A how-to guide to make quick and easy Instant Pot baby food. Cooking in larger batches makes this method convenient, healthy and cheap!
Being able to make baby food in the Instant Pot has been a big time saver. My lil Baby Bao is now 8 months old and he’s been eating a ton! Once we got the okay from our pediatrician, I started him on solids at 6 months. It took a bit for him to get used to eating, but now he’s familiar with a variety of foods and has been on a roll!
With the Instant Pot, I’m able to make big batches of baby food which saves time and money and keeps Baby Bao happy with a full tummy!
I like being able to whip up a variety of pureed fruits and vegetables, and then store them in the freezer. During the busy week (and they all feel busy), I simply pop out two to three of the frozen pre-measured servings and steam them for a quick meal. This post will be a lifesaver if you’re in need of an easy and convenient way to make healthy and preservative-free baby food at home!
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Why Make Homemade Baby Food?
- It’s quick and convenient – Make batches of baby food with the high pressure option in just 5 minutes.
- Get creative with flavors – Make a variety of fruit and vegetable purees, then mix and match.
- Cook big batches and save tons of time – Freeze up to 1 weeks worth of food for no brainer meals for your baby.
- Save $$$ – It’s more cost-efficient to buy fresh produce and make at home.
- Naturally delicious – You know exactly what’s going into your baby’s body when you make their meals from fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables without preservatives and artificial flavors and colors.
Ingredients And Equipment
Instant Pot (I use a 6 qt instant pot IP DUO60 7-in-1)
2-tier stackable steamer basket
Fruit and vegetable wash
Freezing trays – I use this Kiddo Feedo freezing storage tray
Baby Jars – I use mason jars
Immersion blender or stand blender
Vegetables and fruit of your choice. Here is an example list of what to make:
- apple
- beets
- broccoli
- butternut squash
- carrots
- cauliflower
- kale
- pear
- sweet potatoes
- yams
- zucchini
Cooking Options Using A Steamer Basket
A. You can cook one fruit/vegetable at a time in bulk.
B. Or combine 2-3 flavors together like apple and pear.
C. Or use the 2-tier stackable steamer basket if you would like to keep the fruit and vegetables separate.
Instructions
- Wash and peel the fruit and vegetables.
- Cut the fruit and vegetables in 1 inch pieces/cubes/florets.
- Pour 1 cup water into the pot.
- Place cut fruit/vegetable in steamer basket, place inside the Instant Pot.
- Set the to high pressure, 5 minutes, and make sure to close the pressure valve.
- Quick release when done.
- Take the food out of the pot and place it into a blender canister.
- Wait for the food to cool down, about 15 minutes.
- Puree with an immersion blender or stand blender to desired consistency. Use filtered water to add to the puree as needed.
- Store in baby jars in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.
- To freeze, I use my silicone Kiddo Feedo freezing trays. Once the baby food is frozen solid, pop them out and store them in a ziploc bag or silicone re-useable bag.
Tips And Tricks
- Add at least 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot for each batch.
- Instead of filtered water, you can add breastmilk or formula to the food prior to blending.
- Allow the food to cool to room temperature before freezing.
- If you use the Silicone Kiddo Feedo tray to freeze the baby food, each pod holds about 2.5 oz. I take out 6 cubes the night before to defrost for baby’s meals the next day (this is dependent on how much your baby is eating per meal).
- To reheat frozen pods, steam for about 20 minutes. Make sure the food is cooled down before feeding the baby.
- To reheat defrosted pods, steam for about 10 minutes. Make sure the food is cooled down before feeding the baby.
- Using a 2-tier stackable steamer basket is a great way to keep your fruit and vegetables separate. Cook a variety of food easily and quickly, then pick and choose the flavors you would like to blend together later.
- You may also use a foldable steamer basket if you do not have the 2 tier steamer basket.
- For 6-7 month olds, the consistency of the food should be soft and thin, you can use more water to get to the desired level. Around 8 months, the puree may be a bit thicker with more texture, use less water to puree.
- Combine up to 3 flavors! You’ll be surprised at how delicious a combination of these fruit and vegetables taste.
- Great combination flavors to try:
- Pear and broccoli
- Yams and apple
- Zucchini and pear
- Cauliflower and beets
- Beets and apples
- Kale and apples
- Carrots and yams
- Butternut squash and yams
- Apple, broccoli and yams
- Cauliflower, beets and pear
- Cauliflower, carrots and sweet potatoes
More Recipes for Baby to Try
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Instant Pot Baby Food
Equipment
- 2-tier stackable steamer basket or steaming basket of your choice
- Freezing containers to store food – I use Kiddo Feedo Silicone freezer tray
- Baby food jars
Ingredients
- 3 apples
- 3 pears
- 3 carrots
- 1 crown broccoli
- 3 yams
Instructions
- Wash and peel the fruit and vegetables.
- Cut fruit and vegetables into 1 inch pieces/florets.
- Add 1 cup water into the instant pot. Place trivet into the pot.
Yam puree (or fruit or vegetable of your choice)
- Add cut yams to the trivet.
- Secure the instant pot lid. Close the pressure valve. Set to high pressure for 5 minutes. When done, quick release.
- Remove yams from the instant pot and place in a blending container.
- When the yams cool down, about 15 minutes use a hand immersion or stand blender to puree. Add filtered water, about 1-2 tablespoons, and blend to get puree to desired consistency. Add more water as needed.
Apple and pear puree (or combination fruit and vegetable of your choice)
- Add the cut apples and pear to the trivet.
- Secure the instant pot lid. Close the pressure valve. Set to high pressure for 5 minutes. When done, quick release.
- Remove fruits from the instant pot and place in a blending container.
- When the fruits cool down, about 15 minutes use a hand immersion or stand blender to puree. Add filtered water, about 1-2 tablespoons, and blend to get puree to desired consistency. Add more water as needed.
Carrot and broccoli (or fruit/vegetable of choice) -Cooking with a two-tier steamer basket
- Add cut carrots to the bottom steamer basket. Add cut broccoli to the top basket.
- Place the two tier stackable steamer basket in the instant pot.
- Remove vegetables from the instant pot and place in a blending container.
- Secure the instant pot lid. Close the pressure valve. Set to high pressure for 5 minutes. When done, quick release.
- When the vegetables cool down, about 15 minutes use a hand immersion or stand blender to puree them separately. Add filtered water, about 1-2 tablespoons, and blend to get puree to desired consistency. Add more water as needed.
Notes
- Sizes of fruit and vegetables vary, this recipe makes approximately 70-80 ounces.
- If you use the Silicone Kiddo Feedo tray to freeze the baby food, each pod holds about 2.5 oz.
- To reheat frozen pods, steam for about 20 minutes. Make sure the food is cooled down before feeding the baby.
- To reheat defrosted pods steam for about 10 minutes. Make sure the food is cooled down before feeding the baby.
- For 6-7 month olds, the consistency of the food should be soft and thin, you can use more water to get to the desired level. Around 8 months, the puree may be a bit thicker with more texture, use less water to puree.