12x Stage 1 Baby Food Recipes (4-6 months+)
When your little one is 4 to 6 months old, you can start introducing solid foods. When the baby is ready for solid foods depends on multiple factors, so ask your pediatrician for proper advice. Your baby should be able to sit up by themselves and keep their head up without wobbling. If the pediatrician agrees that your baby is ready, you can start with stage 1.
What is stage 1 baby food?
Stage 1 is suitable for babies aged 4-6 months+. These foods are thin, runny and highly pureed, with ZERO chunks. These foods are also easily digested and very low on the allergy scale. It is mainly fruits and vegetables.
What is suitable for stage 1 baby food?
- Oatmeal
- Rice
- Quinoa
- Avocado
- Pears
- Apples
- Bananas
- Peaches
- Green beans
- Peas
- Carrots
- Sweet potato
- Pumpkin/squash
- Chicken
- Turkey
When you start out, you want to start with single-ingredient purees. So, for example, apple puree or pea puree or banana puree. Also, start with fruit and vegetables, before you introduce chicken or turkey. Because fruits and vegetables are easier to digest.
When your baby is used to the single ingredients purees, you can start combining two ingredients.
What is the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2 baby food?
The difference between stage 1 and 2 is mainly the texture. Stage 1 baby food has to be thin, soupy and runny, without ANY chunks. In stage 2, the texture is thicker and food can be roughly pureed.
In stage 2 there are also more foods that you can introduce to your baby. In stage 1 you start with very basic fruits and vegetables and maybe some chicken. You avoid foods that can give an allergic reaction or that can cause gas.
Recipe 1 – Rice puree
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of brown rice
Instructions:
Step 1 – Bring a saucepan of water to a boil.
Step 2 – Cook the rice for 10-15 minutes.
Step 3 – Use a hand blender to mix the rice into a smooth puree.
Step 4 – The puree should be very thin, so add some formula if the puree is too thick.
How much do I give my baby? 3 to 5 tbs. single grain iron-fortified cereal mixed with formula (source) You can store this puree in the refrigerator or freezer.
Recipe 2 – Avocado puree
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe avocado
Instructions:
Step 1 – Slice the avocado in halve.
Step 2 – Remove the pit.
Step 3 – Scoop out the meat.
Step 4 – Using a hand blender, mix the avocado into a smooth puree.
Step 5 – If the puree is too thick, add a little bit of formula to make it thinner.
How much should I give my baby? 1 to 2 tbs., plain, strained/1 to 2 times per day. (source) You can store this puree, but keep in mind that avocado turns brown.
Recipe 3 – Banana puree
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- Formula
Instructions:
Step 1 – Peel the banana and slice it up.
Step 2 – Using a hand blender, mix the banana into a smooth puree.
Step 3 – The banana will be too thick to give your young baby, so keep adding formula until the puree is very thin and runny.
How much should I give? 1 to 2 tbs., plain, strained/1 to 2 times per day. You can store this puree in the refrigerator or freezer, but keep in mind that banana turns brown in color.
Recipe 4 – Pear puree
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe pear
- Formula (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1 – Wash the pear and peel the pear.
Step 2 – Remove the core.
Step 3 – Chop up the pear.
Step 4 – Steam the pear for a few minutes, if it isn’t ripe enough.
Step 5 – Using a hand blender, mix the pear into a very smooth puree. Add some formula if the puree isn’t runny, as it should.
How much should I give my baby? 1 to 2 tbs., plain, strained/1 to 2 times per day. You can store the puree in the fridge or freezer.
Recipe 5 – Carrot puree
Ingredients:
- 2 medium-sized carrots
Instructions:
Step 1 – Chop off the green and grate the outer layer of the carrots.
Step 2 – Chop the carrots in chunks.
Step 3 – Bring a saucepan with water to a boil.
Step 4 – Cook the carrots for about 10-15 minutes.
Step 5 – Pour off the water and mix the carrots into a smooth puree, using a hand blender or magic bullet. (or any other suitable kitchen tool)
Step 6 – Add some formula or water to make a runny, thin puree.
How many vegetables can I give my baby? 1 to 2 tbs., plain, strained/1 to 2 times per day.
Recipe 6 – Chicken puree
Ingredients:
- 2.2 oz of chicken (65 grams)
- A little bit of water or formula
Instructions:
Step 1 – Make sure the chicken is skinless, boneless and all the muscles, etc. are removed.
Step 2 – Chop the chicken into small pieces.
Step 3 – Bring a pan with water to a boil.
