8-Month-Old Homemade Weaning Recipes

Weaning an 8-month-old is an exciting stage: your baby is ready for more texture, new flavors, and small pieces they can pick up. If you want more ideas for age-appropriate combinations and portioning, this roundup complements many baby food recipes for 6–8 months while focusing on simple homemade options you can prepare at home.

How to think about texture and safety

At 8 months, many babies can handle thicker purees, mashed foods with soft lumps, and larger soft pieces they can gum or pick up. Keep these safety rules in mind:

• Offer soft-cooked, well-mashed or finely chopped foods to reduce choking risk.
• Avoid added salt, sugar, and honey.
• Introduce common allergens (peanut, egg, dairy, fish) one at a time, in small amounts, watching for reactions.
• Always supervise while eating and sit your baby upright.
• Cool foods to a safe temperature and store portions in labeled containers in the fridge/freezer.

Easy homemade recipes

Each recipe below makes approximately 3–6 servings depending on appetite and can be adjusted for texture (smoother or chunkier) as your baby develops.

1. Sweet Potato & Pear Puree

• Ingredients: 1 medium sweet potato, 1 ripe pear, a splash of breastmilk/formula/water.
• Method: Peel and dice sweet potato, steam until tender (~12–15 min). Peel, core, and steam pear for 3–5 min. Blend both with a little liquid to desired consistency. Serve warm or chilled.

2. Avocado Banana Mash (great finger food)

• Ingredients: 1 ripe avocado, 1/2 ripe banana.
• Method: Peel, mash together with a fork to a lumpy or smooth texture. No cooking required. Serve immediately to avoid browning.

3. Red Lentil & Carrot Mash

• Ingredients: 1/3 cup red lentils, 1 medium carrot (peeled and diced), 1/2 cup water or low-sodium vegetable stock.
• Method: Rinse lentils, simmer with carrot and liquid for 15–20 minutes until very soft. Mash or blend to preferred texture. Lentils add protein and iron.

4. Oat & Peach Porridge

• Ingredients: 1/4 cup oats, 1 small peach (peeled, diced), 3/4 cup water or milk (breastmilk/formula/dairy as advised).
• Method: Cook oats with liquid until soft (~10 min), stir in diced peach and mash lightly. Cool to feeding temperature.

5. Soft Chicken & Vegetable Mash

• Ingredients: 2 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, 1 small potato, 1 small courgette/zucchini.
• Method: Poach chicken until cooked through. Steam potato and zucchini until very soft. Chop chicken finely and mash with vegetables. Add a little of the poaching liquid or breastmilk for creaminess.

6. Spinach, Apple & Potato Puree (iron-rich combo)

• Ingredients: 1 small potato, 1 apple (peeled), a handful of baby spinach.
• Method: Steam potato and apple until soft; add spinach for the last minute to wilt. Blend to smoothness, adding liquid as needed.

Tips for introducing lumps and finger foods

• Start offering thicker textures gradually: begin with smooth purees, then add small soft lumps, then larger soft pieces for self-feeding.
• Offer a single-ingredient puree first, then combine flavors once tolerated.
• Serve soft sticks (e.g., steamed carrot, banana halves) for practicing grasp and chewing motions.
• If mealtime is chaotic because of naps or routine changes, balance feeding with sleep times by planning meals between naps—this can help with appetite and mood while learning to eat independently. For timing ideas and routines that may complement meal times, see a sample 14-month-old sleep schedule (adapt timing as appropriate for an 8-month routine).

Portioning and storage

• Start small (1–2 tablespoons) and offer more if your baby seems hungry. Many 8-month-olds will eat 2–6 tablespoons multiple times a day, depending on appetite.
• Refrigerate fresh batches up to 48 hours, or freeze portions in ice cube trays for 1–3 months. Label with date and contents.

Troubleshooting picky eating

• Offer the same food multiple times—babies often need many exposures before accepting a taste.
• Mix a new item with a familiar favorite to ease transition.
• Keep mealtime calm and pressure-free; model eating and enjoy shared family meals when possible.

Conclusion

For a broader list of age-specific options and food ideas tailored to baby-led approaches, consult this guide to Baby Led Weaning Foods For 8 Months – Bucket List Tummy. If you want more ready-to-try, easy homemade recipes to batch-cook and freeze, this collection of 20 Easy Homemade Baby Food Recipes – Healthy Mama Kris is a helpful resource.