Butternut squash, commonly known as squash, is a fruit in the botanical sense; however, it can be baked, roasted, pureed, and combined with other vegetables. Since it is a good source of several minerals, many mothers look for interesting butternut squash baby food recipes. Butternut squash is high in vitamins A, B, C, and E, making it an excellent choice for your baby’s diet. It is also a good source of calcium and zinc. This post explains the nutritional value of butternut squash and how to prepare it in an age-appropriate manner for babies if you wish to include it in their diet.
When Can Babies Have Butternut Squash?
Butternut squash can be given to babies at the age of six months (1), as a part of their solid diet. If the baby has food allergies, consult the doctor before introducing this vegetable.
Health Benefits Of Butternut Squash For Babies
Here’s how your baby can benefit from eating butternut squash (2) (3) (4): Just a little bit of this vegetable can add significant value to the baby’s daily diet.
Nutritional Value Per 100g Of Butternut Squash
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (5)
How To Select And Store Butternut Squash?
Select: Butternut squash has an orange-tan color and is taller than other squashes. It is characterized by a round and flat bottom. Choose a ripened and sweet butternut squash that is deep orangish-tan. Avoid those with a dull coloration and blemishes. Touch the squash gently to check for its firmness. Ripe butternut squash will feel tender but will not yield to the pressure of the fingers. If it does, then it is overripe. If the squash feels hard, then it is under-ripe and should be given a pass. Storage: Cover the open pulpy section of a cut/used squash with a cling film before storing it in the refrigerator. Squash can be stored for days together, but when using it for a baby, it is best to consume it within a day.
How To Cook Butternut Squash For Baby Food?
The pulp of the butternut squash is best processed through oven-roasting, steaming, or baking. It helps retain the best taste of the vegetable while also keeping the nutrients intact. You may use the below steps to cook butternut squash for babies:
1. Oven roasting:
Peel the squash and cut the pulp into small chunks.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (176 °C). Grease the butternut squash pieces with a tiny amount of vegetable oil.
Place the squash on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
Let it cool before serving to the baby. Roasted butternut squash pieces work great as finger food for an older infant.
2. Baking:
Cut the squash into two halves in length. Scoop out the lower section that has seeds.
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (176 °C). Place the two halves of squash on a baking tray.
Bake for an hour. Once done, scoop out the soft pulp from skin. Puree or mash the baked pulp before feeding your little one.
3. Steaming:
Cut the squash into small cubes.
Pour about an inch of water in a cooking pot. Place the steamer inside with the squash cubes on top of it.
Steam the squash for about seven to ten minutes on a medium flame. Check if they are cooked by gently poking them with a fork.
After cooking, let the squash cool before serving as finger food or making it into a puree.
Butternut Squash Food Combinations For Babies
You can combine butternut squash with the following food items for best results.
Vegetables: Root vegetables like carrots, beetroot, and sweet potato go well with squash. Sago pearl, which is made from the root of the cassava plant, tastes good with squash. A stem vegetable like a potato can also be combined with butternut squash.
Fruits: Fruits like peaches and pears with mildly sweet and soft pulp can be mixed with squash.
Meat: Meat from chicken and lamb taste best in combination with squash when preparing baby food.
Pulses and grains: Squash can be combined with grains like rice and millet. Lentils, which are pulses, also make an excellent accompaniment to butternut squash.
Yummy Butternut Squash Baby Food Recipes
Here are 9 butternut squash baby food recipes packed with nourishment.
1. Squash and applesauce puree
The sweet taste of the applesauce enhances the flavor of the butternut squash pulp. You will need:
1 cup cubed squash pulp 1 cup chopped apples with peel 3-4 cups of water
How to:
2. Chicken and butternut squash puree
Chicken combined with butternut squash pulp make a thick and filling puree for a hungry baby. You will need:
1 cup of finely-chopped boneless chicken 1 1/2 cups of squash pulp 4 cups of water
How to:
3. Squash and carrot puree
You can use other root vegetables like beetroot instead of a carrot to make a vitamin-rich puree. You will need:
1 cup cubed carrots 1 cup finely-chopped squash 3-4 cups of water
How to: Avoid boiling carrots as that can result in loss of nutrients.
4. Sweet potato and squash mash
Infants will love the sweet and tasty mash that makes an excellent mid-afternoon snack. You will need:
1 1/2 cups cubed sweet potatoes 1 cup cubed of squash 1 cup of water
How to:
5. Peach, squash, and oats porridge
This recipe makes a filling breakfast and also a delight for the baby, thanks to the sweet flavor of the peaches. You will need:
1 1/2 cups finely-chopped peaches with skin 1 1/2 cups squash 2 cups infant oat cereal or 1 cup steel-cut oats 4-5 cups of water 1 cup formula milk
How to:
6. Squash, rice, and chicken soup
This is an excellent squash dish for lunch. You will need:
2 cups boneless chicken 1 1/2 cups of cubed squash 1 cup rice flour 4-5 cups of water.
How to:
7. Lentil and squash soup
Red lentils are rich in protein and when combined with squash, make nutrient-packed baby food. You will need:
1 cup red lentils 2 cups of cubed squash 4-5 cups of water
How to:
8. Finger millet (Ragi) and squash porridge:
Finger millets, also called ragi, are rich in minerals such as calcium and iron and can be combined with vitamin-rich squash to make a healthy porridge for the baby. You will need:
2 cups of finger millet flour 1 1/2 cups of cubed squash
How to:
9. Sago pearls (Sabudana) and squash porridge:
Sago pearls, also called sabudana, is rich in carbohydrates and works great as a base for making a squash porridge. You will need:
1 cup of sago pearls 1 cup cubed squash 7 cups of water
How to: Butternut squash is a healthy vegetable that suits for most infants. However, some children may have an allergic reaction to it.
