Flavorful and easy to take on the go, these homemade baby food pouches are a convenient way to serve healthy fruits, veggies, and whole grains to your baby or toddler. Great for ages 6+ months!
Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Easy Baby Food Pouches
What’s all the hype about homemade baby food?
Well, to be completely honest, we’d say it’s all hype worth hearing about. Making your own homemade baby food pouches is an easy, affordable, and environmentally friendly way to serve your baby healthy food. You can even introduce your baby to meals that you’re making for the rest of the family, just by pureeing it and serving them in a reusable pouch.
By making your own baby food pouches, you get to be in charge of the ingredients that go into your baby’s mouth. You get the choice to avoid added preservatives, extra sodium, or sugar, and best of all, you know that your baby’s food hasn’t been sitting on a shelf for a year or more!
In this guide, you will find out how to make the best baby food pouches, FAQs, feeding tips, and so much more! I have been recipe-testing baby food pouches for over 8 years, and I’ll make sure you get the tools you need to succeed!
First time making homemade baby food? If you answered yes, then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. The detailed article goes over all the essential information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, knowing when your baby is ready for solids, introducing purees, making the best first foods for baby, and more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes.
Reasons to Love DIY Baby Food Pouches
- Saves you money
- Full of fruits, veggies, and whole grains
- Easy to prepare
- Environmentally friendly
- Perfect for traveling or on-the-go snacking
- Customizable
- Great way to introduce your little one to a variety of flavors
Favorite Reusable Baby Food Pouches
Reusable baby food pouches are a must-have item if you make your own baby food or simply 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 baby food is a great alternative to store-bought baby food. Although store-bought baby food will work in a pinch (check out this post for high-quality organic baby food pouches), when you make your own food it’s:
- Budget-friendly – you can make several servings in one batch.
- No unwanted ingredients – like preservatives, added sodium or salt, etc.
- Super flavorful – you can introduce baby to foods that you won’t traditionally find in baby food purees, like kiwi, cantaloupe, purple sweet potato or coconut cream!
- Eco-friendly – with homemade baby food, you can reuse your pouches over and over again.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make your puree and let it cool.
- Make sure the lid of the pouch is securely fastened. Fill the pouch, either by pouring in the puree through the opening on the bottom or placing it in by small spoonfuls. Make sure to stop at, or just below, the max fill line.
- Gently close the pouch and wipe up any excess puree that got on the pouch.
- Serve to baby, or store in the fridge or freezer.
Expert Recipe Tips
I have 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 Greek yogurt or 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.
Equipment Needed
Nutritional Benefits of Homemade Pouches: – Homemade pouches will typically be more nutritious than store-bought since store-bought pouches may have added sugar, sodium, and unwanted additives to extend the shelf life of the pouch. Not to mention homemade pouches probably have a higher nutrient profile since you are likely using fresher ingredients.
Ingredients for Pouches
There are so many great combinations that you can put in baby food pouches. And beyond the baby years, reusable pouches are also great for serving foods like smoothies or yogurt for toddlers and big kids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baby food pouches can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store any leftover pouches in the fridge and use within 24 hours.
Yes! Many reusable pouches are freezer safe and can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight and serve the next day.
Favorite Recipes
With this list of favorite puree recipes, you’ll never run out of a variety of foods for your baby or toddler. From simple and savory butternut squash to unique combos of banana, beet, and cherries, there’s a plethora of healthy, delicious ideas.
Baby
Toddler
How to Store Baby Food 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.
Reader Favorites
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
Spinach Apple Baby Puree (Stage Two)
This Spinach Apple Baby Puree is high in iron and a perfect food to introduce to baby around 6 months. With the addition of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, this stage two combination puree tastes amazing!
Get the recipe
Broccoli Baby Food
This Broccoli Baby Food with olive oil recipe is a great way to introduce healthy green vegetables into your baby’s diet. A delicious puree full of essential vitamins and healthy fats for growing baby
Get the recipe
Expert Tips
- Baby food pouches are perfect for serving other foods like smoothies, yogurt, or applesauce for toddlers and older kids.
- You can always make a double batch of any recipe and save half or more in the freezer for later.
- If possible, rinse the food pouch out as soon as your little one is done eating. It will make it easier to clean later.
- As convenient as reusable food pouches are, make sure to use them mostly for times when you’re on the go, traveling or need a mess-free snacking option. Be sure to offer your baby or toddler plenty of other options for finger foods and spoon feeding at home to encourage a variety of textures, tastes and self-feeding skills.
Strawberry Apple
- 4 medium apples peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 1/4 cup water
- pinch cinnamon
Sweet Potato Carrot
- 2 medium sweet potato peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- pinch cumin
Spinach Broccoli
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup baby spinach, packed
Strawberry Apple
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In a medium saucepan, place the apples, water, and cinnamon. Cover and heat on medium-low for 10 minutes. Add in the strawberries and cook for another 5 minutes or until the apples are tender. Let cool slightly.Transfer all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree on high for 1-2 minutes.
Sweet Potato Carrot
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In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. In a steamer basket, add in the carrots and sweet potato, place the basket over boiling water, and cover. Steam for 10-12 minutes or until all ingredients are tender. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Reserve steamer water.Transfer all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree on high for 1-2 minutes. Add the reserved steamer water, fresh breast milk, or formula in 1/4 cup increments to get the puree to the right consistency.
Spinach Broccoli
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In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. In a steamer basket, add the broccoli, place the basket over boiling water, and cover. Steam for 7 minutes. Add the spinach on top of the broccoli, cover, and steam for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Reserve steamer water.Transfer all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree on high for 1-2 minutes. Add the reserved steamer water, fresh breast milk, or formula in 1/4 cup increments, to get the puree to the right consistency.
To Make Baby Food Pouches
Yield: 4-6 pouches, depending on size.
Pouch Storage: Fridge – store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freezer – can be frozen for up to 4 months.