Baked Sweet Potato Wedges For Baby Led Weaning
Table of Contents
Why I Love Sweet Potatoes
I absolutely love sweet potatoes and so does my son, he likes anything sweet, so it helps that this is a vegetable! It is a great and popular first food for babies.
They are so soft and sweet when cooked, and are such a great alternative to the usual white potato.
I decided to make a simple sweet potato recipe as they can be such a staple in your household, and not only are they tasty they are super nutritious too!
Can My Baby Eat The Skin Of A Sweet Potato?
Yes, from 6-9 months old, it can be great as finger foods, perfect for little hands to hold. I would always leave the skins on the sweet potatoes as these are the most nutritious part of the vegetable. The skins are full of vitamin B and vitamin C and they are also full of potassium and vitamin B6. If the skins are left on the fibre in the potato is much higher than if it was removed. So for little ones fibre is great!
Always make sure you give the sweet potatoes a good scrub with some water to remove all of the dirt. I would not suggest offering the sweet potato skin to a weaning baby if the skin is not clean, if you’re unsure stick to mashing the sweet potato with some hot water, breast milk or formula.
The Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes For BLW
Sweet potato wedges are a delightful and nutritious option to introduce to your little one during the exciting journey of baby-led weaning. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals, these vibrant orange wonders offer a host of health benefits. Sweet potatoes are a great source of fibre, aiding in digestion and promoting a healthy gut. These delicious wedges are also rich in vitamins, which support a strong immune system and contribute to healthy growth and development.
The natural sweetness of these wedges provides a delightful twist to your baby's palate, making it a tasty and enjoyable addition to their meals. With their soft texture and manageable shape, sweet potato wedges encourage self-feeding, helping your baby to develop their fine motor skills and independence. So, why not introduce these wholesome and flavourful treats, as they bring a whole lot of goodness to the table for your little one?
Seasoning Without Salt
When it comes to introducing solid foods during the baby led weaning journey, finding flavourful alternatives to seasoning with salt becomes vital. (a little salt is ok from 2 years old). Dried rosemary emerges as an excellent option to enhance the taste of baby's meals without compromising their health. Bursting with aromatic and earthy notes, rosemary brings a subtle yet delightful flavour to a variety of dishes.
Sprinkling a pinch of dried rosemary onto grilled chicken strips, or even homemade breadsticks, adds a tantalising twist to their taste profile. By incorporating dried rosemary into baby led weaning recipes, parents can provide their little ones with a palate-enriching experience, helping them develop a diverse range of flavours while avoiding the need for excessive salt.
Benefits Of Ginger In BLW
Ground ginger can be a wonderful addition to recipes for baby-led weaning. Not only does it add a delightful hint of warmth and flavour, but it also offers several health benefits. Ginger helps aid digestion, soothes upset tummies, and may even support the immune system. When introducing ground ginger to your little one's meals, a little goes a long way.
Start by incorporating a pinch into purees, porridges, or roasted vegetables. As your baby grows and develops their palate, you can gradually increase the amount. Just remember to watch out for any possible allergies or sensitivities. With its aromatic and gentle spiciness, ground ginger can add a delightful twist to your baby's culinary journey.
Benefits Of Cinnamon In BLW
Cinnamon is a wonderful addition to baby led weaning recipes as it not only adds a hint of warmth and sweetness but also brings numerous health benefits to the table. This versatile spice is gentle on a baby's delicate palate and can be easily incorporated into a variety of dishes. Whether sprinkled on porridge, mixed into a milkshake, or added to homemade pancakes, cinnamon introduces new flavours and textures, encouraging babies to explore different tastes.
Moreover, cinnamon is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and can aid in digestion, making it an ideal choice for little ones transitioning to solid foods. Remember to gradually introduce cinnamon to babies and monitor for any potential allergies, but overall, this aromatic spice can enhance the nutritional value and appeal of baby led weaning recipes.
An Easy BLW Recipe
My main reason for sharing such an easy recipe with you all, is to hopefully show you how simple and easy it is to prepare sweet potato wedges yourself, without reaching for the bag of frozen chips from the freezer.
This can be a 2 ingredient, healthy, inexpensive option, if you prefer without the herbs and spices, Which makes this recipe even easier to make. Sweet potatoes are far more nutritious than a white potato so makes a healthy alternative to processed frozen chips. You can be assured that there are no added nasties as there may be in a bag of frozen chips, you know exactly what you are feeding your little ones, and that is the main thing at this stage.
