First Foods for Baby: A Guide to Starting Solids Safely and Nutritiously

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Are you stuck on when and where to start your baby’s solid food journey? Let me tell you, deciding the menu for your growing child is one of the universal parenting challenges.

Well, it isn’t a one-time decision; instead, it’s a constant struggle of inconsistent food choices based on your little one’s nutritional requirements and willingness to eat. According to the research, most babies show readiness signs around 6 months of age. If you keep on trying,  you will figure out what goes best for your child.

Let’s skim through the best first foods for baby, the reasons why you should add them, do’s and don’ts while feeding solid food. A sample meal plan is also here to help you. Stay tuned!

When to start feeding solid foods?

From immediately after birth to about 6 months, breast milk or infant formulas provide whole nutrition for your baby. During this time, their gut is not fully developed to cope with solid foods. Moreover, they don’t know how to grab, chew, and swallow food.

As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the starting age for weaning or complementary feeding is 6 months. However, you may introduce your baby first foods 4-6 months after birth, depending on her readiness to eat. Until 4 months, it’s strictly discouraged.

Why should you introduce solid foods along with breast milk?

By 6 months, your child’s growth rate increases and so do her nutritional requirements, which can’t be met solely by breast milk. So, their taste buds need to explore a variety of foods to satisfy their constant hunger. The choice of first foods for baby sets a milestone for your child’s proper nutrition and healthy eating habits.

Best first foods for baby

So, now your little baby is ready to taste the real, solid food. But suddenly every jar on the shelf claims to be “the best,” and you’re standing there like, “Okay, but what does my baby actually need?”

Remember this rule of thumb for all mothers who want to feed their baby: Whatever you are giving them to eat, it must contain iron, zinc, calcium, plus vitamins A & D. 

1. Iron-fortified rice cereal

Babies are more than often fond of boiled rice. Iron-fortified rice is an inexpensive but whole package of nutrition, i.e, fibers, manganese, selenium, B vitamins, and iron. Soft and easily digestible- what else are you looking for?

2. Avocado

Avocado is a popular first food for babies, supported by research. Here is why;

• Rich in vitamins and minerals ( source of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin E, potassium, and vitamin C).
• Predominant source of unsaturated fats needed for babies’ brain development.
• The fiber portion is beneficial for promoting gut health.

3. Banana

Want to increase your baby’s length and weight? Feed him bananas. Research has shown that feeding bananas increases all anthropometric measurements in children. The reason behind its being loved among first foods for babies is;

• Easily edible and digestible owing to their soft texture
• Source of B and C vitamins
• Filled with minerals like potassium, magnesium, and manganese, which help with metabolism, immune function, bone health, and muscle and nerve function.

4. Yogurt

Yoghurt is a well-accepted first food for babies. Plain yoghurt made from cow or goat’s milk is rich in calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, and zinc. It’s unique in containing gut-friendly bacteria. The soft texture and sweet taste is another plus point.

5. Eggs

Boiled or scrambled, eggs are an irreplaceable food in all forms. Nutrients include proteins, a high proportion of choline (crucial for brain development), selenium, and vitamins B2 and B12. They also contain carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. Research has shown that egg consumption is associated with longer head-to-heal lengths and greater nutrient intake in babies.

Note: Babies are often allergic to eggs. So, it is recommended to introduce some other starter foods before adding them and look for any signs of allergy.

6. Meat

While listing up first foods for baby, how can someone miss out on meat? Among meats, the livers, particularly beef liver, being high nutritious, meet all criteria for first baby food.

It is an excellent source of protein, iron, zinc, fats, choline, vitamin A, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and selenium, which are all important nutrients to promote cognitive development, eye health, blood cell production, and immune health. However, if beef liver isn’t available, chicken liver is also a good choice.

Cook the meat properly and serve it in mashed/minced form.

7. Fish

Adding red meat doesn’t replace white meat. Fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which play a great role in brain development. It also contains proteins, vitamin D, iodine, and phosphorus. Just add it to your baby’s food chart.

Make sure to remove hard pips.

8. Sweet potato

Sweet potato is among the top-recommended first foods for babies owing to its nutrient-dense profile, taste, and texture.  It is rich in nutrients like provitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, manganese, and copper. Hence, an excellent choice for a baby’s diet plan.

9. Apples

Apples are one of the safest first baby foods of all time, with well-documented benefits.

10. Broccoli

Broccoli, being inexpensive food with a high nutrient profile, is a great choice for a baby’s lunch. It contains;

• Vitamins: vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate.
• Minerals:  manganese, magnesium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus. These nutrients encourage immune health and promote strong bones.
• Its bitter taste also prevents your child from becoming a picky eater.

11. Green peas

Green peas are a good source of basic diet ingredients, such as carbohydrates and protein. Additionally, they offer nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, and zinc to strengthen immunity, bones, and the brain.

Worried about choking? Try blending or mashing into a spread and serve on a thin rice cake.

12. Lentils

Lentils are a plant-based protein, as well as rich in carbohydrates. They have a similar profile of nutrients to green peas and are widely available.

