Flavorful and easy to take on the go, these homemade applesauce pouches are a healthy and convenient alternative to pre-packaged snacks from the store. They’re perfect for baby, toddlers, and big kids.
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Homemade Applesauce Pouches
These homemade applesauce pouches are one healthy snack that I can reply on to get my family through a variety of seasons – from long summer days on the go, to back to school days and busy weeknights.
Making your own homemade applesauce pouches is an easy, affordable, and environmentally friendly way to serve a healthy snack your kids will love. I especially love that I can make these quick pouches without added preservatives, sugar, or sodium.
Plus, homemade applesauce pouches are quite versatile – I love mixing it up from time to time with a delicious berry blend or a little blueberry and spinach combo for some added veggie power.
If you are looking for more easy and healthy applesauce recipes for your family, then be sure to check out our Unsweetened Applesauce, Strawberry Applesauce, Beet Applesauce, our reader favorite Applesauce Muffins, or these delicious 8 5-Minute Applesauce Combos for Kids. You can also find more recipes and information in my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.
Applesauce Pouch Video
Watch this video to see how easy these pouches are to make!
Reasons to Love DIY Baby Food Pouches
- Budget-friendly
- Healthy alternative to store-bought snacks
- Easy to prepare
- Environmentally friendly
- Freezer-friendly
- Perfect for traveling or on-the-go snacking
- Customizable with your favorite fruits and veggies
- Great way to introduce your little one to a variety of flavors
Ingredients
- Apples: Make sure to use apples that are ripe and sweet, such as Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady or Golden Delicious.
- Cinnamon and Vanilla: (optional) add great flavor and depth.
What type of Apples to Use: Applesauce can be made from any apples. Choosing a sweeter variety of apples (such as those listed above) will yield more natural sweetness (without adding sugar). If you really want to bump up the flavor, go for a mix of apple varieties.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples.
- Place the apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and water into a medium saucepan.
- Bring the apples to a soft boil and then reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Puree for 30-60 seconds or until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Using a spoon, fill the pouches with the applesauce until you reach the fill line. Securely close the zip-lock and wipe off any spills on the pouches.
- Serve or place in the fridge for later.
Favorite Reusable Baby Food Pouches
Reusable baby food pouches are a must-have item if you make your own baby food or want an easy and mess-free way to feed your baby or toddler on the go. Check out this guide for 6 of our favorite reusable baby food pouches for more information on all of our favorites.
- Hippypotamus Resuable Baby Food Pouches – These stylish reusable food pouches are great for your baby and toddler and feature a transparent window for a clear view of the contents, BPA, PVC, lead, and phthalate free, and are dishwasher and freezer safe!
- WeeSprout Double Zipper Reusable Food Pouches – These WeeSprout food pouches have a dual-zipper design that prevents leaks and rounded edges that are easy to clean. Each set includes 6 reusable food pouches that hold 5 ounces of food each, great for older babies and toddlers. Freezer and dishwasher safe.
- Squeasy Silicone Reusable Food Pouch – This food pouch holds 8 of 16 ounces and stands on its own! A 2-in-1 removable, no-spill lid insert prevents spills or leaks from the top. All parts are dishwasher safe, plus the silicone body is also flexible enough to flip inside out so you can reach inside the bottom and handwash as needed.
Homemade vs. Storebought
Homemade applesauce is a great alternative to store-bought snacks. Although store-bought applesauce is fine if you’re short on time, when you make your own it’s:
- Budget-friendly – you can make several servings in one batch.
- No unwanted ingredients – like preservatives, added sugar or salt, etc.
- Super flavorful – you can make blends that you won’t traditionally find in the store, like mango or blueberry and spinach.
- Eco-friendly – with homemade applesauce, you can reuse your pouches over and over again.
Equipment Needed
Nutritional Benefits of Homemade Applesauce Pouches: These homemade applesauce pouches are nutritious and provide fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. And since they are homemade, they are free from things often found in store-bought, like additives, preservatives, and added sugar and sodium.
How to Store Applesauce Pouches
To Store or Freeze
You can store the pouches in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. We recommend placing the pouches in a small reusable Tupperware before placing them in the fridge or freezer, just in case there is any leakage.
To Thaw
To thaw frozen pouches, simply place the pouches in the fridge and let them thaw overnight. For a cool toddler treat, you can pack the pouches straight out of the fridge in their lunch box or snack bag, and by lunchtime, they will be a soft frozen consistency.
Add-Ins
The great thing about homemade applesauce is that it offers a solid base to get creative with many other kinds of fruit. You can include many kinds of fruits in your fridge or freezer that need to be used up, like these:
- strawberries
- carrots
- blueberries
- mixed berries
- spinach
- raspberries
- mangoes
- cherries
More Applesauce Recipes to Try
Homemade Strawberry Applesauce (Extra Easy!)
This Homemade Strawberry Applesauce is made with lots of strawberries (2 heaping cups), apples, a drizzle of vanilla extract, and a pinch of cinnamon. No added sugar! It’s very easy to make stovetop, and is full of bold fruit flavor.
Get the recipe
Expert Recipe Tips
Similar to homemade baby food, making applesauce goes smoother with a few simple tips. I’ve made thousands of ounces of baby food and made hundreds of baby food pouches; here are my tips for getting the perfect reusable pouches.
- Puree Consistency – you will want the puree to be the thickness of regular yogurt (not Greek). Too thin, the puree tends to run out of the zip lock (and all over your fridge or diaper bag). If it’s too thick, it’s hard to get the puree into the pouch. If your puree is too thin, add some thicker puree to make it a thicker consistency. If your puree is too thick, add a little more liquid and keep blending until you have the right consistency.
- Cool Down the Puree – you do not want to put warm or hot puree into the reusable baby food pouches. Make sure the puree has cooled to the touch before pouring it into the pouch.
- Max or Fill Line – the line is there for a reason; use it! In fact, I like to fill the pouches just below the fill line just to make sure the puree doesn’t go everywhere when closing the ziplock.
- Lid on Pouch – make sure to have the pouch lid securely fastened to the pouch before you start filling the puree.
Storage: Applesauce Pouches will keep for 4 days in the fridge (if they lasts that long!) or for 4 months in the freezer.
Apples: Make sure to use apples that are ripe and sweet, such as Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Pink Lady or Golden Delicious