EXPLORE YOUR BABY FOOD

confused mom looking for Baby food

As babies grow, every mommy wants to make sure that her child gets all the essential nutrients to the baby for healthy and chubby look. Though most of the nutrients a baby gets from breast milk, but as a thumb rule babies may be ready for solids in 4 to 6 months.

 Things to Remember

·       Consult your pediatrician before beginning any solid food to your infant, as each child is different.

·       Remember you will have to have plenty of patience while feeding your baby.

·       It is easy, economical and healthy to prepare fresh baby food at home.

·       And most importantly, preparing your own baby food is tremendously satisfying for you.

·       When you introduce solids, try single ingredient food; one at a time, so you can closely watch your baby and check whether it is allergic to any particular kind of food.

·       Meal time is not only for eating, it is also a chance to interact with your baby.  So relax and enjoy every moment when you feed it. 

·       This is also a time to explore your baby’s favorite’s likes and dislikes.

·       It is always a trial and error to introduce new food to your baby. Offer your baby different food, use different ways of preparations with some variations while mixing the ingredients.

·       All you can do is present a new food to your baby and let it  to decide how much and what it will eat. After all, cooking for baby should not be a core but a PLEASURE.

·       In the beginning feeding a baby with the spoon, often it may not be a success, but gradually child will actually get the spoon in its mouth. You can also help child to learn by letting it hold on to the spoon while you feed.

·       Plan menu for the week and place it at your kitchen.  Keep changing the menu once in a fortnight. Don’t take your baby for granted, as it can smell, taste and observe all colored things including its food.

·       Always use clean hands and freshly cleaned utensils (keep it separately) when you prepare home made food, taste the food yourself before feeding a child.

BREAKFAST IDEAS

PUREE

Pureeing  homemade  food  is  very simple, as  almost all babies loves this, for  PUREE  cook or steam fruits and then put  in a blender, to make it smooth & creamy. Learn to discover more healthy and tasty puree.

 Start a day with a fruit, is a great idea

PLANTAIN    (after 6months)

A  piece of banana  should be steamed and blend  ( make a fine paste you can add little water, breast milk or Formula milk.

AVACADO

It makes a great food for your baby. Avocado often called one of the nature’s perfect food.

Scoop the ripe avocado, place it in a blender and puree until desired consistency, add little milk if required.

APPLE

Peel the skin and then steam it. While steaming, keep ½ piece of cinnamon or 1 green cardamom inside the apple (for flavor).  Put it in a blender.

PLUM

Place the plum in a small sauce pan , add little water and bring it to boil. Close the lid and simmer it until the plum becomes soft; then put it in a blender, to make it creamy and smooth (don’t peel the plum, retain its skin to preserve its nutrients).

Musk Melon

A treat for your baby.  Skin the melon and churn it to make a thick paste.

LUNCH TIME

Green beans or Green Peas

If you are using fresh peas place peas in the steamer, steam it reserve the leftover water mix with baby food before feeding her.

(Peas can be mixed with carrot, fresh beans, potato, sweet potato and lentil)

PUMPKIN

Pumpkin is a good baby food supplement. 

SWEET POTATO

As a nutritional food, the  sweet potato is amazing and makes it very delicious.

 Cook a small piece in a pressure cooker and mix with milk, you can add little fresh butter to make it very tasty and delicious.

Home Made Solid (traditional)

·       1 tbs. wheat either full or coarse

·       1 tbs.  ragi

·       A piece of sugar candy

·       Soak wheat and ragi in a normal temperature water overnight.

·       In the morning, grind this mixture with adding two cups of water and then strain it in a clean muslin cloth.

·       Place it in a freshly cleaned utensil for 30 min. and drain the water on the top, so that semi-solid liquid is retained.

·       Add a piece of jaggery or a piece of sugar candy and keep it on a stove with very low flame and keep stirring.

·       After it is properly cooked, remove from the heat.

·       You can add water or milk to bring its consistence as you prefer.

(the finest  baby food which could be your first baby meal, this can start from the age of 4 months up to 1 year.)

MOONG DAAL KICHIDI

·       2 tbs. yellow gram dal (soaked in water for an hour).

·       Any fresh vegetables (carrot, green beans, potato, beetroot, green peas).

·       Wash and put it in a cooker. While cooking, add any one fresh vegetable or mixed vegetables.

·       Boil the gram dal with little turmeric powder, when it is  well cooked, put in a blender make a paste of it. Sprinkle little fresh butter before feeding.

OVER COOKED BROWN RICE

After it is well cooked, put it in a blender you can toss it with small pieces of cooked vegetables and feed him with fresh butter or  a little ghee.

 Steamed Idli

Any steamed food with urad dal, is a food for the brain.

Mash it  and feed him with fresh curd or milk of his choice.

(You can prepare mini  idlis  and toss fresh vegetables while steaming it.)

Introduce some sweet dish  

When your baby is a year old, you can start with custard & pudding.  While preparing  yummy deserts for your baby add a piece of jaggery or brown sugar instead of sugar.

FINGER FOOD

When your little one is probably sitting well without support, it is good idea to offer finger food. But be careful, as it should be soft enough so he can manage to swallow by chewing it or something that can easily melt in his mouth.

·       As I have said all babies are different:  some like lumpy food, some like to grab from your plate,  some  others appear totally disinterested.

·       Always try to trust your instinct and watch your baby’s for signs for readiness to eat.

·       It is not a good idea to offer your baby finger food,  but  there is a higher risk of chocking  see the food which you can avoid.

·       If  a baby is a  pretty good grasper, then you can think of offering  her finger food.

·       Try to prepare small mini size steam or baked food.

Few ideas for finger food you can prepare it at home:

·       Baked sweet potato

·       Small piece of cooked carrot

·       Baked veggies

·       Baked cookies (preferably longer in shape)

·       Big piece of cheese

·       Bread  (not softer )

·       Milk biscuits

MAMA

BabyMazz

I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs, then I tasted the baby food :)

Dron