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

Homemade baby food ingredients

First foods high in protein like chicken eggs or tofu

First foods should be rich in iron. Try iron-fortified cereal, fresh beef, lamb, pork or chicken, and cooked tofu, legumes or egg.

A range of foods that make suitable solids for babies.

Along with iron-rich foods, first foods can be single foods like banana, avocado, apple, pear, pumpkin or potato. You can mix foods together, like meat and vegies. And include foods that cause allergies, like cooked egg and peanut butter. Introduce foods in any order.

Bowl of broccoli puree for baby's first foods

First foods should be smooth, pureed, mashed or in soft pieces. Gradually try more foods and textures. Try flaky loose fish, couscous, berries, citrus fruit and stone fruit.

Preparing and cooking homemade baby food

Preparing, cooking and processing solids

Step 1: to make pureed or mashed baby food, peel the skin off fruits and vegetables. Trim the fat off meats. Remove skin from chicken.

Preparing, cooking and processing solids

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

Preparing, cooking and processing solids

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

Storing and serving homemade baby food

Store baby food in ice trays or plastic containers

Store baby food in plastic containers. Keep for up to 2 days in the fridge or 30 days in the freezer. Label containers with contents and the date food was prepared.

Store baby food in ice trays or plastic containers

Freeze pureed or mashed baby food in clean ice cube trays. Spoon baby food into the trays and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for no more than 30 days.

Store baby food in ice trays or plastic containers

To serve, pop out food cubes into a glass or ceramic bowl. Warm 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 baby. Discard leftovers – don’t refreeze.

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
  • Twitter
Join 60,000 subscribers who receive free parenting news. Sign up now
  • Privacy statement
  • Terms of use

© 2006-2021 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.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation (HON) and complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.