October 24, 2019 Leave a Comment
Pumpkins are loaded with immune-boosting vitamins, making them perfect for this season! Try out these healthy pumpkin recipes for babies and older kids.
The weather is getting cooler, and there are some cold winds blowing about. If you’re a Mom, there are a few thoughts that immediately jump to your mind – Are the winter clothes clean and ready to use? Have I finished my festive shopping? And most importantly – how do I prevent my kids from catching seasonal bugs?
I’m not sure about the state of your winter clothes, but that last question is something I can help you with! What you need to do as soon as you notice the weather changing is build up your family’s defenses so they stay protected against whatever flu or bug is floating around. And the best way to do this is through FOOD.
We’ve already talked about different kinds of immunity boosting foods, but today we’d like to focus on one of the most important among them – the humble pumpkin! While pumpkins take on decorative avatars in other parts of the world, the fact is that they’re one of the best ways to stay protected this season, thanks to their numerous benefits:
- Pumpkins are rich in dietary fiber and prevents constipation
- They have antibacterial properties that kill intestinal worms
- They are rich in antioxidants that fight disease causing free radicals
Looks like pumpkin is the ‘in’ veggie of the season! So let’s make the most of this wonderful vegetable with some super healthy pumpkin recipes for babies and kids!
Healthy Pumpkin Recipes for Babies and Kids
Pumpkin Recipes for Babies Under One Year
1. Pumpkin Puree (6 Months+)
What’s the most basic thing made out of pumpkin that you could feed your baby? Pumpkin puree, of course! When cooked, pumpkin mashes beautifully, so you don’t really need a grinder. Leave some chunks as your baby gets older.
2. Pumpkin Apple Banana Puree (7 Months+)
This Pumpkin Apple Banana puree from Hanky’s Happy Home is the perfect stage 2 weaning food, once your baby has already tried pumpkins, apples and bananas separately. The best part is that all the ingredients are naturally sweet!
3. Pumpkin Leek and Chicken Puree (8 Months+)
Once you’re ready to take your regular pumpkin puree to the next level, check out this yummy chicken and vegetables combo from Mas & Pas. The leeks add a lovely color to the puree!
4. Amaranth Flour Pumpkin Porridge (6 Months+)
Amaranth is a super nutritious grain, but unfortunately it isn’t that common in Indian homes nowadays. Being gluten free, this is a great idea for babies who have trouble with wheat. Amaranth is also a rich source of iron and antioxidants.
5. Pumpkin Millet Porridge (8 Months+)
If you’ve been a reader of this blog you know we love millets! Eating Pleasure combines just two ingredients -pumpkin and millet – to create a simple and easily digestible millet porridge. Use a millet your baby is familiar with.
6. Pumpkin Soup (8 Months+)
With the weather getting colder, a soup is one of the best ways to get your little one to take in some nutrition along with fluids. GK Food Diary has a recipe for a creamy soup. You can skip the salt and mix in our Mixed Nuts Powder instead.
7. Pumpkin Baby Pancakes (8 Months+)
Pancakes are a popular option for baby led weaning, and these pumpkin pancakes from Brooklyn Farm Girl are no different! Make them healthier by using whole wheat flour and make them small enough for baby hands to hold.
8. Pumpkin Banana French Toast Sticks (8 Months+)
It is always interesting to see the different variations of French Toast and we’re loving this pumpkin version from Haute & Healthy Living! Use a milk of your choice, like coconut milk, almond milk or any other plant milk suitable for babies.
9. Pumpkin Blender Muffins (7 Months+)
If you thought making muffins would be a time consmuing job, you need to check out this recipe from Baby Foode! Made with a blender, these are super easy to prepare and are a great finger food option.
10. Pumpkin Pie Yogurt Dots (8 Months+)
Family Centsability gives us an easy recipe to make these dots from yogurt and pumpkin. The size and shape of these are good practice for your little one’s fine motor skills!
11. Pumpkin Basmati Rice (7 Months+)
Who says basmati rice is only for biryani? Baby Foode shows us a great way to incorporate it into baby food, adding pumpkin to make it creamy. This recipe is a great way to introduce spices to your baby.
12. Apple Pumpkin Baby Cookies (8 Months+)
Once your baby is older and enjoying chewing on harder foods, try out these pumpkin cookies from To & Fro Blog. All the recipe uses is apples, pumpkin and oats. Go with homemade almond milk, coconut milk or even formula.
13. Pumpkin Chia Baby Pudding (8 Months+)
Give baby an occasional treat with this Pumpkin chia pudding from Grabease. The pumpkin boosts immunity and adds natural sweetness and creaminess, while chia seeds aid in weight gain while also providing valuable minerals.
14. Pumpkin Sooji Fingers (8 Months+)
Looking for slightly crunchy finger food options for your baby? Check out our Pumpkin sooji fingers recipe, which will be fun for your little one to grasp and chew on!
Pumpkin Recipes for Toddlers and Kids
15. Creamy Pumpkin Smoothie
It’s not just fruits that can be turned into smoothies for kids, even veggies work! Super Healthy Kids has a dairy free version that works perfectly for lactose intolerant kids.
16. Spiced Pumpkin Lassi
Lassi is always a favorite, whatever the weather and wherever the location! The Culinary Peace gives us a pumpkin lassi that’s got a good dose of spices which will leave you smacking your lips!
17. Easy Pumpkin Soup
We know that pumpkins help boosting immunity, and we also know that soups are the preferred food for winters and when someone is ill. So let’s combine the two into a creamy pumpkin soup recipe.
