Baby’s favorite healthy fruit.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Almost everyone is familiar with this timeless adage, and with good reason. This healthy tree fruit is a popular staple of baby and toddler diets and offers a lifetime of benefits as well. Apples are loaded with vitamins A, B-1, B-2 and C, as well as calcium, potassium, iodine, iron and phosphorous. They promote growth in baby and toddlers, particularly in bones, organs, skin, blood, muscles, and tissue. Apples are also linked to positive dental development in infants, help to regulate blood sugar levels, and are an important source of fiber, which aids the digestive process.
A natural baby food ingredient packed with benefits.
Apples are the perfect choice for one of your infant’s first foods. In fact, apples can be easily added to almost any baby recipe and can be mixed with cereals, veggie purees, meat purees, yogurts, and included in other fruit dishes. And of course, applesauce is an all-time, baby- and child-friendly favorite! After peeling the skin, you may bake the apples (to retain the most flavor), steam the apples (to retain the most nutrients), or boil the apples. When selecting apples, choose ones that are firm and that do not have cuts or bruises. When buying applesauce in a jar, natural varieties are best – ingredients should be apples and water or just apples.
Interesting apple facts.
Apples are a member of the rose (Rosaceae) family and are believed to have originated in Western Asia. The U.S. is the second leading producer of apples (after China) in the world. Amazingly, there are more than 7,500 varieties of apples, making them one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. And yes, there really was a Johnny Appleseed! Born John Chapman in 1774 in Massachusetts, he helped to redefine the American frontier by encouraging settlers to establish their own apple orchards.
Apple recipes for baby, kids and adults.
Share one of our favorite apple recipes with your family for a sweet and nutritious treat that’s sure to please the entire family: