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Squash is readily available in the fall and makes a great first food for your baby. Homemade infant squash is easy to make and provides excellent nutrition for your baby.
Butternut squash is easy to find in the fall and is a great source of quality nutrition for infants and toddlers. Squash is easy to prepare and cooks soft enough to be quickly made into baby food. Ingredients1 Whole Butternut Squash A baking dish with an edge PreparationButternut squash can be cooked in many different ways. One of the easiest and most nutritious preparation methods is steaming. Steaming maintains more of the nutrients in the squash and is very quick and easy. Find a pan or baking dish that has a small edge so that it can hold in water. Wash the outside of the squash thoroughly. Even though you do not eat the outside of the squash, bacteria that is on the outside can be transferred to the inside when you use a knife to cut through the squash. Washing the squash thoroughly, ideally with a veggie wash, will get rid of most harmful bacteria that can make you sick. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the squash vertically on a cutting board with the wide end on the bottom. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut through the squash from top to bottom. The flesh of the squash should be firm and bright orange. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and give the squash one final wash. Fill the bottom of your baking pan with about a ½ inch of water. Lay the washed squash face down in the pan of water. Squash has a delicious, rich taste and does not need any extra seasoning, especially when you are feeding it to an infant or toddler. Put the pan with the squash in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the flesh can be pierced with a fork. Larger pieces of squash may take longer to cook. Squash for InfantsIf you are preparing butternut squash as baby food you can scoop out the cooked squash and run it through an infant food mill, put it in the blender with a small amount of water, or process it in a food processor. For older infants, you can simply mash the squash with a fork. Be sure to cut up any fibrous strands that may be difficult for your infant to swallow. Squash for ToddlersIf you are preparing butternut squash for a toddler, simply coop out the squash and allow it to cool before serving. Seasoning is not really necessary but if you’d like to add some extra flavor you can serve the squash with a small amount of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Be careful not to add too much sugar. Toddlers have more sensitive taste buds and since the butternut squash already has a natural sweetness only a small amount of sugar is needed. Butternut squash is a wonderful first food for babies and a great seasonal treat for toddlers. Squash is easy to find in the fall and is a fantastic source for vitamins E, C, and A.
The copyright of the article Butternut Squash for Infants in Infants & Toddlers is owned by Rachel Lister. Permission to republish Butternut Squash for Infants in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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