My prune puree for baby recipe will quickly become one of your little one’s favorites. With a perfect creamy texture and sweet taste, it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that help keep baby regular. Plus, with my simple recipe, learning how to prepare prunes for baby is easy!
Ah, prunes. Prunes get such a bad rap – but they’re actually quite delicious! They’re basically just dried plums that look like massive raisins and babies love the flavor.
You can easily make just plain prune baby food, but I found that the addition of some Fuji apples adds another dimension and makes it taste even better. It’s one of my most popular baby food recipes!
???? When Can Babies Eat Prunes?
Babies can start eating prunes as soon as they begin solids, typically around 4-6 months of age. I generally recommend my homemade prune puree after your baby has tried about 4 to 5 mild vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, and peas.
This helps your baby get used to less-sweet first foods. Babies are already familiar with sweet tastes from breastmilk and formula, so it’s important to introduce vegetables early to ensure they don’t reject them later on.
When I started solid foods for my kids, around 6 months of age and after they had already had a bunch of veggie purees, I gave them small amounts of this prune baby food to help keep them regular.
???? Does Prune Baby Food Help With Constipation?
Yes, my apple and prune puree can help your baby when constipated. Prunes are high in fiber and they also contain sorbitol, which helps get things moving by pulling water into the digestive tract. In fact, I like using pureed prunes better than prune juice since it works just as well but won’t typically cause diarrhea the way prune juice might!
I recommend starting with 2-3 tablespoons of prune puree for baby constipation and increasing as needed. It typically takes 12 to 24 hours for the prune baby food to take effect.
My prune baby food recipe is delicious and a great first food all babies love, with no added sugar. It’s also a fantastic mix-in for oatmeal, yogurt, and other veggies for toddlers and older kids.
I’ve found that homemade prune baby food can be healthier than store-bought baby food pouches, as it contains no added sugar, fruit juices, artificial colors, or flavors. Prunes are a great addition to your baby’s diet as they are full of antioxidants and fiber, as well as an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, potassium, and Vitamin K (source).
Plus, all that dietary fiber helps to keep your baby regular. My prune puree is a natural remedy for constipation that works well for the whole family.
And I promise, learning how to make prunes for baby is so easy! My simple baby food recipe is made with just three ingredients and comes together in 30 minutes or less.
But the best part is that it’s fantastic for busy parents. I would often make a big batch of my prune puree for baby to store in the refrigerator or freezer for months – so I always had some homemade baby food on hand when I needed it!
Latest Recipe Video!
???? Ingredients
My prune recipe for baby uses simple ingredients easily found at your local grocery store. See the full recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact amounts and nutritional information.
Organic Prunes: I recommend using dried prunes with no added sugar (you should only see one ingredient on the package – prunes!). You can also use fresh prunes, as a prune is simply a dried plum.
Organic Fuji Apples: Fuji apples, with their sweet flavor and pinkish flesh, pair perfectly with prunes. While you don’t have to include apples in my prune puree recipe, they help mellow out the flavor for babies. It’s important to choose organic apples since they’re on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.
Water: Used to cook the fruit and give this apple prune puree a smooth consistency that your baby can easily eat.
???? How To Make Prune Baby Food
Anyone can learn how to make prune puree for baby with my simple recipe. Watch my video below to see the step-by-step instructions in action!
Prep The Fruits: To begin, I wash the apples, cut them in half, and remove seeds and stems. Then I cut each half into 4-6 pieces and remove the pits from the prunes. Next, I put the apples, prunes, and water into a large pot, cover with a lid, and turn the burner on high.
Cook: I cook the fruit for 8 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
Puree: Once cooked, I pour everything into a blender and puree the fruit until smooth. For babies 4-8 months, a totally smooth puree is the ideal texture. Once your baby gets older (9-12 months) you can make a chunkier puree.
Store Or Serve: After it’s blended, I pour the smooth puree into ice cube trays and allow it to cool. Then I cover or wrap the trays and pop them in the freezer. You can also serve some of the puree to your baby right away.
My #1 Secret Tip for my prunes baby food recipe is to use a really good blender, preferably a high-powered blender like a Vitamix. This is so important to getting that perfectly smooth consistency that your baby will love!
If you’re just using a regular blender or a food processor, you’ll get a slightly grainy consistency which is still fine for your baby to eat, but may not be as easy for them to eat as a super smooth puree.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Use Pitted Prunes: Save yourself time by using pitted prunes so you don’t have to remove the pits yourself.
