My kids have both passed the baby food stage now and are busy eating me out of house and home, but when they were little I made all of their baby food at home and from scratch. It was one of my favorite things about the infant stage, and one of the handful of things from that exhausting period of time that I actually miss doing.
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Making homemade baby food meant that not only was I completely in control of the quality of ingredients they were consuming, but I also got to introduce them to new fresh flavors and interesting textures that you just don't get from the store-bought version. Today, both of my kids are excellent eaters and I'm convinced that part of the reason for that is because they ate a huge variety of pureed baby foods, many of which featured ingredients that our whole family eats on a regular basis. Plus, it's so much cheaper!
I even made their food with spices so that they would be familiar with the flavors once they started eating regular food, and made sure to include plenty of Latino ingredients like aguacate and plantains because I wanted them to enjoy them just as much as I always have. Lots of Latino ingredients are also super nutritious and full of the healthy fats, carbs, and proteins that babies need to develop well, so it was a win-win. Check out our gallery for more great ideas on how to use Latin ingredients in homemade baby food. Just be sure to check with your pediatrician about which foods are appropriate for your baby's age.
Corn: Potato, carrot, and sweet corn puree is full of healthy carbs.
You might not think to puree corn into baby food, but this Latin staple is a healthy whole grain just like rice and oats, and helps add some staying power to pureed baby foods like this potato, carrot, and corn combo.
Get the full recipe from Annabel Karmel.
Corn: You can also add calabaza to a corn and carrot puree.
In the fall, it would also be a great idea to swap regular potatoes out for some pureed pumpkin in your baby's corn and carrot puree. Even sweet potatoes would make a tasty and healthy addition.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Corn: Corn, sweet potato, and apple is a yummy fall-inspired combo.
Corn pairs well with sweet potatoes and apples in this fall-inspired chunky baby food puree. A great option once your baby has been on solids for a couple of months or even for toddlers who haven't yet gotten the hang of regular table foods.
Get the full recipe from Weelicous.
Corn: Mild squash works really well with corn, too.
Combining sweet corn, apples, and butternut squash makes for a subtly sweet and totally yummy baby food puree. Corn is actually a whole grain, so it's a good source of fiber for baby, even if it isn't the most expected baby food ingredient.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Mango: This flavorful sweet potato-based baby food has two popular Latin ingredients.
This tasty baby food puree is made from sweet potatoes and mango and flavored with fresh ginger root. Mango purees up really beautiful and offers a wonderful sweet flavor to the slightly spicy combination.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Mango: Sweeten up kale baby food with some mango.
Kale is full of nutrients that are beneficial for baby, but it's not the easiest on a baby's palate. It has an undeniably strong taste and can even be a bit bitter. Sweeten it up by adding some sweet mango and apple.
Get the full recipe from Baby Bullet Blog.
Mango: A simple mango and peach puree is a great first food.
Baby's first foods should be simple, smooth purees. While you want to try each fruit or vegetable separately before combining them, this mango-peach baby food is a great one to try once you know that there are no allergies to either fruit.
Get the full recipe from Alica's Pepperpot.
Mango: Skip the apple for even more prominent mango flavor.
You can also leave the apple out of a mango kale baby puree and spice it up with a bit of tummy-soothing ginger. Mango and ginger are an excellent flavor combination, and you'll get all those nutrients from the kale into your baby as well.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Mango: This puree is perfect if your little one has a sweet tooth.
This puree adds mango to two baby food favorites—sweet potato and banana. Though it's on the sweet side, it's packed with nutrients and healthy fats. It would make for a nice after-dinner snack or even a tasty breakfast for baby.
Get the full recipe from Mama Bear 2 Three.
Mango: Go super simple with a mango and banana puree.
A combination of mangoes and bananas is suitable even for very new eaters. The sweet combo will definitely make your baby happy, and it's packed with essential vitamins and healthy fats. They rare guaranteed to love this combo.
Get the full recipe from BabyCenter.
Plantain: Plantains make for a nice, hearty baby food.
My daughter was slow to gain weight and since I was making her baby food, I got the idea to include plantain in her purees to help bulk them up. She loved it. Try combining it with sweet potato and some yogurt for a nice filling dinner for baby.
Get the full recipe from Homemade Baby Food Recipes.
