Fruits are great to introduce to babies, as early as 6 months old. (source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans)
Pears are a highly nutritious fruit, they are a source of fiber for digestive health, vitamin C for immunity, antioxidants for disease prevention, vitamin K for blood clotting, and potassium to maintain the body’s cell fluids. (source: Nutrition Data)
If you want to try your baby on pears, here are some fun and tasty baby food combinations to try. As always, ensure that all ingredients and the final dish is prepped and served in an age-appropriate way for your baby and their stage of development with regard to choking and other risks.
Covered in this Article:
Pear, Apple & Banana Puree
This basic puree recipe can be prepared easily for baby’s mealtimes and stored frozen for up to weeks, so you have food ready for baby’s feeding.
| 1 piece | pear |
| 1 piece | apple |
| 1 piece | banana |
| Water, as needed |
Instructions:
1. Wash and peel pear, apple and banana. Cut into cubes.
2. Steam or boil pear and apple for 5-10 minutes or until soft.
3. In a blender or food processor, place the steamed pear and apple, and banana. Blend until smooth.
4. Add liquid 1-2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Notes:
- Use any combination of fruits or add vegetables to the mix to add more nutrients.
- Raw pears are not recommended for baby feeding because they can be hard, slippery, and difficult to chew, which may be a choking hazard to your baby. When serving hard types of fruits, make sure to steam or boil them first to make them tender and easy to puree. (source: CDC)
Sweet Potato & Pear Puree
This sweet potato pear recipe can be your family’s new favorite side dish, just make sure to season with salt and pepper when serving to adults.
| 1 piece | pear |
| 1 cup | sweet potato |
| Water, as needed |
Instructions:
1. Wash and peel the pear and the sweet potato. Cut into cubes.
2. Steam or boil the sweet potato for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Then steam or boil the pear for 8-10 minutes or until soft.
3. In a blender or food processor, place the steamed pear and sweet potato. Blend until smooth. Add liquid 1-2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Notes:
- Sweet potatoes are a great addition to your family’s meals as they are rich in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and potassium which have a number of benefits for your baby’s overall health. (source: NutritionData)
- Use any sweet potato of your choice. Serve as a side for meats like roast beef or chicken for the whole family.
Pear & Chickpea Hummus
Hummus is a versatile dish to prepare and can be tweaked with different ingredients, in this case, added sweetness and tartness from the pear.
| 1 piece | pear |
| 2 pcs | garlic cloves, minced |
| 1 can (15.5 ounces) | chickpeas, low/no sodium, drained and peeled |
| ¼ cup | olive oil |
| 2 – 3 tablespoons | water, as needed |
| 1 tablespoon | lemon juice |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
Instructions:
1. Wash and peel the pear. Cut into cubes. Steam or boil pear and apple for 5-10 minutes or until soft.
2. In a food processor or blender, add in cooked pears, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. You may add or omit the water depending on your desired consistency.
Notes:
- Combining the iron-rich chickpeas with the vitamin-rich pears in this recipe will help enhance iron absorption. (source: American Chemical Society)
- You may serve the hummus as is for babies, or as a dip or spread for toasted bread and tortillas for toddlers up to adults.
Pear & Carrot Soup
This hearty and filling soup is perfect for a rainy day. Serve on its own for babies, or with toast for toddlers and adults.
| 2 pieces | carrots |
| 2 pieces | pears |
| 1 tablespoon | olive oil |
| 1 sprig | thyme |
| 1 sprig | rosemary |
| 1 piece | white onion, chopped |
| 1 clove | garlic, minced |
| 3 cups | water or homemade stock |
| Salt and pepper to taste |
Instructions:
1. Wash and peel carrots and pears. Cut into cubes.
2. In a saucepan, heat up olive oil. Saute onion and garlic until soft and aromatic.
3. Add in the pear and carrots then pour in the stock. Continue cooking until the mixture boils, then reduce the heat to simmering. Drop in a sprig of thyme and rosemary.
4. Once the pear and carrots are soft, turn off the heat. Remove the herbs.
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
Notes:
- When serving to babies, puree all of the soup to make it smooth and avoid choking hazards. When serving to the family, you may leave chunks of pears and carrots for some texture.
- Carrots are rich sources of carotenoids which are converted to Vitamin A in the body, this is an important nutrient in supporting healthy vision. (source: The Journal of Nutrition)
Pears are not one of the common food allergens, therefore, making it safe to introduce in small amounts to the babies’ diet. (source: FDA) Its natural sweetness makes it preferable to babies and adults alike.
| This article has been reviewed and approved for publication in line with our editorial policy. |