Posted Sep 18, 2017, Updated Jun 27, 2024 We try to eat seasonally as much as possible around here! We rely on farmer’s markets, produce stands, and our own garden for fresh, locally-grown produce. This homemade apple & pumpkin baby food puree takes the best fall produce and combines it into a delicious puree that your baby will love to eat. I spent 13 years making homemade baby food purees (see how I introduce solid foods to babies). I have made just about every baby food combination under the sun, and this is one of babies’ favorites. I don’t know what it is about the orange veggies, but all of my kids have loved them. First I introduce sweet potatoes, then move on to carrots and pumpkin. The problem with pumpkin is that most of my kids haven’t loved it on its own. That’s understandable right? Have you ever cracked open a can of pumpkin puree and dug right in? (Me neither). That’s why I love adding apples to bring a little sweetness to the pumpkin in this apple & pumpkin baby food.
Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food: Substitutions
There are only two ingredients in this recipe, (technically 3 including water), but here are a few notes about each.
Apples. I recommend a sweet, flavorful apple variety like Galas, Honeycrisp or Pink Ladies. But any variety will do. If you already have homemade applesauce, you can use 1 ½ cups of applesauce instead of the 3 cups of cooked apples. Use organic apples and make sure to wash them thoroughly. Pumpkin. I have included instructions to use freshly roasted pumpkin. But you can also use canned, organic pumpkin (my preference) Water. Homemade apple cider or apple juice are great substitutes that add a little more flavor.
How to Make Apple Pumpkin Baby Food
This recipe is simple, cook the apple and pumpkin, add water and blend. Here are a few tips.
Use a Vitamix!
A question you might be asking yourself is, “If I use pumpkin puree and applesauce (instead of whole apples and freshly roasted pumpkin), do I still need to blend them together?” The answer is yes. You want your Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree to be as smooth as possible. Plus blending ensures that both the flavor and texture are consistent throughout the mixture! There’s no better way to make homemade baby food than in the Vitamix! Blend until the mixture is smooth. I find young babies have trouble handling any sort of texture, so be careful to blend well.
Freeze
I always made large batches of baby food and stored froze them. It was so easy to pop frozen cubes into the microwave to serve my babies at mealtime. So, after blending, put the pumpkin baby food into the wells of silicone ice cube trays and freeze until hardened. So, before you feed this Homemade Apple & Pumpkin Baby Food Puree to your little one, be sure you have introduced her to both apples and pumpkin, separately! These silicone ice cube trays are my all-time favorites. Two specific features that are great about these are: 1) they have a hard outer rim which makes it easy to lift & move even when it’s full. and 2) they come with lids! Each well also has a larger capacity of 2 Tablespoons, so they’re perfect once your baby develops a larger appetite. Let the mixture freeze completely and then transfer the frozen cubes to an airtight, freezer-friendly container. Gently warm the amount of baby food you need in the microwave or on the stovetop and serve it to your baby slightly warm but not hot.
Store
You can also store the baby food in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Don’t forget to nourish yourself as you feed your baby – try these lactation cookies to keep up the milk supply while you feed your baby solids. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