- Keep Skins On: I always keep the skins on when making this recipe. If you remove the apple skin, you will lose some of the fiber and nutrients. The skins will blend easily once cooked down – your baby won’t be able to detect them in the puree.
- Blend In Batches: If you’re making a large quantity of prune puree for baby you’ll need to blend it in batches to avoid overloading the blender and ensure a smooth puree.
- Freeze For Later: I highly recommend making a large batch and using baby food freezer containers or ice cube trays to store for later. This will save you time and last you for several months.
???? Variations
Mash: If your little one is older, instead of pureeing, you can mash the stewed prunes for baby and leave them chunky. They can then feed themselves and chew with their gums. I would do this for my kids once they were about 10-12 months old.
Breast Milk Or Formula: Before serving, stir in some breast milk or formula for added calories and nutrition. Do not add breast milk or formula before freezing or storing in the fridge (as it will spoil) — add it right before serving. When using a formula, I recommend using one of these organic baby formulas, which are a close formulation to breastmilk.
Baby Food Combinations: You can easily make prune puree combinations for baby by mixing it together with some other baby food like pureed banana, peaches, nectarines, or even pear puree.
Add Spices: If your baby is ready for more flavor, try adding a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg. My kids loved this puree mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg.
???? Serving Suggestions
While I created this recipe for little ones, my baby prune puree is really versatile and doesn’t have to just be for infants!
Baby Led Weaning: There are a lot of great options when deciding how to serve prunes to baby for self-feeding. Spread a thin layer of the puree on toast or soft bread. Another great idea is to mix the puree with mashed vegetables or fruits, creating a nutrient-packed meal that is easy for your baby to pick up and eat.
Toddlers: When my kids were toddlers, I’d mix this into simple oatmeal, yogurt, or other fruit purees. Prune puree can also be added to baked goods like my peanut butter muffins and vegan chocolate chip muffins.
Older Kids & Adults: Use it as a topping for these air fryer pancakes or vegan protein waffles. It’s also a great addition to smoothies like my apple carrot smoothie or banana smoothie bowl.
???? Storage Directions
Fridge: Once cool, I transfer the puree to an airtight container and place it in the fridge. It will keep for up to 5 days.
Freezer: For longer storage, I let the baby food cool completely before transferring it to an ice cube tray with a fitted lid and then pop it in the freezer. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Once frozen, I pop out the cubes and store them in a freezer bag.
Defrost: When ready, I thaw the cubes in the fridge overnight in a small bowl or warm them gently in the microwave until they reach room temperature, making sure they’re not too hot for my baby.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes, you do need to cook prunes before feeding them to your baby. Prunes are thick and sticky, and difficult to chew. By cooking the prunes, you make them softer, and easier to mash in their gums. I recommend cooking and pureeing your prunes with water so that your baby can easily swallow them.
When introducing prune puree to a 6-month-old, I recommend starting with 1-2 tablespoons per serving, which is typically enough to help with constipation and provide nutritional benefits. You can gradually increase the amount as your baby gets used to it.
My prune puree for baby is not a choking hazard, but whole or dried prunes can be. Always serve prunes in a pureed form for babies, and ensure they are soft and easy to swallow. For older babies and toddlers, make sure prunes are chopped into small, manageable pieces to avoid choking.
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???? Recipe Card
Prune Puree For Baby
My prune puree for baby recipe will quickly become one of your little one’s favorites. With a perfect creamy texture and sweet taste, it’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that help keep baby regular. Plus, with my simple recipe, learning how to prepare prunes for baby is easy!
Servings: 16 ounces
Calories: 77kcal
Shop Ingredients on Jupiter- Use baby food freezer containers or ice cube trays to store this baby food. That way you can make one large batch that will last you and your baby for several months!
- Use a good blender, or food processor to easily blend the fruit puree.
- Use pitted prunes to save yourself time from removing the pits yourself.
- If you remove the apple skin you will lose some of the fiber, so keep the skins on! They will blend easily once cooked down.
- Thaw in the fridge the night before use, or thaw by putting the ice cube in a bowl over a bowl of hot water on the counter to defrost.
- Spice up your baby’s food! Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to this recipe!
- 1 ice cube = 1 oz of food
- Adapted from BabyLove
Serving: 1ounce | Calories: 77kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g
Originally published in pickyeaterblog.com
