Baby Food With Prunes + Combinations
Naturally sweet prunes (or dried plums) make a great starter healthy baby food. Prunes are impressively rich in antioxidants, fiber and are fantastic to prevent and alleviate baby constipation. Moreover prunes taste delicious and require little preparation – they are convenient and easy to incorporate into your baby’s diet.
In this article I’m presenting ways to make baby food with prunes for babies 6 months and up. Whether you prefer to serve them on their own, or mix them with other foods, the recipes can be made ahead and stored for a convenient use.
Prunes For Babies
Can you give prunes to babies?
Prunes can be introduced gradually when your baby starts to show interest for solid foods, which is around 6 months of age. You can start with a tablespoon of prunes puree a day. Once the baby is older than six months, the baby can advance to about two or three tablespoons of prune puree per day.
For babies older than 9 months – you can increase the amount to four tablespoons a day. Once the baby is comfortable enough to eat finger foods (like baby led weaning), you can even soften the dried prunes in some hot water for 15-20 minutes and chop them into smaller pieces.
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Prunes For Baby Constipation
Prune baby food is effective for older children as well as babies who are having difficulty with bowel movements. Prunes are well known for relieving constipation and for softening stool consistency [3] because of their laxative effect and ability to stimulate the digestive tract. The effect of prunes has been attributed to the combined effect of dietary fibre, sorbitol content and phenolic compounds [4].
Can you give a baby too much prunes?
Small amounts of prunes (or prune puree) everyday is ok. Keep an eye on how your baby feels, if the baby starts to have diarrheia or digestive discomfort, gas (due to it’s laxative effect), then reduce the amount and frequency.
Prune Puree Or Prune Juice For Baby?
Prune juice is filtered, so it doesn’t have the high fiber content of dried prunes. Also prunes contain more than double the amount of sorbitol than prune juice, so prune puree may be more effective. Still, both are laxatives and can help with constipation.
Baby Food With Prunes
These are the best prune puree combinations:
- Prune puree – make it plain when using as a remedy for constipation (see recipe below).
- Combine prune pure with other fruit purees, the best combinations are:
- Mix With Vegetable Purees (Or Steamed And Mashed)
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Squashes (butternut squash, acorn squash)
- Cauliflower or broccoli like this Sweet Potato Apple Broccoli Puree Stage 2 (cruciferous veggies may be a bit difficult for a young baby to digest and can cause gas. They are best given to babies between 7-10 months old, but you could try to introduce it earlier if your baby has no digestive issues).
- Add prune puree (or chopped prunes) to whole grain baby cereal
- Make a soft prune porridge from oats, rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet etc).
- Mix with yogurt (if your baby is not allergic to dairy) or use dairy free yogurt.
Best Prune Puree
The best prune puree is made at home because you’re in control of the quality of prunes and the preparation method. Buy from an organically-grown source, and avoid those that have unnatural preservatives added (like potassium sorbate or sulfites).
How To Prepare Pureed Prunes
- Rinse the dried prunes with hot water, discard the water, this might help remove some impurities (if they have any).
- Then soak the prunes in hot boiling water (at a 2:1 ratio to fruit) for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the prunes to a blender and use a small amount of soaking water just enough to make a smooth puree.
- Blend, and add more water if you prefer the puree thinner.
Tip: How To Choose The Prunes
Opt for plump and shiny prunes that seem relatively soft and are free of mold. Buy organic if you can. Plums like other stone fruits are sprayed with pesticides [1,2] and after harvest they are usually treated with preservatives like Sulphur dioxides, sulphites and potassium sorbate in order to keep them soft and increase their shelf life.
Best Prunes To Buy:
- Family size bulk bag (2.5lb): Sunny Fruit
- Medium pack (1.5 lb): Terrasoul Superfoods
- Mini packs portioned: Bliss Fruit
- Small bag: Newman’s Own
How To Store The Pureed Prunes
Store leftovers for 3-5 days at room temperature.
Freeze up to 3 months in a silicone ice cube tray. Transfer frozen cubes to a bag and seal, removing as much air as possible.
Thaw – just pop the required amount of frozen cubes out of the freezer and place them in a hot porridge or vegetable puree – the quickest method. Or refrigerate slowly overnight in the fridge.
Don’t have time for making prune puree? Here are the best brands to buy: Plum Organics and Happy Baby.
Have you tried any of these recipes? Your feedback is really helpful, please rate and leave a comment below recipe card!
Baby Food With Prunes + Combinations
Ingredients
Plain Prune Puree
- 6 prunes (pitted (about 2 oz)
- water (as required (start with 2-3 tbsp)
Pear And Prune Puree (Or Prunes and Apples)
- 4 prunes (pitted)
- 2 medium pears (or apples, or peaches (when in season)
- hot water (as needed for blending)
Squash Carrot Sweet Potato And Prune Puree
- 1 cup squash (carrots or sweet potato (cubed)
- 3 prunes
- hot water (as needed)
Whole Grain Cereal And Prune Puree
- ¼ cup rolled oats (or choose other grains like rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat or millet )
- 4 prunes
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Plain Prune Puree
- Soak the dried prunes in hot boiling water (at a 2:1 ratio to fruit) for 10-15 minutes or until they are soft enough to blend. Or use a steamer and some of it's water to blend to the desired consistency.
Pear And Prune Puree
- Core and chop the pears, rinse the prunes and place together in a steamer basket over a little boiling water. Cover and steam for 10-15 minutes until tender.
- Transfer the fruits into a blender or food processor, add steaming water in stages to the desired consistency.
Squash Carrot Sweet Potato And Prune Puree
- Peel and chop the squash (choose between butternut, acorn, or even some pumpkin) If you prefer another vegetable, carrots and sweet potatoes are also great with prunes.
- Rinse the prunes and place together with the chopped vegetables in a steamer basket over a little boiling water. Cover and steam for 10-15 minutes until tender.
- Blend with steamer water into a smooth puree.
Whole Grain Cereal And Prune Puree
- Add the rolled oats or any other preferred grain to a food processor and pulse a few time until finely ground.
- Combine the milled grain with water in a pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer until thoroughly cooked. If it is too thick, add a little more water.
- Meanwhile make the prune pure. Then combine them together.
Notes
How To Store Prune Puree
Store leftovers for 3-5 days at room temperature. Freeze up to 3 months in a silicone ice cube tray. Transfer frozen cubes to a bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Thaw the prune pure – just pop the required amount of frozen cubes out of the freezer and place them in a hot porridge or vegetable puree – the quickest method. Or refrigerate slowly overnight in the fridge.How To Choose The Prunes
Opt for plump and shiny prunes that seem relatively soft and are free of mold. Buy organic if you can. Conventional plums like other stone fruits are sprayed with pesticides and usually treated with preservatives like Sulphur dioxides, sulphites and potassium sorbate in order to keep them soft and increase their shelf life.Nutrition
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Nice
Thank you so much for sharing this. It was very detailed and I can’t wait to try actually a couple of these recipes tomorrow! đŸ™‚
My pleasure! I’m glad it helped đŸ™‚
Thank you for such a detailed info about how to choose the best prunes, its really important the baby gets the best from the best!
I hope you find it useful. Indeed find good quality is important, especially for babies.