13. Oatmeal

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has established oatmeal as one of the highly nutritious breakfasts for babies. It is packed with ample fiber and nutrients your child might need.

I always prefer homemade oatmeal over the packaged one to limit the sugar intake of the baby. Mixing them with milk instead of water also adds extra nutrition.

14. Blueberries

Beautifully coloured blueberries never fail to attract babies. They are a rich source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. Let your child enjoy food with no compromise on nutrition.

15. Strawberries

Strawberries, being rich in taste and nutrition, are one of the favourite baby foods. Consider adding them!

16. Carrots

This simple preparation of carrots provides a rich supply of the antioxidant beta carotene and vitamin A. Additionally, they have a pleasant taste.

17. Peach

With soft taste and a combo of vitamins ( A, C and E) and minerals ( rich in potassium), peaches are a must-add food in before 1 checklist.

18. Potato

Always present in kitchen cabinets, potatoes are a great addition. They are a good source of fiber, carbohydrates, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium. Boiled, cooked, or steamed, they are welcomed in any form!

19. Pear

Pears are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants. Steam them to ensure a soft texture and feed your baby.

20. Water

Don’t forget to introduce small sips of water to your baby during meals, and once they grow a little, teach them to drink from a straw!

Do’s while introducing first foods for baby

• While starting with first foods for a baby, keep in mind that building a new skill requires time. Be patient, and if you struggle with it, explore some effective ways to be more patient with your child.
• It’s gonna be messy at first. Instead of giving up, get yourself loaded with necessary equipment like bibs, a high chair, soft spoons, a messy mat under the chair, etc.
• Take good care of hygiene. Wash your hands and food ingredients properly.
• Peel the fruits/veggies and cool the cooked foods before feeding.
• Steam the hard-textured fruit/veggies instead of boiling to preserve nutrients. Use mashed, pureed, or sauce forms.
• Avoid any sort of juices until 1 year, but if you want to introduce them, use 100% pure and homemade fresh fruit juices.
• I always prefer baby-led weaning over spoon-feeding. However, some parents prefer a combination of both. Self-feeding particularly works great if you have a strong-willed child, allowing them to experiment with food. It also helps kids to develop fine motor skills and coordinated hand-to-eye movements. But you must stay close to avoid any incidence of choking.
• Try to introduce variety. Keep on adding new items even if your child doesn’t like them at all. It may take her 10 attempts to accept the new taste. However, beware of signs of allergy.
• Try introducing different textures i.e, blended, mashed, lumpy, sliced, and finger foods. And figure out what works best for your child.

Don’ts:

• It is recommended to avoid certain diets while planning first foods for the baby;
• Honey until 1 year( causes botulism)
• Cow milk
• High-sodium diets like processed foods or salty snacks
• Grapes( baby may choke)
• Nuts( hard to chew and digest)
• Hard sticky candy
• Fruit/ Meat chunks
• Babies should not eat salty and sweet foods as salt is not good for their developing kidneys, and sugar can cause tooth decay.
• Don’t cut fruit into cubes and oval pieces to avoid choking.

Sample 7-day baby-led weaning meal plan (Below 1 year)

• 4-6 months: let them eat what and when they like.
• 7-9 months: 2-3 meals per day ( 2 to 4 tablespoons per food item to start with and gradually adjust according to appetite) + 4 milk feeds
• 10-12 months: 3 meals (according to appetite) + 3 milk feeds per day
• Feed them solid foods before breastfeeding or formula milk as they won’t be much interested once they are full.
• You can also repeat some meals more frequently based on your child’s liking. But make sure to follow a balanced feeding routine by including all categories of foods before the checklist, i.e, veggies, fruit, dairy, and meat.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Monday	Boiled rice cereal + mashed bananas	Mashed sweet potato +chicken puree	Steamed pear+green peas puree	Water sipsBreastmilk,Yoghurt
Tuesday	Oatmeal+ apple sauce	Avocado + Mashed carrots	Lentil puree + boiled rice	Yoghurt breastmilk
Wednesday	Mashed peach + yoghurt	Steamed spinach + chicken/ beef liver	Mashed banana + oatmeal	Water sips breastmilk
Thursday	Rice cereal + blueberry-apple puree	Mashed sweet potato + minced fish	Scrambled egg yolk + avocado + green peas	Water sipsBreastmilkYoghurt
Friday	Oatmeal + strawberry puree	Apple sauce + steamed mixed vegetables	Mashed apple + lentil puree	Water sips breastmilk
Saturday	Mashed banana + rice cereal	Minced fish+ steamed broccoli+mashed potatoes	Sliced avocado + soft scrambled egg yolk	Water sipsBreastmilkPlain yoghurt
Sunday	Oatmeal +peach puree	Boneless Chicken + sweet potato +  Green Peas mash	Soft-cooked pear +cooked lentil + yoghurt	Water sips breastmilk

The bottom line

In contrast to traditional parenting, where the sole focus is to feed more, modern parenting is not about how much they eat. The most important thing is getting them used to new tastes and textures and learning how to move solid foods around their mouths and how to swallow them. It’s better to stop when they firmly close their mouth rather than make them eat forcefully and pose a risk for overeating symptoms.

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