The best way to feed your baby is with home-made simple foods…
When your baby starts to show signs that he wants to start trying solid foods you should have a few resources reserved on how to do it. The best way to feed your baby is with home-made simple foods.
You have to introduce one food item at a time, not doing anything complicated. Mixing food items is good only after you have excluded any food allergies. You can test this by giving a new food item with four days interval after the previous one. In the first year of life, your baby will need to be fed initially exclusively and then partially on milk. It can be formula or breast milk, but you cannot ever replace it with any foods.
Transition to baby food
To help the transition to solid foods you can always mix formula or breast milk in the cereal or puree, so the baby associates it quickly with the food he is used to. You should check which foods are appropriate to your baby’s age and consult your pediatrician if you are not sure about introducing a new food.
The first solid foods will be items such as cereal, carrots, sweet potato, apple or pears. It is important that these foods are thoroughly pureed and do not have any bits or pieces since the baby cannot chew yet and can choke if the food is not processed. To prepare these foods you should choose the best fresh produce available, preferably with no chemicals. These must be washed and/or peeled before cooking. They should be cooked by boiling or at vapor, never fried. You should not use salt or sugar, just keep it plain. After the produce is soft, puree it thoroughly and wait for it to cool down before feeding it to your baby.
He will eat really small amounts at first so you can make a batch and freeze it for later and this way you avoid any waste. A good solution to keep it in individual portions is to use empty baby food bottles or ice-cube trays to make it easier to only thaw the amount you need. You just have to use clean utensils and recipients for preparing, storing and serving baby food.
Here you can find some suggestions to prepare simple baby foods:
Orange puree
This recipe makes one and a half cups and is packed with fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Ingredients:
- 1 small yam
- 3 carrots
- Water
Instructions:
Peel and cut into pieces the carrots and yam and place them in a pot covered with water. Let it boil for 25 minutes until everything is totally cooked. Drain the water and puree the vegetables in a food processor until there are no chunks whatsoever. You can add a bit of water if the puree is too thick.
White puree
It yields one cup filled with iron, fiber and protein.
Ingredients:
- One 15-oz can cannelloni beans
- Water
Instructions:
Drain and rinse the beans, and process them adding bits of water until they have no visible pieces. This is a practical recipe for when you do not have time to cook.
Purple puree
This recipe makes two and a half cups and is high in vitamin C, A and E, calcium and flavonoids.
Ingredients:
- 20 oz spinach
- 1 ½ cups blueberries
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions:
Boil the spinach for 6 to 7 minutes and drain. Puree all the ingredients until smooth.
Chicken puree
This recipe makes one and a half cups and has a lot of protein and iron.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 – 3/4 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- Water
- Olive oil
Instructions:
You can make this two ways, baked or poached. For chicken thighs baking is ideal, at 400 degrees F on a baking sheet for 20 minutes until it is thoroughly cooked. To poach you should slice the chicken breast in half and cook it in a bit of water for 8 to 12 minutes until it is no longer pink in the center. Then, chop the cooked chicken to pieces and blend it for one minute adding liquid if necessary. You can add pureed vegetables or cereal to make it smoother and tastier.
When making food for your baby just remember the four-day rule, always check if it is age appropriate and keep it as simple as possible. If your baby does not enjoy a certain food you can try to reintroduce it a few days later or mix it with something he likes best. Your baby should be stimulated by the new flavors and get a diversified diet. You are the best person to judge this. Try to limit the amount of store-bought baby food, home-made fresh foods are always better. Do not be afraid to experiment with mixing fruits and vegetables; just puree them until they are smooth. Your baby will grow strong and happy if you give him a wholesome diet of fruits, vegetables and cereal together with your breast milk or formula.