Welcome to my seventh edition of my Nutrient Dense Baby Foods series for Homemade Mommy!  Last week I discussed introducing pureed vegetables to your baby’s diet.  This week I am discussing Weston A. Price Foundation’s recommendations for pureed fruits as one of your baby’s first foods.

One important thing to remember:  feeding your baby pureed fruit is not the same as giving them juice.  Allowing your child to drink juice is not recommended.  Juice contains too much simple sugar and may ruin a child’s appetite for the more nourishing food choices.

What are the recommended fruits for a 6-8 month old?

The WAPF recommends the following fruits for 6-8 month olds to be given mashed or raw:

1. Avocado
2. Melon
3. Mangoes
4. Papaya

The WAPF recommends the following high-pectin fruits for 6-8 month olds to be prepared by cooking them first to break down the pectin:

1. Peaches
2. Apricots
3. Pears
4. Cherries
5. Berries

Pectin can be very irritating to the digestive tract.  The cooking process breaks the pectin down, allowing it to be more easily digestible.

How to prepare a fruit puree for your baby:

1. Bring 2 cups filtered water to a boil with 1 pound unsulphured dried apricots (or other fruit).
2. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Remove apricots from pot and place in blender (reserve any remaining liquid).
4. Puree in blender.  You may want to add the remaining liquid from the pot to achieve the desired consistency.
5. You may also add some butter to the puree.

Store the puree in small ready to serve containers in your refrigerator.  You may even want to usethese grab and go squeezable pouches!

How to prepare a fruit sauce for your baby:

Fruit Sauce (6 months +)

1. Cut up 1/2 cup of organic fruit combination of your choice (can be fresh or frozen).
2. Place in a saucepan with 1 cup water (increase in this proportion if you are preparing a larger batch).  For example, 1 cup of fruit would require 2 cups of water.
3. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
4. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until the fruit is cooked.
5. Purée this mixture in a blender and strain if necessary.
6. You shouldn’t add sugar or spices to this mixture but you may choose to add butter or cream.

Next week I’ll continue explaining how you can save time and money and still make healthy, nutrient dense baby food!

Would you like a clean, printable version of the baby food introduction schedule that will look great on your fridge?  Visit my blog and subscribe to my newsletter for your FREE copy!  You will also, receive the latest homemade baby food tutorials and recipes when you sign up.

Pin it here!