Hi Mama,
If you have a little one, you probably want to make sure that they are eating a healthy and balanced diet. But depending on your schedule and life obligations outside of being a mama, it might be hard to find time to make homemade baby food for your baby or toddler.
I have been a SAHM for my daughter’s entire life so I’ve had the time to be able to make homemade meals for her. I always like to find ways to make things faster and easier without sacrificing quality, so I want to share some of our favorite recipes from first foods to toddler meals.
You can listen to my episode on the podcast where I discuss this topic in detail here:
Homemade Baby Food Recipes
Most of these recipes can be made on the stove in a small pot but I highly recommend the *Beaba Babycook baby food maker if your budget allows. Even at 17 months we still use it to quickly and easily steam and puree different foods.
Disclaimer: Please be careful in regards to allergens! If you have food allergies in your family, please proceed with caution and speak to your pediatrician if you have any concerns. Common allergens are peanuts, other nuts, soy, eggs, seafood, sesame, among others.
Also note that dairy products could cause your baby to be sick if they are under 1 year old. If your child is unwell after eating dairy, try dairy free alternatives for the time being.
Lastly, I AM NOT A NUTRITIONIST OR A DOCTOR. Just had to make that clear. 🙂
First FoodsÂ
 Mango Tofu PuddingÂ
1 Ripe Mango
1 Package of Silken Tofu
–> Cut mango into chunks and add to food processor. Add as much silken tofu as you would like and then blend together. You can add more or less tofu depending on the texture and flavor that you want. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Egg PorridgeÂ
1/3 cup rice, rinsed
1 cup water
1 egg yolk (or part of the yolk)
–> Wash rice and drain. Add to a small pot with 1 cup of water. Cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring as needed. You can add more water and cook longer if you really want the rice to break down to a mushy consistency for the younger babies. When the rice is cooked to your liking, keep on the heat and add part of an egg yolk to the rice. Stir and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes so that the egg cooks through. You will have a pale yellow rice porridge.
8 months +
Rice Porridge with Meat and VeggiesÂ
1 tbsp meat, minced
2 tbsp veggies, finely chopped
1/4 cup rice
1 cup water
Optional: Sesame oil (just a few drops), herbs, spices
–> This is a make ahead, mix and match, recipe! You can make endless combinations by changing up the type of meat and veggies each time. Mince meats (ex: chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, fish) and veggies (ex: carrots, onions, bok choy, broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage). Add approximately 1 tbsp meat and 2 tbsp of veggies to snack sized baggies to be stored in the freezer. Label bags if needed. Once ready to cook, wash rice and place in a small pot. Add water and 1 bag of meat + veggies from the freezer (can cook from frozen). Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, keeping an eye on the pot. The end result will be a soft rice porridge with cooked meat and veggies mixed throughout. Feel free to experiment with the ratio of rice to water as well as different meat and veggie combos.
Chicken Soup 
1 chicken thigh
1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 cup your favorite small pasta
Optional: rosemary, thyme or other herbs, salt, pepper
–> Put chicken thigh into a small pot of water with ginger and simmer. Let the chicken cook, then remove from the pot to remove skin, bone and shred/cut as small as you desire. While chicken cools, remove ginger and add carrot, garlic, onion and desired optional spices to pot. Let cook until carrots are soft. Add chicken and your favorite pasta and simmer until pasta is cooked. You made need to add more water as you go since the pasta will take on the broth. Makes 2+ servings. Store extra in the fridge for next meal.
Smoothies
1 cup of your baby’s favorite fruits
1/2 cup of your baby’s least favorite veggies (LOL)
1/4 cup milk of choice
Optional: Avocado, Chia Seeds
–> Add all ingredients to a blender and blend. Add more or less of whatever you want. Smoothies are a great way to get veggies and calcium into your baby’s diet and allow them to try different flavor combinations.
Frozen Yogurt Drops
1 container of Fage 5% plain yogurt
1/4 cup of your baby’s favorite fruits like strawberries, cherries, raspberries (frozen fruit works too, just defrost first)
–> In a food processor, blend your fruit of choice. Once smooth, mix fruit puree into yogurt. Put the mixed yogurt into a baggie and cut a small hole in one corner. Squeeze small “drops” on to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the drops into the freezer for at least 2 hours. Then transfer to a freezer safe air tight container for storage.
12 months +Â
Meatballs
1/2 pound of ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, chicken, you name it!)
1 egg
1 cup of minced veggies (carrots, onions, bok choy, garlic, spinach, kale, green onion, red pepper…. whatever you want!)
Optional: breadcrumbs, milk, salt, pepper, sesame oil, spices, etc 
–> In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Make whatever flavor combination you want. We love to do an Asian style meatball with ground pork, shallot, onion, green onion, bok choy, sesame oil, and garlic. Form meatballs and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze and then transfer to baggies to store in the freezer. Make the size of the meatballs/portions based on the age/size of your toddler. When ready to cook, remove from freezer and bake on 375F for 38-40 minutes, or let them defrost and bake on 400F for 30-32 minutes (always check meat to make sure it’s cooked through!). Serve with sweet potatoes, rice, pasta, veggies, fruits, etc.
Overnight Oats
2/3 cup oats (we use the minute oats)
3/4 cup your favorite milk (we use unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 tsp honey (if baby is over 1 year)
1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
Optional: Chia seeds (if using, add an extra splash of milk)
–> Mix everything in an airtight container. Leave in the fridge overnight. Serve in the AM topped with your baby’s favorite fruits. Makes enough for baby and mama to eat together. ♥︎
Chia Seed Pudding
1 cup your favorite milk
3-4 tbsp chia seeds (more seeds means a thicker pudding, may need to experiment with ratios)
–> Mix milk and chia seeds in an airtight container. Place in fridge overnight. In the morning you should have a puddling-like consistency. Serve topped with fruits, peanut butter, coconut, etc. Enough for baby and mama to eat together. ♥︎
Sweet Potato Pancakes
1/2 cup sweet potato puree (we make ours in the *Beaba Babycook machine)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oats
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
splash of vanilla
pinch of salt
–> Mix everything together and cook on medium heat in a lightly greased non-stick pan. Make the pancakes whatever size you prefer. I can make 3 large pancakes or 6 small pancakes with this recipe. Double to make more and cling wrap the leftovers, place them in a freezer bag and freeze until needed. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
That’s all for this post. Leave a comment and let me know if you want more posts with recipe ideas like this one! Also, if you try the porridge, I would love to hear what you think about it. My husband is from Vietnam so rice porridge is what he grew up eating and it feels special to make it for our daughter.
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe and well, mama.
xo
Mother of Fawn
Read Next: 8 Tips for Making Toddler Mealtime Less Stressful
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