Dry fruits powder is a popular addition to baby food in many cultures. Traditionally nuts and seeds in powder form are used to bulk up calories in baby porridge and purees. Today I will share with you how to make nuts powder for babies and toddlers.
WHAT IS NUTS POWDER?
Nut powder is a mix of powdered nuts from dry fruits like almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pistachios. Some nut powder mixes also contain powdered seeds like pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, and sunflower seeds along with saffron, cardamom, and ginger powder as a spice blend.
Depending on your child’s liking and allergy status you can make a nuts powder with any nuts mixture you like.
BENEFITS OF NUTS POWDER FOR BABIES
Traditionally many add the nuts powder to foods for weight gain for babies, but besides being a calorie-rich food nuts have many health-promoting benefits.
A mixed nuts powder contains many nutrients, protein, and heart-healthy fats.
Nuts are a good source of vitamins like Vit E, magnesium, copper, manganese, and selenium.
Not many know this but nuts are also high-fiber foods. Fiber-rich foods help with satiety and promote the growth of good gut bacteria.
Most importantly, adding nuts to meals adds to the taste of the meal. Giving foods a rich flavor and palatability.
Related reading : Fats for babies and toddlers.
CAN WE GIVE NUTS TO BABIES DAILY?
I get asked this question many times on my Instagram page, can I give nuts to my baby every day? How many nuts can children eat every day?
The short answer is yes, you can give baby nuts powder daily in different foods. Start by first checking which nuts are tolerated well by your baby. Introduce one type of nut at a time and check for any allergies. Once you have checked for any reactions, start offering powdered nuts in baby food.
WHEN TO START NUTS POWDER FOR BABIES
You can start introducing nuts powder once the baby is comfortable with handling solid foods, around 7-8 months of age.
HOW TO USE NUT POWDERS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
It is important to remember that no matter how many teeth babies or toddlers have that you do not offer whole nuts to them.
Nuts can pose a choking hazard and it is best to use nuts in powder form or as nut butter that is too thinly spread or mixed in foods.
Examples of foods you can add the mixed nuts powder to :
- Dry fruit powder in milk
- Nut powder added as a topping to baby porridge or in chapati dough and parathas.
- Nut powder used to make ladoos.
- Can be added to toddler smoothies.
Now, let’s look at the nut powder recipe
NUTS POWDER FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
This is a homemade dry fruits powder for babies and toddlers made using almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.
For this recipe, low-allergy causing nuts have been chosen whereas pumpkin seeds give this mixture a lovely nutty taste.
Almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds are good sources of iron and walnuts provide the much-needed omega-3 fatty acids for growing babies.
Nuts Powder For Babies, Toddlers and Kids
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Dry roast each of the nuts and pumpkin seeds separately until lightly toasted. Do not overdo this step. Usually, dry roasting takes about 15-20 minutes, and less for pumpkin seeds, around 10 minutes.
- Cool down completely.
- Once cooled, mix the nuts and pumpkin seeds and grind in a mixer on a low setting for a short time. Just enough to get a powder form.Do not grind for long as the nuts will start to release oil and become a paste.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard. Should store well without turning rancid for a month.
For more baby food recipes check previous posts
Almond health drink for children
Chicken patties for baby led weaning
Teething foods for babies and toddlers
Oats recipes for babies and toddlers
Soup recipes for babies and toddlers
Try making this nuts powder for babies and tell me how you child likes it.
Until next time!
Thanks for the recipe and food ideas. Learnt some new tips here.