Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (2024)

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Homemade baby food pouches are easy to make, portable, squeezable and there are tons of combination possibilities! A great way to serve healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your little one.

Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (1)

I made ALL of the baby food for both of my little ones. Which was no small feat because they were very hearty eaters. A good thing, but whew, kept me busy in the kitchen!

I always made big batches of purees, to knock out a bunch at a time, and inevitably, I’d be left with extras when they were moving onto finger foods and self-feeding.

So I started turning those purees into homemade baby food pouches.

(I also have tons of other ideas of ways to use leftover baby food - I didn't want to waste a bit!)

Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (2)

You can of course buy squeeze pouches in the store.

They have lots of different kinds ofapplesauce mixes, yogurt squeezies, and fruit and veggie combinations.

But you can make your own so quickly, easily and for much less money. Plus, you can customize them to your little one’s liking and feel good that you’re controlling the ingredients.

My kids are older now - M is 5 next week (yikes!) and J is coming up on 3 - but they still love these squeezies. M says she has lots of friends who bring them for lunch, so she’s always asking for me to send them to school.

And I'm happy to.

I love that it’s an easy way to ensure they are eating their veggies. They will take down one of these pouches in a matter of minutes but they don’t always dig into a big bowl of peas or a plate full of broccoli. #yet #Iwontgiveup

Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (3)

So today I’m giving you the run-down on what I use, how it works and 5 easy homemade squeezie combinations to get you started.

You can also check out these 5 additional homemade baby food pouches for more ideas! And you'll be coming up with your own favorite recipe combinations before long.

So, let's dive in.

Oh, and if you want to jump on down to the recipes, just scroll to the bottom of the post. The recipe card is above the comments section.

Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (4)
Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (5)

Equipment:

I have the Infantino Squeeze Stationand it's been great. It's the only specific baby food equipment I've bought and it was definitely worth it.

You’ll also need to buy refill pouches (they come in batches of 50 and you will go through them!)

They have other accessories, but I’ve stuck to these basics and been fine.

You’ll also need an immersion/hand blender or regular blender to make the purees to put into the squeeze pouches.

Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (6)
Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (7)

How to make baby food squeeze pouches:

    Step 1. Set up the station. You set up the squeeze station by inserting three pouches into the bottom (they fit through some grooves and sort of snap in.) Then you put the empty containers on top and screw them onto the bags to prepare for filling.

    Pro tip: Be sure to write the contents and date on your bags before you start to fill them. Much easier to do it before rather than after they’re filled.

    Step 2. Add puree mixes. Next, spoon your puree mix into each container, filling it almost to the top. You use the press tool and push the puree down into the pouch. It’s a weirdly gratifying feeling.

    Note: If the mixture gets stuck or won’t push, you probably have a small chunk in your puree that got caught in the hole. Just unscrew your tube, dump the contents back into your blender and reblend (or pick out the offending piece if you see it).

    Step 3. Remove the bags. After the bags are filled, unscrew the tubes from the top and carefully pull the bags out, keeping them level so they don't spill. Twist on the orange top and voila!

    It’s really easy and actually kinda fun!

    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (8)
    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (9)
    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (10)
    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (11)

    Tips and Tricks:

    • Lemon: Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to all of these to help preserve them. The only exception is the pineapple-broccoli mixture. The citrus from the pineapple is enough on its own.
    • Peels: You can keep the peels on the pears and apples, just be sure to puree them very well so pieces don’t get stuck and prevent the mixture from going into the squeezie bags.
    • Cooking: The vegetables and grains need to be cooked and soft, so plan ahead. Or use leftovers. These can be a great way to use up scraps and reduce food waste.
    • Consistency: If any of your mixtures seem too thick (because the water content of fruits and veggies can vary), just add a bit of applesauce or a splash of water to the blender until its thin enough.
    • Size: Each pouch holds about 4 ounces. Most of these batches for me make about 3 squeezies worth. You can of course always double up if you want to knock out a bunch. They freeze great, so you might as well!
    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (12)

    Storage Tips:

    • Homemade squeeze pouches, once made, should be stored in the refrigerator. Make sure they are labeled and dated. They will keep for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
    • You can also freeze the pouches! Pop them in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before giving to your little one.
    • Traveling? You can safely transport these pouches for up to 1-2 hours. If you're going to be out longer than that - or if it's a very hot day - I would recommend packing them in a cooler.

    Oh, and these should all be served cold or at room temperature; they aren’t meant to be heated or served warm.

    Check out the recipes below and get to making some baby food pouches. I hope your little one enjoys!

    XO,

    Kathryn

    P.S. You can find more baby food help, resources and recipes in my cookbook. Healthy, Quick and Easy Baby Food has ALL the info you need to get started plus 100 recipes ranging from single purees to combinations to finger foods and toddler foods.

    Yield: 3 pouches for each combination

    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (13)

    Portable, squeezable and with lots of flavor options, homemade baby food pouches are a great way to serve healthy fruits, vegetables and grains to your little ones!

