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Baby Food · 1+ years

Ragi, Dates and Carrot Baby Food (No Added Sugar)

This is the bowl that solves the two problems every parent of a one-year-old has at once: it is filling enough to count as a meal, and it is sweet enough to be eaten without a negotiation — without a grain of added sugar. The dates and the steamed carrot do all of it.

Prep10 min
Cook10 min
Total20 min
Serves1 small bowl
Age1+ years
Ragi, dates and steamed carrot baby food in a small steel bowl

Method

  1. Cook the ragi first

    Cook the ragi into a smooth porridge first — cold slurry, low heat, constant stirring, until the raw floury smell goes. The full method is here. Let it cool before it goes anywhere near the blender.

  2. Steam the carrot

    Steam the carrot until a spoon passes straight through with no resistance — around 8 to 10 minutes. Undercooked carrot leaves hard flecks that a baby will push straight back out.

  3. Soften the dates

    If the dates are dry or firm, soak them in hot water for ten minutes. Soft dates blend into the bowl completely; hard ones leave chewy pieces.

  4. Blend it smooth

    Blend everything together, adding milk or warm water a spoonful at a time until it is smooth and the thickness your baby manages. Thinner for a younger eater, thicker as they get used to it.

  5. Serve fresh, start small

    Serve fresh and just warm. Start with a small quantity the first time, especially if dates are new to your baby.

Why no sugar goes in

Two dates and a steamed carrot make this properly sweet on their own. Getting a child used to that level of sweetness — rather than added sugar — is much easier at one year old than at three.

Making it ahead

The ragi and the carrot can both be cooked in advance and kept in the fridge for a day, which turns this into a two-minute job in the morning. Blend it only when you are about to serve — blended, it thickens and dulls quickly.

Variations that work

  • Steamed apple or pear in place of the carrot.
  • A teaspoon of ghee stirred in after blending, for extra energy.
  • A tablespoon of almond powder for protein — ground, never whole nuts.

Please note

This is written for babies over one year, as it uses cow's milk and dates. Introduce any new ingredient on its own for three days before adding another, and speak to your paediatrician about your child's diet. This is a recipe, not medical advice.

Watch it being made

Questions people ask

Can I give this to a baby under one year?

Make it with breast milk or formula instead of cow's milk, and check with your paediatrician about dates. From six to twelve months, plain ragi porridge is the simpler starting point.

Do I have to soak the dates?

Only if they are dry or firm. Soft dates blend in without soaking; hard ones leave chewy pieces a baby will spit out.

Can I make a big batch?

Cook the ragi and carrot ahead and refrigerate for a day, but blend fresh each time. Blended, it thickens and loses its taste within a couple of hours.

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