18. Immunity Boosting Pumpkin Soup
If you want to give your regular pumpkin soup an extra dose of immune boosting benefits, the Immunobooster drink mix is just what you need! Add it to your regular recipe and see the difference!
19. Pumpkin Red Lentil Soup
This pumpkin soup is just loaded with disease fighting foods like garlic and pepper, and the lentils ensure your body gets enough protein to repair those cells and grow nice and strong!
20. Pumpkin Oatmeal
House of Yumm has a recipe that’s perfect for everyone to start their day with, from kids to adults! Adults and children over one can use cow’s milk, but you can also try almond milk or coconut milk for a different flavor.
21. Pumpkin Oat Bars
Oatmeal is a great breakfast option, but sometimes it can get boring! That’s when we need a fun twist like these oat bars from Healthy Little Foodies, loaded with the goodness of dates, walnuts and peanut butter.
22. Wholegrain Pumpkin Waffle Dippers
If you’ve got a waffle iron at home, these waffle fingers from Baby Foode are a must try! Young kids may get overwhelmed seeing an entire waffle on their plate, and these smaller portions will encourage them to try a bite.
23. Pumpkin Cheese Roll Ups
There isn’t a kid out there who doesn’t like cheese, and Charisse Yu very cleverly makes use of this in a recipe that’s cheesy but healthy as well! You can use brown bread, but it might crumble more than white bread.
24. Homemade Pumpkin Butter
We love experimenting with all kinds of spreads, and we love this pumpkin version from Goods Home Design. It’s easy to spread and goes well with toast, parathas, dosas, pancakes – pretty much anything!
25. Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dip
If you’d like to encourage your kids to eat more raw fruits and veggies, a nice dip could be just the encouragement they need. Try out this dip from Pretty Handy Girl and use homemade peanut butter for best results.
26. Pumpkin Banana Bread
You’ve probably tried plain banana bread before, so now why not add some pumpkin to the mix! Baby Foode has the recipe for us, which includes lots of yummy warming spices.
27. Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Cookies are the perfect answer to everything – those 4 PM hunger pangs or when you need something to much while watching TV. Let the kids munch on something healthy, like these pumpkin spice cookies!
28. Pumpkin Cookie Bites
Once you’ve tried the pumpkin cookies, go ahead and try these pumpkin cookie bites from Super Healthy Kids. Just skip the baking soda and use whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. Be careful of raisins so they’re not a choking hazard.
29. Frozen Pumpkin Yogurt Bites
When your kids are in the mood for a chilled snack, try out these frozen yogurt bites from On My Kids Plate. For better flavor and health, use homemade yogurt instead of store bought one.
30. Chocolate Pumpkin Coconut Butter Cups
It’s unbelievable that these decadent looking treats are actually super healthy! Fit Mitten Kitchen gives us the perfect treat to serve guests for the festive season, who won’t even realize they’re eating vegetables!
31. Pumpkin Energy Balls
Sometimes kids need a little perk me up so they can get back to their regular activities. Babble has a super easy solution for this, in the form of pumpkin energy balls, made with just a handful of ingredients.
32. Pumpkin Pudding
This pudding may sound like something packed with sugar and all kinds of unhealthy ingredients, but it is anything but! The Foodie and The Fix gives us a healthy, nutritious and kid-friendly recipe that’ll have lots of takers!
33. Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Date Brown Rice Pudding
What comes to the rescue when you need to cook and don’t have much time? The pressure cooker, of course! Pressure Cooking Today utilizes this staple kitchen gadget to make an easy brown rice pudding that’s also quite filling.
34. Pumpkin Kheer with Jaggery
We love dessert recipes that use natural sweeteners instead of refined sugar, and this pumpkin kheer from Spoons of Flavor is one such recipe. Go for organic jaggery to get a truly natural dessert.
35. Coconut Pumpkin Halwa
It’s not just carrots and beetroots that make their way into halwa – pumpkins can do so too! Piping Hot Curry has a lovely pumpkin halwa recipe, in which you can adjust the amount of brown sugar since coconut and pumpkin are both inherently sweet ingredients.
36. Pumpkin Sweet Puri
Tamalapaku has a lovely traditional recipe of sweet puri, also known as wada. This recipe makes use of red pumpkin and will be a lovely change for kids who haven’t had anything like this before.
37. Pumpkin Coconut Laddu
When we can have laddus made of anything and everything, can a pumpkin laddu recipe be far behind? Provincial Paleo proves us right with a healthy festive treat that works perfectly well for weight watchers too.
38. Pumpkin Couscous Fritters
Just because pumpkins are inherently sweet, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be used in savory dishes. In fact, Lemon & Thyme gives us a recipe for pumpkin fritters, which is a vegan, delicious alternative to processed nuggets.
39. Pumpkin Paratha
With it’s creamy texture and short cooking time, pumpkins are ideal to stuff parathas with, as Whisk Affair proves in this recipe. This paratha is packed with spices and makes a filling meal all on its own.
40. Pumpkin Rice Pilaf
We love this rice recipe from The Best of This Life – it’s beautifully flavored, thanks to the chicken broth and loads of veggies. It’s a complete, balanced meal and sure to be a hit with kids.
41. Pumpkin Carrot Idli
Are the kids complaining about the same old boring white idlis again? Then shake things up with this pumpkin idli recipe Archana’s Kitchen! This is much easier than it looks so be sure to give it a try!
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Filed Under: Nutrition, Recipes, Toddler Food Recipes, Toddler Nutrition Tagged With: Homemade immunity boosting food, immunity, immunity boosting food recipe, Immunity boosting recipe, immunity increasing food for babies, nutrition, pumpkin, pumpkin recipe, winter, winter care, winter food, winter recipe
