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How to Make High Calorie Baby Food

I've been making homemade pureed high calorie baby food for almost two years for my extremely picky eater son to supplement his diet and make sure he gets the nutrition and calories he needs. Let me share my baby food recipe and tips with you!

how to make high calorie baby food

As always, please work with your doctor to determine what's best for your baby instead of solely relying on information you find online. I am not a nutritionist or a pediatrician, I'm just a mom sharing my experiences in the hopes of helping others.

If this is your first time here, you can read more about our story. But long story short, my son Elliot was not interested in table foods and for a while the only food we could get him to eat was pureed baby food. Baby food was also the only way we can get nutritious fruits and vegetables into him for the longest time.

Elliot has been struggling to stay on the growth chart (read more about his struggle with weight gain), so I've had to make sure that every bite of food he eats has as much nutrition and calories as possible.

I've been making homemade high-calorie baby food ever since Elliot started eating pureed baby food. Even now that he is a toddler, I still make these pouches for him daily to make sure he gets lots of nutrients from different fruits, veggies, nuts, and healthy proteins that he otherwise doesn't eat on his own.

I also make a pureed vegetable soup for him, check that out too: Vegetable Soup Recipe for Picky Toddlers

how to make high calorie baby food

Related recipe: Homemade Yogurt Melts

Why I make homemade baby food:

  • There isn't much variety in baby food available where we live (on Grand Bahama Island), and none of it comes in convenient pouches
  • I like to cook and make our meals from scratch, so why not do the same for my son?
  • I want my son to get a variety of nutrients from different fruits, vegetables, nuts, and proteins 
  • I love using my blender
  • I want my son to eat the freshest foods possible
  • Homemade baby food is much more affordable than store-bought
  • Homemade pureed food is a great way to supplement an older baby's or a toddler's diet and can be a great help for picky eaters. I add fruits, vegetables, beans, and nut butters that my son doesn't like to eat on their own.

and the biggest reason of all that I make homemade baby food:

  • Elliot needs more calories than store-bought baby food contains

It was always a challenge getting Elliot to eat a whole meal in one sitting, so we needed to feed him the best calorie dense foods for babies.

So I made baby food by pureeing fruits and vegetables (and a few other healthy high-calorie ingredients) in my beloved Blendtec blender.

The homemade baby food I make has about twice the calories of store-bought baby food spoon-for-spoon. Most store-bought containers and pouches have about 50-100 calories. The baby food that I make typically has 125 - 200 calories per pouch.

This means that even if Elliot decided he was done with food halfway through his meal, he would still be getting substantial calories from those few spoonfuls. Follow that up with some Cheerios or Goldfish crackers, or a bottle of milk if we're lucky, and I would consider that a successful meal.

Printable Instructions for How to Make Nutritious High Calorie Baby Food

Click the image below to get access to the free printable PDF file with instructions for how to make your own baby food. You should still read all the detailed tips below, but these visual instructions are very useful to have in your kitchen so you can refer to them when needed.

instructions for how to make homemade high calorie baby food

What are the best ingredients for high calorie baby food?

Banana, avocado, healthy oils, baby cereal, and nut butters (once you get the OK from your doctor) are typically recommended high calorie foods for baby weight gain.

The formula below makes about 10 ounces of baby food puree, or about two large pouches. Keep reading below on more info on how to store the baby food, and for a printable recipe card with instructions on how to blend the baby food (what to add first, what to add last).