Plantain: Get lots of vitamins into baby with a plantain and carrot puree.
Combining ripe plantains and carrots with a bit of chicken and butter makes for a nutritious and hearty meal for your baby. It's practically something an adult would eat, just made appropriate for a baby.
Get the full recipe from Mummy's Yum.
Papaya: Tropical fruits add pleasant sweetness to baby food.
Most fruits are fair game by the time baby is 6 months old, so why not jazz up standard purees with some tropical flavor like in this sweet potato, banana, and papaya puree? Papaya is rich in vitamin C and can help baby's digestion.
Get the full recipe from The Peachee Pear.
Papaya: The sweet combination of papaya and pear is sure to win your baby over.
Papaya is excellent for the digestive system and paired with fiber-rich pears, your baby is sure to enjoy it and reap lots of health benefits. It could even help out if your baby has a tendency to get constipated.
Get the full recipe from BB Mundo.
Papaya: This simple, sweet puree looks delicious.
The simple combination of papaya and banana looks so tasty you might want to share this puree with your little one. We bet it tastes an awful lot like a batido de papaya. So yummy! If your baby is a little older, you might even throw a few ice cubes in the blender and turn it into a smoothie.
Get the full recipe from My Fruity Baby.
Papaya: This tropical puree is full of common Latin fruits.
You can combine papaya, mango, and pineapple into a tasty tropical puree for your little one. You might even try spicing it up with a bit of chili or ginger. Coconut water or milk would make a nice addition, too. My kids always loved that!
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Beans: Most kids love beans, especially when offered from an early age.
Beans are full of protein, fiber, and iron, all of which are great for babies. They are easily pureed into baby food and can be combined with nearly anything, including apple, avocado, and rice, to create a well-balanced meal.
Get the full recipe from Homemade Baby Food Recipes.
Beans: Babies can eat black beans almost exactly how their parents do.
After the age of 6 months or so, you can start adding seasonings and spices to baby food purees. So you can whip up a yummy black bean dip with onions, garlic, and cumin and share it with baby. Just leave out the salt.
Get the full recipe from Homemade Baby Food Recipes.
Beans: White beans add creaminess to sweet potato puree.
Adding a soft-skinned bean like white beans to the standard sweet potato puree adds a bit of creaminess along with healthy doses of protein and fiber. It's an excellent combination of flavors and textures for new eaters.
Get the full recipe from Cook It Fresh.
Beans: Blueberries and garbanzos are a surprising pairing.
Because garbanzo beans have such a mild flavor, they actually pair really well with blueberries and the combination is full of antioxidants, fiber, and protein. If your little one gets used to these flavors early, they're more likely to enjoy them down the line.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Beans: A sweet banana and black bean puree makes a great dip or spread for baby.
The mild flavors of bananas and black beans go surprisingly well together, and you can serve this chunky puree up as is or use it as a spread or dip for toast, pancakes, etc. Baby will get the fiber and protein from the beans, disguised by the sweet banana.
Get the full recipe from Project Nursery.
Avocado: Avocado and banana puree is a great source of healthy fat.
Because of the high fat content, avocado and banana puree was on my babies' menus regularly. They loved the creamy texture and sweet flavor, and I loved that it helped them put some weight on.
Get the full recipe from Once a Month Meals.
Avocado: Avocado is often recommended as a first food for babies.
Avocado is considered one of the foods babies can try when they first start solids and it's a great way to add some healthy fats in their diets. Combine it with peas and zucchini for a nice, creamy texture.
Get the full recipe from The Peachee Pear.
Avocado: Avocados and blueberries are excellent for brain growth.
They are both excellent for brain health, so pairing them up to feed your baby on the regular is a good idea. These foods are excellent for development and are great to serve baby during a growth spurt or mental leap.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Avocado: A hearty puree of spinach, avocado, and oats will keep your baby full.
The flavors of avocado, spinach and oats are mild, but combined they make a hearty and filling puree that's great for baby's dinner. It's a filling combination too, so it's perfect to serve baby before putting her to bed for the night.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Avocado: Add a bit of sweetness to pureed avocado with some apple.
A simple combination of avocado and apple is perfect for new eaters and chock full of nutrition. We love this as a light and flavorful snack to hold baby over until it's time for a bigger meal and it's a great way to get some healthy fat in.
