Author Topic: Cooked or raw fruits?? (Read 8455 times)

~Alexa~ · « **on:** March 16, 2009, 16:53:15 pm »

So I started my lo on solids today. I offered raw apple. But, I think he wasn't able to eat it because it was chunky. The ped said I should give it to him raw, but I was doing some research and I have seen that cooked fruits are better for puree. What do you think about this? Did you start giving your los raw fruit or cooked fruit??

Mimi 2 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2009, 17:33:51 pm »

I think that in the first few weeks the only raw fruits I gave dd/ds to eat were very ripe bananas & very ripe avocadoes. Soon after that they had very ripe melons and then very ripe pears. I think that raw apples would be harder to digest or even to mushed with the gums, kwim? The only cooked fruit I gave was applesauce.

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2009, 17:46:15 pm »

Thanks Mimi!! I will try to cook the apple and make some applesauce!! So let me see if I get this right...all the fruits you gave your lo were raw? The only one you cooked was apple?

Mama2boys · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2009, 17:49:34 pm »

yup and if sometimes the pear you have at home is not mushy and ripe, you can giev it a quick steam as well.

L76 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2009, 17:54:20 pm »

Hi

I used to make puree from steamed fruit. Pear apple peach apricot nectarine. Anything really. Gave on own or with yoghurt or in porridge.

Steamed very lightly. Doesn't need long.

Also then tried steamed fruit fingers to soften slightly. Even now at 1yr my dd can struggle if too hard

HTH

x

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #5 on:** March 16, 2009, 17:58:24 pm »

One more question....When you make the puree do you add some water to the fruit?

Mama2boys · « **Reply #6 on:** March 16, 2009, 18:06:31 pm »

depends..some fruit doe snot nee dthe extra water to make it the right consistency and soem does. you will ahve to see how it goes. But add water with a tsp so that you dont end up with too much.

i used to make a lot of the puree and freeze into small cubes and just thaw and give to LO. its a bit of a apin to make fress puree everyday. But for stuff like banana, avacado etc I'd do fresh.

and once your LO is familar and ok witha fruit you can also try mixing so say banana with some pureed apple or peach etc. It helps to intriuce them to simple yet complex tastes and flavours.

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #7 on:** March 16, 2009, 18:10:07 pm »

Thanks Mukta!! That's a great idea. So I'll be cooking once a week or so, and then having frozen purees will be easier!!

Mimi 2 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2009, 18:25:15 pm »

Yes, the only fruit I cooked was apples or if the pears were not riped enough and ds really needed it (helped with constipation) then I will give it a quick steamed. Both dd and ds were on the BLW approach so I didn't really do a lot of purees. When you make your own purees then you use a little bit of water to thin it up. When you need to thicken it up when serving you can add baby cereal. The only thing you have to remember is to not use the water you used to cooked the carrots when you puree it.

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2009, 18:29:53 pm »

Just the carrots, Mimi? Or should I not use any of the water where I cook the food?

Mimi 2 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 16, 2009, 19:36:42 pm »

Yes. It is not recommended to use the left over water from cooking the carrots because of the nitrates. After the age of 8 mos then it is fine.

Check out http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/stage1_homemade_baby_food_recipes.htm The site has a lot of good and easy recipes for making your own baby food. It also tells you what vitamins and minerals are in each food and the amount http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/vita_min.htm I find it very helpful. I used to make a lot of purees for dd until I switched over to BLW.

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #11 on:** March 16, 2009, 20:33:02 pm »

Thanks Mimi!! I'll check it out!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2009, 17:04:52 pm »

Mimi,
I just came to thank you, that webpage is terrific!!
Thanks

Mashi · « **Reply #13 on:** March 19, 2009, 20:06:09 pm »

I usually bake my fruit (apples, pears, peaches, plums), and most of my veggies too (squash, sweet potatoes). The flavour is much nicer when baked (taste a spoonful of baked apple versus a spoonful of boiled or steamed apple, see which one you would rather eat!)

Baking not only keeps in the flavour but most of the nutrients as well.

And although it takes longer, I find it saves time in the end. Compare peeling, chopping, boiling/steaming and then pureeing an apple, standing over the stove while it boils, taking it out of the water before it goes mooshy, etc. Then compare that to chopping an apple in half, quickly cutting out the core, popping it in a baking dish with an inch of water and sticking it in the oven. Can come back to it 40 minutes later, gently scoop the apples out and leave them on a plate to cool. Once cool, it pops right out of the skin and takes 30 seconds to mash with a fork. Peaches and plums are especially easy this way as they are very hard to skin, but once baked, the skin comes right off. Or, when LO is a bit older (8mos) just puree the skin with the fruit as it's soft and just blends right in.

I've got some on the go right now!

Mama2boys · « **Reply #14 on:** March 19, 2009, 20:11:01 pm »

fantatic idea Mash. Wihs I had nown when LO was younger..maybe for the second when I do

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #15 on:** March 19, 2009, 20:22:15 pm »

That's a great idea Mash!! So the water doesn't cover the fruit, just an inch of water, right??

