20 3-Ingredient Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) Recipes

One of the most common misconceptions about baby-led weaning (BLW) is that it takes extra effort to prepare foods for your little one. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. Here are 20 3-ingredient recipes for baby-led weaning (BLW).

Simple meals are often the best and the same can be true for baby-led weaning recipes. At this stage of life it’s important to expose your infant to a variety of textures and flavors but that doesn’t mean your dishes have to rival French Laundry. In some cases, you can share a modified version of your family meal with your child. Yes, that’s right. Sometimes you can make just one meal for everyone.

Preparing infant meals: Basic requirements

Before I share some of my favorite 3-ingredient recipes, there are a couple of things to keep in mind as you’re preparing food for your baby.

1. Foods for your baby should be free of added salt: Little kidneys can’t handle much sodium so added salt is off the menu until age 1.
2. Avoid added sugar: Providing foods with added sugar can shape your child’s preferences for sweet foods and crowd out nutrient-dense choices.
3. Extra soft foods are key: Babies take time to learn to eat. Foods such as whole grapes, nuts, and raw carrots are choking risks and shouldn’t be introduced until later in childhood. (Read more about choking hazards here).
4. Wait until your baby turns 1 to introduce cow’s milk or soy milk: Your child’s digestive tract simply can’t handle liquid milk (other than breastmilk/ formula) for the first year of life. That said, yogurt and lower-sodium cheeses such as mozzarella are generally well-tolerated and can be introduced earlier.
5. Serving a diverse range of foods is important: These early days of eating are critical for training your baby’s palate to accept a range of foods, flavors, and textures. Offering a diversity of foods also helps your baby get a variety of nutrients to support early growth and development.

20 baby-led weaning (BLW) recipes with 3 ingredients or less

Avocado BLW recipe ideas

• Mashed avocado smeared on toasted wholegrain bread and sprinkled hemp seeds.
• Avocado slices rolled in panko breadcrumbs
• Lightly mashed avocado mixed with finely chopped cilantro and lime juice.
• More ideas here.

Sweet potato BLW recipe ideas

• Sweet potato wedges roasted in extra virgin olive oil, and dusted with cumin or cinnamon.
• Steamed sweet potato mashed with butter and cinnamon.
• Find more ideas here.

Apple BLW recipe ideas

• Grated apple mixed into plain oatmeal with cinnamon.
• Steamed apple slices smeared with peanut/ almond butter.
• Unsweetened apple sauce smeared on slow-cooked shredded pork or turkey.
• More ideas here.

Carrot BLW recipe ideas

• Baby carrots roasted with extra virgin olive oil, and fresh or dried thyme.
• Baby carrots roasted with extra virgin olive oil and splash of orange juice.
• Carrot sticks roasted with avocado oil, and seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Broccoli BLW recipe ideas

• Broccoli florets roasted with extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil and garlic powder.
• Steamed broccoli florets served with a drizzle of lemon juice and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
• Riced broccoli mixed together with 1-2 lightly beaten eggs and cooked over medium heat in a cast iron pan greased with extra virgin oil or avocado oil.

Egg BLW recipe ideas

• Scramble: 1-2 lightly beaten eggs, soft scrambled over medium heat in a cast iron pan greased with extra virgin olive oil. Finish with finely chopped basil or parsley.
• Omelet: 1-2 lightly beaten eggs mixed with shredded spinach, and fried in a cast iron pain greased with avocado oil over medium heat. Slice into 1-inch/ 3cm strips.
• Frittata: 1-2 lightly beaten eggs mixed with fresh mozzarella cheese, and finely chopped mushrooms, and baked at a low-medium temperature in a non-stick silicone muffin cup.

Chicken BLW recipe ideas

• Drumstick roasted with extra virgin olive oil, rosemary and garlic.
• Chicken breast/thigh slow-cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with mild curry powder.
• Ground chicken combined with an egg and Herbes de Provence, rolled into meatball fingers, and fried or baked with extra virgin olive oil.