Making sure that your child is getting all the necessary nutrients and eating a well-balanced diet, including baby food rich in iron, can be challenging when they have inconsistent and unpredictable taste buds. These iron-rich baby food puree recipes are healthy and easy to make.
Baby Food Rich in Iron
Trying to feed your baby healthy food that is rich in iron can be a challenge with their unpredictable taste buds and small appetites. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Iron deficiency is one of the most common problems among children, but it’s frequently not detected.”
Babies ages 6-12 months old need 11mg of iron per day and toddlers ages 1-3 years old need 7 mg of iron per day. Don’t stress too much though because children typically get enough iron a day by eating their everyday normal foods.
Iron is so important for babies. It’s essential in the making of hemoglobin, which is one of the main components of red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. If your baby doesn’t get enough iron, organs and tissues may not get enough oxygen. This could potentially cause deficiencies in growth and development.
Breastmilk is the best and should be the primary source of iron for your baby when they are infants, but as your baby gets older, solids present an excellent opportunity to introduce iron-rich baby purees.
When your baby is around 6 months old, your baby’s iron needs can be met through iron-rich foods.
What Kind of Baby Food is Rich in Iron?
It is best to give your baby food that is rich in iron naturally instead of iron-enriched food. Iron-fortified cereals definitely shouldn’t be forgotten about, though! Baby cereals are a great ingredient to add to purees to thicken them up or make them more filling.
It’s also important to give your baby fruits and vegetables that are high in Vitamin C to help with iron absorption.
Iron-Rich Baby Foods
- Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, lettuce, etc.
- Dried fruit like raisins, cherries, figs, apricots, or prunes
- Grains like quinoa, lentils, and brown rice
- Red meat, pork, and chicken
- Beans
- Raspberries
- Peas
- Mushrooms
- Green Beans
- Asparagus
- Sweet Potatoes
- Eggs
Food High in Vitamin C
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Oranges
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Brussel Sprouts
- Lemon
- Bell Peppers
- Grapefruit
Simple 1 Ingredient Baby Food Rich in Iron
There are so many great one ingredient purees that have tons of nutrition for your baby. If your baby really likes green beans, don’t be afraid to grab a can of green beans and puree it with a little bit of water. When doing these 1 ingredient options, just be sure you are picking foods that are rich in iron.
Moms and dads don’t need to stress about making elaborate food. The important thing is that your baby is happy, healthy, and loved.
If you want to get a little more creative, these iron rich baby food puree recipes are a great option that your baby is sure to love.
Iron Rich Baby Food Puree Recipes
Green Bean and Broccoli Applesauce Puree
Ingredients
1 apple peeled, cored, and chopped
¼ cup broccoli florets, chopped
¼ cup green beans, chopped
How to Make
Stovetop
- Add about 2 inches of water to your small pot and bring to a boil.
- Add apples, broccoli, and green beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes (depending on the size of your chopped ingredients). Make sure they are soft when punctured with a fork.
- Let them cool completely.
- Put the apples, broccoli, and green beans in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Gradually add water from your pot to produce the desired consistency for your baby food.
Pressure Cooker
- Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the inner pot. Put the steamer rack in and add chopped apples, broccoli, and green beans to an oven-safe bowl and set on top of the steaming rack.
- Pressure cook for 0-2 minutes, manual release when done. Let cool.
- Put apples, broccoli, and green beans in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- Gradually add water to the blender or food processor from your pot to the puree until you reach your desired consistency.
Storage
This recipe makes about 7-8 ounces of food, which is about 1 serving for your baby. If you want to have extra to put in the fridge for later or to freeze, double or triple the recipe.
To store in the fridge, put in an airtight container. It will stay good for about 3 days.
To freeze, pour into an ice cube tray and freeze for easy access to single servings for your baby. After about 3 hours in the freezer, put the individual pieces into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to store. It will be good for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Apple Spinach Strawberry Puree
Ingredients
½ cup strawberries, chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
¾ cup spinach, packed
How to Make
Stovetop
- Add about 2 inches of water to your pot and bring to a boil.
- Add your chopped apples, strawberries, and spinach to the boiling water.
- Cover and cook for about 8 minutes. Make sure your apples are soft when punctured with a fork.
- Let it cool completely.
- Put your apples, strawberries, and spinach in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- Gradually add water from your pot to your mixture until you reach your desired consistency.
Pressure Cooker
- Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the inner pot. Put the steamer rack in and add chopped apples, strawberries, and spinach to an oven-safe bowl and set on top of the steaming rack.
- Pressure cook for 0 minutes, manual release when done. Let cool.
- Put the apples, strawberries, and spinach in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- To reach the consistency you want, gradually add water a little bit at a time and blend.
Storage
This recipe makes about 7-8 ounces of food and is easy to double or even triple if you want to have leftovers for another meal or to put in the freezer.
To store in the fridge, put in an airtight container. The puree should be good for up to 3 days.
To freeze, pour the puree into an ice cube tray. Freeze for 3 hours and put individual pieces into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to store. This will stay fresh for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Sweet Potato and Beef Puree
Ingredients
½ lb. ground beef, browned
1 medium sweet potato, cubed
1 cup beef broth
How to Make
Stovetop
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain.
- In a small pot, add beef broth and sweet potatoes. Bring to a boil and let it cook for about 8 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft.
- Let cool completely.
- Add ground beef and sweet potato mixture with broth to a blender or food processor and puree. If needed, add more water to the puree to get it to your desired consistency.
Pressure Cooker
- Turn the pressure cooker to saute mode and brown your ground beef, drain and set aside.
- Put 1 cup water in the bottom of the inner pot. Add a steamer rack. Add your beef broth and chopped sweet potatoes to your oven-safe bowl and set on top of the steamer rack.
- Pressure cook for 3 minutes—manual release.
- Let cool completely.
- Add ground beef and sweet potato mixture with broth to a blender or food processor and puree. If needed, add more water to the puree to get it to your desired consistency.
Storage
This Sweet Potato and Beef Puree recipe makes 1 serving, so about 7 ounces of food. It can be doubled or tripled easily without adding any extra time.
To store in the fridge, put in an airtight container. The puree should be good for 2 days.
To freeze, pour the puree into an ice cube tray. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 3-5 hours. Once completely frozen, pop individual pieces out and put them into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to store. This will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer.
