Baby Food Recipes: Stage 1, 2 & 3 — From First Purees to Finger Foods

Making your own baby food is more accessible than most parents realize. It doesn't require special equipment, long prep sessions, or culinary confidence. The real advantages are variety, freshness, control over ingredients, and cost — homemade purees cost a fraction of jarred equivalents and allow you to offer flavors and combinations that commercial options don't. Here's the practical guide: how to prepare baby food safely, and recipes organized by age and developmental stage.

Equipment You Actually Need

• A blender or food processor: A regular household blender works fine for purees. A hand (immersion) blender is particularly convenient for small batches.
• A steamer or saucepan with lid: Steaming preserves more nutrients than boiling. Any steamer insert that fits a standard pot works.
• Ice cube trays: For batch cooking and freezing. Each standard cube is approximately 1 tablespoon — a perfect single-serving portion for early stages.
• Freezer bags or small sealed containers: For storing frozen cubes.

That's genuinely it. No baby food maker required.

Safe Food Preparation Principles

• Always wash hands and surfaces before preparing baby food
• Peel and remove seeds or stones from all fruits and vegetables
• Cook everything thoroughly in the first months — no raw foods except very ripe soft fruits (banana, avocado)
• No salt, sugar, or honey in any baby food before 12 months
• Test temperature before serving — stir heated food thoroughly and test on the inside of your wrist
• Don't reheat more than once: Thaw frozen cubes in the fridge overnight or in warm water; don't refreeze thawed food
• Fresh purees keep in the fridge for 48 hours; frozen for up to 3 months

Stage 1 Purees (4–6 Months, First Foods)

Stage 1 purees are single-ingredient, very smooth, and thin enough to fall off a spoon easily. The goal is introduction and flavour exploration, not nutrition — breast milk or formula remains the main nutrition source.

Sweet Potato Puree

One of the most universally accepted first foods. Naturally sweet, easily thinned, and nutritious.

1. Peel one medium sweet potato, cut into 2cm cubes
2. Steam for 15–18 minutes until completely tender (fork slides through easily)
3. Blend until completely smooth
4. Add expressed breast milk, formula, or cooled boiled water to thin to a runny consistency

Makes approximately 6–8 portions. Freezes well.

Pea Puree

Green vegetables introduced early are more readily accepted later. Pea has a naturally sweet flavour that most babies like.

1. Cook 150g frozen peas in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until soft
2. Drain thoroughly
3. Blend until very smooth, adding water or breast milk gradually
4. Pass through a fine sieve if needed to remove skins — pea skins can remain grainy even after blending

Pear Puree

Mildly sweet, easily digestible, and gently helpful for digestive regularity.

1. Peel, core, and dice 2 ripe pears
2. Steam for 5–7 minutes, or simmer in a small amount of water until completely soft
3. Blend until smooth
4. Serve warm or at room temperature

Butternut Squash Puree

1. Halve a small butternut squash, scoop out seeds
2. Roast face-down at 200°C for 35–40 minutes until soft, or steam peeled cubes for 15 minutes
3. Scoop out flesh and blend until completely smooth
4. Thin as needed

Stage 2 Purees (6–8 Months)

Stage 2 introduces thicker textures, more complex flavours, and multi-ingredient combinations. Baby is establishing a feeding pattern and beginning to take more meaningful amounts.

Apple & Spinach Puree

A classic flavour pairing that disguises spinach's mild bitterness behind apple's sweetness. An early way to establish green vegetable acceptance.

1. Peel, core, and dice 2 apples
2. Steam the apple for 5 minutes
3. Add a large handful of baby spinach and steam for a further 2 minutes
4. Blend together until smooth

Carrot, Sweet Potato & Lentil

An iron-rich combination — important from 6 months when birth iron stores begin depleting.

1. Dice 1 medium carrot and half a small sweet potato into small pieces
2. Add 2 tablespoons red lentils (rinsed)
3. Cover with water or low-sodium vegetable stock (homemade) and simmer for 20 minutes until everything is completely soft
4. Blend to desired consistency — slightly textured is appropriate at this stage

Banana, Avocado & Breast Milk

No cooking required. Quick, nutritious, and rich in healthy fats for brain development.

1. Mash half a ripe banana with half a ripe avocado using a fork
2. Thin with breast milk or formula to desired consistency
3. Serve immediately — this one doesn't store well as avocado browns quickly

Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pea

One of the best early protein introductions. Chicken thigh is softer and more flavourful than breast for purees.

1. Simmer one boneless skinless chicken thigh in water for 20 minutes until fully cooked through
2. Separately steam diced sweet potato and frozen peas until soft
3. Blend everything together with some of the cooking liquid, adding more to achieve desired consistency

Stage 3 / Soft Mash (8–10 Months)

Baby is developing the ability to handle lumpier textures. Smooth purees give way to mashed and minced foods with some texture variation. The goal is progression toward family food.

Mashed Salmon with Broccoli & Sweet Potato

1. Steam a small piece of salmon (skin removed, deboned) for 8–10 minutes
2. Steam broccoli florets and diced sweet potato until soft
3. Flake the salmon and mash roughly with the vegetables, leaving some texture
4. No blending needed — the texture should be chunky but mashable between fingers

Mini Egg Muffins

A brilliant make-ahead finger food once baby is managing soft pieces.

1. Whisk 3 eggs with a splash of whole milk
2. Finely chop a small handful of soft vegetables (cooked spinach, soft-cooked broccoli, ripe tomato)
3. Mix vegetables into the egg mixture
4. Pour into a greased silicone mini muffin tray
5. Bake at 180°C for 12–15 minutes until set
6. Allow to cool before serving

These store in the fridge for 3 days or freeze individually.

Batch Cooking and Freezing

The most efficient approach to homemade baby food is a weekly batch cook of 2–3 recipes:

1. Prepare purees in bulk (x6–8 portions each)
2. Spoon into ice cube trays, one cube per cavity
3. Freeze until solid (4–6 hours)
4. Transfer frozen cubes into labelled freezer bags with date and contents
5. Thaw the night before in the fridge, or place sealed bag in warm water for 15 minutes

A Sunday batch cook of 2–3 recipes provides enough variety for the week with minimal daily effort.

For the full context on when and how to start solids, see our first foods guide, our finger foods guide, and our baby led weaning guide. For the allergen introduction protocol alongside these recipes, see our allergen introduction guide.