How To Thicken Baby Food Purees

Here are some ways to thicken baby food purees using healthy and natural ingredients.

Please note: Always speak to your child's doctor before introducing ANY new foods. Please remember that you should only introduce ONE new ingredient to your baby at a time. If you are pureeing a food for your baby for the first time, then introduce it alone BEFORE mixing it with any of the thickeners listed here.

That way, if your baby experiences any type of allergic reaction or digestive problem, you'll know which food was responsible.

Reasons to thicken baby food purees

Your baby's pureed food may have come out a lot runnier than you'd intended!
This is particularly true if you have just thawed a cube of baby food - it looked fine when it went into the freezer, but for some reason it's now watery and unappetizing!
You may choose to thicken foods for your baby when you are trying to gently transition him to a little more texture.
When your baby is learning to feed himself from a spoon, he may find certain foods - like soups - difficult to manage. By thickening your baby's food, it will cling to the spoon - saving him the frustration of working hard to get the food to his mouth, only to find it has all dribbled back into the bowl!

How do I thicken baby food purees?

Here are a few ideas to thicken baby food purees, using healthy ingredients that give the meal a little nutritious boost!

Try stirring in...

cottage cheese
mashed potato (you can use white potato, but sweet potato is more nutritious)
crumbled, well-cooked egg yolk
wheat germ
pureed silken tofu
grains or cereals such as oatmeal or barley
yogurt
pureed lentils or beans

To thicken soups or stews for your baby, you could also try adding a little grated raw potato - just stir it in around 10-15 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Another option is to add plantain balls (bollitas de pl�tano). To make them, simply peel then finely grate a green plantain. Add a little flour to bind everything together, then roll it into balls in your hand. Pop the balls into the cooking pot 10 minutes before the soup/stew is ready!

If you have the opposite problem - and your baby's puree is TOO thick - then we have some tips to help you thin baby food purees, too!