As we discussed in a previous blog post, eating the rainbow each day means more than just getting enough fruit and vegetables – it’s about eating a wide variety of foods so your body gets all the essential nutrients it needs. Anyone else's toddler only like to eat white foods? So to help ensure your child is eating variety of healthy fruits and vegetables in their diet, we have put together some simple puree recipes.

These recipes are great for babies when first introducing solids, but can also be served as part of a larger meal for older infants, once proteins, grains etc. have been introduced. The savoury dishes often go well with pasta, rice or in pastry as a tart or pie. They can even be mixed into muffins or pancakes for a meal on the go. The fruit purees can be mixed into greek yoghurt, eaten as a dessert on pancakes, in a sugar free fruit crumble or even on their own as an afternoon snack. For more ideas on encouraging fussy eaters, the South Australian Health department has a whole range of resources for you!

Orange Puree

• Suitable from: 4+ month old
• Preparation time: 2 minutes
• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Ingredients: 100g pumpkin, 200g sweet potato

1. Peel and cut the vegetables into 1cm cubes.
2. Place in the steamer basket of the Babycook.
3. Fill the Babycook with water to level 3 and press steam button.
4. When cooked, put all the ingredients in the blending bowl while reserving the cooking liquid. Mix, adding the the cooking liquid until desired consistency has been achieved.

Et voila, bon appétit!

Red Puree

• Suitable from: 4+ month old
• Preparation time: 4 minutes
• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Ingredients:  150g strawberries, 1 stalk of rhubarb, half a pear

1. Cut the strawberries into quarters.
2. Chop the green top off the rhubarb stalk and discard. Then chop into 1cm pieces.
3. Peel the pear and cut into 1cm cubes.
4. Place all ingredients in the steamer basket of the Babycook.
5. Fill the Babycook with water to level 3 and press steam button.
6. When cooked, put all the ingredients in the blending bowl while reserving the cooking liquid. Mix, adding the the cooking liquid until desired consistency has been achieved.

Et voila, bon appétit!

Purple Puree

• Suitable from: 4+ month old
• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Ingredients:  100g blueberries, 100g blackberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Place all fruits in the steamer basket of the Babycook.
2. Fill the Babycook with water to level 2 and press steam button (if berries are frozen, fill to water level 3).
3. When cooked, put all the ingredients in the blending bowl while reserving the cooking liquid. Mix, adding the the cooking liquid until desired consistency has been achieved.

Et voila, bon appétit!

Chef’s tip

If the infant is a little older and protein has been introduced, serve with your choice of meat or eggs. Fruit purees go well with baby porridge or for older children, with sugar free pancakes.