How to Make Blueberry Puree for Babies

Best for babies who are ready for multi-fruit or veggie purees, sweet-tart blueberries make a serendipitous match with sweet apple, pear, and banana purees. Keep reading for the recipe.

You can make blueberry puree with fresh or frozen berries; buy fresh in the summer and frozen the rest of the year for high-quality, affordable blueberries. When purchasing fresh blueberries, look for purple fruit that has uniform color and is free of nicks, bruises, and other blemishes. Since blueberries are part of the "dirty dozen"—foods with the highest pesticide residue—it's a good idea to buy organic. Half a cup of blueberries yields about four ounces of puree.

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Wash blueberries with a mixture of three parts water and one part white vinegar to remove bacteria. Rinse under cool running water and dry.

If your blueberries are ripe, skip this step and move on to step 4. If you're working with blueberries that are underripe or are frozen, place the fruit in a steamer and cook for three minutes.

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Drain blueberries and rinse with cold water for three minutes in a colander to stop the cooking process. Puree in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency.

For chunkier blueberry puree, which is ideal for babies 10 months or older, mash the blueberries with a potato masher instead of pureeing it.

If blueberries are very sweet, serve the puree plain. To introduce your baby to new textures and flavors, or to make the most of puree from more tart blueberries, mix it with oatmeal, full-fat yogurt, or sweeter fruit puree. Try combining blueberry puree with:

• Applesauce and cinnamon
• Pear
• Peach
• Banana
• Full-fat Greek yogurt
• Baby oatmeal

If you steamed the blueberries, let the puree cool and then refrigerate leftovers in BPA-free containers for up to 3 days. Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in your refrigerator.