Mashi · « **Reply #16 on:** March 19, 2009, 21:04:52 pm »

Yep! I put them in at about 200deg Celsius for about 30 - 40 minutes. They are done when the skin starts to pucker or bubble or turn a darker colour. I don't pay too much attention to the time...5 or 10 minutes either way doesn't really matter, as long as they are soft enough to mash. That's one of the big reasons I like baking them so much, less clock watching!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #17 on:** March 19, 2009, 22:06:06 pm »

Thanks Mash!!
My DH says that if I cook or steam or bake the fruit or veggies, they lose some of their vitamins and properties. Is this true?

Mashi · « **Reply #18 on:** March 20, 2009, 10:02:29 am »

Yes, especially boiling as all of the nutrients seep into the water. Steaming is better than boiling. Not sure why when baking the nutrients don't go into the water, I assume because there is less water, the fruit isn't soaked in it, and the water never actually boils.

Just be careful when you open the oven - open it a crack at a time and don't stand directly in front of it - I find all of the steam from the water comes out in a gush, so I open the oven an inch and turn it off, then go back to it a minute later when the steam has had a chance to escape.

Bake more apples than you think you'll need, because I promise you'll eat more than one spoonful yourself!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2009, 14:23:23 pm »

Thanks Mash!! I'll let you know how it goes!!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2009, 16:17:17 pm »

Hi Mash!! So I'm back!! I'm a mess in the kitchen!!

I tried to bake some apricots, so I cut them in halves, took the pit away, and then placed them in a baking pan with an inch of water as you suggested. I put them in the oven at 400ºF for around 40 min.
When I tried to take the skin off them, it was kind of difficult!! So, I put more water in the pan and put them inside the oven again!! I'm such a mess!!

Do you think I couldn't take the skin off them b/c they needed more time in the oven?

They were very very soft, so for me to take the skin off, I had to use a spoon and scratch them. Is that the way it is supposed to be? May be it was and I just put them inside the oven again for no reason!!

Ok, I'm hopeless!! heehee

Mashi · « **Reply #21 on:** March 24, 2009, 18:20:24 pm »

Hmmmm....well, I've never tried apricots before! I use dried apricots and so those I boil until they are plump. BUT I get the same thing with the skin on peaches and plums. It took me a few tries to figure out how to avoid it, and it seems to be that they are OVERcooked, not undercooked. I think that because apricots are so small, I would put less water in (half an inch) and cook them for not quite so long. Maybe try 15 minutes, stick a fork into it and see if it's soft, if not soft then test in 5 minute increments until you find the right time....but prob no longer than 30 min as they are very tiny.

Also, I find if you let them sit on a plate and cool for 20 minutes or so, the skins are easier to get off. When they are hot, I can't get them off of ANY fruit!

Now I take the lazy way with peaches and plums and just keep the skins on, as they puree up just as well as the fruit itself, but I think that this isn't recommended until your LO is about 8-10 months old. Whereas I figure if it's soft enough to puree and blend right in, then it's soft enough for DS to eat!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #22 on:** March 24, 2009, 19:00:53 pm »

Thanks Mash!! As you can see, I decided to spend the day in the kitchen making purees!! I just tried the baked apples, and OMG, they are delicious!! I also baked pears, and I can't stop eating the puree!! heehee

I found apples and pears are easier to peel, so may be I did overcook the apricots. I'll try again next cooking day!!

Thanks

Mashi · « **Reply #23 on:** March 24, 2009, 19:31:36 pm »

Yes - if you get the timing right (which will come the more you do, you'll just start to notice the skins bubbling a bit) the skins are super easy to get off. Let them sit (cooked) on a plate skin side up until they are cool, and the skins will just slide off. The bits of flesh that are left in the skin, I scrape off with a spoon and eat them myself! Baked peaches are great too!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #24 on:** April 02, 2009, 18:34:58 pm »

Ok, so something weird happened today as I was making applesauce! My lo likes the applesauce with a LOOOOT of water, he likes it almost liquid, if not, he doesn't eat it. So, I put the apples in the pan with enough water for 30 min. When the oven turned off, I came to check on the apples, and they were perfect. They still had enough water leftover so I could use it for making the applesauce a bit more liquid and not so thick. I left them in the same pan with the water, and 30 min later, I came back and there was NO water left!

What happened? Should I take the apples out of the pan and keep the left water in another place?

Mashi · « **Reply #25 on:** April 02, 2009, 18:54:53 pm »

Probably all soaked in, or if it was still hot, lots of it could have evaporated. I've always taken them out of the water and put onto a plate as soon as I took them out of the oven.

HTH?

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #26 on:** April 02, 2009, 20:03:01 pm »

It does help!! So next time, I will take the fruit out of the oven and pour the water in a glass until I make the puree!!
Thanks Mash!! I'm such a bad cook!