A Great Vegan Finger Food
These are deliciously vegan too, so great for the plant based baby diet, Or a great way to get in a vegetable for the non-plant based little ones. Homemade sweet potato wedges are an exceptional choice for vegan baby led weaning due to their numerous nutritional benefits and appealing texture. The soft yet firm texture of the wedges makes them ideal for self-feeding, aiding in the development of fine motor skills.
Furthermore, baking these wedges at home allows you to control the ingredients, avoiding any unnecessary additives or preservatives commonly found in store-bought alternatives. Not only do homemade sweet potato wedges provide vital nutrients, but they also introduce babies to delightful and natural flavours, encouraging a diverse and well-balanced palate.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
Sweet potato wedges are so delicious. Using simple ingredients, these soft and tender wedges are easy for your little one to munch on, helping develop their fine motor skills. Moreover, sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in the body, aiding in growth, vision development, and immune function.
By introducing sweet potato wedges into your baby's diet, you're providing them with a burst of flavour, nourishment, and an opportunity to explore different textures, making it a win-win choice for their overall well-being.
I hope you enjoy making these for your whole family, share with me what you served them with, I would love to see!
Ingredient information
Orange sweet potatoes - Highly nutritious for your little ones and for you too, remember to keep the skins on if you can, they are the best bit in my opinion, and nutritious too!
Ground ginger - Ginger is great for your gut, and really helps with bloating. So adding ginger is not only tasty it is helpful to your overall body;s well-being.
Ground cinnamon- Cinnamon goes really well the ginger here, bring a touch of sweetness alongside the punchy ginger.
Dried rosemary- I love rosemary with anything to do with a potato! And it works really well with the two spices. Here. It is optional as it can be a bit overpowering for little ones so can be left out.
Vegetable oil - I have used a touch of vegetable oil in this recipe, but If you do have avocado oil or even some coconut oil, this would work well too.
Serving suggestion
You can serve the sweet potato wedges alongside many foods, or even on their own as a snack if you prefer. Some yummy options would be alongside a simple sandwich, a bean chilli, lentil moussaka a serving of houmous or even with some fish cakes.
Storage Instructions
If you have any of these left over…. you can store in the fridge for up to three days in air-tight container. You can freeze and store the sweet potato wedges in airtight containers or a freezer bag for up to two months in the freezer. I would keep them in an airtight container and take them out and use them altogether, if you just wanted to thaw and reheat one at a time I would weave a strip of parchment paper around them for ease when frozen,
Make sure when you thaw and re heat, that you take the sweet potato out of the freezer and thaw overnight in the fridge. To re heat successfully, you will need to re heat in the oven for up to 5-10 minutes, the oven temperature should be at 180 C or 350F. Make sure the sweet potato wedges have cooled slightly before giving to your baby. Once thawed from the freezer and reheated you will not be able to freeze again.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Baking sheet - I have chosen to use a non-stick and BPA free baking sheet - they are easy to clean and, if you buy more than one, easily stackable and easily stored.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Mixing bowl - I like to use a stainless steel mixing bowl - they are usually lightweight and easy to clean.
Recipe | Baked Sweet Potato Wedges For Baby Led Weaning
Makes 18 wedges
1 large sweet potato
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (optional)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil or olive oil
Instructions
Line a baking tray with baking parchment and preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F.
Start by my really scrubbing the sweet potato with some running water.
Cut the end of the potato off, and then cut the potato down the middle, lay one of the potato sides down and then cut into wedges, I cut some of my wedges again as they were really big! So you can have big ones or cut again.
Place all the herbs, spices and oil in a large bowl and add the wedges to the bowl, Mix with your hands.
Lay the wedges on a baking sheet and place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes until golden brown, turning at least once. Enjoy!
Hope you and your family enjoy!
Recipe notes
You don’t have to cut the sweet potato into wedges, the recipe works just as well if you wanted to cut into cubes or thinner chips.
You could use a little garlic powder and black pepper if you wish.
Keep the skins on if you can, they are the most nutritious part. Add in a couple of fun dips that are BLW friendly.
This recipe can be used with large white baking potatoes too, if your little ones prefer. Don’t reach for the frozen sweet potato fries, have a go at making these yourself, you won’t go back to the freezer chips!
©The Petit Spoon
Content and photographs are copyright protected and need prior permission to use elsewhere. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to other websites and any social media is strictly prohibited. Sharing and using the link of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated! Share this post now!
