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Welcoming a new member to the family is an exciting journey, and as parents, we're eager to provide the best start for our little ones. One fantastic way to ensure your baby gets the nutrition they need is by crafting delicious homemade baby food. Not only is it cost-effective, but it also allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring your baby enjoys a diet packed with wholesome goodness.
Let us first understand a newborn’s dietary requirements, what to avoid and what to include:
What you can feed your baby-
- Breast milk or formula: Breast milk or formula provides all the necessary nutrients for a newborn.
- Vitamin D supplement: Breastfed babies may need a vitamin D supplement as breast milk is not a significant source.
- Iron-fortified cereals: Introduce single-grain iron-fortified cereals, starting with rice cereal and progressing to oats and barley.
- Pureed fruits and vegetables: Begin introducing pureed fruits (apples, pears, bananas) and vegetables (sweet potatoes, peas, carrots).
- Pureed meats: Introduce pureed meats like chicken or turkey for iron and protein.
- Full-fat dairy: If your baby is ready for solids, you can introduce full-fat plain yoghurt and cheese.
- Protein: Offer small pieces of soft-cooked, finely chopped meat, poultry, or fish.
- Whole grains: Introduce well-cooked whole grains like quinoa, pasta, and rice.
- Healthy fats: Include healthy fats from avocados, olive oil, and small amounts of nut butter.
- Water: Introduce sips of water between meals.
What you should not feed your baby-
- Honey: Avoid giving honey to infants under 1 year old due to the risk of infant botulism.
- Cow's Milk Before 1 Year: Breast milk or formula is the primary source of nutrition for babies.
- Salt and Sugar: Babies' kidneys are not fully developed, and excessive salt or sugar can strain their system.
- Processed Foods: Minimise the intake of processed foods, as they may contain additives, preservatives, and excessive salt or sugar.
- Low-Fat Foods: Avoid low-fat or fat-free products and choose full-fat dairy, avocados, and healthy oils to allow for holistic brain development.
- Allergenic Foods: Common allergenic foods include peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish.
- Unpasteurised Foods: Avoid unpasteurized dairy products and juices, as they may carry a risk of harmful bacteria.
- Large Fish and Mercury: Limit the consumption of large fish high in mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.
- Caffeine: It's best to avoid giving babies caffeinated beverages.
- Sweeteners: Be cautious with foods that contain added sweeteners, such as high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners.
DIY baby food recipes
Making food for babies might seem easy, but it is not. There are a lot of limitations and things to take care of. Here are some DIY baby food recipes that are carefully created to provide your child with maximum nutrition and none of the danger:
1. Single-ingredient purees (4-6 months):
Steam and puree each ingredient until smooth.
Suitable first foods: sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, apples, pears, bananas.
2. Sweet potato mash (6 months and up):
Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, water.
Peel and dice sweet potatoes, steam until tender, mash with water until desired consistency.
3. Avocado banana puree (6-8 months):
Ingredients: Avocado, banana.
Mash both ingredients together until smooth.
4. Carrot and apple puree (6-8 months):
Ingredients: Carrots, apples.
Steam and blend carrots, puree with peeled and chopped apples.
5. Pear and spinach puree (8-10 months):
Ingredients: Pears, fresh spinach.
Steam pears and blend with fresh spinach until smooth.
6. Quinoa and vegetable mash (8-10 months):
Ingredients: Quinoa, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots.
Cook quinoa, steam and puree vegetables, mix with cooked quinoa.
7. Chicken and sweet potato puree (10-12 months):
Ingredients: Chicken breast, sweet potatoes, water.
Cook and shred chicken, steam sweet potatoes, blend with water to desired consistency.
8. Blueberry oatmeal (10-12 months):
Ingredients: Oats, blueberries, water or breast milk.
Cook oats, blend with blueberries, add water or breast milk for consistency.
9. Cauliflower and cheese mash (10-12 months):
Ingredients: Cauliflower, mild cheese, milk.
Steam cauliflower, mash with mild cheese and a splash of milk.
10. Lentil and vegetable soup (12 months and up):
Ingredients: Lentils, tomatoes, carrots, celery, low-sodium vegetable broth.
Cook lentils and vegetables in broth until soft, blend or mash to desired consistency.