8 5-Minute Applesauce Combos for Toddlers + Kids
These 8 delicious 5-Minute Applesauce Combos for Toddlers + Kids are so good, they will knock your kids socks off! No more plain ol’ applesauce every day, let’s have some fun and mix it up. These combos are filled with healthy fruits and veggies (!!!) and are perfect for an easy snack, a side dish for lunch or even a quick breakfast on-the-go.
I made this post for all the moms out there who want a tasty and nutritious recipe for their toddlers and kids that takes all of 5 minutes to make 🙋🏼🙋🏻🙋🏽🙋🏾
Because as much as I looooovvve to make homemade applesauce (Strawberry Applesauce, Carrot Applesauce and Beet Applesauce) during the fall when apples are bountiful, the rest of the year my laziness takes over and I usually just go for an organic store-bought applesauce.
The problem – since we eat applesauce ALL-THE-TIME, we get completely burned out on plain ol’ applesauce.
The solution – let’s blend some of that plain o’ applesauce with some other amazing fruits and vegetables (sneaky mom for the #win) and create some amazing new applesauce combinations that will knock your kiddos socks right off.
So like a mad mom scientist, I got to work and mixed and blended everything in my fridge and freezer with that plain o’ applesauce and came up with some winning combinations.
Apple + Mixed Berries + Vanilla
Apple + Mango + Pineapple
Apple + Cherry + Almond
Apple + Sweet Potato + Banana
Apple + Peach + Ginger
Apple + Beet + Strawberries
Apple + Carrots + Cloves
Apple + Butternut Squash + Mango
But before you get started blending away, I want to let you in on a couple tips and tricks I learned during my applesauce experiments.
Tips & Tricks
Applesauce
I used the organic applesauce from Trader Joes and Costco for these recipes. When buying applesauce I always look to make sure that it doesn’t have any added sugar and that it is organic since apples are high on the Dirty Dozen list.
Frozen Fruit
I tried adding in both fresh and frozen produce into these combinations, and found that frozen fruit actually worked the best and produced the boldest flavors. Plus, frozen fruit is easier to get and most of the time it is way cheaper 🙋🏻!
Immersion Blender vs. Regular Blender
As much as I love my fancy high-speed blender, I found that it didn’t chop up the added fruits and veggies enough while leaving the overall applesauce slightly chunky. It’s a fine line between a smooth puree applesauce and a slightly chunky applesauce. The immersion blender did a great job at first blending up the added in fruits and veggies and then gently mixing in the applesauce.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, then you can totally use a blender, just make sure to scrape the sides down every 20 seconds or so of blending time and be okay with a more smooth applesauce (which will totally taste the same).
As far as immersion blenders, I have and love this KichenAid Immersion Blender, but for a more economical one this one has great reviews on amazon as well.
Apple + Mixed Berries + Vanilla
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup organic applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen mixed berries and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let berries thaw on counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the vanilla and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Mango + Pineapple
1/3 cup frozen mango
1/3 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup organic applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen mango and pineapple and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the fruit thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Using an immersion blender, puree mango and pineapple until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Cherry + Almond
3/4 cup frozen cherries, pitted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup organic applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen cherries and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the fruit thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the almond extract and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Sweet Potato + Banana
1/4 cup sweet potato, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon water
1 ripe but not brown banana
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in the sweet potatoes and water and heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave or until completely soft, stirring halfway through. Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the banana and cinnamon and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Peach + Ginger
3/4 cup frozen peaches
1/2 inch of fresh ginger, minced
1 cup applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen peaches and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the peaches thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the ginger and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Beet + Strawberries
3/4 cup frozen strawberries
1 small red beet, cooked
1 cup applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen strawberries and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the berries thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in a small cooked beet (I used the pre-cooked beets from Trader Joes) and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Carrots + Cloves
1/3 cup carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon water
1/8 teaspoon Cloves
1 cup applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in the carrots and water and heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave or until completely tender, stirring halfway through. Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the cloves and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Apple + Butternut Squash + Mango
1/3 cup butternut squash, finely cubed (I bought mine pre-chopped at Trader Joes)
1/2 cup frozen mango
1 cup applesauce (homemade or store bought)
Instructions
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in butternut squash and mango and heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave or until completely tender, stirring halfway through. Keep any liquid that has formed. Puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
2. Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Make sure to read my tips & tricks section above for more information on these recipes.
