7x Baby Food Recipes with Apple

If you are looking for easy and tasty baby food recipes that your baby will definitely enjoy, you are in the right place! In this article, apples are in the spotlight. 

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” We can all agree that apples are healthy. They are also a good option to start with when you decide that your baby is ready for solid foods. 

In this article, we talk about introducing apple to your baby’s diet and we give you some easy and tasty recipes for homemade baby food. 

The recipes in this article:

Recipe 1 – Basic apple puree
Recipe 2 – Apple, pear puree
Recipe 3 – Minced beef and apple
Recipe 4 – Apple, beetroot, and quinoa
Recipe 5 – Chicken, apple, and potato
Recipe 6 – Apple, chickpeas, and carrots
Recipe 7 – Fruit bite

When can a baby eat apples?

Apples are a great choice for your baby’s first solid foods. They are easy to digest and full of fiber and nutrition. You can start giving your baby apple when they are in stage 1, at the age of 4-6 months. Below the age of 8 months, it is advised to peel the skin off. 

How to prepare apple for baby food

As we said earlier, below the age of 8 months it is advised to peel the skin off. This because the skin can contain pesticides. Removing the skin can also prevent choking hazards due to large pieces of thick skin, and prevents digestive upsets. 

Peel the apple and remove the core. Slice the apple in pieces. You can use the apple raw or cook it for a few minutes. This will make the apple softer and sweeter. 

Stage 1 – When your baby is 4-6 months old, you should mix the apple into a smooth and runny puree. Without ANY chunks. When this is the first solid food that you give to your baby, start with a single-ingredient puree. 

When your baby is more used to solid foods, you can start combining ingredients. 

Stage 2 – When your baby is about 8 months old, you can mash the apple or mix it into a chunky puree. You can mix it with other ingredients. 

Stage 3 – You can now start giving your baby mashed apple, or offer small slices of apple for baby-led weaning. 

Which apples for baby food?

Start with sweet-tasting apples, instead of acidic apples. For example Fuji, Gala, Red or Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp. 

Recipe 1 – Basic Apple puree (age 4-6 months+)

We start with the basics, with this easy apple puree. Suitable for stage 1 introductions to your little one. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe apple

Instructions:

Step 1 – Peel the apple and remove the core. 

Step 2 – Slice the apple in pieces. 

Step 3 – Bring a pan of water to a boil. 

Step 4 – Cook the apple for 3 minutes. This will make it softer and sweeter. 

Step 5 – Pour off the water. 

Step 6 – Using a hand blender, mix the apple into a smooth and runny puree. Add some water or formula if the puree is too thick. 

Recipe 2 – Apple and pear puree (age 4-6 months+)

When you’ve introduced apple puree to your baby, you can move on to this two-ingredient recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe apple
• 1 ripe pear

Instructions:

Step 1 – Remove the skin and the core of both the apple and pear. 

Step 2 – Chop the apple and pear into pieces. 

Step 3 – Use the ingredients raw, or cook them for a few minutes to make them softer and sweeter. 

Step 4 – Using a hand blender, mix the pear and apple into a smooth, runny puree. Add some formula or water if the puree is too thick. 

Recipe 3 – Minced beef and apple (age 8-10 months+)

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A very easy recipe a lot of babies will like a lot!

Ingredients:

• 2.2 oz of minced beef (65 grams)
• 1 apple
• Water

Instructions:

Step 1 – Bring a saucepan with water to a boil.

Step 2 – Cook the beef in the saucepan for about 8 minutes, until done.

Step 3 – Put the cooked beef in a blender and mix until the beef is powdery.

Step 4 – Peel the apple and remove the core. Slice the apple in pieces.

Step 5 – Cook the apple for a short while. This will make the apple softer and sweeter.

Step 6 – Add the apple and some water to the blender and mix them with the beef puree. You need to add liquid necessary to make the consistency appropriate for your baby.