Step 4 – Add the chicken to the boiling water, and cook it for about 10 minutes. Make sure there is no pink spot left. Cooking chicken can cause a white foam forming on top of the water. This is only the protein that is released and is nothing to worry about.
Step 5 – Pour off the water and add a little bit of freshwater or formula.
Step 6 – Using a hand blender, blend the ingredients into a smooth, runny puree. If the puree is still too thick, add more fluids.
How much chicken puree should I give my baby? At the age of 6 months, 1 to 2 tbs., strained/2 times per day.
If you introduced single-ingredient purees to your little one and they are getting used to it, you can start with some combinations. See our recipes below!
Recipe 7 – Chicken, carrots, and rice
This recipe is an excellent introductory meal for your baby if it is their first time trying the chicken, which is not only delicious but packed with nutrients.
Ingredients:
- 2.2 oz (65 grams) boneless chicken
- 1/4 cup brown or white rice
- 1 small carrot
- a little bit of water or formula
Instructions:
Step 1 – Cut the chicken into small pieces.
Step 2 – Clean the carrot and grate it.
Step 3 – Cook the rice for 10 minutes and pour off the water.
Step 4 – Cook the chicken until it is done, this is after about 10 minutes.
Step 5 – Place the chicken, rice, and carrot into a food processor, and blend until it has no lumps and is paste-like.
Step 6 – Slowly blend in breast milk or formula to create the desired consistency, depending on whether you want it thicker or runnier.
Serve to baby slightly heated or eat it cold – both options taste brilliant! You can freeze this recipe by pouring it into small food storage containers.
Tip: When you cook chicken in water the chicken becomes very tender and very suitable for using it into a puree. Make sure the chicken is well done and doesn’t have any pink on the inside!
Recipe 8 – Peach, banana, and oatmeal
Tasty and fruity breakfast recipe that your baby will love!
Ingredients:
- 2 Peaches
- 1 Banana
- ½ Cup oatmeal
- a dash of cinnamon
- ½ Cup breast milk or formula
Instructions:
Step 1 – Peel the peaches cut them in pieces and steam them for a short while.
Step 2 – Peel the banana and chop it up.
Step 3 – Cook the ½ cup of oatmeal in 1 cup of water until it has become soupy.
Step 4 – Put the peaches, banana, and oatmeal in a blender and add the cinnamon and breast milk or formula. Blend until it is nice and smooth.
Recipe 9 – Avocado, Strawberry, and Banana
Quick, easy and very tasty. Your baby will love this one!
Ingredients:
- 1 Avocado
- 1 Cup fresh strawberries
- ½ Banana
- 1 Cup breast milk or formula (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1 – Using a spoon, scoop the avocado meat out of the peal and add it to a blender or food processor.
Step 2 – Clean the strawberries, remove the crown and add them to the blender.
Step 3 – Peel the banana and slice ½ in pieces before adding them to the blender.
Step 4 – Mix the ingredients into a smooth puree. You can add some breast milk, formula or water if you want the puree to be slightly thinner.
Recipe 10 – Butternut squash and applesauce
The sweet taste normally in applesauce improves the flavor of your butternut squash.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 Butternut squash
- 5 Tablespoons applesauce
Instructions:
Step 1 – Peel and slice the butternut squash and prepare as mentioned above.
Step 2 – Add the cooked butternut squash to a blender and blend until it has become a puree.
Step 3 – Finally, add the applesauce and blend for a short while.
Recipe 11 – Green beans and carrots
Both green beans and carrots are excellent sources of vitamin A, so this recipe is good for your baby’s vision, immunity from diseases and bone development.
Ingredients:
- 2 carrots.
- 1 cup chopped green beans.
- 4-5 cups of water
Instructions:
Step 1 – Peel the carrots and dice them up.
Step 2 – Boil carrots over medium heat for 20-25 minutes.
Step 3 – In a separate pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, put the green peas into the pot, cook for 3-5 minutes, then let them cool for 5 minutes.
Step 4 – Put the cooked carrots and green beans into a blender, add a little water, and blend till the puree is smooth and consistent.
Recipe 12 – Chicken, apple, and potato
Another tasty combination is chicken and apple. Mixed with potato and milk for a creamy consistency, you will be lucky to have leftovers after this creation!
Ingredients:
- 2.2 oz (65 grams) boneless chicken
- 1/2 ripe apple
- 1 small potato
- A little bit of water/formula (optional)
Instructions:
Step 1 – Chop the chicken into cubes and cook it for 10 minutes. Make sure it is well done.
Step 2 – Clean and peel the apple and cut it into slices. Cook the apple for a few minutes.
