how-to-wean

Perfect purées

Making the perfect purée

You can whip up delicious homemade baby food by puréeing just about any kind of vegetable or fruit – ideal for weaning.

You’ll know exactly what your baby is eating and you’ll save money, too. Here’s our guide to the perfect purée.

At a glance

  • Whip up delicious homemade baby food by puréeing vegetables or fruit
  • You'll know exactly what your baby is eating and save money too
  • Make sure you avoid salt as it isn't good for babies kidneys
perfect-purees

Making the perfect purée

Now your baby is trying new flavours, you could try puréeing a whole range of delicious foods – these are just some of babies’ faves:

  • Broccoli and potato
  • Butternut squash and potato
  • Sweet potato and cauliflower
  • Apples or pears – pears are often so moist that you won’t need to add any water to your purée
  • Rhubarb

Method

  • Peel or scrub the fruit or vegetables and cut into pieces
  • Cook by covering it with a little water and simmering gently until soft. You can also steam or microwave – whatever you find easiest
  • When cooked, add a little of the cooking water to the purée (as this will contain dissolved vitamins from the fruit or vegetables), or your baby’s usual milk
  • Push the soft, cooked foods through a sieve using the back of a metal spoon – this will remove any pips or tough fibres. A blender is great if you have one, but it’s really not essential
  • Adjust the texture by adding more water or milk until you find a consistency your baby likes

Puréeing tips

  • Use some herbs or mild spices for extra flavour but don’t add  salt – salt isn't good for babies’ kidneys, and babies 0-12 months old should have less than 1g a day
  • A hint of sugar – only use the smallest amounts to make sour fruit more edible
  • Purée grown up’s food – simply purée some of the vegetables you’re cooking anyway, or cook stewed fruit for dessert and purée a bit for your baby. Just add any salt or sugar to your food when you have taken out your baby’s portion
  • Frozen mini meals – create homemade food on tap by making buckets of mashed or puréed food and freezing it in an ice cube tray, defrosting a few cubes for each meal. Just make sure you thoroughly thaw and reheat the food before giving it to your baby. See our tips on weaning food safety.

At a glance

  • Whip up delicious homemade baby food by puréeing vegetables or fruit
  • You'll know exactly what your baby is eating and save money too
  • Make sure you avoid salt as it isn't good for babies kidneys
Create homemade frozen mini meals by freezing puréed food in ice cube trays

Perfect purées