Spiced up Baby Food

What Types of Spices and Herbs Can I Add to Baby's Food?

Fresh or dried, the types of herbs and spices you may add to baby's foods is entirely up to you. I would recommend that you use all the spices and herbs that are typically used when cooking foods for the "big kids".

Using spices and herbs in your baby's foods is a great way to offer interesting flavors without the use of sugar or salt. While it is never recommended to add sugar or salt to baby's food, we always advocate adding some things to "spice up" or flavor your baby's food.

Often when we think of additions to food for kids, sugar and/or salt immediately come to mind. Parents may seldom think about adding herbs and spices such as:

 

• vanilla *
• pepper
• garlic powder
• basil
• rosemary
• dill
• oregano
• lemon zest
• ginger
• cinnamon
• mint
• nutmeg
• anise
• curry powder (yes, it's true, you may offer your older infant a
  wee dash of curry powder in her foods.  You do need to watch for any reactions as some components of curry or even chili powder may give baby a rash) 

****A note concerning vanilla and other liquid flavor extracts ****

Pure vanilla and other liquid flavors/extracts, depending on the market/country where you may live, often contain a high amount of alcohol. The alcohol is used to extract and preserve the flavor of the spice.  When using vanilla as a flavoring for your baby food, ensure that you are using either the vanilla bean or an essence of vanilla that is not labeled as "pure".  You may use pure vanilla for adding to foods that are cooking or baking as the alcohol will cook off. Never add any sort of flavoring to your baby's bottle of formula or bottle of breast milk.

Spiced Up Baby Food Creations - a few examples

Try these spicy mixtures and put some baby zing into those everyday foods for baby:

Fruits:

Apple(Sauce): use cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, ginger

Pears: use ginger, cinnamon, a drip of vanilla or even mint

Bananas: use cinnamon, ginger, allspice, vanilla

Dairy:

Plain Yogurt : use with mint, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, allspice, cardamom

Vegetables:

Sweet potato: use with nutmeg, cinnamon and/or cardamom

Pumpkin: use with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and dash of vanilla

Carrots: use with basil & garlic - baked cinnamon carrots are yummy too.

Green beans: use with garlic powder

Mashed potatoes(white) : use with dill weed or garlic

Winter Squash (acorn, hubbard, butternut etc.): use with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger

Cereals/Grains:

Pasta: use oregano, garlic, basil

Oatmeal or other cereals: use fruits, cinnamon & nutmeg, dash of vanilla

Rice (sweet) with cinnamon, nutmeg, dash of vanilla, cardamom, ginger
Quinoa (sweet): use cinnamon, nutmeg, dash of vanilla, cardamom, ginger for sweet

Quinoa (savory): use garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, basil, oregano and others

Meats:

Chicken/Turkey with cinnamon and/or coriander

Chicken/Turkey with garlic powder and basil

Chicken/Turkey with lemon zest and pepper

Chicken/Turkey with basil & oregano

Chicken/Turkey with garlic and pepper
Chicken/Turkey with sage, rosemary and thyme

Beef with garlic and pepper

Beef with onion powder and pepper

Beef with Orange Zest

***Thank you Wholesome Baby Food for this wonderful information.  Please visit their website to view this information and more.