4 Meatless Iron Rich Baby Food Puree Recipes
Homemade vegetarian baby food puree recipes with plant based iron, optimized for absorption. These are perfect first foods for your baby to help them develop a taste for iron rich foods. They can easily be adapted to be more textured when your baby is ready… and there are lots of ways to include them in your toddler’s meals too!
If you are starting to introduce solid foods to your baby, you may be aware that iron is a priority. Iron is the first nutrient that babies need from sources other than breast or formula milk, as their reserves start to run low between 6 and 12 months.
Different sources give different estimations for this cut off time, but it makes sense to start introducing iron rich foods from the start and let your tot get a taste for them!
If, like us, you are a vegetarian household, or if you simply wish to delay meat introduction / give your baby lots of fruits and veggies, you have plenty of meatless baby food options which are iron rich!
Plant based iron sources are best served with a dose of vitamin C to aid absorption, so I was sure to include both in all of these recipes.
There are also many ways of incorporating these into a toddler’s diet as well, if you have more than one child at home. No need to make food just for the baby!
They are all perfectly delicious for adults to sneak a bite of too!
4 Meatless Iron Rich Baby Food Puree Recipes
This broccoli, avocado and basil puree is an incredibly nutritious first food for babies. Iron rich and full of healthy fats and calories, with a deliciously smooth texture from the avocado.
An iron rich first food for babies packed with nutrients from white beans, roasted red pepper and baked sweet potato. Babies will love the sweet taste and silky texture of this homemade puree.
A nutritious, iron rich first food for babies with an irresistible texture! Coconut milk, butternut squash and lentils combine to make a silky sweet puree which can be eaten plain or given different flavor boosts to suit your family's tastes. This can also be watered down to make a delicious lentil soup for babies!
A baby breakfast puree with the delicious tropical flavors of banana and coconut. This recipe uses ground oats or oat flour for a perfectly smooth texture. Oats are an excellent early source of iron for vegetarian and vegan babies. This recipe is also the perfect filling for a breakfast squeeze pouch for older babies and toddlers.