  1. Start with the base: banana. A medium-large banana has 100 calories in it. That's a GREAT start.
  2. Add the calorie-bomb healthy fat: 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or light-tasting olive oil (120 calories). Our doctor gave us the okay to add oil to the baby food purees. Other great options are 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter. The nut butters have almost 200 calories per two-tablespoon serving and they taste delicious when blended with banana! Just make sure that your baby is not allergic to nut butters (read about allergy testing in babies).
  3. Add 2-4 tablespoons of baby oatmeal cereal. That's 30-60 calories. Baby oatmeal tastes fairly neutral so it works great in any baby food recipe. Just remember that oatmeal thickens with time, so always make the puree a little more liquid than you would like - it will get thicker in a day or two. The reason I prefer oatmeal is that it is a more nutrient-dense grain than rice, plus there is some controversy about arsenic in rice. I figure, let me just be safe.
  4. Add other fruits or veggies - about a cup total - enough to make about 1 and a quarter cups of pureed baby food total.  These ingredients don't add many calories but they do add a lot of nutritional value. Some of the combinations that work well for us are:
    • frozen cherries + steamed green beans (you can't taste the green beans!)
    • blueberries 
    • strawberries + kiwi (make sure your kid isn't allergic to either, as it's a fairly common fruit allergy)
    • ½ apple + steamed carrots
    • applesauce + few teaspoons of avocado
    • papaya
    • peach + 1 teaspoon pea protein powder
    • plums + corn
    • pear + steamed spinach (Elliot gets hives from raw spinach)
    • mango + steamed broccoli (you really need two strong-tasting fruits to hide the broccoli flavor, so banana + mango work well)
    • pineapple + cooked peas
    • raspberries
    • Please note that blueberries, papaya, and cherries make the baby food uh, coagulate, for lack of a better word. They're fine to use if you'll serve the pureed food to your child immediately, but they make the food have a weird texture on Day 2. It's fine to eat, but it just doesn't feel as good in your mouth. You can always re-blend the leftover food with a bit of juice and it will be smooth again.
  5. Other high-protein additions: I already mentioned the pea protein powder above. Sometimes I add a few tablespoons of cooked white beans, chickpeas, or even plain chicken breast. Yes, if you have a powerful enough blender, it will puree the chicken so that you won't taste or feel it. 
  6. Optional: Add a few splashes or orange juice or soy milk (or any vegan milk substitute). If the puree seems a little too thick, I add a splash of orange juice or soy milk, depending on what else is in the puree. For example, orange juice works great with pineapple, papaya, apples, and pears. Soy milk works well with cherries, raspberries, peaches. The reason I say to use a vegan milk is that it doesn't go bad as quickly as cow's milk, so the pouches don't turn funky if it takes him 2-3 days to eat them. Also, Elliot has an allergy to cow's milk (read about allergy testing in babies).
  7. Optional: Honey. I admit, some of these combinations don't sound that appealing. However, babies eat some weird stuff without getting grossed out. They don't know that chicken and raspberries don't go together. Elliot eats all of these combinations just fine, as long as everything is pureed super smooth. That said, if you feel like your concoction doesn't taste that great, it's nothing that a teaspoon of honey can't fix. If your kid is older than 1, you can add a little honey to the baby food to make it sweeter and pulse it in the blender a few seconds. I've only had to do it once, when the banana and pear that I used just weren't ripe enough.

Luckily Elliot likes the banana flavor! I try to rotate through the other fruit and vegetable ingredients so that he is exposed to different flavors all the time and is always getting a variety of nutrients.

If your baby doesn't like banana or is allergic, just use apple sauce or pears as the base for the puree.

Obviously, check with your pediatrician to make sure your baby is allowed to eat all of these ingredients. 

I try to throw in a vegetable in there whenever I can. Spinach is pretty inoffensive and unnoticeable in flavor (babies don't know that green = healthy!) so that's a good one to put into baby food.

You might need to start slow with adding some of these in, just because they will have an effect on the flavor of the purees. For example, my son only likes about a teaspoon or two of beets, avocado, or corn. Start little by little, and add more vegetables and less fruits over time to get your baby to eat more vegetables.

I add a teaspoon of pea protein powder whenever I feel like Elliot is not eating enough protein. That stuff does have a flavor, so I usually don't put more than a teaspoon.

ingredients to make high calorie baby food

Storing homemade baby food:

I always puree enough fruits/vegetables to make 2 large baby food pouches. Any more and I risk the food going to waste because Elliot doesn't finish it within 2-3 days.

I use these reusable pouches from ChooMee to store the homemade baby food in the fridge and I absolutely love them. They are easy to wash with the same bottle brushes that I use to wash Elliot's bottles.

The reason I use pouches instead of containers is that the baby food stays fresh in the pouches for longer since it's exposed to less air. Reusable pouches are perfect for baby food that contains bananas, pears, and apples - fruits that turn brown when exposed to air.