Get the full recipe from Organix.
Avocado: Get lots of healthy fats in with an avocado, banana, and pineapple puree.
Your baby will love the rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful mixture of avocado, banana, and pineapple. It's so yummy, I've used the same combination in my own breakfast smoothies many times and babies always love to swipe a few sips.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Avocado: Avocado is great in savory baby foods as well.
For a simple, healthy savory baby food for older babies, combine avocado with green beans and roasted chicken breasts. It makes for such a well-balanced meal and is a good option when you're starting to transition baby to finger foods.
Get the full recipe from Buona Pappa.
Coconut: Bananas and coconut milk make a tasty starter food.
This combination of fresh bananas, coconut milk, and a dash of cinnamon is not only delicious, but it's one of the quickest homemade baby foods to make. As long as your pediatrician approves it, this would also make a great introductory puree.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Coconut: Coconut milk and rice make a beautiful baby-friendly pudding.
You can whip up a baby-friendly rice pudding by simmering short grain rice in coconut milk. Top it with a yummy blueberry compote for a delicious treat you'll want to share. Just keep in mind that you only want to serve this to babies who are well-established on solids.
Get the full recipe from BabyCenter.
Coconut: Older babies will enjoy the added texture and flavor of this puree.
This curried coconut, sweet potato, and barley puree is perfect for babies who have moved on to chunkier foods. It's also a good, quick meal for toddlers who are still being introduced to new flavors and textures.
Get the full recipe from Dessert for Two.
Coconut: Coconut milk also pairs well with apples.
Though I sometimes added coconut oil to baby food purees, I never thought to use coconut milk. I bet my kids would have loved it, especially in something like a simple apple puree. It's a good way to add in a bit of extra fat for babies struggling to gain weight.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Coconut: Baby will love the tropical combo of coconut, pineapple, and banana.
It might not be conventional, but babies over 8 months or so can usually eat coconut and pineapple. Combined with a sweet banana, they're sure to love it. There's so much flavor in this one. It's basically like a baby-friendly pina colada.
Get the full recipe from Hanky's Happy Home.
Coconut: Jazz up that sweet potato puree.
Mix a bit of coconut milk and some ground coriander into your baby's sweet potato puree to add some yummy but subtle Latin flavor. It'll taste a bit like one of our traditional stews and is a great way to get your baby used to the flavors.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Rice: Rice is a classic baby food that be can mixed with other ingredients to make it more interesting.
My mom always told me that Latino babies get their first grain of rice when their first tooth comes in, and I thought it was a cute tradition, but if your baby is not quite ready for that, mixing rice into purees is a great option. This lentil, rice, and spinach puree is full of vitamins.
Get the full recipe from Little Mashies.
Rice: Rice is a great thickener for thinner baby food purees.
When you grind dry rice into a flour consistency you can add it to thin purees like those created by carrots and apricots to thicken it up a bit and make it more filling for your baby. It's a great dinner time option to help keep baby's belly full through the night.
Get the full recipe from Little Mashies.
Rice: Combine rice with some spinach puree for a tasty dinner.
You can easily make up a delicious dinner that's packed with nutrients for your baby by pureeing some rice and spinach together. It's simple, but ultra-healthy for babies of nearly an age. It's great to introduce greens when they're young!
Get the full recipe from Little Mashies.
Quinoa: This Peruvian grain is so good for babies.
I didn't feed my babies a lot of baby cereal, and what they did get was usually homemade quinoa or oat cereal. It's so easy to make a batch of protein-rich quinoa for your baby. You can grind the grain down before or after you cook it.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
Quinoa: You can combine quinoa with other foods as well.
You can also blend cooked quinoa with other foods like sweet mango and apple to add even more vitamins and minerals to your baby's diet. Add it after pureeing the other fruits and veggies together if your baby is ready for some texture.
Get the full recipe from Buona Pappa!
Quinoa: Adding quinoa is a nice way to thicken this tasty peach and raspberry puree.
Peach and raspberry is a tasty and nutritious—but runny baby—food puree. It's full of antioxidants and vitamin C. Add some cooked quinoa to thicken it up and add some protein. It looks a little weird, but we promise it tastes absolutely delicious.
Get the full recipe from Baby Foodie.
