How To Make Homemade Baby Food: Vegetables

1. Wash green beans and snap off the ends (skip this step if using frozen).
2. Boil or steam green beans until tender. If boiling, reserve the cooking water.
3. Immediately after cooking, plunge green beans into a bowl or sink full of ice water. This will help stop the cooking process.
4. Once the green beans are cool, puree them, adding breastmilk, formula, or water (use cooking water if green beans were boiled) to achieve your desired consistency.

1. Wash carrots. Peel and cut into small chunks (skip this step if using frozen).
2. Boil or steam carrots until tender. If boiling, DO NOT reserve cooking water. Adding the cooking water back into your carrot puree increases your baby’s risk of nitrate poisoning
3. Immediately after cooking, plunge carrots into a bowl or sink full of ice water. This will help stop the cooking process.
4. Once the carrots are cool, puree them, adding breastmilk, formula, or water (use cooking water if carrots were boiled) to achieve your desired consistency.

1. Open pea pods and scrape out the peas (skip this step if using frozen).
2. Boil or steam peas until tender. If boiling, reserve the cooking water.
3. Immediately after cooking, plunge peas into a bowl or sink full of ice water. This will help stop the cooking process.
4. Once the peas are cool, puree them, adding breastmilk, formula, or water (use cooking water if peas were boiled) to achieve your desired consistency.

1. Wash broccoli. Cut florets from stems; reserve the florets and discard the stems (since florets are more tender and easier for baby to eat than stems). Skip this step if using frozen.
2. Boil of steam broccoli until tender. If boiling, reserve the cooking water.
3. Immediately after cooking, plunge broccoli into a bowl or sink full of ice water. This will help stop the cooking process.
4. Once the broccoli is cool, puree it, adding breastmilk, formula, or water (use cooking water if broccoli was boiled) to achieve your desired consistency.

Baking Method:

1. Wash sweet potatoes, then prick all over with a fork.
2. Wrap tightly in foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until soft.
3. Allow sweet potatoes to cool completely. Cut sweet potatoes in half and scoop out into a dish.
4. Puree the sweet potato mixture until smooth, adding breastmilk, formula, or water to achieve your desired consistency.

Boiling/Steaming Method:

1. Wash and peel sweet potatoes, then cut them into small chunks.
2. Boil or steam the sweet potato pieces until tender. Allow pieces to cool completely.
3. Puree the sweet potato pieces until smooth, adding breastmilk, formula, or water (if boiling, use the cooking water) to achieve desired consistency.

1. Cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds.
2. Pour a small amount of water (just enough to cover) into the bottom of a baking sheet. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the baking sheet.
3. Bake for 30-45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. It’s is done when the squash is tender and the tough outer skin begins to wrinkle and soften.
4. Allow the squash halves to cool. Scoop out the squash and puree until smooth, adding breastmilk, formula, or water to achieve your desired consistency.

1. Wash spinach or greens carefully. If using kale or collard greens, carefully remove the tough stem that runs down the middle of each leaf.
2. Steam the spinach or greens in a steamer basket until tender.
3. Remove steamer basket and allow greens to cool completely.
4. Puree greens, adding fresh water to achieve desired consistency.