These pouches hold 5 oz of baby food - a bit more than store-bought food. At first, 5 oz was too much for Elliot, but now that he is a year and six months I can easily give him 5 oz of food at a time.

I also love using pouches because when Elliot decides to suck on the pouch he ends up eating more food faster. Usually he still prefers to be fed with a spoon and refuses to suck on the pouch, but the times that he does point to the pouch and open his mouth make for a really easy feeding. And I'll take any help I can get!!

how to make high calorie baby food

What you'll need to make baby food:

  • A high-power blender. If your kid is anything like my kid, they will not tolerate any kind of chunks or textures in their baby food purees. This means that everything has to be super smooth - seeds and peels need to be liquefied. I absolutely love my Blendtec blender for this. It's pricey, but it's high quality. And honestly, it has paid itself off by now, considering how much money I saved not buying baby food. Blendtec blenders go on sale often, so check back regularly and maybe you'll be able to snag one at a good price!

By the way: if your child is picky about textures of food, they might benefit from sensory play. I created a list of 52 different sensory activities, one for every week of the year. Many of the activities are geared towards picky eaters. Learn more about it and join us for a whole year of sensory play: 52 Weeks of Sensory

  • Set of measuring cups and spoons. You definitely need the spoons to measure out the oil and protein powder - you don't want to go overboard with these! And the measuring cups help with making sure you don't add too much - though you probably won't even need them after you get a good feel for it. You don't want to make too much baby food at once and have it go to waste if your baby is not devouring these pouches quickly. This is why I recommend making just enough for two pouches. Bonus: These make GREAT baby toys to keep the little ones busy while you're making their food.
  • Reusable pouches. As I said above, these ChooMee ones are great. They hold 5 oz of food, they're easily washable, and they are freezable as well!
  • Baby food containers. You can also use baby food containers, if you prefer. I just use regular 4 oz Rubbermaid containers. They are great because the lid fits tight and they are spill proof. Plus they are actually useful for other things too, like packing salad dressing to work or packing bits of table food for Elliot to eat.
  • Silicone spatula. This is to make sure you scrape out every last bit of baby food from the blender. Hey, if I am painstakingly counting the calories I am adding to the blender, I better get all the baby food puree out of that blender!! By the way, these colorful ones also make great baby toys! Just make sure they don't put the pointy end in their mouth. (That was never an issue for Elliot, who never put anything in his mouth haha).
  • Optional: Kitchen scale. If you are obsessive with counting like me, you'll want to know exactly how much of each ingredient you're adding. When I first use a new ingredient, I typically weight it out so I can then google how many calories are in a 2-oz carrot, per se. I also use it all the time to measure out how much pasta to cook for Elliot, so I can keep track of his calorie intake. This one is nice and sleek, so it won't take up too much precious kitchen space.

This baby food "recipe" has been working for us for almost a whole year now. That's not to say that Elliot eats a full pouch every time. Sometimes we still struggle getting him to sit in his high chair, or we might have to put on Elmo's World to distract him a little while eating.

But these homemade baby food purees are what helped Elliot gain weight. As he is growing and slowly trying new foods, he is eating less of them. But he still has one pouch per day, and it's a large portion of his calorie intake. On top of that, I am able to use the homemade baby food to supplement his eating by using ingredients that he would normally not eat if they were put on his dinner plate.

Yield: 2

How to Make High Calorie Baby Food

how to make high calorie baby food

Make fresh homemade high calorie baby food in just a few easy steps.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Banana
  • 1 cup other fruits or veggies (see notes)
  • 1-2 tablespoons healthy fat, such as avocado oil, almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter
  • Optional protein add-in: 1 teaspoon pea protein powder, cooked chickpeas, white beans, or chicken breast
  • Optional add-in: baby oatmeal
  • Optional add-in: splash of orange juice or soy milk

Instructions

  1. Break the banana into 3-4 chunks and place it in a blender. Add 1 cup fruits or vegetables (see notes), and process until smooth. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the healthy fat and optional protein or oatmeal add-in, if using. Process until smooth - you might need to scrape down the mixture with a spatula a few times. If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash or juice or vegan milk and process until smooth.
  2. Pour into small resealable containers or re-usable baby food pouches, use a spatula to get all the baby food out of the blender. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to 48 hours.

