oz). One 2.5 oz jar of organic sweet potato baby food is $1.00. Which means that jarred sweet potatoes are 4 times more expensive than Homemade Sweet Potato Baby Food! Over the handful of months that your baby will eat purees, the savings is huge.

Real Ingredients

There are two ingredients in this recipe, sweet potatoes and water. That’s it. No fillers, no stabilizers, no preservatives, no food dyes. Just nature’s best root veggie roasted to sweet perfection and blended until it’s silky smooth!

Taste

Have you ever been to a baby shower and played the game “guess the baby food?” Yuck.

True story: When Bethany was 10 months old we went on vacation. I made a few things in our condo…these Homemade Baby Food Sweet Potatoes actually, and I kept bananas on hand. However, I had to buy a few jars for our trip. Bethany loved homemade peas, but when I gave her the first spoonful of the jarred variety she cried. She wasn’t a picky kid at all, so I tasted them and oh man were they awful! Truly nothing beats homemade!

I know what you’re thinking, “But I don’t have time to make my own baby food.”

I get it, but making this Sweet Potato Baby Food (and all other baby food varieties) is simple and fast!

I promise you will learn to love making food for your baby! This Homemade Sweet Potato Baby Food is the perfect recipe to start with because sweet potatoes are a favorite food of babies everywhere, so your little one is sure to love them!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale. Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine! 

The process of starting your baby on solid foods can be daunting to a first {or fourth} time mom! It feels like you finally get into a great sleeping/eating routine and then just like *that* it’s time to add something new to the mix. Well, after having four kids I want to share some tips and tricks from my experience on How to Introduce Solid Foods with your baby!  Hopefully I can help make the introduction of baby food fun and not the least bit scary!

So this post discusses how to start out. In later posts I will show you how I prepare different foods for my babies!

Where we are at with nursing when we introduce solid foods.

I am all about getting my kids on a schedule. If you aren’t, it’s ok….one of the beautiful things about motherhood is the variety in it’s methods. However, I swear by the book Babywise and all of my girls have slept through the night by 2 months old, which is invaluable to me.

Since I build a routine into our family, my babies pretty quickly adapt to the 3-hour nursing schedule and stick with it for the first 5-6 months of their cute little lives. This schedule determines when/how often I feed solids, so here is what a typical day looks like for us from birth to about 6 months old.

When to start solids.

Every pediatrician my kids have seen has recommended starting solids by 6 months of age, with permission to begin as early as 4 months.  I usually fall somewhere in between those two. I make the choice to start based on our life circumstances {e.g. we aren’t super busy}. This time I started because ALL of my kids AND my husband were dying to see Mara eat food and feed her! LOL! Peer pressure at it’s finest.

How to know when your baby is ready to introduce solid foods.

There are a few signs to look for to determine if your baby is ready to give solid foods a go!

She is interested in food.

I notice my babies getting interested in the food I’m eating around 4-5 months old. They watch as I put a spoon in my mouth or lean in towards my plate to catch a closer look at the food on it. Mara actually went to grab my bowl of quinoa salad and spilled it allllll over the floor! She clearly is wondering what’s going on during mealtime!

She can hold up her head.

You cannot feed a baby while she’s laying down. Once our little ones can sit in a bumbo for at least 10 minutes without getting too tired then I know they are strong enough to sit up for a feeding!

She grabs things and put them in her mouth.

When you put a toy in your baby’s hands does she immediately put it in her mouth? Then they are likely ready to eat from a spoon.

What to expect with the first feeding.

Your baby will likely spit out most of the food you feed her at first. The first week or so is just getting her used to eating from a spoon. It’s not about calories or the amount of food that they actually ingest, as much as it is about teaching her a new skill that is completely foreign to her!

Remember, your baby can live on breastmilk alone for the first 6-7 months of her life, so relax and have fun. If she doesn’t get the hang of it after a week you might want to stop and try again later. 

Now, since I’ve waited until I was pretty sure my babies were more than ready to eat solid foods, they have all been champs. I made Mara’s food a little thicker than I usually have in the past to start, and she did great! You will know what your baby can handle as you try different things!

Tips

Always nurse {or feed a bottle} first.

The bulk of your baby’s nutrition needs to come from breastmilk {or formula}. It is important that your baby nurses or drinks her bottle first so she does not fill up on solid foods before she receives the nutrition she needs. Any solid foods should be considered supplements to nursing at the 4-8 month stage.

Start with very thin/liquidy “food”

My husband laughs and says we start our babies on “liquid foods” not solids. Eating is a new skill for your baby. She is only used to ingesting liquids, so if you try to feed her thick, pasty food she will likely gag, choke and not be able to swallow it. If you begin with cereal make it very thin and runny. If you begin with avocado or sweet potato blend it with enough water to make it easy to swallow for your child. 

Observe your baby after she eats.