Mashi · « **Reply #27 on:** April 02, 2009, 20:08:55 pm »

Or keep the water in the baking dish and put a plate on top of it!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2009, 20:33:24 pm »

I'll try that too!! something has to work, right?? heehee

Thanks

A pair of Charlies · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2009, 12:43:04 pm »

I only did raw banana and pear until around 8 months or so, and always really really ripe. Everything went on the hob in a little amount of water. If you leave fruit to stand in water, if often absorbs it. Ripe pears will give off a ton of water all by themselves when you freeze them. Apricots I do in boiling water for 8 mins or so, on a simmer. Blueberrys work really well in boiling water, simmer until they start to pop - they need to come out of the water quickly though. A few vanilla seeds work really well with them, and once pureed a touch and left to cool, it goes a little jellyish. Fab with yoghurt. Apple and blackberrrys (with vanilla) are ace with youghurt too. We had no luck with raspberries or strawberries on their own, so I bob these in porridge sometimes as they kind of melt into it while it cooks.

DS does have chopped fresh fruit. Chopped grapes, chopped segments of clementines / satsumas, kiwi, ripe peach or nectarine, apple. Really likes it as finger food. I introduced raw apple only a month or so ago as for some reason he really seemed to struggle with it.

Love the idea of doing fruit in the oven. I have done some veggies in the oven, but not that often. Love the idea. Must make the house smell wonderful too!! I'll be trying that next time!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #30 on:** April 06, 2009, 17:58:11 pm »

Thanks Charlotte!! Those are great ideas!! I may try it when my lo gets to eat dairy!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #31 on:** April 19, 2009, 03:07:34 am »

Hi Mash!! I'm back for some cooking help!
My lo is starting to eat veggies. (carrot, spinach, peas, zucchini, mirliton)
I don't know how to cook them. Do you bake them in the oven as you do it with fruit? Or do you steam them? What tips can you give me on how to cook them?

Mashi · « **Reply #32 on:** April 19, 2009, 08:08:40 am »

I boil some and steam others! Carrots, I boil because I find they take a long time to cook - although I don't think I have tried steaming them. Zucchini I steam because otherwise it goes really soggy, but if I am in a hurry, I boil as it only takes about 3 minutes to boil up soft, but steaming seems to take 7 or 8 to get the skins softer. I've nto done spinach yet, I've always read that the high iron content can be hard for LOs to digest and my DS has enough trouble digesting ANYTHING so am holding off on spinach for a while. Cauliflower, again it depends on how much time I have - boiling is faster. Peas, I boil. Green beans, I steam.

Generally I find if I want to use it as a finger food, I steam it because it doesn't go as mushy, but if I am going to mush or puree it, then I boil it.

Generally, steaming takes a few minutes longer, but keeps more of the nutrition in. Boiling is faster but the veggie goes mushier.

I bake potatoes, sweet potatoes and squash. For potatoes and sweet pots, I pierce them with a fork a few times and put in the oven until soft. Squash I do like fruits - cut in half, scoop out seeds and bake in a bit of water until soft.

Does that help - not much advice, sorry!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #33 on:** April 19, 2009, 14:52:42 pm »

That helps A LOT!! Thanks Mash! One more question...When you make the veggie puree do you add something for taste? Salt? Butter? Or just the veggies and that's it?

Mashi · « **Reply #34 on:** April 19, 2009, 19:49:13 pm »

No, I don't add anything. No salt for little ones until they are one, as their kidneys can't digest it. I don't use butter as my LO is dairy intolerant, but I have often added some herbs for flavouring - basil, parsley, etc. I've also used leek as a flavouring, as well as red pepper.

To do the leeks I chop the white part of the leek into 2cm sections and boil for 3-4 minutes, until soft, and then puree until it's watery. Add a small spoonful to potato or sweet potato. Red peppers I grill - cut and clean out the centre of a red pepper, and put under a hot grill until the skins start to blacken and bubble. Really let them bubble as much as possible or you won't be able to get them off! Let cool about 15 minutes and then peel the skin off. If it's hard to get off, you didn't grill it long enough. Chop the peppers into smaller chunks and then puree. It will go very liquidy. I've mixed it with cauliflower, scrambled egg, and avocado and it always went down well!

~Alexa~ · « **Reply #35 on:** April 20, 2009, 01:24:46 am »

Tx Mash!!!! so no salt then!! Tx for all the tips

A pair of Charlies · « **Reply #36 on:** April 21, 2009, 14:51:54 pm »

I think we need "Mashi's Guide to Cooking Fruits & Vegetables". Hard bound would be nice, but I'll settle for anything. Everytime I cook now I'm looking at things wondering 'would you be better off in the oven my little friend?'

Mashi · « **Reply #37 on:** April 21, 2009, 16:55:19 pm »

Quote from: A pair of Charlies on April 21, 2009, 14:51:54 pm

I think we need "Mashi's Guide to Cooking Fruits & Vegetables". Hard bound would be nice, but I'll settle for anything. Everytime I cook now I'm looking at things wondering 'would you be better off in the oven my little friend?'

LOL! I like to think of it as "Today my little friend, Mummy is lazy, so you get to sit in the oven for an hour!" No washing, peeling, chopping, straining...just toss it in the oven until the skin is ready to peel itself off, and done!

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Author Topic: Cooked or raw fruits?? (Read 8455 times)