Five Quick Purees for Busy Parents

Busy parents are always asking me for fast puree recipes. Here are five quick purees that are made of foods that are easy to find and brightly colored. And guess what? The rest of the family will enjoy them, too!

Avocado: I love to use avocado as a first food because I like introducing rich color palettes to baby, including the sage green of avocado. Since avocado has a soft and creamy texture, it’s also a great starter puree.

• Thin Avocado Puree: Take an avocado and scoop out the flesh; place it in a blender or food processor. Add a little breast milk or formula to make it the appropriate texture for baby. That’s it!

• Thick Avocado Puree: For a quicker and chunkier puree, just cut up an avocado and mash it with a fork. Preload the Tiny Spoon by placing a bit of mashed avocado onto the spoon, then hand it to baby (handle side first). Have that camera ready to snap baby’s first time using a utensil!

Banana: The sweet taste and fragrance of banana make it a preferred food for baby. Plus, I love how readily available this fruit is, which helps make starting solids easier for busy parents.

• Thin Banana Puree: Just like avocado, a banana is a quick and easy puree to make. Simply throw a cut and peeled banana into a food processor and then add formula or breast milk to make it smooth and creamy.

• Thick Banana Puree: Cut and peel a half of a banana. Then place it into the Tiny Bowl and mash with a fork. Yep, it’s that ezpz!

Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin is a quick option when you are pressed for time but still want to introduce a new food to your baby.

• Thin Pumpkin Puree: Open a can of plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie, which has too much sugar). Scoop out a few tablespoons and heat it up slightly. Thin it out with formula or breast milk as needed. Serve this warm and brightly colored puree as a new taste and temperature experience for baby.

• Thick Pumpkin Puree: Place a few tablespoons of pumpkin in the Tiny Bowl and stir it up with a spoon. This adds a little air into the puree and makes it a bit creamier (since the puree has been condensed in the can). This puree is slightly heavy on the tongue and a great texture for baby to be exposed to.

Remix of Foods: Once baby has been introduced to avocado, banana and pumpkin (with no allergic reactions) start combining these tastes.

• Avocado + Banana: This yummy mix combines the delicious flavors of these fruits with a lighter shade of green to boot! Want to introduce a spice for baby to taste? A sprinkle of cinnamon will add a beautiful aroma to this puree and sparkle baby’s taste buds too!

• Banana + Pumpkin: When you have some leftover canned pumpkin, adding banana to the mixture is a quick way to introduce a new flavor to baby. A sprinkle of nutmeg makes this combination taste a little like sweet potato pie. Yum!

I hope you find these five purees to be easy and time efficient! What are some of your favorite baby food recipes? Which texture of puree did you start your baby on first? Let us know and tag us in your food pics using the hashtag #ezpzfun. 

Happy Feeding!

Dawn Winkelmann, M.S, CCC-SLP

SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST & FEEDING SPECIALIST FOR EZPZ

Dawn Winkelmann, a.k.a “Ms. Dawn”, has treated thousands of kids across the globe by helping families overcome picky eating stages and food refusals, while adding new foods into their diet. Her high success rate is attributed to Ms. Dawn bringing her education, experience, sense of humor and her favorite feeding products to the family dinner table.

You will find Ms. Dawn’s expert feeding advice to be positive and fun for the entire family! She adapts complicated feeding/swallowing research and makes it practical and easy for parents! Get ready to learn the science behind your favorite feeding products and ways to bring happy family mealtimes back!