Hard-to-beet health benefits.

With an eye-catching color and an easy-to-handle size, beets are perfect as one of the first finger foods for your little one. As healthy as they are tasteful, beets are loaded with calcium, potassium, and sodium, plus vitamins A and C. These nutritional benefits help to boost your baby’s immune system, while promoting muscle skeletal, nervous system, and brain development. In addition, beets are also high in fiber, making them easy to digest. Most pediatricians recommend introducing beets into your baby’s diet between eight and 10 months. Also note that many new parents are often alarmed by the reddish color in their baby’s urine and stool – a common, and harmless, after-effect that can occur shortly after consuming beets.

Easy to prepare, easy to love.

For most baby foods, beets are best prepared by roasting or steaming them. This helps to make the beets more mushy, and easier to gum or chew, plus simple to puree, as well. In addition, steaming and roasting helps to maintain healthy mineral benefits for your baby. When pureeing beets, be sure to completely remove the greens as they are difficult to digest, even for adults. Most moms agree that beets mix well with potatoes, rice, peas, apples, chicken, pork and even tofu. Once you have prepared the baby food, seal the leftover beets in a plastic bag or container and place them near the back of your refrigerator. Beets will typically remain fresh for about one week as long as they are kept cold.

Interesting beet facts.

Beets are a member of the Caryophyllales family of plants and are thought to have originated on European, Middle Eastern and African coasts. Gaining popularity throughout ancient history, beets were used by both the Greeks and Romans for medicinal purposes and as a culinary herb. Applied as a clothing and hair dye in the 16^th century, beets were first commercially cultivated in France and Belgium during the 19^th century. Today, several varieties of beets are commercially grown, including sugar beets and pickled beets, with the Red Ace beet the most common in the U.S.

Try one of these delicious beet recipes the next time you’re looking for a new recipe for your family or little one.

• Honey Beets
• Can’t Beet’ em Chips
• Un-beet-able Pancakes

Try this recipe for a healthy snack alternative.

• 2 whole golden beets, medium
• non-stick cooking spray
• salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Peel and thinly slice beets, if you have a kitchen mandolin or attachment for a food processor it would be great for the uniformity of the chips, you can also use a vegetable peeler. Using a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lay slices out evenly. Lightly spray the beets with the non-stick cooking spray. Using another piece of parchment to lay on top of the sliced beets. Bake for 15 minutes, carefully remove the top parchment paper piece and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes more. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt (if desired a little brown sugar for sweeter chips or dill for tangy chips). Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Yields: 6 Servings

Store in an air-tight container.

Storage Time: 5 days on the counter

This recipe pairs will with roasted chicken or any pork dishes, a great introduction to beets for you little one.

• 2 cup cooked diced beets (boiled for 1 hours or canned)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup honey*
• Salt and pepper to taste

Put cooked diced beets in a saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and mix gently. Cook on moderate heat until liquid evaporates and butter and honey form a glaze over the beets. Remove from heat and serve immediately. This recipe pairs will with roasted chicken or any pork dishes, a great introduction to beets for you little “honey bees”.

Note* The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting to offer honey to children until after their first birthday.

Recipe Yields: 4 Servings

Storage Time: 3 days in the refrigerator

Beets are a good source of vitamin C, Potassium and dietary fiber.

Beet pancakes are a fun breakfast recipe that are packed with nutrition!

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 whole beets, roasted and pureed
• 1 1/4 cup nonfat milk
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat skillet or griddle. Stir all dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk all wet ingredients in separate bowl until well combined. Combine the two bowls and stir until just incorporated, remember lumps are good when it comes to pancakes. Grease the pan and pour some of the pancake mix into the hot pan or skillet, about 3 minutes each side. Serve immediately with peanut butter, berry puree or any other favorite pancake topper.

Recipe Yields: 6 Servings

Storage Time: 3 months in the freezer

Beets act as a natural food coloring that brighten up any pancake recipe. This fun breakfast recipe is packed with nutrition!  Beets are loaded with calcium, potassium and vitamins A and C. These nutritional benefits help to boost your baby’s immune system, while promoting muscle skeletal, nervous system, and brain development. In addition, beets are also high in fiber, making them easy to digest. Most pediatricians recommend introducing beets into your baby’s diet between eight and 10 months. For an overview of essential vitamins and minerals your child needs, check out our Nutrient Chart.

This recipe serves 6.

Here is what you will need to make this recipe:

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 whole beets, roasted and pureed
• 1 1/4 cup nonfat milk
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir the ingredients together and remember lumps are good when it comes to pancakes, the batter will not be completely smooth.

Grease the pan and pour some of the pancake mix into the hot pan or skillet, about 3 minutes each side.

Serve immediately with bananas, berry puree or any other favorite pancake topper.

If you have extra, you can store them in the freezer for up to three months.