Raw fruit purees are unsafe for babies to eat, because some raw fruit can carry pathogens. Therefore, you should heat the puree of raw fresh fruits (e.g. apples, peaches, pears, melons and other soft fruits) to about 180 °F, or to a simmering temperature, and then cool.
Many pediatric sources recommend cooking fruits until baby is about 8 months old. Bananas and avocado are an exception. For infants who start solids prior to 6 months old, cooking fruits is recommended.
For infants who start solids prior to 6 months old, cooking fruits is really a good idea. Cooking fruits breaks them down thus enabling easier digestion in an immature tummy. An older baby will be better able to handle the fibers and sugars of raw fruits than will the baby who is younger and just starting on solids.
Do You Need to Steam Fruits and Veggies for Baby? It's recommended that most fruits and veggies are steamed (or cooked) before serving until baby reaches around 8 months of age. Some foods require cooking (like apples and sweet potatoes), just so they're soft enough to puree.
Baby purees are often best served at room temperature, but don't be tempted to partially reheat food for your baby to avoid having to wait for it to cool. Unless served cold straight from the fridge, baby purees should always be reheated until piping hot, which means steaming throughout, to kill off bacteria.
You can make apple puree by baking, slow cooking, pressure cooking, steaming or simmering the apples on the stove. My preferred method is cooking on the stovetop.
Raw fruit purees are unsafe for babies to eat, because some raw fruit can carry pathogens. Therefore, you should heat the puree of raw fresh fruits (e.g. apples, peaches, pears, melons and other soft fruits) to about 180 °F, or to a simmering temperature, and then cool.
Mash or blend soft ripe fruits to a suitable texture for your baby, or give them as finger foods. Harder fruits will need to be cooked to soften them. Wash and remove any pips, stones and hard skin.
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!
Irrespective of how they are consumed, raw or stewed, apples are always healthy. But when you boil the apples for babies, there are some extra benefits that can be reaped. Boiling the apples makes it easy for you to feed recently weaned babies who probably don't have teeth yet and are just about able to swallow.
Boiling fruits may result in the loss of many vital vitamins. As much as one-half to one-third of vitamins A and C, thiamine and riboflavin are lost in cooking. Soaking fruits can rob them of their nutrients because many of the minerals and vitamins found in vegetables dissolve in water.
Not only can you use frozen produce to make baby food, it's often easier to mash and puree frozen fruits and vegetables. Here are a few tips for making baby food with frozen fruits and vegetables: Thaw fruits and vegetables first. Cook all vegetables (frozen fruit doesn't need to be cooked)
Steaming fruits are recommended for easier digestion until the baby is eight months old. Steaming fruits helps to break them down and ensure easier digestion in small babies. Please note that few fruits like banana, kiwi, and avocado are the exceptions and require no cooking.
Steam is the key to making baby food
Whether you're making puréed baby food or doing baby-led weaning, the food needs to be soft enough to blend or for your baby to eat with their gums, with little to no oil. This means that steaming is the best option when it comes to cooking fruits and veggies for your baby.
Yes, frozen fruit is great too!
Frozen fruit is also an excellent option for your baby or toddler. It's typically harvested and frozen at the peak of ripeness and retains its nutrient properties.
You can start weaning with single vegetables and fruits – try blended, mashed, or soft cooked sticks of parsnip, broccoli, potato, yam, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear. You could also try baby rice mixed with your baby's usual milk.
Experts recommend getting 5-7 servings of fruit per day. Offering babe a variety of fruits is a great way to help them meet these recommendations and develop healthy habits as they grow.
6 to 8 months old:
Serve peeled or unpeeled ripe whole kiwis for baby to munch from. Offering a whole kiwi with half of the skin left on works well as baby can more easily hold the part with the skin and munch at the fruit that does not have the skin. The skin is edible though it may contain pesticides.
Blueberries can be pureed for younger babies. If your baby is a little older and has some experience with solids, you can mash blueberries for them instead. Make sure the berries are broken up, since the whole berry is a choking hazard. Additionally, don't add sugar, salt, or other seasonings to your baby's food.
It's also important to note that baby food, like breast milk, doesn't need to be hot. Babies prefer their food to be the same temperature as their milk – any hotter, and you risk burning them, so make sure to check the temperature of any frozen foods you've thawed and heated before you feed them.
Solid baby foods that have been opened may be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of three days. Strained fruits and vegetables can be refrigerated for two to three days and stored in the freezer for six to eight months.
Don't microwave baby foods in the jar. Instead, transfer the food to a dish before microwaving it. This way the food can be stirred and taste-tested for temperature. Microwave 4 ounces of solid food in a dish for about 15 seconds on high power.