When it’s time to start solid foods I usually choose to introduce new foods at the lunchtime feeding (11 AM). I do this because it is the longest stretch of time my babies are awake during the day, so I can observe them and see if they have an allergic reaction to new foods.

It’s very important to be certain that your child is not allergic to the foods you feed them. Do not feed your baby a new food and put them down for a nap right away. You run the risk of being unaware if they have an allergic reaction, which I don’t have to tell you, is not good.

Introduce solid foods 1 at a time with 4-5 days in between.

This also is to ensure that you are certain your child is not allergic to the foods they are eating. If you introduce multiple foods at a time and your child has a reaction, you will be unable to discern which food is causing the problem. If you have only fed them one new food and they react poorly to it, then you know exactly what the cause is!

Amount/Timing

Ok, so here is a super practical chart of how I introduce solid foods week by week. The first week is just getting your baby used to eating from a spoon and increasing food intake. After that I try to add a new feeding every week for the first three weeks until they are eating breakfast, lunch and dinner {again, always nursing first}.

How to know when they are done.

Remember your baby’s stomach is the size of their cute little fist. Do not jam them full! Every baby is different. At the beginning stages of eating solids all my babies ate about 2-4 TBS of food per meal. However, you need to listen to your baby and watch their cues. If they start pulling their head away, pushing the spoon away with their hands, refusing to open their mouths, etc. then they are telling you they are done. Please don’t force your baby to finish all the food you prepare for them. They are learning and so are you. I have often mixed up a meal for my baby only to have them eat 2 TBS of it. I simply put the rest in the refrigerator for the next meal!

New Foods

Once you have worked up to 3 meals/day, the goal is to continue introducing new foods, one every 4-5 days! Here is a list of  foods that are great for a beginning eater {4-6 months}

After you have introduced your baby to many different foods and are feeding her three times a day, you will be able to get into a routine that works for your family. 

Since times for meals vary so widely from family to family, I’ve created a graphic with a typical day for my babies around 6-8 months! I try to vary the type of fruits and veggies I feed them daily. If they eat an orange vegetable at lunch, I serve a green veggie at dinner. If they have bananas at breakfast, they get pears at the next meal!

What if my baby doesn’t like a certain food?

If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. I had to introduce avocado to my oldest 4 times before she actually liked it and ate it willingly. My mom thought I was being mean feeding her a food she didn’t like {LOL}. But I truly believe that we {parents} determine whether or not our children become picky eaters.

Of course it’s easier to only feed your baby the foods she absolutely loves and gobbles up willingly. However, we try to parent for the later, not just the now. So even though now I’d just like to fill her belly with bananas so she takes a good nap, it’s very important to me that my children learn to eat what they are served, whether they love it or not.

Must-Have Baby Food Products

And finally, here is a list of products that I use {and love} to make baby food. The list is short and simple but all of these things are staples in my baby-feed life!

Vitamix

Surprise surprise right?! I actually bought my first Vitamix when my oldest daughter was starting solids so that I could make baby food for her, {and smoothies for me}!  It has become my most beloved kitchen tool {as you know if you’ve spent any amount of time on my blog}!

Silicone Molds or Ice Cube Trays

Silicone molds/ice cube trays make it SO easy to freeze baby food in perfectly, pre-portioned amounts. I use silicone ice cube molds or mini brownie trays to freeze the baby food in 1 or 2 TBS portions. Then I simply reheat it in the microwave for 30 seconds per cube!

Bibs

These bibs were life changing. We didn’t discover them until my second child {Gabe} was like 2 years old. I love that you can wipe them clean after eating instead of needing to throw them in the washer every time! LOVE.

Spoons

I’m pretty sure we got the spoons we use regularly from the dollar store! LOL! Just make sure you get little ones that your baby can easily put in their moth!

Little containers with lids

You will have to feed your baby on the go. You will need a way to transport your homemade baby food! Here are a few great options!

That’s it! You don’t need anything crazy fancy to make your baby food! Simple, easy, cost effective and nutritious!

Do you have any questions about introducing your baby to solid foods that I didn’t answer in this post?!

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As you already know, I’m all about sneaky veggies. I want my kids to love eating vegetables, and usually they do! But for days when you don’t feel like being the veggie-eating-police, kid-friendly recipes that include a hearty serving of greens are a must.

These Zucchini Banana Pancakes are amazing. Seriously! They are fluffy and flavorful. Plus they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and full of nutritious ingredients.

Zucchini Banana Pancakes: Substitutions 

• Old-fashioned oats. If you do not have a high-powered blender, you can buy pre-made oat flour and substitute it 1:1 for the old-fashioned oats.
• Almond meal/flour. If you have a nut allergy or don’t keep this ingredient on hand, simply increase the old fashioned oats by 1/4 cup.
• Almond milk. Any type of milk works excellently in this recipe. I have used almond milk, an almond/coconut milk blend, and regular 2% milk with great results.
• Coconut sugar: any granulated sugar works perfectly in this Zucchini Banana pancake recipe.

