Easy-Peezy Homemade Baby Food and Puree: Foods to Avoid

Steer clear of these foods when making your own baby food and purees...

• Great but Gassy: Broccoli, Cauliflower – Introduce slowly, a little bit at a time to test your baby’s tolerance to gas-inducing foods

• A Little Too Spicy: Kiwi (when pureed, the seeds release a black pepper-like spice), Peppers

• Avoid Acidic: Pineapple, Oranges, Papaya, Tomatoes – Fruits high in acidity can cause upset tummies and irritable bowels leading to diaper rash 

• Allergy Inducing:  Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries (high in nitrates that a baby’s developing digestive track may not be able to handle)  and Honey (may contain trace amounts of botulism which can harm an infant)

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Be sure to click here - http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/p/easy-peezy-homemade-baby-food-and.html - to read all the posts on making your own baby food and purees! It will be an easy way to keep track and look for new updates!

Or follow the links below to all my other posts on making homemade baby food and purees:
Easy-Peezy Purees - What You Need to Get Started:
http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/basics-of-making-your-own-baby-food-and.html

The Basics of Making Homemade Baby Food - How to Puree: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/basics-of-making-your-own-baby-food-and_02.html

Easy-Peezy Purees - The Essential 17 Fruits and Veggies Every Mama Needs to Know: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-peezy-purees-essential-17-fruits.html

Easy-Peezy Homemade Baby Food and Purees - Foods to Avoid: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-peezy-homemade-baby-food-and-puree.html

The Whys and Hows of Transitioning Your Little One to Solids: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-peezy-purees-whys-and-hows-of.html

Easy-Peezy Purees: The Essential 17 Fruits and Veggies Every Mama Needs to Know

So what are the fruits and veggies you should use to make your homemade baby food and purees? I call them the Essential 17. These fruits and veggies will be at the core of your baby’s puree menu based on their nutritional value and effects on your baby's developing digestive track. Check out the nutrient scoop of each of the Essential 17 below! The take a peek at the list at the very bottom which explains the benefits of each of these nutrients.

The Essential 17 Fruits and Veggies

• Apples: antioxidants, soluble fiber
• Avocados: monosaturated “healthy” fat, soluble fiber, Vitamin E
• Bananas: potassium, Vitamin B6
• Beans (Black, Pinto, Navy): potassium, folate, fiber
• Beets: antioxidants, folic acid and potassium
• Carrots: beta carotene, insoluble fiber
• Cucumber: vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium
• Green Beans: vitamin B6,  protein, folic acid, potassium 
• Melon (Cantaloupe, Honeydew): beta carotene, Vitamin C
• Peaches: niacin, thiamine, potassium , calcium, beta carotene
• Pears: soluble fiber, vitamins B2, C, E, and potassium
• Peas: folate, soluble and insoluble fiber
• Plums: soluble fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, beta carotene
• Pumpkin: potassium, beta carotene, Vitamin A
• Squash (Summer, Yellow, Butternut): Beta carotene, potassium, vitamin C, lutein
• Sweet Potato: soluble fiber, beta carotene, antioxidants, Vitamin A
• Zucchini: vitamin C, lutein, vitamin B6, riboflavin

Glossary of Vitamins and Minerals

• Antioxidants: Protect healthy cells against damage; Shown to fight off certain cancers and sharpen memory
• Beta Carotene: Helps keep the skin and eyes healthy
• Calcium: Helps keep bones and teeth strong
• Folate: Promotes heart health
• Folic Acid: Promotes healthy growth and function of cells
• Insoluble Fiber: Prevents constipation and keeps bowels moving properly
• Lutein: Promotes eye health
• Magnesium: Helps in the contraction and relaxation of muscles; Promotes production of protein and energy
• Monosaturated Fat: The “healthy” fat, Helps to lower cholesterol and keep your heart healthy
• Niacin: See Vitamin B3
• Potassium: Good for heart health and regulating blood pressure
• Riboflavin: See Vitamin B2
• Soluble Fiber: Helps to stabilize blood sugar levels
• Thiamine: See Vitamin B1
• Vitamin A: Promotes good vision; Helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin
• Vitamin B1 (aka Thiamine): Helps break down sugars in the blood and reduce inflamation
• Vitamin B2 (aka Riboflavin): Important for growth and red blood cell production, Also a great source of energy
• Vitamin B3 (aka Niacin): Helps lower cholesterol and promotes blood circulation
• Vitamin B6: Promotes brain health and function, Supports production of certain hormones and enzymes
• Vitamin C: Promotes healing and healthy cell growth
• Vitamin E: Promotes healthy cell growth, including healing cuts and scrapes

