Sweet Spinach Banana Muffins For Baby And Toddler

Table of Contents

Healthy Spinach Muffins For Baby Led Weaning

Spinach muffins are an excellent choice for Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) for several reasons:

1. Nutrient-rich: Spinach is packed with essential nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. By incorporating spinach into muffins, you can ensure that your baby is getting a good dose of these vitamins and minerals in a tasty way.

2. Texture: Muffins provide a soft and easy-to-hold texture, making them ideal for babies who are just starting on their BLW journey. The softness allows babies to easily grasp and chew on the muffin, helping them develop their fine motor skills.

3. Adaptable: Spinach muffins can be made in various ways to cater to different preferences and dietary needs. You can adjust the sweetness level, add in fruits or nuts for extra flavour and texture, or even make them gluten-free if needed.

4. Convenient: A good old muffin are perfect for on-the-go snacking or meals. They can be easily packed for outings or nursery, providing a nutritious option that is mess-free and portable.

5. Introduction to New Flavours: Introducing spinach early on can help develop your baby's palate for a variety of flavours. By including spinach in muffins, you are exposing your baby to the taste of leafy greens in a more subtle and enjoyable way.

Are Muffins Healthy For Babies?

Muffins can be a suitable option for babies when prepared at home without added sugar. This approach allows for careful monitoring of the ingredients and ensures that the muffins are tailored to the baby's nutritional needs. Homemade muffins can be a healthy choice for babies as they offer the flexibility to use wholesome ingredients and control the sugar content.

Great For School Lunchboxes

Muffins are a versatile and convenient choice for lunchboxes, particularly for school and nursery settings. Here are a few reasons why they make a great addition:

1. Portability:
Muffins are the perfect size and easy to pack and carry around without worrying about them getting squished or being too messy. This makes them ideal for kids to enjoy during lunch breaks at school or nursery, they can be eaten at room temperature too.

2. Variety:
There are endless options when it comes to muffin flavours, from classic blueberry to healthier versions like banana nut or spinach. This variety allows you to cater to different taste preferences and dietary restrictions.

3. Nutritious Ingredients:
Muffins can be made with wholesome simple ingredients like whole wheat flour, oats, fruits, and nut butters, providing a balanced mix of nutrients. You can sneak in veggies like carrots or spinach for added nutrition without compromising on taste.

4. Pre-portioned:
Muffins are naturally portioned, making it easier to control serving sizes and ensure your child gets a balanced meal. Pairing a muffin with some fresh fruits or veggies provides a well-rounded lunchbox option.

5. Homemade Goodness:
Baking muffins at home allows you to control the quality of ingredients, offering a healthier alternative to store-bought options. Plus, it can be a fun activity to involve your kids in baking their own lunchbox treats.

No Added Sugar Muffin Perfect For BLW

A homemade, no-sugar spinach muffin is a great option for baby-led weaning (BLW) for several reasons:

1. No added sugar: Babies are introduced to sweet flavours through breast milk or formula, so there is no need to add extra sugar to their food. A no-sugar muffin like this spinach one helps babies develop a taste for natural flavours and promotes healthy eating habits from the start.

2. Easy to hold: savoury muffins are convenient for little hands to hold, making them an ideal food for self-feeding during BLW. The size and shape of a muffin allow babies to practice their coordination and hand-eye skills as they bring the food to their mouths.

3. Versatile snack: Homemade muffins can be made in batches and frozen for later use, providing a convenient and quick snack option for busy days. The spinach muffin can be a nutritious addition and a great way to add to your baby's mealtime or snack time rotation.

Ingredient information

Oats - I love to use oats as a base in muffins and cakes for baby led weaning recipes, they work so well and give a great flavour and texture too.

Spinach - I wanted to use iron-rich spinach for its nutritional benefits and vibrant green colour of course. I used fresh baby spinach.

Milk - I have used semi-skimmed milk but you could uses a plant based alternative such as oat milk or almond milk.

Ripe banana - The banana brings the sweetness that this recipe needs, you could substitute with an apple puree too if you did not want to add the banana.

Ground ginger - I love the combination of spinach and ginger, it does work so well within this recipe.

Baking powder - A raising agent that is needed for this muffin to rise.

Bicarbonate soda - A touch of this adds texture and fluffiness to the healthy muffins.

Flaxseed - I have added flax for added nutrition, you could leave this out if you wanted to.

Lemon juice - The lemon juice activates the bicarb.

Serving suggestion

The spinach muffins are great served on their own as a stand alone snack or even a breakfast. You could serve with berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and a drizzle of peanut butter.

Other great BLW recipes: Sweet potato muffin, Carrot cake muffin or Banana raspberry muffin.

Storage instructions

Store the green muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Be sure to label the freezer bags with the item and date, so it is clear how long they can be stored.

To label the airtight container I use masking tape this way it will not ruin the airtight container.

To defrost the muffins, keep them in an airtight container and defrost in the fridge overnight. Make sure they are fully defrosted before serving. They will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Do not refreeze.

Equipment used to help with this recipe

Nutri bullet - I have found a blender to be an invaluable tool in the preparation of many of my baby led weaning recipes.

Muffin tray - A non-stick muffin pan that will easily clean any spills from the muffin cases. You will need one of these to easily hold the muffin cases.

Silicone cups - I love reusable kitchen stuff! These silicone muffin cases are dishwasher and freezer safe and can be used in the oven up to 230 degrees C! Ideal for individual baby portions.

Air-tight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.

Recipe | Sweet Spinach Banana Muffins For Baby And Toddler

Ingredients

Makes 10 muffins

• 200g rolled oats, blizted

• 150g fresh spinach

• 250ml milk (I used semi skimmed)

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 large banana (125g), mashed

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon flaxseed

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

• 1/4 lemon, juiced

Instructions

• Pre heat your oven to 180C or 350F. Prepare 2 muffin tins with 10 silicone muffin cases.

• Start by blitzing the oats in a Nutri bullet or a food processor to make your dry ingredients oat flour. Set aside.

• Put half of the spinach in the Nutri bullet with half of the milk and blitz to a smooth liquid, pour into a large bowl and repeat with the remaining spinach and milk.

• Add the mashed banana, egg, oat flour, ginger, flaxseed, baking powder, bicardonate soda and lemon juice to the spinach and milk liquid and give everything a good stir.

• Spoon approx 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each silicone cup.

• Place the 2 trays into your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Hope you and your family enjoy!

Recipe notes

You could easily make the recipe gluten-free and dairy free. To make the muffins gluten free, you can use gluten-free oats and to make the muffins dairy free, replace the cow’s milk with a plant based alternative such as oat milk or almond milk.

---

©The Petit Spoon

Content and photographs are copyright protected and need prior permission to use elsewhere. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to other websites and any social media is strictly prohibited. Sharing and using the link of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated! Share this post now!

---