Healthy Blueberry Muffins For Babies And Toddlers

Thanks to Lifeway for sponsoring this post. I only work with companies that I love and believe in. All opinions are my own. Seeing just how much you guys are loving my spinach cakes, I am determined to develop many variations of it, starting with these blueberry baby muffins. The base ingredients and texture will be similar – soft and moist! Updated: For easy access, I’ve compiled ALL of my baby and toddler-friendly muffins.

Blueberry Muffins for Babies

No added sugar.Oats provide iron and zinc, which are top priority nutrients from 6 months and up, as well as fiber.Bursting with flavor! If you thought that you should start off with bland foods, think again! Introducing a wide variety of flavors and textures from the very beginning is super important in helping establish food preferences. Because of its round shape, introducing blueberries may have you a bit anxious. Not to worry! Once baked, these antioxidant-rich fruits get soft making them perfectly safe for babies.If you’re doing baby led weaning, you can serve the whole muffin, slice in half or into strips. They’re perfect to suck on.If you started off with purees and are feeling anxious about introducing textured food, these muffins will be perfect to try. Although these are soft, most likely there will be some gagging involved, which is completely normal and to be expected with new textures. However, allow your baby to work through it. Soon you will gain the confidence to keep moving forward with texture, which is VERY important.

A note about kefir

Kefir is a cultured, fermented beverage that tastes a lot like a yogurt drink. It has a slightly tangy and creamy flavor. It’s most commonly made with dairy milk, but you’ll also be able to find non-dairy alternatives.

Kefir vs. Yogurt

They are both great sources of protein, calcium, and probiotics. However, kefir has more fat (super important for babies and their developing brains), protein, and probiotics.Not only does it have more probiotics but also a greater variety of healthy bacteria, which is important in helping diversify yours and your child’s gut population.Kefir is thinner in consistency.

If you want to learn more about probiotics, their health benefits, and whether or not they’re suitable for babies and toddlers, check out this in-depth post. We absolutely LOVE all the Lifeway Kefir products. My son has been enjoying them since he was one. He doesn’t drink much milk so I’m happy to have found an alternative calcium and vitamin D-rich food source with the added benefit of probiotics! If you haven’t tried baking with kefir, oh you’re in for a delightful treat!

Adds richness without the use of oil or butter.Makes the product moist and tender.Amps up the protein and fat content, which will keep you fuller for longer.Imparts a subtle tangy flavor and therefore is a great alternative to buttermilk

Step-By-Step Instructions

I don’t have to write much here because it’s SOO simple! Just dump all the ingredients, minus the blueberries, into your blender and process until smooth. Fold in half of the blueberries. I recommend using fresh if possible. You can use frozen but expect the final product to be a bit more liquid-y. They also bleed into the batter more. If using frozen, add them directly to the batter without thawing them. Pour into a muffin pan. You can grease, use liners, or bake in a silicone pan (no need to grease). Personally, I LOVE my silicone muffin pan and use it for everything! Top with the rest of the blueberries. Into the oven they go! A busy parent’s dream!

Substitutions

No kefir? Plain Greek yogurt (use the same amount or a bit less) will be the best alternative.No dairy? Any plant-based alternative will work. Look for plain and unsweetened though as many contain added sugars. Several readers have told me that coconut yogurt worked really well!No egg? Use a flax egg! No applesauce? You can puree fresh apples or pears. Can also try using mashed banana or sweet potatoes (add a little bit of water so it’s similar in consistency to applesauce).No banana? Use 3 medjool dates (soaked in warm water for at least 30 minutes to make them easier to blend. Will also result in a smoother consistency.

Baking Tips

If you’re looking for a bread-y type of muffins, this is not it. As mentioned, these baby muffins are super light and moist.Again, if using frozen blueberries, add them into the batter straight from the freezer. Do NOT thaw! You can also toss them with a tablespoon or so of flour. Every oven is slightly different so check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle, making sure it comes out clean.Once done, don’t attempt to take them out immediately from the muffin pan. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.If you find that the muffins are too moist, put them in the fridge to help firm up.