How to Make Baby Food With Butternut Squash
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Do you make your own purees, or are you looking for finger foods for baby-led weaning? Butternut squash works either way, and baby food with butternut squash is a nutrient-packed option babies often love.
Homemade squash puree is easy to make and tasty served plain, or combined with a few simple ingredients. And if your baby is ready for finger foods, you can serve the cooked squash in cubes or strips.
If you usually walk past the winter squash section in the produce aisle, keep reading to learn the benefits of butternut squash, how to make butternut squash baby food purees, and how to prepare butternut squash for baby-led weaning.
Is Butternut Squash Good for Babies?
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin A which is important for growth and healthy hair, skin, and eyes.
There are two kinds of vitamin A: preformed and provitamin A carotenoids.
Preformed vitamin A is found in some supplements, fortified foods, and animal foods such as dairy, eggs, and fish. Carotenoids are the pigment of red and orange plant foods. So, in addition to butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, red peppers, cantaloupe, and mango are also good sources of vitamin A.
Many foods in the U.S. are fortified with vitamin A, so deficiency is rare.
Here are vitamin A requirements given in retinol equivalent (RAE) for babies and toddlers (RAE’s are used now instead of International Units).
Babies 7 to 12 years old need 500 µg RAE
Toddlers 1 to 3 years old need 300 µg RAE
Serving fruits and veggies regularly to your kiddo is the best way to get them the nutrients they need daily. The health benefits of vitamin A come mainly from the beta-carotene in our diet, not supplements.
In fact, large amounts of vitamin A supplements can be toxic. Vitamin A is stored in the body and can accumulate to a dangerous amount, especially in babies and children.
So it’s often better to stick with beta-carotene sources of vitamin A, such as butternut squash.
How much vitamin A does butternut squash contain?
One cup of cooked cubed butternut squash provides 1140 µg of vitamin A!
That's more than babies need in a day. Most babies won't eat a whole cup and will only need a few spoonfuls in order to meet their daily vitamin A requirements.
In general, babies 12 to 23 months old should eat about ⅔ to 1 cup of vegetables daily. Many will accept the sweeter flavors of carrots, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash more readily than spinach or broccoli, which taste more bitter.
If babies eat too many carotenoids, their skin can turn yellowish-orange. But don't worry - it’s temporary and not dangerous. Too much vitamin A from food isn't dangerous like too much preformed vitamin A found in supplements.
As a pediatric dietitian specializing in infant feeding, my recommendation is to vary the types of vegetables you serve in a baby's diet. Incorporate red, orange, yellow, purple, dark green, starchy veggies (like potatoes), and beans throughout the week. Each vegetable group offers different nutrients. And eating a variety of different fruits and veggies helps your kiddo get a wider spectrum of vitamins and minerals.
A 7-month old babe eating butternut squash puree. Thanks to his parents for allowing me to share this cutie!
How do you Feed Butternut Squash to Babies?
Butternut squash can be served as a puree, added to a baby food recipe, or cooked and cut into soft finger foods for babies.
Well-cooked, roasted butternut squash is soft enough for babies to chew. And it whips up into a smooth and creamy puree that can be served plain, added to pancakes, muffins, or even plain whole milk Greek yogurt for a nutrient-rich pudding.
During baby-led weaning, cut baked, roasted or steamed butternut squash into small pieces that your baby can pick up and self-feed. If your baby is still using the palmer grasp, cut the cooked squash into rectangular strips, so it's easier for them to hold.
Cut cooked butternut squash into rectangular pieces for babies using palmar grasp.
What are the Best Butternut Squash Baby Food Combinations?
This mild-flavored winter squash is versatile and tastes great paired with fruits, veggies, or protein and seasoned with warming spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
Here are some ideas for homemade baby food combos:
Use butternut squash in place of pumpkin puree in these baby-safe muffins!
Mix with apples and pears for added sweetness
Mix with spinach and kale to tone down the bitterness of the green veggies
Add pureed squash to pasta, rice or baby cereals for added nutrition and a brighter color
Use in place of pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree in savory foods such as pancakes or muffins
Combine with pureed chicken or beef for a heartier protein-packed meal
Add to soups with other veggies, lentils, or beans
How to Make Butternut Squash Puree for Babies
Butternut squash puree is actually very easy to make. You’ll need a food processor or blender but a potato masher could work if the squash is cooked until very soft.
A sweet 10-month old babe enjoying puree squash! Thanks to his parents for allowing me to share.
To make butternut squash, puree, bake or steam until soft. Then mash or blend with a little water, formula, or breast milk until desired consistency is reached.
Just follow these puree recipe step by step instructions:
Start by preparing the squash for cooking. The skin is too hard for vegetable peelers. It’s easier to remove the skin after it’s cooked. First, cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Then, scoop out the seeds from the center.
Rub a little olive oil on the cut side, but skip the salt. Then, place the squash cut side up or down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The squash will brown and caramelize more when the cut side is facing down.
Cook butternut squash until it is tender and can easily be pricked with a fork.
Scoop the flesh out of the skin with a large spoon if you plan to puree the squash. Or, score the flesh into cubes first, then scoop out the cubes.
Next, place the roasted squash into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. You can add water if needed to thin out the puree.
Once you've reached the desired consistency, spoon the puree into a BPA-free or glass container with an airtight cover and store butternut squash in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you have more than you need for a few days, scoop the puree into ice cube trays* and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag*. These frozen cubes of butternut squash puree will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can use this method to cook other winter squash, such as acorn squash and spaghetti squash. Acorn squash has a similar consistency as butternut. Spaghetti squash gets its name from the stringy flesh after it's cooked, so it's not ideal for purees.
Time-saving tip: Cook a whole squash and use it in different ways. Puree some to add to pancakes, pasta, or mix with other purees. And cube the rest to provide snacks or meals that baby can self-feed.
Have you served butternut squash to your baby? Let me know how it went in the comments below.
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