Homemade Baby Food and Smoothie Tips for Treats the Whole Family Can Enjoy

By: Lisa Gilardi, NOFA/Mass Graphic Designer

I had a baby 14 months ago, and after following guidelines for how to feed this new child, I’ve decided it’s a diet I’d like to try stick to as well. Not too much salt, no extra sugar, exposure to new textures and flavors, and if they don’t like something the first time, you can keep giving it to them in hopes that they will eventually come around. (I applied this method to myself and now can proudly say I like dandelion greens). 

This started as an article on how to make baby food, but the truth is, I find it challenging to stick to even the simplest recipe, let alone write one for others to follow. So instead, here is an easy snack that is now a staple in our house: smoothies. They are perfect for sharing with your tot since you’ll both find them delicious. Here are some flavor and ingredient ideas:

For a first-time food eater, a mashed or blended whole fruit does the trick, especially if you introduce one food at a time. If you’re ready to add more than one ingredient, chuck fruit, and yogurt into a blender and you’re all set! Add more flavor with mild spices (very small amounts as you introduce them to your baby) with new pairings: Apple and nutmeg, blackberry and cardamom, cherry and cinnamon, and peach and mint. Some more interesting pairings are plum with a little lemon juice, raspberry, lime juice, persimmon, and grapes.

We like to see what is available at our farmers market and what is growing on our farm that we can use first and base our pairing on that. If you can get your hands on local, organic fruit during the season it might be worth getting extra and freezing it for later use. Check out places to find local produce with the NOFA/Mass Organic Food Guide. You can also find local spots for yogurt!  

When you need more sweetness than your baby is eating, try using local maple syrup and if you’re really ambitious you can make your own maple sugar with this recipe from a previous newsletter: Making Maple Sugar at Home

For us, smoothies are a snack we have a few times a week and we usually just use fruit and yogurt. We’ve decided to introduce our child to whole greens/vegetables without masking them in hopes that he will learn to love veggies – fingers crossed! For the adult smoothies we add in spinach, celery, and whatever else we have laying around- sometimes even celeriac. 

Wishing you happy experimenting and many happy meals with the little eaters in your life!