You might have heard of sweet potatoes as an alternative to regular white potatoes. They are more nutritious and provide more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You can also use sweet potatoes to make healthy baby food for your child.

These tubers taste great and are easy to prepare. There are several ways to make wholesome sweet potato food that your child will love, without compromising on nutrition. Here is what you need to know about making sweet potato food at home.

What Is Sweet Potato?

Sweet potatoes are tropical starchy root vegetable that is rich in nutrients. It is a better source of vitamins and minerals than white potatoes. It has more fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, and minerals like iron, copper, and manganese. The skin of sweet potatoes is very nutritious and is packed with several nutrients. It contains carotenoids, anthocyanins, and flavonoids that provide antioxidants, regulate blood sugar and reduce inflammation.

How To Make Sweet Potato Baby Food?

There are several ways to make sweet potato baby food at home. This includes steaming, baking, boiling, and roasting the sweet potato. Use fresh and well-washed sweet potatoes to make baby food. Older and dried sweet potatoes can be difficult to mash and are not recommended for making baby food. Here are 3 methods to prepare sweet potatoes for your baby’s meals:

Steaming Sweet Potatoes

Steaming sweet potatoes is the easiest and quickest method. Boiling or baking sweet potatoes take more time and effort than steaming. Place the sweet potatoes inside a steamer and set it on high heat. Cover the pot with a lid and let the sweet potatoes steam for 8-10 minutes. Check if they are done by piercing them with a fork.

Baking Sweet Potatoes

Baking sweet potatoes is another easy method of preparing them for baby food. This method is suitable if you want to make larger quantities of baby food. Bake sweet potatoes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in the oven at 400 F.

Cover the tray with aluminum foil and bake the sweet potatoes for 20-30 minutes until they are soft. Once the sweet potatoes are done, let them cool for a few minutes, and then remove their skin. You can either mash them with a potato masher or blend them in a blender.

Boiling Sweet Potatoes

The boiling method is suitable for smaller portions of baby food. This method preserves fewer nutrients in sweet potatoes. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the peeled and sliced sweet potatoes. Once the water starts boiling again, reduce the heat and let the sweet potatoes simmer for 7-8 minutes.

You can also cook the sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker for 7-8 minutes. Once they are done, drain the water and mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or a fork.

Final Words

Sweet potatoes are easy to make and can be made into healthy baby food, just like spinach baby food. They are nutritious food for babies and are rich in vitamins such as vitamins A, C, and B6, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese.

Sweet potatoes can be made in many ways and can be made in large quantities. They can be mashed or blended with breast milk or formula to make healthy and nutritious baby food. Sweet potatoes are easy to make but might require some effort.