Sweet potatoes are nutritious foods prepared in many ways; it is not only nutritious but tasty and easy to make, which is why it is a great addition to a kid’s diet. Everyone knows about potatoes‘ soft and mushy texture when they are boiled; just blend this up with some water or extra veggies, and you’re on your way to making a delicious puree for both babies and grown-up kids.
When making baby food from sweet potatoes, the important thing to note is the right consistency for the age range of the baby; in this article, I will be talking about that, I will also be sharing some great tips to note when making a sweet potato baby food, and I’ll be sharing a delicious sweet potato baby food recipe.
Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts
Tips to Note while Making a Sweet Potato Baby Food
Sweet potatoes are delicious and easy to make, especially for babies, but there are still a few tips you should note when making yours which include:
Choosing good potatoes- when shopping for sweet potatoes, look for medium sweet potatoes with an even color without scratches on the surface. The large Potatoes are more starchy and would result in a thick puree.
Adding little spices from time to time- the puree made from baby potatoes usually consists of just sweet potatoes and water, which is just enough for the recipe. Still, from time to time, you could switch up the preparation method, like roasting the potatoes and peeling off the skin before blending to get a sweet caramelized flavor.
Adding some curries, little bits of herbs like cinnamon, crushed dried rosemary, and veggies like Carrots would also improve the food and even your baby’s senses because of the changes; this would also help you know what method of preparation works best for your baby.
The right consistency is the good thing about the potato puree is its flexibility; you could always add more water for a light consistency and less water for a thicker consistency. Sweet potatoes are root vegetables, and root vegetables normally absorb a lot of water, so you’ll have to be mindful when making yours and always feel free to add little quantities of water to get a fine texture and consistency.
Light or thin potato puree is good for babies within the age range of 6-8 months, while the thicker puree is good for babies within the age range of 8 months and above.
Store the extra puree- if you end up making too much potato puree, you could always store them In a refrigerator or freezer; it would last for about four days in a refrigerator when stored in an airtight container and last for up to 4 months in a freezer. You should note that the puree should not be frozen again if it was previously in the freezer.
Cooking Methods for Making Sweet Potato as a Baby’s Food
The three most common ways of making a tender sweet potato that could be further mashed to form a puree includes:
Boiling- this method of cooking sweet potatoes is common and easy to follow; it involves placing the sweet potatoes inside a pot containing water that is enough to cover the potatoes, and then it is boiled for about 15-20 minutes or until it is tender when pierced with a fork. After that, the boiled potato chunks are then transferred to a blender and converted to a smooth paste or puree.
Steaming is one of the preferred methods to make a sweet potato puree or baby food. It is almost like boiling, but it involves placing the sweet potatoes above boiling water with a steamer basket. Steaming is one of the guaranteed ways to preserve the nutrients of the sweet potato since it doesn’t require much contact with water and exposure to heat.
Roasting- baking your sweet potato before blending is a good way of adding a sweet caramelized flavor to your puree; this method involves baking the potatoes in an oven, the oven is first preheated to 400°F, and the potatoes are then placed on a baking tray (you could either place them whole with some piercings made on them using a fork or slice them up and place them properly on the baking tray without them overlapping). However, if the potatoes are large, it is advisable to slice them in half.
Bake for about 30- 40 minutes or until tender with the skin wrinkled; once ready, let it cool first before peeling off the skin and blending to a smooth fine consistency.
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Cooking Time for a Sweet Potato Baby Food
The table below contains the estimated cooking time for making sweet potatoes as baby food.
Cooking Method
Cooking Time
Blended boiled sweet potatoes
15-20 minutes
Blended Oven-Baked sweet potatoes
30- 40 minutes
Blended steamed sweet potatoes
12-15 minutes
Print
Steamed Sweet potato puree (2 servings)
Ingredients
- One medium-sized sweet potato
- Carrots (optional)
Equipment
- Stove
- Pot
- Steamer basket
- Blender
- Bowls
- Knife
- Spoon
Instructions
- Start by peeling and washing the sweet potato.
- Next, slice it into smaller sizes and place them In a steamer basket.
- Fill some water inside a pot and place it on heat.
- Place the steamer basket over it and cover; let it steam for about 12-15 minutes or until it is fork-tender.
- Next, get your bender and pour the steamed potatoes inside; add some water and blend until you get a nice texture.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more water for a thinner puree and less water for a thicker puree. The child’s age would determine the consistency (check above for the tip about consistency).
- Once you’re done blending, pour the puree into a plate and serve; preserve any extra in a refrigerator or freezer.
Sweet potato puree is easy to make even with different methods, but if you’d like to see more ideas or suggestions, check out this recipe.