    Prep Time15 minutes

    Total Time15 minutes

    Ingredients

    For the apple-brown rice-spinach pouches:

    • 1 apple, core removed and roughly chopped
    • ½ cup cooked brown rice
    • 1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves (raw)
    • Juice of ½ lemon

    For the pineapple-broccoli pouches:

    • 1 cup cut pineapple (thawed if frozen)
    • ⅔ cup cooked broccoli florets

    For the mango-sweet potato-quinoa pouches:

    • 1 ripe mango, peeled, seed removed and roughly chopped
    • ½ cup cooked sweet potato
    • ½ cup cooked quinoa
    • Juice of ½ lemon

    For the banana-barley-zucchini pouches:

    • 1 ripe banana
    • ½ cup cooked barley
    • ½ cooked chopped zucchini
    • Juice of ½ lemon

    For the pear-peas-spinach pouches:

    • 1 ripe pear
    • ½ cup cooked peas
    • 1 cup raw spinach
    • Juice of ½ lemon

    Instructions

    1. Make sure all of your grains and veggies are cooked, if indicated.
    2. Combine all ingredients for each pouch combination in a blender or immersion blender and blend until it’s a smooth, pourable consistency. (See notes.)
    3. Label your bags, set up your station and add the mixture to the squeeze station containers, filled to the indicated line. Push down with the press tool and fill each bag. Remove the bags from the station and twist on the tops. They are ready to serve! (See notes below for storage tips.)

    Notes

    Lemon: Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to all of these to help preserve them. The only exception is the pineapple-broccoli mixture. The citrus from the pineapple is enough on its own.

    Peels: You can keep the peels on the pears and apples, just be sure to puree them very well so pieces don’t get stuck and prevent the mixture from going into the squeezie bags.

    Cooking: The vegetables and grains need to be cooked and soft, so plan ahead. Or use leftovers. These can be a great way to use up scraps and reduce food waste.

    Consistency: If any of your mixtures seem too thick (because the water content of fruits and veggies can vary), just add a bit of applesauce or a splash of water to the blender until its thin enough.

    Size: Each pouch holds about 4 ounces. Most of these batches for me make about 3 squeezies worth. You can of course always double up if you want to knock out a bunch. They freeze great, so you might as well!

    Here are 5 more homemade baby food pouches if you want more flavor/combination ideas!

    Storage: Homemade squeeze pouches, once made, should be stored in therefrigerator. Make sure they are labeled and dated. They will keep for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.

    You can also freeze the pouches! Pop them in thefreezerfor up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before giving to your little one.

    Traveling? You can safelytransport these pouchesfor up to 1-2 hours. If you're going to be out longer than that - or if it's a very hot day - I would recommend packing them in a cooler.

    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    3

    Serving Size:

    1 pouch

    Amount Per Serving:Calories: 50

    The different varieties will yield different nutrition information.

    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (14)

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    Homemade Baby Food Pouches {how-to and 5 recipes} - Family Food on the Table (2024)

    FAQs

    How long are homemade baby food pouches good for? ›

    Like store-bought baby foods, you can store homemade purees in sealable, fridge-worthy containers such as BPA-free plastic containers, glass jars, or reusable pouches. Only store homemade baby foods in the fridge for one to two days.

    What vegetables go well together for babies? ›

    Here are some simple and super delicious vegetable puree ideas that you can try with your baby:
    • Spinach and sweet potato puree.
    • Cauliflower and cheese puree.
    • Butternut squash and apple puree.
    • Broccoli with avocado.

    What not to put in baby food? ›

    Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
    • Salt. Babies should not eat much salt, as it's not good for their kidneys. ...
    • Sugar. Your baby does not need sugar. ...
    • Saturated fat. ...
    • Honey. ...
    • Whole nuts and peanuts. ...
    • Some cheeses. ...
    • Raw and lightly cooked eggs. ...
    • Rice drinks.

    What age should babies stop eating pouches? ›

    Babies who do not advance to more textured food by 9 months of age have been shown to have a greater likelihood of having feeding problems later. Using a pouch won't hurt your baby if you keep moving forward with feeding skills, such as introducing finger foods, offering the spoon, and encouraging self-feeding.

    What are the foods for baby and family? ›

    Dinner ideas for babies and young children
    • mashed sweet potato with chickpeas and cauliflower.
    • shepherd's pie (made with beef or lamb and/or lentils or vegetarian mince) with green vegetables.
    • rice and mashed peas with courgette sticks.
    • minced chicken and vegetable casserole with mashed potato.

    What vegetable do babies like the most? ›

    Best vegetables for young babies
    • Carrots. Bugs Bunny's fave orange veggies are a baby food staple for good reason. ...
    • Spinach. Speaking of cartoon characters' favorite vegetables, remember Popeye's love for spinach? ...
    • Pumpkin. ...
    • Avocados. ...
    • Sweet potatoes. ...
    • Peas.
    Feb 12, 2021

    What can I do with leftover baby food pouch? ›

    If you have several jars or pouches of baby food leftover, you can easily get creative and use them in all sorts of ways. Here are a few ideas: Use them in pancakes, muffins or bread when baking. Mix them in with oatmeal, yogurt or smoothies.

    Should you refrigerate baby food pouches? ›

    Store opened jars or pouches of baby food (lids on) in the refrigerator, and throw out if not used within the storage time found on the product label.

    How to make baby food without a baby food maker? ›

    A steamer can be perfect for softening vegetables to mash into baby food, though you can usually do this just as well in a microwave or over the stove. A fork. This ubiquitous piece of cutlery is all you need to transform easily mashed foods such as baked sweet potatoes, avocados, and bananas into a meal for your baby.

    Is it OK to just feed baby pouches? ›

    When you're introducing solids to your baby, spoon feeding pouch purees can be a good option. But between 6 and 9 months, your baby will be ready to move beyond pureed food, so it's time to leave the pouches behind.

    What are baby food pouches lined with? ›

    Note: Baby food pouches are lined with polypropylene (designated by recycling code 5), a BPA-free plastic.

    Can baby food pouches be eaten cold? ›

    Baby food pouches can be served cold! In fact, Once Upon a Farm pouches must be refrigerated, so they're already cold (and delicious straight from the fridge). After opening a pouch, if your child decides they only want some of the blend, you can re-refrigerate the rest for up to 72 hours.

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