When you start your baby on solid foods is very important. If you start too early, your baby's digestive system may still be underdeveloped thus increasing the risk for allergies and rejection of the spoon. If you start too late, your baby may miss out on important nutrients needed for growth and development.
When is the Right Time?
At around 6 months of age, your baby is ready to start solids. Around this stage, they are generally able to sit on your lap as well as hold their head up. They could also be looking for more food straight after a full breast feed/bottle feed. At this time, pureed food on a spoon can be offered.
Which Foods are the Best to Begin With?
Iron rich foods are the principal foods to start offering your child. This could include meat, fish, iron fortified cereals, poultry, cooked tofu and cooked legumes such as beans, lentils. Apart from starting with the iron rich foods, there is no particular order in which to introduce further new foods namely fruit and vegetables. It is important however to always puree foods to the smoothest texture at this phase.
As your baby gets used to solid food, gradually increase the amount of food offered at a feed over a couple of days until your baby is able to eat 1-2 tablespoon of pureed food at a time.
How to Prepare
Steaming hard fruits or vegetables is the best way to cook these foods as it retains the most amounts of nutrients. Boiling can also be utilised if no steamer is available. No sugar or salt should be added. Once cooked and soft, puree foods using a blender or by mashing making sure there are no lumps.
Great First Foods after Iron-Rich Foods are introduced
Fruits
- Mango
- Avocado
- Banana
- Steamed apple
- Pear
- Apricots
Vegetables (all steamed)
- Carrots
- Pumpkin
- Potato
- Green Leafy
- Sweet Potato
Recipes to Try for Your Baby's First Foods
Banana Delight
Ingredients
Method
- Mash the banana until completely smooth. A little breastmilk or formula can be added to this so as to thin down the consistency.
- Place 1-2 tablesppons into a bowl and store the rest in ice cubes and place in the freezer. A cube can be taken out and thawed when needed.
Sweet Potato Paradise
Ingredients
- 1-2 sweet potatoes
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Scrub the potatoes and prick holes with a fork.
- Place on a baking tray and roast for about 45 minutes or unitl wrinkled and tender.
- Remove from the oven and cut the potatoes in half.
- Puree until smooth. A little breastmilk or formula can be added to this so as to thin down the consistency.
- Place 1-2 tablesppons into a bowl and store the rest in ice cubes and place in the freezer. A cube can be taken out and thawed when needed.
Banana and Avocado Health Treat
Ingredients
- 1 Banana
- 1 Avocado
Method
- Mash the banana until completely smooth. A little breastmilk or formula can be added to this so as to thin down the consistency.
- Mash the avocado until completely smooth and then combine with the mashed banana.
- Place 1-2 tablesppons into a bowl and store the rest in ice cubes and place in the freezer. A cube can be taken out and thawed when needed.
