• Skip to content
Raising Children Network
  • Pregnancy
  • Newborns
  • Babies
  • Toddlers
  • Preschoolers
  • School age
  • Pre-teens
  • Teens
  • Grown-ups
  • Autism
  • ADHD
  • Disability

Homemade baby food ingredients

First foods should be rich in iron. Try foods with added iron, like infant cereal. Also try cooked beef, lamb, pork, chicken, tofu, legumes or egg.

Include other healthy foods like vegetables, fruit, grains and dairy. For example, try banana, avocado, pear, pumpkin, peas, oats or yoghurt. Include foods that might trigger allergies, like cooked egg and peanut butter. It’s best to introduce allergenic foods one at a time.

First foods can be pureed or finely mashed. Gradually move on to roughly mashed or minced foods and then chopped foods. Try well-cooked vegetables, flaky fish with no bones, minced meats, pasta, rice, couscous and skinless soft fruits.

How to prepare and cook homemade baby food

Step 1: to make pureed or mashed baby food, wash fruit and vegetables and peel any skin. Trim fat from meats. Remove skin from chicken or fish.

Step 2: steam, microwave or boil the foods until soft and cooked. Set aside some of the cooking liquids.

Step 3: puree or mash food, adding cooking liquid if needed. In the early days, chop meat finely or puree. Remove bones from fish.

How to store and serve homemade baby food

Store baby food in sealed, clean containers. Keep for up to 2 days in the fridge or 30 days in the freezer. Label containers with contents and date of cooking.

To freeze, spoon pureed or mashed baby food into clean ice cube trays. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and label. Store in the freezer for no more than 30 days.

To serve, pop out food cubes into a bowl or saucepan. Warm food in the microwave or on the stove. Stir well to get rid of hot spots. Test temperature with a clean spoon on your lip before serving to your baby. Discard any leftovers – don’t reuse later.

Download printable version

Supported By

  • Department of Social Services

Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

Member Organisations

  • Parenting Research Centre
  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
Sign up now to get free parenting news delivered to your inbox.
Aboriginal flag (c) WAM Clothing
Torres Strait Islands flag
At raisingchildren.net.au we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, gather and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2025 Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited. All rights reserved.

Warning: This website and the information it contains is not intended as a substitute for professional consultation with a qualified practitioner.