How to make Zucchini Banana Pancakes

1. Use a Vitamix! 

These Zucchini Banana Oatmeal Pancakes are another made-in-the-Vitamix creation. When I add veggies to a recipe I like to blend them so well that the only way their presence can be detected is by the color of the final product. BONUS, you score mom points for serving colored food.

2. Make oat flour 

Grind the oats in your blender to make oat flour. It really takes a few seconds to do this. It’s amazing how quickly you can take a pantry staple, like old-fashioned oats, and turn it into a delicious gluten-free flour.

3. Mix dry ingredients 

Transfer the oat flour from the Vitamix into a small bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients, then set it aside!

4. Blend wet ingredients

Next, put all the wet ingredients, except for the egg, into the container of your Vitamix and blend them until they’re smooth.

5. Add dry ingredients to the blender

After the wet mixture is smooth, add the dry ingredients to the Vitamix and blend well. Finally, add the egg and pulse until it’s just combined. The batter should be smooth and just a little thick. If it seems too thick for you, add extra milk 1 TBS at a time.

6. Use a griddle to cook the Zucchini Banana Pancakes

Next, heat up that griddle and start cooking. I love using a griddle because I can make at least 8 Zucchini Banana Pancakes at once so it saves time (something I never seem to have enough of, especially in the mornings).

Cook the Zucchini Banana Oatmeal Pancakes on the first side for about 3-5 minutes. Once you see the edges start to harden and little bubbles begin to form in the batter, flip them over. Cook on the second side for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from skillet and dive right in.

Serving suggestions 

• I topped these Zucchini Banana Pancakes with a 1:1 mixture of warm peanut butter and maple syrup. Oh my word it was to DIE for! Just combine equal amounts of maple syrup and peanut butter and gently warm the mixture until the peanut butter is completely melted.
• These healthy blender pancakes can also be served with pure maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit, almond butter, whipped cream, etc. The Sky’s the limit!

Recipe FAQs

More Delicious Pancake Recipes 

• These are seriously the best, fluffiest banana pancakes ever.
• We make these Greek Yogurt Pancakes all the time, they’re a family and reader favorite.
• We LOVE these healthy chocolate pancakes who doesn’t want chocolate for breakfast?
• If you’re looking for the best whole wheat pancakes, these are easy and healthy.
• These Spinach Pancakes have sneaky veggies in them. They’re green so they’re perfect for St. Patty’s Day or Christmas.
• These zucchini banana pancakes are perfect for summer.

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

Print

Zucchini Banana Pancakes

Zucchini Banana Pancakes! A super easy & healthy breakfast recipe made in your blender! Full of fruit, sneaky veggies and oats. Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 18 pancakes

Calories 61.6kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• Vitamix blender

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup almond meal/flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 TBS coconut sugar*
• 1 cup zucchini grated
• 1 cup almond milk regular milk works as well
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg**
• Optional mix-ins: chocolate chips blueberries, cinnamon chips, sprinkles, etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat a large griddle to 350 degrees F.
• Put oats into the container of your blender (Vitamix preferred) and blend on high until they are the consistency of flour (20-30 seconds). Pour into a small bowl.
• Add your almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and coconut sugar to the oat flour and set aside.
• Put your grated zucchini, almond milk, banana and vanilla in your blender and blend until completely smooth.
• Add dry ingredients to your Vitamix and blend on medium speed until combined.
• Add the egg and blend until just combined.
• When your griddle is hot and batter is ready, grease it with oil or non-stick spray.
• Scoop ¼ cup portions of batter onto the greased griddle. Cook pancakes for 3-5 minutes, until the batter starts to bubble and the edges get firm.
• Flip and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!

Notes

*You can use any granulated sugar of your choice. I have used coconut sugar and raw sugar!*

*For vegan option: mix 1 TBS ground flaxseed with 2.5 TBS hot water. Let sit for 5 minutes until gelatinous. Use in the recipe in place of egg. If the batter is too thick, add extra milk 1 TBS at a time until it reaches your desired consistency!

Storage

Refrigerate these in an air-tight container for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 2 months. 

Ingredient Substitution 

• Old-fashioned oats. If you do not have a high-powered blender, you can buy pre-made oat flour and substitute it 1:1 for the old-fashioned oats.
• Almond meal/flour. If you have a nut allergy or don’t keep this ingredient on hand, simply increase the old-fashioned oats by 1/4 cup.
• Almond milk. Any type of milk works excellently in this recipe. I have used almond milk, an almond/coconut milk blend, and regular 2% milk with great results.
• Coconut sugar: any granulated sugar works perfectly in this Zucchini Banana pancake recipe.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1pancake | Calories: 61.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 62.7mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 2.6g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 0.7mg

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