How To Thicken Baby Food? If you’re breastfeeding and can’t pump enough milk, chances are you’ve had the not-so-pleasant experience of discovering that your baby’s gone off their dinner.
You need to know that while it might seem like they’re simply showing their displeasure with the food, they’re trying to communicate something important. Breast milk can be thin and watery due to its low-fat content, so babies may have difficulty swallowing it.
So, How To Thicken Baby Food?
To thicken baby food, fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add in cornstarch and mix until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve immediately or refrigerate. To thicken stews and soups, stir in flour or arrowroot until it reaches the desired consistency. You’ll also want to add a dash of salt for flavor.
There are a lot of products that claim to thicken baby food, but none have the same consistency as cornstarch. The only thing you should know, however, is that baby food thickeners aren’t recommended for use with formula-fed babies. Instead, check out our list of healthy baby snacks.
Some Reasons to thicken baby food purees:
- If your baby is only being fed breast milk, you might be able to use these thickeners on a scheduled basis to ensure that they get the proper nutrition.
- Some babies may have trouble digesting certain foods and want more thick consistency.
- If you’re buying commercially made baby food in cans or pouches, the product will never reach the right consistency, no matter how thick you try to thicken it.
- If you’re in a hurry, feel free to use these thickeners.
- If it’s one of your baby’s first foods and they only want a small spoonful, add some breast milk or formula so it’s easier to consume.
Ten ways to make your food thicker:
1. Add a little breast milk or formula to thin out foods.
2. After cooking, combine thickened breast milk with evaporated or sweetened condensed milk and refrigerate for a thicker consistency.
3. Blend cooked food with an electric blender until the desired consistency is achieved. The best way to thicken and purée the mixture is to use a food processor or blender and add the cornstarch in small amounts, then slowly increase until you reach your desired texture.
4. Mix thickened breast milk and water in a ratio of 3-gallon water to 1/4 tbs: of cornstarch or arrowroot.
5. Add an equal amount of breast milk and water to foods that require boiling and then add them to the refrigerator or freezer to thicken. Keep this mixture at room temperature until serving.
6. Thicken using a food processor, blender, or electric grinder. Add arrowroot first, then gradually add more until the desired texture is achieved.
7.. If you’re blending baby food, try adding a bit of breast milk or formula when adding the ingredients to help increase the mixture’s consistency.
8 . Consider using a baby food mill instead of a blender to help you thicken your baby’s food.
9 . Add some cold water and boil the mixture to decrease viscosity.
10 . Cook leftover foods in small bits, then add them to cereal for a thicker texture once cooked and cooled down.
How do I thicken baby food purees?
If you are looking for baby food ideas and recipes, check out our article on the best baby food recipes.
- If your baby is only being fed breast milk, you might be able to use these thickeners on a scheduled basis to ensure that they get the proper nutrition.
- Some babies may have trouble digesting certain foods and want more thick consistency.
- If you’re buying commercially made baby food in cans or pouches, the product will never reach the right consistency, no matter how thick you try to thicken it.
- If you’re in a hurry, feel free to use these thickeners.
- If it’s one of your baby’s first foods and they only want a small spoonful, then add some breast milk or formula, so it’s easier to consume.
- If you’re cooking your baby food at home, you might consider adding an equal amount of breast milk or formula when adding the ingredients to help increase the mixture’s consistency.
- Consider using a baby food mill instead of a blender to help you thicken your baby’s food.
- 8 . Adding cold water to the mixture helps make it more fluid.
- Cook leftover foods in small bits, then add them to cereal for a thicker texture once cooked and cooled down.
If you follow a breastfeeding schedule, you may want your baby to get ready-made purees instead of making them themselves.
Making homemade baby food takes a little practice and patience, but once you get the hang of it, your baby will enjoy having their food made especially for them.
What is the best way to thicken baby food?
The best way to thicken baby food is by adding a bit of breast milk or formula. This will ensure that your baby’s food has a thickness that they can easily consume. Another excellent tip for thickening baby food is to blend breast milk with water in a ratio of 3 gallons of water for 1/4 cup of cornstarch. This will ensure a consistent texture. If the baby isn’t eating enough, the next step you can try is adding rice cereal to the food.
As a last resort, you can thicken baby food with corn flour by using this ratio:
- 1 cup mixture + 1 tbs.
- corn flour + 3 tbs.
- water = 2 tbs.
thickened baby food.
How can I add more texture to baby food?
The texture can easily be added by cooking the food and adding it to cereal. Homemade baby food purees are always better than store-bought ones. The easiest way to thicken baby food: combine cooked food with evaporated or sweetened condensed milk, then refrigerate it. This will make it more liquid, and that’s what you need.
When making homemade baby food, you can also add a bit of breast milk or formula when blending to help thicken the mixture.
You may also try adding a bit of cooked rice cereal and boiling it to increase the consistency and make it softer. You may also try adding some ground cinnamon to the mixture to improve the taste (1 tsp. is plenty).
What can I use to thicken baby food?
Corn flour, cornstarch, and arrowroot are just some ways to thicken baby food. You may also try adding a bit of breast milk or formula to your baby’s food.
If you have tried all the above methods without any luck, it is time to get creative. If you follow a breastfeeding schedule, you may want your baby to get ready-made purees instead of making them themselves. Making homemade baby food takes a little practice and patience, but once you get the hang of it, your baby will enjoy having their food made especially for them.
Bottom Line:
There is a reason why you need to thicken baby food. Babies will eventually be able to handle the typical texture of food when they develop their chewing and swallowing skills. Some babies might have trouble digesting certain foods and want a thick consistency, while others wish for more texture in their mouths. It’s just a matter of finding the right texture they like. If you are in a hurry, feel free to use these thickeners. Remember that consistency is essential, so the more ingredients you add, the thicker it will be.
One last thing to remember is that most food recipes will have at least one ingredient that requires cooking. So, should your baby food recipes or those you buy from a store? Babies can quickly overheat and end up in serious trouble if they’re not appropriately prepared and cooked.
1 thought on “How To Thicken Baby Food? Easy Purees”