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Be sure to click here - http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/p/easy-peezy-homemade-baby-food-and.html - to read all the posts on making your own baby food and purees! It will be an easy way to keep track and look for new updates!

Or follow the links below to all my other posts on making homemade baby food and purees:

Easy-Peezy Purees - What You Need to Get Started:
http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/basics-of-making-your-own-baby-food-and.html

The Basics of Making Homemade Baby Food - How to Puree: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/basics-of-making-your-own-baby-food-and_02.html

Easy-Peezy Purees - The Essential 17 Fruits and Veggies Every Mama Needs to Know: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-peezy-purees-essential-17-fruits.html

Easy-Peezy Homemade Baby Food and Purees - Foods to Avoid: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-peezy-homemade-baby-food-and-puree.html

The Whys and Hows of Transitioning Your Little One to Solids: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/easy-peezy-purees-whys-and-hows-of.html

The Basics of Making Your Own Baby Food and Purees: How to Puree

The Basics of Making Your Own Baby Food and Purees: How to Puree

Wash: When using fresh fruits and veggies, be sure to rinse thoroughly to remove any pesticides, dirt and other unmentionables that may have latched onto your food.

Chop: Cut into small chunks in preparation for steaming - or in the case of fruits that don’t need to be cooked – to throw right into the blender. Be sure to remove all seeds, cores and rinds. No need to peel apples, zucchinis, pears, etc – the skin adds fiber and virtually disappears in the puree.

{Cheat Sheet: No time to wash and chop fresh fruits and veggies? No worries. Bagged frozen vegetables are a lifesaver and work just as well. Most are “flash frozen” to keep in the nutrients, and they are already the right size to steam, and then puree. Canned can also work if you’re in a jam – just make sure you avoid additives like salt, sugar, preservatives, and high-sugar juices or syrups.}

Steam: Most vegetables need to be cooked prior to pureeing (with the exception of avocados and cucumbers). Steaming gets the job done while keeping the lion’s share of nutrients in place. Fill a pot with about ½ cup of water. Place chopped vegetables in pot with water, cover and turn on stove top to medium heat. Then, let the steam go to work. But don’t overdo it – about 10 minutes of steaming is enough to get the job done. 

Puree: Now the fun part. Throw your steamed veggies (along with the remaining water from the pot) into the blender or food processor and puree away. Uncooked fruits may need a bit of water (a tablespoon at a time to avoid overdoing it) to keep the blades from getting stuck or the fruit from getting jammed. Puree on high until you reach desired consistency – Stage 1: extra smooth/fine; Stage 2: smooth but thicker; Stage 3: thick and a little bit chunky; Stage 4: chunky and coarse. Puree a bit too thin? Add a tablespoon of single grain cereal before serving. Too thick? Stir in an ounce of breast milk or formula immediately before serving.

Be sure to click here - http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/p/easy-peezy-homemade-baby-food-and.html - to read all the posts on making your own baby food and purees! It will be an easy way to keep track and look for new updates!

Or follow the links below to all previous posts on making homemade baby food and purees:

Why I Puree: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/02/easy-peezy-guide-for-making-homemade.html

The Basics: What You Need to Get Started: http://sweetleighmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/basics-of-making-your-own-baby-food-and.html