Many moms look for carrot recipes for babies when introducing them to solids. Carrots are good sources of vitamin A, and they could benefit all the organs in the body. Although it is one of the best foods for babies, consider introducing them to it in small quantities to ensure they are not allergic to it. You may begin introducing this vegetable to them after six months. However, consult your pediatrician before you do so. Carrot puree, especially made from bigger carrots than baby carrots, is best recommended since the baby’s digestive system may not be able to digest fresh carrots. Read on to understand the benefits of carrots and learn some easy, palatable carrot recipes for babies.
When Can Babies Eat Carrots?
Carrots can be fed to infants from six months (1). The root vegetable is rich in nitrates, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against giving carrots to babies younger than three months (2). When feeding carrots to baby, stick to cooked carrots because raw carrots have a higher chance of triggering allergies. Chop the carrots finely to minimize choking risk (3). Once the little one is 12 months old you can give them sliced raw carrots as finger food. As carrots are a treasure trove of nutrients, they benefit the baby in many ways.
Health Benefits Of Carrots For Babies
Carrots are rich in vitamins and several vital nutrients. Here’s how it supports various body functions. Below is the total nutritional content in 100g of carrot.
Nutritional Value Per 100g Of Carrot
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (4)
How To Select And Store Carrots?
Select: Choose carrots that have minimal blemishes and consistent color. If you observe any stem-like growth on the top, then the carrot was harvested a long time ago, hence look for fresh ones. Do not buy those that have excessive hair-like roots, scaly surface growth, or puncture marks as they are likely to have been caused by pests. Storage: After buying the carrots, peel a thin layer and slice away the hard, upper disc. Soak the carrots in water for five minutes to remove any soil particles. Soak for three more minutes if the first soak yields muddy water. Then wash the vegetables under running water by cleaning each carrot individually. Dry them with a kitchen towel and put in an airtight ziplock pouch for refrigeration. You can also chop the carrot into small cubes, place them in a bowl, and close the bowl with cling film before storing it in the refrigerator.
Baby Carrots Or Regular Carrots?
Baby carrots are harvested before they mature, which leaves them small or “baby” in size. Biologically, there is no difference between the two varieties and they have the same nutritional values. But, baby carrots are sweeter and tender than full-grown varieties. There is an alternative variety, called baby-cut carrots, which are full-grown carrots cut longitudinally into long slices. They are cut into smaller pieces for easy cleaning and cooking and sold as a frozen vegetables. Baby carrots were found to have chlorine in them (5). They also have low nutritional value due to poor slicing methods of manufacturers, who chop away most of the nutrient-rich outer layers. If you are buying carrots for babies, then buy regular, unprocessed, full-grown carrots that can be cleaned and cut at home.
How To Cook Carrots For Baby Food?
There are four ways to process the vegetable for baby food:
1. Steam:
Steaming is the best way to cook as it softens the carrot and retains all the nutrients. Here is how you steam carrots:
Clean the carrots and dice them or cut them into long thin strips.
Transfer the carrots to a steamer basket and place the basket in a deep pan with an inch of water.
Steam the carrots at a medium flame for ten minutes or until the carrots are soft.
You can also steam carrots in a pan with shallow water just enough to submerge them. Steam at low flame for ten minutes or more.
2. Boil:
All you need is a cooking pot or a pressure cooker. Do not throw the water away after boiling the carrots as the water is nutrient-rich. Instead, use it immediately to make carrot puree for the baby or something else. Here is how you boil carrots:
Chop carrots to the desired size and put them in a cooking pot with water.
Boil the carrots with a slightly closed lid on a medium flame for 20 minutes or till the carrots are completely soft.
You can also use a pressure cooker and cook for three steam whistles.
Sieve the carrots and use the nutrient-rich stock for other cooking purposes. Boiled carrots can be mashed and fed to the baby directly or can be used for recipes with other fruits and vegetables.
3. Bake:
Baking is ideal for thin and long slices or disc shapes, and doubles up as a baby’s finger food. You can also use them to garnish the puree. Following are the steps to bake carrots:
Place the carrots on a baking tray greased with a bit of vegetable oil. If you want to avoid oil, then use a glass casserole dish where the vegetable does not stick to the dish.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Place the dish into the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the carrots turn dark orange.
Remove the baked carrots from the tray and let them cool before you serve.
4. Roast:
You can roast carrots since it requires a minimal amount of ingredients. Roasting can help retain the crunchiness, which the older infants might like. Here is how you roast carrots:
Cut the carrots longitudinally or in large discs.
Place them in a non-stick frying pan and cover the lid leaving a slight tilt for the steam to escape.
Cook the carrots on a low flame for 30 minutes and cool and serve to the baby.
Carrots can be processed any of these ways to be made into several delicious homemade carrot baby food preparations.
Healthy Carrot Recipes For Babies
The following recipes are easy to prepare and are healthy for the growing baby.
1. Carrot puree:
This classic carrot baby food recipe is time and mom-tested for generations! You will need:
3-4 cups of finely chopped carrots 6-7 cups of water
How to:
2. Carrot and potato puree:
Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates and make an excellent accompaniment with carrots. You will need:
3 cups finely chopped potatoes 3 cups finely chopped carrots 5-6 cups of water
How to:
3. Sweet potato and carrot puree:
You can combine sweet potatoes with carrots to make a sweet and healthy delight for the baby. You will need:
3-4 cups of chopped sweet potatoes 3-4 cups of chopped carrots 4-5 cups of water
How to:
4. Carrot rice:
This is a nutritious baby food, for lunch or dinner. You will need:
3-4 cups of diced carrots 6-7 cups of rice 9-10 cups of water
How to:
5. Carrot and parsnip puree:
Parsnip is root vegetable like carrot, and the two get along quite well when cooked for baby food. You will need:
3 cups of diced parsnip 3 cups of diced carrots 4-5 cups of water
How to:
6. Peas and carrot puree:
Peas taste delicious with carrots, and your baby is going to love this combination. You will need:
2 cups peas 2 cups diced carrots 4-5 cups of water
How to:
7. Carrot and chicken puree:
This is a delicious mix of meat and vegetables to make a healthy baby food recipe. You will need:
2 cups chopped boneless chicken 2 cups diced carrots 6-7 cups of water
How to:
8. Cooked carrot sticks:
If the baby is a full-fledged finger food muncher, then he will love eating cooked carrot sticks as a snack. You will need:
6-7 carrots
How to:
9. Apple, carrot, and onion soup:
Apples add a punch of sweetness while onions give a nice flavor to the carrot soup. You will need:
4-5 cups diced apples (without peels) 3 cups diced carrots 1-2 cups finely chopped onions 9-10 cups of water
How to:
10. Carrot milkshake:
This is a delicious dessert for babies older than 12 months when they begin drinking cow milk. You will need:
4 cups diced carrots 6-7 cups of cow’s milk 1 tablespoon sugar
How to:
11. Carrot juice:
Juice is made from raw vegetables, and raw carrots are not suitable for young infants. Therefore, wait until the baby is 12 months before you introduce carrot juice. You will need:
2-3 carrots 1 cup water (optional)
How to: These recipes are easy-to-cook and straightforward. You can try other carrot baby food variations since carrots go well with several types of food.
Carrot Baby Food Combinations
You can combine the following foods with carrots:
Vegetables: Combine carrots with any vegetable of your choice! Sky’s the limit!
Grains and lentils: You can cook the root vegetable with grains such as rice, wheat, and lentils. Carrots also go well with all types of lentils.
Meat: Make delicious meat purees by adding carrot to it.
Fruits: There are not many fruits that can be combined with carrots, and the best combination is apples and peaches.