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
Tools I used for these recipes –
Disclaimer – some links in this post are affiliate links on products that I use and love myself. Thank you for supporting Baby FoodE!
Get the recipe: Applesauce Combos for Toddlers + Kids
Ingredients
Apple + Mixed Berries + Vanilla
- 3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup organic applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Mango + Pineapple
- 1/3 cup frozen mango
- 1/3 cup frozen pineapple
- 1 cup organic applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Cherry + Almond
- 3/4 cup frozen cherries pitted
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup organic applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Sweet Potato + Banana
- 1/4 cup sweet potato peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 ripe but not brown banana
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Peach + Ginger
- 3/4 cup frozen peaches
- 1/2 inch of fresh ginger minced
- 1 cup applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Beet + Strawberries
- 3/4 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 small red beet cooked
- 1 cup applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Carrots + Cloves
- 1/3 cup carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/8 teaspoon Cloves
- 1 cup applesauce homemade or store bought
Apple + Butternut Squash + Mango
- 1/3 cup butternut squash finely cubed (I bought mine pre-chopped at Trader Joes)
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1 cup applesauce homemade or store bought
Instructions
Apple + Mixed Berries + Vanilla
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen mixed berries and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let berries thaw on counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the vanilla and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Mango + Pineapple
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen mango and pineapple and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the fruit thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Using an immersion blender, puree mango and pineapple until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Cherry + Almond
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen cherries and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the fruit thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the almond extract and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Sweet Potato + Banana
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in the sweet potatoes and water and heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave or until completely soft, stirring halfway through. Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the banana and cinnamon and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Peach + Ginger
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen peaches and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the peaches thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the ginger and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Beet + Strawberries
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in frozen strawberries and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave or until completely thawed (you can also let the berries thaw on the counter). Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in a small cooked beet (I used the pre-cooked beets from Trader Joes) and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Carrots + Cloves
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in the carrots and water and heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave or until completely tender, stirring halfway through. Keep any liquid that has formed. Add in the cloves and puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Apple + Butternut Squash + Mango
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, add in butternut squash and mango and heat for 60-90 seconds in the microwave or until completely tender, stirring halfway through. Keep any liquid that has formed. Puree using an immersion blender until chunky.
- Add in the applesauce and continue to puree for 20-40 seconds or until ingredients are well combined.
Notes
Age: 10 months and up
Yield: roughly 1 1/2 cups or 3 servings
Storage: store in an airtight jar in fridge or in reusable pouches (this is our favorite brand) for 1 week.
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8 Comments on “8 5-Minute Applesauce Combos for Toddlers + Kids”
These were perfect for my picky toddler who REFUSES to eat any veggies! Made the squash/mango as well as banana/sweet potato combo. The combination makes the veggies entirely unnoticeable so my kids have gobbled them up not even knowing it’s “healthy.” I put it in reusable pouches to save from buying GoGo squeezes.
Way to go! Love this! Healthy food that toddler doesn’t even notice:)
Could you freeze these?
I haven’t tried to freeze them, but I couldn’t see why you wouldn’t be able to. If you try it, please update us on how it goes.
These all look great but how are you supposed to eat them? Are they a dip for something or more like a puree for babies (although you said 10 months plus… Way past puree stage). As a brit, I’ve only ever had applesauce with roast pork on a Sunday! So this is new territory for me!
Fascinating! Kids in the US eat applesauce in a bowl with a spoon. My kids will eat it with any meal 😂. It can be pureed or chunky, depending on how you prefer it.
How do you keep it from getting too runny? That’s the problem I have run into…
I blended the fruit/veggie with a smaller portion of the applesauce and then just mixed in the rest of the applesauce. This helped it from getting too thin.