Apple sauce is a quick and easy homemade baby food that most all babies love. You can make this homemade baby apple sauce in just about 5 minutes and it’s made with no additional sweeteners- just pure organic apples. I tasted it for myself (more than just a taste actually) and it’s perfectly flavorful and sweet!
My friend Isabel fed Everett his first bite of the apple sauce and he loved it! He devoured more than a full serving. Being a nutritionist, she mentioned that it’s best to buy organic apples and keep the skin on since a lot of the nutrients are in the skin. Also, the most nutrition is abosorbed if you eat the apples right after making the sauce.
As soon as you bite into or cut into food it starts to oxidize and the nutrients break down. That’s where the term ‘whole foods’ comes from for a healthy diet. Foods in their whole, raw nature are always the most nutritious. So for this apple sauce, don’t over-steam and keep in mind that it’s most beneficial if eaten soon after making it.
Healthy Tips for Homemade Apple Sauce Baby Food
- use organic because apples are one of the top most pesticide and hormone contaminated produce, not cool for growing babies and their development.
- use as little time as you need to steam. You don’t want to burn flavor or the fruit. This ensures optimal nutrition and taste.
- for babies, keep bland as possible. It can train an adult’s palette to need less added sugars
- for older kids or adults, if you want to add flavor, simply use a lemon (or peel), or add cinnamon sticks to the steam.
For more tips from Isabel on homemade applesauce check out her apple sauce post here.
Here are my other two baby food posts –
Baby Apple Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 organic apples
- less than 1 cup water
Instructions
- Wash, core and slice apples into even pieces.
- Fill bottom of a steamer pan with enough water to cover just the bottom, less than 1 inch
- Steam apples for 5 mins.
- Blend in food processor, blender, or masher
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge for about a week.
Hey dear
I don’t get it, you say it’s best to eat as soon as the sauce it made,then how can we store it in the refrigerator for a week.
Will it still be nutritious?
How about the oxidization?
And how do you warm it up before serving Everret.
Thank you
Great questions! I was hoping to just let folks know that it’s most nutritious when eaten fresh but of course leftovers can be enjoyed throughout the week. I serve it cold or reheat in a small sauce pan over low heat. Hope this helps. Take care, Becky
Hi Becky
I made homemade applesauce yesterday for my 5month old son and I didn’t cook/steam the apples at all. I peeled, cored and cut the apples and then put them right into the food processor. Do you know if the apples need to be cooked/steamed? Thank you and next time I will leave the peels on. 🙂
Anne
Anne, the cooking might help in the digestion but I think pureed, uncooked should be fine. Raw apples provide more nutrients anyway so thats a plus 🙂
Can it be frozen? Say, in breast milk bags?
Yes, this should freeze fine! The texture might change slightly but it will stay good. Also, I’d add a little lemon juice to help it not to brown or discolor.