How To: Make and Freeze Homemade Baby Food {Applesauce}

Apples are a great choice for one of your baby's first foods -- they're easy to digest, are a great source of fiber, and are so versatile, they can be paired with almost any other purée.

How To: Make and Freeze Homemade Baby Food {Applesauce} | Taste As You Go

This post contains affiliate product links. Clicking on the links may result in my being paid a commission based on product sales. Regardless of commission, all opinions expressed in this post are my own. For more information, please review our site policies.

This shouldn't come as a shock, but I am completely in awe of my daughter. She's bubbly when she's happy and stoic when she's not. She surprises us every day by using new words and demonstrating new skills. And, much to our chagrin, she's showing us her mischievous side earlier than we expected to see it.

I'm amazed by how fast she picks things up and by how much she's learned in the few months she's been in school. Sometimes, it's difficult to wrap my head around how much she's changed over the past 19 months. A year ago, solids were still new to her. But in the past few weeks alone, she's eaten a wide variety of things with gusto (especially this, this, this, and this...) and has asked for multiple helpings with enthusiasm. Her willingness to eat whatever we put in front of her is astounding!

Bowl of Organic Gala Apples | Taste As You Go

Now that I think about it, it was about this time last fall when we introduced apples into her diet. She loved them from the start, and now it's fun to watch her eat apple slices all on her own.

Organic Gala Apples | Taste As You Go

Today, I'm going to show you how easy it is to make applesauce at home. On this occasion, I used organic gala apples from the grocery store. But if you have a surplus of apples from a recent trip to the orchard, then feel free to use those!

Start by washing your apples really well. Then use a peeler (like this one) to remove the skin from the fruit.

Cored Organic Gala Apples | Taste As You Go

Bowl of Sliced Organic Gala Apples | Taste As You Go

Next, you're going to want to remove the core from each apple and the fruit into even pieces. You want the slices to be about the same size so they cook evenly. While you can do this job with a regular kitchen knife, I love using my apple corer (similar) for this.

Cooked Organic Gala Apples | Taste As You Go

Place the apple slices in a large pot or Dutch oven (similar) and then fill the pot with water until the apples are just covered. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. Cover the pot and simmer the apples for five minutes or until the fruit is fork-tender.

Homemade Baby Applesauce | Taste As You Go

Drain the apples and reserve the cooking liquid. Using a food processor (like this one), blender, or immersion blender (like this one) purée until the applesauce reaches your desired consistency and texture, using the reserved cooking liquid if necessary. You'll want a smoother texture for younger babies, while older babies who have a few teeth may be able to handle something a little chunkier.

Freezing Homemade Baby Applesauce | Taste As You Go

Making a ton of applesauce at once? Plan to freeze some of it for later. I prefer portioning out the applesauce with ice cube trays, but go ahead and use your favorite method of freezing food.

How To: Make and Freeze Homemade Baby Food {Applesauce} | Taste As You Go

This applesauce will keep in the freezer for 1-3 months, so your baby can enjoy it over the course of several weeks! And when you're ready to introduce multiple flavors at once, combine the applesauce with sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries, pears... Really, the possibilities are endless -- experiment and have fun!


How To Use Homemade Applesauce

What if you make and/or freeze a batch of applesauce and your baby decides he/she doesn't like it anymore? If you're left with a whole lot of applesauce in your freezer, here are some ways to use it up:


Need more homemade baby food recipes? Try these:


-----

One year ago36 Juicy Burger Recipes
Four years agoSteak and Potato Frittata
Six years agoPotato Chips and Hummus

Like this post? Connect with me to find out when I post again. Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, or sign up to receive updates via email!