I loved making homemade baby food for my little ones and planning festive feasts for them during the holidays was especially fun and rewarding. I’m refreshing a post from a few years ago that gives easy, healthy Christmas meal ideas, PLUS a few new ones to try out!
Baby's first Christmas is a special moment to cherish forever so our goal is to have a happy baby at meal time when the table is surrounded by family and friends. If your baby is between 6-12 months and has been introduced to solid foods already then you'll find recipes and nutritional guidelines below to help create a yummy Christmas dinner your baby will drool over (not just teething drool). And the best part is you can use all the same foods that you're cooking anyway!
There are lots of fabulous baby food books on the market today that help parents introduce foods in the right order, provide recipes, cooking and storage tips, and inform us on different approaches such as purees or baby-led weaning. Mommy instincts will play a big role in this process too, but no matter what book, website or friendly advice you choose to follow, there are certain nutritional requirements that need to be met.
The Government of Canada recommends the following nutritional guidelines for an infant 6 to 12 months:
- Continue to breastfeed for up to two years or more, as long as both you and your child want to.
- Continue to give your breastfed infant a vitamin D supplement.
- At 6 months, breastfeeding is still your baby's main food source but it is time to begin adding solid foods. Formula-fed infants should also be introduced to solids at this time.
- Start with foods that contain iron and offer them a few times a day (Ex. beef, fish, legumes, iron-fortified infant cereal).
- Gradually increase the number of times a day that you offer solid foods.
- Offer your baby a range of nutritious foods from your family meals. Let them discover different textures and experiment with feeding themselves.
- Give your baby foods they can eat using their hands. Offer pieces of soft-cooked vegetables, soft fruit such as banana, grated cheese, and toast.
- If you are making the transition to cow milk as your child's main milk source, wait until your baby is between 9 and 12 months old and start with homogenized cow milk (3.25% M.F.). Do not offer skim or partly skimmed milk (1% or 2% M.F.) before 2 years of age.
- If you are going to make fortified soy beverage your child's main milk source, wait until they are 2 years of age. Rice or nut beverages should not be used as your child's main milk source.
- Pay attention to your baby's hunger cues. Trust your child to decide how much they are going to eat at any meal.
Turkey & Potato Puree
- Shave off a slice of roasted turkey (no salt if possible) and put it in a food processor.
- Add a few chunks of boiled or roasted potato to the food processor.
- Add a tablespoon (or more if desired) of liquid such as water, no-salt chicken stock, or breast milk to thin the puree.
- Blend everything together to desired texture.
*For older babies, give the slice of roasted turkey as finger food and blend some of your cooked Christmas vegetables into a puree to offer as dip, or pour some homemade gravy on top.
Homemade Gravy
- Take about ½ cup of your cooked veggies and ½ cup - 1 cup of the meat juices from your turkey pan (as long as the salt content is low) and add it all to the food processor.
- Blend everything together to desired texture.
- Add extra liquid such as water, no-salt chicken stock, or breast milk for thinner gravy.
Butternut Squash & Apple Puree
- Steam 1 cup of cubed, peeled squash until soft and put it in a food processor.
- Steam 1 cup of sliced, peeled apple until soft and add it to the food processor. Do not steam these two together because the squash will take longer than the apple.
- Blend everything together to desired texture.
*This will be a smooth and sweet dish sure to please. Add less apple if you want to minimize the natural sugar and try sprinkling this puree with a little cinnamon to broaden baby's taste.
Cranberry & Pear Puree
- Steam 2 cups of sliced pear and 1 cup of cranberries until soft and put it in a food processor.
- Add 1 cup of water or breast milk plus 1/2 a teaspoon of cloves to the food processor.
- Blend everything together to desired texture.
*For older babies, offer this tangy puree as a dip for sliced roasted turkey or chicken.
Savoury Stuffing for Younger Babies
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in pan and sauté ¼ cup of finely chopped onion and 1/8 cup of finely chopped celery until soft and translucent.
- Steam 1/2 cup of cubed, peeled squash until soft.
- Cut 4 to 5 slices of bread (fresh or stale) into cubes and place in a bowl.
- Add the sautéed veggies, steamed squash, a pinch of sage, thyme, and parsley, and 1/8 cup of no-salt chicken stock or water to the bowl of cubed bread.
- Mix everything together and transfer it to a food processor. Pulse the mixture to desired texture.
- Grease a small oven-proof dish and spoon the stuffing mixture into it.
- Bake with your other Christmas dishes for around 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top.
*The squash adds some sweetness and extra nutrients but can easily be left out of the recipe.
Stuffing Balls for Older Babies
- Add 4 slices of bread (fresh or stale) and a pinch of thyme to a food processor and pulse until you have fine breadcrumbs.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan and sauté one small finely chopped onion and one stalk of finely chopped celery.
- Combine the breadcrumbs with the sautéed veggies and add 2 tablespoons of no-salt chicken stock. Mix well.
- Spoon the stuffing mixture into 1” balls onto a greased baking sheet and bake with your other Christmas dishes for around 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top.
*These stuffing balls are great finger food and make perfect year round side dishes for baby-led weaning.
Chunky Brussels Sprouts & Parsnips
- Steam, roast or fry 6-12 Brussels sprouts and put them in a food processor.
- Add a few chunks of steamed or roasted parsnips to the food processor.
- Add 1 tablespoon of liquid such as water, no-salt chicken stock, or breast milk.
- Pulse everything together to desired texture.
*This is a chunkier puree for older babies. If you'd like to make it smoother just add more liquid and blend longer. Try substituting cooked peas or potato instead of parsnips.
Apple Pie Bake
- Steam 1 cup of sliced, peeled apple until soft and puree in a food processor.
- Mix in baby rice or wheat cereal until thick. Sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon.
- Bake in an ovenproof dish for 10 min at 350 degrees F.
*For older babies you can create a crust by sprinkling wheat germ, Rice Krispies, or crushed Cheerios on top.
Raspberry Sundae
- Boil 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries in a tiny bit of water until they are soft and have thickened into a chunky sauce consistency.
- Scoop some of the raspberry sauce into a serving bowl for your baby and add a heaping tablespoon of Greek or natural high fat yogurt.
- Top with some finely chopped soft banana.
*For younger babies that are not eating yogurt yet, mix in some breast milk or rice cereal instead. Put everything in a food processor if a smoother consistency is desired.
More dessert recipe ideas can be found here: Christmas Baking for Baby.
