Tasty Fruit Baby Food Recipes

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Looking for healthy ideas for baby food at 6 months plus? These fruit baby food recipes are easy to make and full of natural goodness for baby.

Remember to follow the four day rule as you introduce each new food to your baby. Always discuss the introduction of any new foods with your baby's doctor.

Fruit baby food recipes - Sugar Free Applesauce

4-5 medium apples, peeled and cored - use naturally sweet varieties, such as:
Gala
Golden or Red Delicious
Fuji
Pink Lady
Red Rome

pinch nutmeg or cinnamon
water

Chop the apples roughly and place in a saucepan.
Pour in about one inch of water - (you could use apple juice instead, but some varieties will contain sugar)
Bring the apples to a boil, then reduce the heat.
Cover and simmer slowly until the apple chunks are tender (about 10-15 mins).
DON'T cook the apples to the point where the mixture actually looks like applesauce! Cooking it this long will cause it to be watery and tasteless.
Instead, remove the apple chunks from the pan and either puree them or mash them well. Thin with a little cooking water if necessary.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and serve warm or - as a soothing treat for teething babies - nice and cold.

TIP: If you are going to freeze your baby's applesauce, DON'T add the spices before you freeze it, because they will lose their flavour.

And avoid applesauce altogether is your baby is constipated or prone to constipation, because it is very binding and will make the problem worse.


Fruit baby food recipes - Delicious Baked Apples

Choose a nice sweet apple (those listed in the applesauce recipe above are ideal).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, 180 deg C.
Wash the apple and then remove the core (a melon baller is useful for this).
Sprinkle a little nutmeg or cinnamon over the apple, then fill the apple with raisins. You may like to add a drop of maple syrup, as the raisins may be quite tart.
Wrap the apple in aluminium foil and seal tightly.
Bake the apple for around 45 mins, until it feels nice and tender.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly, then remove the skin.
Mash or puree thoroughly and serve!


Fruit baby food recipes - Real Fruit Jelly

3 fl oz (1/3 cup) water
1 tbsp agar flakes* or gelatine
7oz (just under 1 cup) fruit puree
10 fl oz (1 1/4 cup) fruit juice

*Agar is derived from seaweed and is used as a thickener. You can find it in most health food stores. It is expensive, but a little goes a long way.

In a saucepan, combine the agar and water and stir until the flakes are dissolved.
Pour in the juice and heat for a couple of minutes, stirring continuously.
Pour into a suitable bowl and place into the refrigerator.
As the mixture starts to set, stir in the puree. You can use any fruit - we like to mix several fruits together. Avoid pineapple though - it doesn't set well.
Return to the refrigerator until ready to serve!


Fruit baby food recipes - Tropical Fruit Salad With Avocado

1/2 ripe avocado, cubed
1/2 small ripe banana, sliced
1/2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1/4 papaya, peeled and sliced
2oz (1/4 cup) natural, plain yogurt
drop of pure maple syrup (optional)

For older babies, already enjoying finger foods, simply place all the prepared fruits into a bowl. For younger babies, puree the fruits together.
Stir the maple syrup into the yogurt (if you're using it), then swirl the yogurt on top of the fruit.
For a little nutritional boost, top with a sprinkle of wheat germ.

Fruit baby food recipes - Perfect Peaches

2 ripe peaches
cereal

Preheat oven to 350 deg F, 180 deg C.
Remove the stone and skin from the peaches, then puree the flesh.
Simply beat with enough prepared cereal to achieve a consistency perfect for your baby.
Then transfer to an oven-proof dish and bake until set (around 15 mins).
Cool and serve.

Fruit baby food recipes - Banana Surprise

1 small ripe banana
2 large, ripe strawberries
a little breastmilk / formula

NOTE: Strawberries sometimes trigger allergic reactions in babies and you may prefer to avoid them for the first year, particularly if your baby is sensitive, or if there is a family history of food allergy.

Find out more about including strawberries in your baby food recipes

Puree the strawberries.
Mash the banana with a fork, mixing in enough breastmilk / formula to achieve a creamy consistency.
Place in a bowl, then top with the pureed strawberries.
Serve immediately - bananas brown very quickly.

The sweetness of the banana blends well with the stronger flavour of the strawberries. Yum!


Fruit baby food recipes - Fruit Compote With Cinnamon Cream

4oz (1/2 cup) dried apricots
2oz (1/4 cup) sultanas
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and sliced
1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced
1 pot of pure, natural yogurt (here's how to make your own)
pinch cinnamon
drop of pure maple syrup (optional)

Put the dried apricots and sultanas into a small saucepan and pour in water until it just covers the fruit.
Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat.
Simmer for around 20-30 mins, until the fruit is tender.
Add the sliced apple and pear and continue to simmer for 10 mins. (Keep an eye on the water level in the pan, as you may need to add a little extra).
Puree the fruits until smooth, then set aside and allow to cool.
Stir the maple syrup and the cinnamon into the yogurt - then spoon a blob on top of baby's fruit compote and serve!


Fruit baby food recipes - Creamy Kiwi Pudding

1 ripe kiwi fruit
2oz (1/4 cup) prepared baby rice cereal or oatmeal
2oz (1/4 cup) cottage cheese

Peel the kiwi fruit, then puree or mash well with a fork.
Combine with the cereal and cottage cheese for a creamy treat.


Fruit baby food recipes - Baked Bananas With Maple Syrup

1 banana
pinch of cinnamon powder
1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 oz (1 tbsp) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F, 180 deg C.
Slice the banana in half lengthways, then place on a piece of foil.
Pour over the syrup and cinnamon and top with the butter.
Wrap the banana with the foil, seal, then bake for 10-15 minutes.


Fruit baby food recipes - Muesli

1/2 apple, peeled and chopped
1/2 pear, peeled and chopped
3oz (1/3 cup) dried apricots
5fl oz (5/8 cup) soy milk
1oz (2 tbsp) oats

Place the apricots, pear and apple in a saucepan with a little water and simmer until softened. Set aside.
Combine the milk and oats in a saucepan and simmer until thickened (about 4 mins).Cool.
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.


Fruit baby food recipes - Frozen Banana Pops

1/2 ripe banana
1/2 ripe peach, peeled and with stone removed
4oz (1/2 cup) plain, natural yogurt
a little pure maple syrup (optional)

Puree all the ingredients together in a food processor.
Pour the mixture into popsicle (lolly) moulds. If you don't have these, an alternative is to freeze the mixture in a large ice cube tray, or in small disposable cups. All you need to do is push in the popsicle/lolly sticks as the mixture begins to freeze.
Serve when frozen. Older babies will be happy to hold the stick - for younger babies, simply squash the banana pops up in a bowl and feed them to baby from the spoon.

TIP: These banana pops make an ideal, soothing treat if your baby is teething.