Please tell me that you guys saw the new consumer reports about heavy metals and arsenic found in baby food. Just a quick Google search on the harm of well-known baby food brands can easily blow your mind. Did you know that they only want you to serve your child half of the portion of some meals?! WHAT?!
Well, luckily, you've got other options. Options that are gonna save you tons of money and are much, much healthier for your baby! Plus, I'm throwing them at you with a twist because I'm bringing in my favorite kitchen gadget, my pressure cooker! Without further ado, dive in and make your own pressure cooker baby food!
I'm no baby food making newbie. In fact, this is the second babe that I'm cooking for and loving it! Over the years, I've learned a few tips and tricks that I'll be sharing with you. But, I've learned that the easiest and most efficient way to do it is in my pressure cooker.
The second time-saving trick you'll want to know about is batch cooking- which can also be done right in your Instant Pot if you have the right accessories! My favorite fact is that I know exactly what goes into my babies body because I'm making it in my own kitchen!
14 Pressure Cooker Baby Food Recipes
Carrots
Put 1 cup of water into your pressure cooker, and then add your steamer basket. To the steamer basket, 1 pound of carrots. Close and lock the lid and cook on HI pressure for 4 minutes. When the timer goes off, perform a quick release. Then all you have to do is mash or pulverize in a food processor or blender.
I like to use baby carrots, but you can use whatever carrots you like. If you use large carrots, be sure that you peel and quarter.
Green Beans
To your pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and then your steamer basket. To the steamer basket, add about 1 pound of green beans that have been washed and trimmed. Close and lock the lid, cook on HI pressure for 5 minutes and then perform a quick release. Drain your pot and add your beans to a blender or food processor to puree into an even consistency.
Applesauce
To your pressure cooker, add ¼ cup of water. To that, you'll want to add about 3 pounds, or 10 singles, of your favorite apples, quartered and cored with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. You can add or omit the baby-safe seasonings below, but they are very minimal amounts compared to a regular applesauce recipe.
Add ¼ tsp cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ cup sugar. Close and lock the lid. Cook on HI pressure for 5 minutes and then let the pot perform a natural release. You can then use an immersion blender or add the mix to a stand blender or food processor to puree.
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Some babies may have tummy aches from unpeeled fruits and vegetables. You can try one batch of unpeeled apples, if it seems to upset your babies tummy after a feeding, you can make another batch with them peeled. Don't toss the first batch, save for when babies tummy is a little more mature and try again!
Green Peas
To your pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and then your steamer basket. To the steamer basket, add 1 lb of green peas (these can be dehulled or frozen). Close and lock the lid, cook on HI pressure for 3 minutes and then a quick release when the timer beeps. Drain the peas and then pulverize until desired consistency.
Sweet Potatoes
There are a number of ways that you can cook sweet potatoes inside your pot, but I think the most efficient way is to cook them whole. Put 1.5 cups of water into your Instant Pot and then add your steamer basket. To the steamer basket, pile in up to 9 potatoes. Close and lock the lid, cook under pressure for 20 minutes.
After cooking, quick release and then set the potatoes aside until they are cool enough to handle. The skin should peel right off of the potatoes and you can either mash, blend or process. The potatoes will be thick, to thin the mixture, add breastmilk or water to preference.
Mashed Potatoes
This one may be a no-brainer for experienced pressure cooker users, but I'm adding it just in case! Add one cup of water to your pressure cooker and then a steamer basket of choice. On top of the steamer basket, put your washed, peeled, and quartered.
Cook on HI pressure for 10 minutes and then a quick release. Then, mash or puree till there are no lumps. Add purified water or breastmilk to help thin the mixture as needed.
Beets
Wash and peel your beets, then quarter them. To your electric pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and a steamer basket. Add your beets to the steamer basket and cook on HI pressure for 13 minutes with a 5-minute natural release and then quick release. Drain and puree.
Pumpkin
I'm about to blow your mind with this one- because we're doing a WHOLE pumpkin. You'll want to start by picking out a 3-4 pound pie pumpkin, washing it and removing the stem. If you have a steamer basket or wire rack, place it into the pressure cooker with one cup of water.
Place the pumpkin on top of the rack, or basket, and close and lock the lid. Cook on HI pressure for 13-15 minutes with a 10-minute natural release, and then a quick release of the remaining pressure and open the lid. When the pumpkin is cool enough to touch, remove it, slice it in half and remove the innards. Puree!
Plums
Take 1-2 lbs of plums, washed, halved and pitted. To your pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and a steamer basket. Place your plums into the steamer basket and cook on HI pressure for 2 minutes. Perform a quick release, drain and puree!
Butternut Squash
Take 1 large whole butternut squash and cut it in half, removing all of the innards. Put 1 cup of water into your pressure cooker and then your steamer basket, place the squash on top. If the squash doesn't fit, you can cut each side in half again, making it quarters.
Close and lock the lid, cook on HI pressure for 12 minutes and then a quick release of the pressure. When the squash is cool enough to handle, you should be able to scoop the flesh out of the skin and put it directly into your puree-er of choice! Again, adding breastmilk or water if the mixture is too thick.
Zucchini or Yellow Squash
Cut 4-6 zucchini or squash into bite-sized portions and place them on a steamer basket inside your pressure cooker. Add 1 cup of water. Close and lock the lid, cook on HI pressure for 2-3 minutes and then perform a manual release of the pressure. Drain, and then puree until smooth.
Broccoli
To your pressure cooker, add one cup of water and your steamer basket. To the steamer basket, one pound of broccoli cut into chunks. Close and lock the lid, cook on HI pressure for 4-5 minutes with a manual release of the pressure. Drain and puree.
Acorn Squash
You can cook more than 1 acorn squash at a time, as long as they fit under the "max" level on the inner pot of your pressure cooker. To your pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water and your steamer basket. You should be able to fit 2 medium sized acorn squash into your inner pot.
Cut the squash in half and remove the innards, lay them on top of the steamer basket. Cook on HI pressure for 11 minutes and a 5-minute natural release. After 5 minutes, manually release the pressure. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh from the skin and puree.
Homemade baby food can be kept frozen for 3-6 months!
If at any time you find that your blends are too thick, you can add purified water or breastmilk to the desired consistency. If your blends are too thin, you can add oat cereal directly to the mixture before each feeding to help thicken.
Remember that you may not want to immediately start your baby on a wide range of foods. Try to stick to one thing for at least 1-2 days or a few feedings to see how their little bodies respond or react. You don't want to overwhelm their growing systems and not know which foods can/may cause a particular reaction.
As your baby grows, it's a great idea to begin introducing seasonings to allow your baby to develop a taste for the food you normally cook for your family. However, keep in mind to introduce them slowly and in moderation!
If you ever need any ideas of what foods might go well together, check out the baby food aisle and see what blends they've come up with! Of course, you could always check out the websites of any baby food brands you can think of and they should have flavors listed!
Do you make your own baby food? Have you tried your hand at pressure cooker baby food? Let us know below what your baby's favorite foods are!
If you're a big Instant Pot fanatic, then you need to join all the fun we have in our Facebook Group Pressure Cooker Family Recipes! We're a community of fanatics who love everything about our magic pots and we'd love to have you there with us!