Notes

Some ideas for additional fruits and veggies to use:

  1. frozen cherries + steamed green beans (you can't taste the green beans!)
  2. blueberries (purees made with blueberries are best served fresh, since it thickens over time. If it thickens, just stir in a splash of juice the next day)
  3. strawberries + kiwi (make sure your kid isn't allergic to either, as it's a fairly common fruit allergy)
  4. ½ apple + steamed carrots
  5. applesauce + few teaspoons of avocado
  6. papaya
  7. peach + 1 teaspoon pea protein powder
  8. plums + corn
  9. pear + steamed or fresh spinach
  10. mango + steamed broccoli (you really need two strong-tasting fruits to hide the broccoli flavor, so banana + mango work well)
  11. pineapple + cooked peas
  12. raspberries + cooked beets

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment below and share your photo on Instagram - please tag @highchairchronicles , I love seeing your creations!

graphic for how to make high calorie baby food

Tell me: Do you make your own baby food? What do you put in it?? What's your baby's favorite food?? I want to hear it all! Let me know in a comment below.

 

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Brooke

Saturday 9th of December 2023

Kate, thank you so much for this post!!!! It’s so clear and easy to follow. My 4yo son is transitioning off g tube feeds and is just starting to eat significant volumes of purées. We’re going to be at this stage for awhile as he can’t tolerate much texture yet. I’ve been struggling to make smooth purées for him, but after reading your post I finally bit the bullet and purchased a blendtec. Wow, game changer. I’m having fun following your equation, experimenting with different flavor profiles! I needed this level of detail, thank you for giving me a clear path to follow!

If you have any suggestions for meat recipes that work for you I’d love to hear them! My son tends to prefer a savory profile so this would help give him more variety.

Maria

Monday 19th of September 2022

Hi!! Thank you for the information! Do you add meat protein like chicken?

Kate

Wednesday 21st of September 2022

I have added a little bit of cooked chicken once in a while! Just a tablespoon or two, and make sure you have a super strong blender so you don't get meat bits in the baby food.

Kellyn

Wednesday 13th of July 2022

Greetings from Singapore, my son used to has reflux, now food and bottle aversion. Feeding clinic thinks he has texture issue he has not hold anything to feed himself after 8 months old. Feeding and drinking is a battle daily battle. Thanks for the sharing, I gonna try this out.

Kate

Friday 19th of August 2022

Good luck Kellyn! Hang in there! P.S. I love Singapore!

Chelsie Phillips

Wednesday 12th of February 2020

Hello. Thank you for posting this helpful information. I was wondering if you ever tried freezing your home made baby foods? A mom shared that she freezes baby food in ice cube trays and then thaws it. But I don't want to ruin a bunch of food if it doesn't come out very well when it thaws. Thanks!

Kate

Monday 17th of February 2020

Hi Chelsie, Yes, I have frozen leftover baby food! It does become a little "chunkier" when it thaws, some water separates out a bit as it thaws. Sometimes I am able to just stir it back together, especially if it's a flavor my son loves and he doesn't care as much about the texture. Other times, I have to put it back in the blender to get it smooth again... which I realize doesn't save that much time, but it prevents food waste.

Renee

Monday 30th of December 2019

I love this post. I was wondering my son is 6m and he also is very low percentile and we are struggling to gain so I am researching making his food. I have read that you can sometimes add in formula to the food. Is this something you ever incorporated?

Kate

Monday 6th of January 2020

Hi Renee! You can definitely add formula powder to the food (I asked our pediatrician and he OK'ed it), but if you add formula it should be eaten right away and can't really be stored for another day or two in the fridge because formula gets kind of funky once it's mixed with things. When my son was under a year I could never count on him to eat so I would have to store leftovers in the fridge most of the time. So if your son will definitely eat the baby food (so it doesn't go to waste), you can half the recipe (maybe in a small blender made for small amounts) and add some powdered formula. But keep in mind that he's so young and only introduce one new ingredient at a time, and wait 3 days between new ingredients. You know, the usual advice :)

Is your son on formula to begin with? If not.. We added formula to pumped breast milk and soy milk to increase the calories. If he's already on formula.. there are also high-calorie formulas out there - ask your pediatrician about them. Just another option to bulk up the calories!

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