Recipe 4 – Apple, Beetroot, and quinoa (age 8 months+)

Delicious, healthy and with a beautiful color.

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1 medium-sized beetroot
• 4oz of cooked quinoa.

Instructions:

Step 1 – Cook the quinoa in a saucepan with boiling water for about 10 minutes.

Step 2 – Peel the apple and remove the core. Chop the apple into slices.

Step 3 – Cook the apple for a few minutes. This will make it softer and sweeter.

Step 4 – Peel the beetroot and bring a saucepan with water to a boil.

Step 5 – Add some vinegar and salt to the boiling water and cook the beetroot for about 30 minutes, until fork-tender.

Step 6 – Chop the beetroot into pieces and add all the ingredients to a blender.

Step 7 – Mix the ingredients into a smooth puree. Add some water or formula if you want to make the puree thinner.

Recipe 5 – Chicken, apple, and potato (age 6-8 months+)

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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 6 – Apple, chickpeas, and carrots (age 8 months+)

Nutritious, fresh and tasty! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of chickpeas (soaked overnight)
• 2 carrots
• 1 apple

Instructions:

Step 1 – Bring a saucepan with water to a boil and cook the chickpeas for about 30 minutes. 

Step 2 – Peel the carrots and cut them in cubes. 

Step 3 – Cook the carrots for about 10 minutes, until fork-tender. 

Step 4 – Peel the apple and remove the core. Cut the apple in slices. You can use the apple raw or cook the apple a few minutes. This will make it taste sweeter. 

Step 5 – Add all the ingredients to a blender in mix them into a smooth puree. Add some water or formula if needed. 

Recipe 7 – Fruit bite (age 12 months)

A quick and tasty fruit recipe for your baby. Age 12 months+ because of the oranges in this recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 1 orange
• 1 apple
• 1 banana

Instructions:

Step 1 – Peel the orange and remove the seeds. Chop it into pieces. 

Step 2 – Peel the apple and remove the core. Chop the apple into pieces. 

Step 3 – Peel the banana and chop it into pieces. 

Since this recipe is for a 12-month-old baby you can choose to serve this dish with the fruit chopped into small pieces, or you can choose to put all the ingredients in a blender and mix them into a puree. 

Feeding guide for apples

Please keep in mind that this guide applies to apples. If you add other ingredients to your meal, like meats, this guide might not be applicable.

We recommend that you consult with your baby’s pediatrician on introducing solid foods as generalities may not apply to your infant.

Are these baby food recipes freezable?

You should store your batch of apple 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 pouring the mixture into ice cubes or in small food storage containers.

Which kitchen tools to use

To prepare these baby food recipes, you will need the following kitchen tools:

• Blender or food processor

• Knife

• Tablespoon

• Vegetable peeler

• Cutting board

• Saucepan

• Food storage containers or an ice cube form

 Nutritional benefits of apples

• Maintain health by improving cardiovascular health, lowering LDL cholesterol and inhibiting LDL oxidation;
• Reducing the risk of certain types of stroke;
• Maintaining a healthy weight when introduced into a low-calorie, fiber-rich diet;
• Improving lung function by counteracting the effects of oxidative damage;
• Improving the health of the prostate, liver, and colon by inhibiting the growth of certain types of tumors;
• Improving bone health, providing a good source of wrinkle minerals.

Nutrients in apples (one medium apple) – Vitamins:

1. Vitamin A – 73 IU;
2. Vitamin C – 9 mg;
3. Folic acid (important during pregnancy) – 4 mcg;
4. Vitamin E – 66 IU.

Nutrients in apples (one medium apple) – Minerals:

1. Potassium – 158 mg;
2. Calcium – 9.5 mg;
3. Phosphorus – 9.5 mg;
4. Magnesium – 7 mg;
5. Selenium – 4 mg;
6. It also contains small amounts of iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.

Interested in more baby food recipes? What about our recipes with banana, pear or rice? Or what about our stage 1 baby food recipes?