Bananas For Baby Puree Blw Finger Food

Bananas for Baby

Banana is one of those classic easy baby foods since the flavor is mellow and mild and they are so easy to prepare. There are common questions when offering them. though, so I hope to help clear up any confusion. This post is meant to offer ideas whether you do purees or baby-led weaning, have a baby just starting solids, an older baby, or even a toddler. Bananas are rich in potassium, Vitamin B6, fiber, Vitamin C, among other nutrients. They range in flavor and sweetness—but they are a carbohydrate that’s classified as a “resistant starch” so they cause less glucose to be released into the bloodstream. Which basically means they don’t cause quick spikes in blood sugar since they are digested slowly. (I mention that since many are wary of bananas due to their sugar content, but we actually don’t need to worry about the natural sugars in fruits—especially not when they’re naturally paired with fiber which helps slow the rate of digestion.) Bananas should be stored at room temperature and are best eaten when ripe. Sometime it can be hard to know when a banana is ripe, but I look for yellow fruit with just some brown dots. You or your kids may prefer riper or less ripe bananas but it’s important to know that unripe green bananas can be constipating for kids. Bananas with more brown spots have more natural sugars and flavor, which makes them a more flavorful option to offer. We love banana as a delicious first food for baby. You usually want to use very brown bananas for baked goods that call for bananas.

How to Prepare Bananas for Baby

There are a handful of ways to offer fresh bananas to baby depending on baby’s age and your comfort level with the style of feeding you’re doing. You can serve bananas to baby in the following ways: Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.

Banana puree Big piece of banana as a baby-led weaning food Broken or cut into small pieces as a finger food Mashed and stirred into oatmeal, baby cereal, yogurt, or another puree Baked into muffins, banana pancakes, or another baked good Blended into a smoothie

TIP: You may also like Apples for Baby and this guide to yogurt and babies.

Banana Puree

Classic banana puree is made by pureeing ripe banana in a blender until very smooth. This is an easy and delicious baby food option for babies in the Stage 1 baby food phase, or typically around age 6 months. You can progressively puree it less smooth or move to mashing with a fork so baby can adjust to a thicker texture. You can mix with formula or breastmilk, if you like, and add a dash of spice such as cinnamon or nutmeg.

What to Mix with Banana Baby Food

You can use banana puree or mashed banana to make a wide range of baby food combinations. Some of my favorite purees and foods to mix banana with are:

Peanut Butter Puree Plain whole-milk yogurt Baby Oatmeal Baby Quinoa Cereal Baby Rice Cereal Avocado Puree Mango Puree

Banana for Baby-Led Weaning

Banana can be a really easy baby-led weaning food. You can cut a banana in half, then remove about 1 inch of the peel so baby has plenty of the fruit to try without being slippery since they can hold the peel. You can also help hold it for them as needed.

Bananas for 6-Month-Old

For a 6- to 9-month-old baby, you can offer banana as puree, mashed smooth (or mostly smooth) with a fork, or baby-led weaning style as a large piece. You can do one option or try more than one. There’s no one right way to start solids.

Bananas for 9-Month-Old

At 9 months old, babies can typically eat soft finger foods including bananas. You can dice them up, or try slicing, then pushing a little to break into their natural segments. This is usually less slippery for baby to pick up with their fingers.

Bananas for 12+ Months

Over about a year of age, or when baby can take bites and manage larger pieces of food, you can serve bananas almost any way. We love to slice them with the peel on, then cut a little slit in the peel and let the kids peel them on their own. That small amount of engagement with the food can really help a child become interested in it. Give them a place to put the peels, like a little bowl, too.

Banana Recipes to Try

Best Tips for Success

Follow baby’s lead when it comes to appetite. Avoid underripe bananas if concerned about constipation. Try Banana Puree, mashed bananas, or BLW-style bigger pieces of bananas for babies around age 6 months. Once a baby is about 9 months and can pick up small pieces of food, you can offer smaller pieces of banana. Banana pieces should be soft and ripe, rather than unripe and too hard. Try bananas in smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, and muffins. You may also like my Master List of Baby Food Recipes and store bananas in the freezer.

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