Moving onto Level 3 Purees - Chicken Tortilla Soup

One Soup, Two Ways! Here's a Family Dinner + Baby Freezer Meals

We’re slowly easing out of level 1 / level 2 purees over here. Finn is almost 8 months old and fully ready to take on the world. It’s wild how much faster it all goes the second time. I know it’s because he’s watching us and Poppy eat all the things and he wants in, but still. Wild. He’s crawling a way earlier than Poppy ever did. Consider my mind blown.

Anyway, we’re leaving town next week and my amazing parents are coming down to hang with the kids, which means I’m in full meal prep mode. Mostly for Finn if we’re being honest. Poppy will likely eat whatever my mom makes. So this week and next, I’m sharing two recipes that check all the boxes: feeds the family and doubles as a great baby freezer option. First up: Chicken Tortilla Soup.

I tone down the spice (see my notes below), but otherwise this is packed with flavor, easy to blend, and full of good stuff.

Before we get into the good stuff, let’s just do a quick review of how I look at my puree progressions:

Level 1: Intro to Flavor + Texture

Think super smooth, single ingredient purées. This is all about learning how to eat. The flavor is mild. The texture is silky. You’re watching for reactions, building trust, and letting them get used to the idea of food that isn’t milk.

Level 2: Step It Up

This is where we start combining flavors and textures. Think two to three ingredients, still smooth but a little thicker. This is where herbs come in. Maybe a little olive oil. Maybe a little lemon juice. I love this stage because it’s the bridge from baby food to real food.

Level 3: Real Food, Blended. THE MOST FUN IMO.

These are full meals, cooked for the family, then blended or mashed for your baby.
It’s thicker. There’s more texture. Sometimes I puree it smooth, sometimes it’s more like a chunky mash. Depends on my mood. We’re talking blended soups, soft lentil stews, mild super small pastas, or even a toned-down taco filling. It’s still safe, soft, and easy to swallow but it’s so good you’ll want to eat it too!