14 Clever ways to sweeten baby food without using sugar

Want to satisfy your baby’s sweet tooth without compromising on their nutrition? Here are 14 clever ways to do so!

14 Clever ways to sweeten baby food without using sugar

Most babies are practically born with a sweet tooth even before they have teeth. But you don’t have to sacrifice their nutrition in order to satisfy their craving for sweet food.

To sweeten your baby’s food without using sugar, just use naturally sweet ingredients or those which neutralize the bitterness in other ingredients, to make meal time something your baby looks forward to.

Here are some natural sweeteners your baby will enjoy that are nutritious, too!

(You might wonder why honey isn’t included. This is because it should be avoided during the first 12 months of your baby’s life.)

Bananas

Packed with potassium and sweetness, bananas are ready to eat with a little mashing. They're perfect to pair with sour fruits as well as avocado, certain types of veggies and even, meat.

Apples

Using apple in puree makes it all the more sweeter. Combining homemade apple sauce with sour fruits and veggies such as broccoli is something your baby will surely enjoy.

Pears

 Change things up by going for a pear instead of an apple to add sweetness to your baby’s meals.

Take ripe, juicy pears and mash them up into a sweet puree. Pear goes surprisingly well with turnip!

Sweet Potato

These versatile vegetables not only satisfy your baby’s craving for sweet foods, they can also make sugar-free baked treats and finger foods.

Breast Milk

Breast milk is naturally sweet so adding this to baby’s first solid foods lends a subtle sweetness to it as well as a familiar flavour your baby will love.

Vanilla Powder

Sprinkling a bit of vanilla powder to your baby’s food makes it even more deliciously sweet. Just make sure you purchase pure powder and not the variety with added sugar.

Carrots

Though not as sweet as sweet potatoes, carrots can still neutralise sour and bitter dishes. Cutting them into sticks and baking them makes them all the more sweeter.

Cherries

Sweet cherries balance out sour fruits and they can even be used to create delicious sauces for meat recipes.

Berries

We previously shared with you how blueberries are absolute kid and toddler superfoods. These sweet and delicious additions to recipes give flavour and a wide array of nutrients to your kid’s meals. Strawberries, on the other hand, go well with tangy yogurt.

Beets

Though they may not be the first foods that come to mind when thinking of baby food sweeteners, beets are excellent alternatives to your usual sweeteners.

Their pleasing purple color is something attractive for babies. Plus, it gives a natural nutritional boost! Try pureeing beets with green apples.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Though they’re not exactly sweet, cinnamon and nutmeg are natural spices which take the edge off of bitter flavours. You can use them in fruit and veggie purees as well as soups.

Unsweetened Dried Fruit

Soak fruits in warm water or apple juice; you can also add them to fruit or veggie purees or use them for baked treats.

Roasted Vegetables

To sweeten vegetables, you can try roasting them.

First, cut them into cubes and toss some olive oil on them before baking. This process caramelises the natural sugars found in veggies.

Coconut Oil

This is a great way to sweeten foods because coconut oil’s natural flavour isn’t diminished by cooking. It’s also packed with nutrients for your little one and for your entire family.

Be sure to check out ParentTown for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below.

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Written by
Bianchi Mendoza

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