Step 3 – Clean and chop the potato and cook it until it is soft. (about 10 minutes)
Step 4 – Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix them into a smooth puree.
Step 5 – You can add some water or formula to make the puree thinner.
Serve warm for your baby! Or make more portions and store them into small food storage containers or in ice cube forms.
Tip: The potato and apple might be a little difficult to blend because they are quite dry. Add a little water or formula and blending will be easier.
Recipe 13 – Sweet potato, cauliflower, and peas
This meal is healthy, nutritious and a perfect baby food dinner recipe. Cauliflower can cause gas, so this might not be the best ingredient to start with when introducing solid foods to your baby. When you start introducing cauliflower to your baby, see how he/she responds. If it causes gas and cramps, stop giving cauliflower for a while.
Ingredients:
- 1 sweet potato
- A few cauliflower florets
- 2 Tablespoons peas
Instructions:
Step 1 – Peel the sweet potato and chop it in pieces.
Step 2 – Add the sweet potato and the cauliflower florets to a cooking pot with boiling water and cook them together for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3 – You can add the peas to the cooking pot in the last 2-3 minutes. Pour off the water and add the sweet potato, cauliflower, and the peas to a blender and blend until it is a smooth mixture.
You can feed your baby the mixture once it cooled down a bit or pour it into the food storage containers to freeze them.
Is your baby ready for stage 2? Check out our stage 2 baby food recipes here
Are these recipes freezable?
You should store your batch of sweet potato baby meals in a refrigerator using an airtight container for up to a period of 72 hours.
You can freeze this baby food into different portions by employing ice cubes as the recipe can be prepared to make around 5-10 servings.
Which kitchen tools to use
In order to prepare these baby food recipes, you will need the following kitchen tools:
Knife
Tablespoon
Vegetable peeler
Cutting board
Cooking pot
Blender or food processor
Food storage containers or an ice cube form
Stage 1 FAQ
When can babies drink water?
In general, your baby shouldn’t drink water before he or she is about 6 months old.
Why shouldn’t you give your baby water sooner? Because water can interfere with your baby’s body’s ability to absorb the nutrition in formula or breastmilk. (source)
Can a 6-month-old have juice?
Yes, a 6-month-old can have juice, but pediatricians advice not to give juice too often. It can add a lot of calories to your baby’s diet and the sugar can cause tooth decay. (source) If you serve juice, try to give your baby 100% fruit juice.
Can a 6-month-old have milk?
When your baby is 6 months old you can start mixing little amounts of cow’s milk with your baby’s food, according to dietician Sasha Watkins. You can try pureed potatoes with a little bit of milk when you start baby-led weaning. It is too soon to let your baby drink cow’s milk as her main milk drink.
Don’t give your baby cow’s milk before they are 6 months old. Also, when your baby is diagnosed with a dairy allergy, it’s safest to get advice from your doctor first before giving dairy products. (source)
When can a baby eat eggs?
A lot of pediatricians advise that you wait with giving your baby a whole egg until the age of 1 year because up to 2 percent of babies is allergic to eggwhite. The yolk does not hold proteins associated with an allergic reaction, so they can be given safely to babies at the age of 6-7 months.
Signs that your baby might be allergic to eggs are eczema, swelling, hives, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose or trouble breathing, and rapid heartbeat. (source)
Can I use frozen vegetables for baby food?
Yes, you can use frozen foods for baby food. Frozen foods are often easy and quick to prepare and still contain a lot of nutrition.
Can I use canned vegetables for baby food?
Canned food tends to lose nutrients with time. Additionally, vitamins might be destroyed during the canning process. Most dietitians will recommend natural and fresh food that is free of additives and chemicals. Canned vegetables contain additives that have been used as a preservative to make it last longer.
So, we prefer that you use fresh or frozen vegetables over canned vegetables.
How do I help my constipated baby?
A sign that a baby has constipation is when the stool is difficult to release, which is usually hard and dry (grainy as gravel), and the discharge is accompanied by pain. The child then flexes his legs against his stomach and abdominal bloating, cramps and pain are often present, and appetite is generally reduced.
It is advisable that the baby eats at the same time every day. The laxative effect (easier emptying of the intestines) has the consumption of pears, plums, apricots, peaches. Drinking lots of fluids and eating foods like celery, sweet potato, ripe bananas, and dark leafy vegetables like kale can help.
Final words
So the most important thing is to start with single-ingredients purees and very smooth and runny purees without any chunks. When your little one is getting used to solid foods, you can start combining ingredients and get more creative. Also, you can give chicken and turkey, but start out with fruits and vegetables.
