It’s an exciting time when your baby is ready for their first solid food. It has been months and months of exclusively feeding them on milk, so not only is it great for your baby to start to experience new things, it’s much more interesting for the parents too. There are many different foods out there that you can try, but here are some of the very best. Some of them might just surprise you!
Red Meat
Your first thoughts might turn immediately to fruits and vegetables for your baby, and although these are great ideas, red meat is also useful. This is because when your baby stops taking milk, they might become iron deficient (not enough to make them ill, but enough to make them lethargic, perhaps). A little red meat in their diet will help to replenish their iron levels and keep them in top condition. Cook the meat so that it is tender, then blend it with water or broth until it’s a nice puree.
Egg Yolk
Egg yolks are very healthy for your baby in small quantities. They contain choline which makes for healthy eyes and brains, necessary cholesterol, and good fats. Again, you can use a blender to make your scrambled eggs smooth enough for them to eat properly when they are tiny. When they get older, scrambled eggs on toast is a great treat or even a soft-boiled egg with bread to dip in it. Don’t forget the baby bib either; it can save your little one’s clothing from spills and stains. Parent Guide has a great information section on bibs if you want to know more.
Avocado
Avocado is a wonderful first food to give to your baby. It has a lot of healthy fats in it, and magnesium which is a highly important mineral that helps keep us healthy. Not only that, but you’ll find niacin, fiber, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin E, and folate in there too. They are truly easy to prepare – you simply need to cut it in half along the length, twist to the top, and scoop out the insides. Then mash or puree it. Babies love it when it is mixed with a mashed banana too.
Banana
Babies have a naturally sweet tooth thanks to the breastmilk or formula that they have been feeding on, so it’s good to have something a little sweeter in their diet to keep them happy. Bananas have a lot of good points, containing carbohydrates, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, amylase, magnesium, and manganese. Pick the bananas that have brown spots on the skin as it means they are overripe and some of the starch has become sugar, which makes it easier for your baby’s gut to digest it. All you need to do is mash it up, or blend it if you prefer. If you want to make the meal even smoother, you can add a dash of baby milk too. Bananas are great because you can combine them with lots of different fruits and vegetables, and even meat such as liver, to make a tasty, healthy, nutritious meal.
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