Like most other health conscious moms I had the plan to make my own baby food when my son started solid foods at the age of 4 months. I upheld my plans for several other feeding goals such as breastfeeding and offering ample veggies, but the homemade baby food thing just did not happen. For many meals, we chose to offer him organic baby food from the pouches and glass jars. This allowed us to offer him a variety of flavors and textures.
Now and then I have whipped up a few super simple baby foods that don’t require cooking or a baby food maker. Some of the favorites in our household are mashed avocado and bananas. On weekends, when there is more time to spare, I prepared a few more involved baby food recipes. My son has stomached all of my creations, but some of his facial expressions showed some possible disdain.
The most interesting (by interesting I mean the most non-desired) baby food creation I served up was a pureed egg mixture made with breastmilk. So he might have gagged on this one. A nonappealing creation was far from my goal, but it was my best effort to expose a food allergy. Recent research has suggested exposure to the top food allergens (eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat, cow’s milk) by the age of 10-11 months may reduce the risk of developing full-blown food allergies. Please note that the recommendations state children who are at high risk for food allergies or have parents with known food allergies should consult their pediatrician before initiating the top food allergens.
Today I am sharing with you a simple recipe for one of my son’s favorite baby food recipes, Baby Banana Oatmeal. After a few easy steps, you will have a nutritious packed baby food your child will be sure to love. I have to admit I even munched on some of the leftover baby food my little man didn’t finish. You may see an adult version very soon!
What makes this recipe considered baby food? Well, oat flour is used instead of whole oats. To make the oat flour all you have to do is puree the oats for 30 to 60 seconds in a food processor or blender. Super easy! I actually prepared extra oat flour to be used in several recipes for the week. I stored it in the refrigerator to keep fresh.
As part of my efforts to expose my son to food allergens, I also added a teaspoon of peanut butter. Again this should be done with caution and not exercised until you consult your pediatrician. After the pediatrician had given us the go ahead, the introduction took place on a weekend day when we would be around my son for several hours after the meal. Fortunately, my son did not have any type of reaction to the peanut butter.
No matter how busy you might be – at least consider this homemade baby food recipe!
Enjoy!
- 1/2 cup breast milk or infant formula
- 2 tbsp ground oats+
- 1-2 slices bananas, mashed
optional: 1 tsp natural peanut butter, 1 tsp peanut butter powder, or sprinkle of cinnamon (consult pediatrician before offering peanut butter products)
*To make ground oats place oats in food processor and pulse for 30-60 seconds or until a fine powder