These are the foods which are healthy, easily eaten, delicious, and convenient enough to
keep you worry-free as your baby takes his or her first bites.
Get them on the menu, pronto — as long as your pediatrician says it's OK, of course.
Sweet potatoes are the bread and butter of baby foods.
The biggest advantage we're looking at here is that they're easily mashable when cooked,
making it incredibly simple for your baby to eat.
But that's not all — because sweet potato also comes with its fair share of nutritional
benefits, too.
Sweet potatoes are pretty much a thriving hub of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants.
They're filled with vitamin C and iron, as well as magnesium and potassium, which are
good for the heart.
Like normal potatoes, sweet potatoes are indeed classified a carbohydrate, but don't let that
get you down — they're actually a complex carb, meaning they release sugars more slowly
into the bloodstream than simple carbohydrates.
Yes, it's true — much like the state of California, your baby will also thrive on
avocados.
These fruits are particularly appealing to babies mostly because they're colorful and
creamy in texture, meaning they're as fun to play with as they are tasty to eat.
Naturally, they're also incredibly useful in making sure that kid stays good and healthy.
Avocados contain high amounts of folate, fiber, potassium, vitamin E and iron, as well as
a number of nutritious chemicals such as beta-carotene.
They also contain unsaturated fats, but don't fret, because those fats will help your baby
develop their brain and grow properly.
A medium-sized avocado contains around 322 calories and up to 30 grams of fat.
Trust us, though: that's not a bad thing.
So mash them up and give your kid their first taste of guacamole.
"Holy guacamole…”
These days, you shouldn't need to resort to telling your child that old sort-of-lie about
how carrots make you see in the dark, because there are plenty of more palpable benefits
to chowing down on the orange stuff.
For one, they're very easy for babies to swallow and digest, just make sure you boil them first,
so they're soft and easily mashed.
They're also one of the sweetest of the vegetables.
And we don't need to tell you that kids like sweet stuff, do we?
Nutrition-wise, you're looking at beta-carotene, as well as fiber, iron, calcium and vitamin
C. Fresh, home-cooked carrots are always great, but make sure your baby is at least six months
old before they try them, since the presence of nitrates in carrots can — in some cases
— cause anemia.
Considering that six months is about the recommended age for babies to start eating solids, however,
this shouldn't be too much of a worry.
The benefits of butternut squash are numerous.
Able to be introduced to your baby as soon as he or she starts eating properly, this
winter squash is a particularly good source of fiber and potassium.
The actual effects of these nutrients include an increased ability to fight fungal infections
and other diseases, better digestion and a reduced chance of constipation, strong eyesight,
and the suppression of free radicals inside the body.
Butternut squash is also pretty versatile, and can be steamed, boiled or roasted.
It also goes well with a wide range of other baby foods and can be easily included in all
sorts of baby-friendly recipes.
Just make sure to look out for the seeds — although they're actually incredibly good for you,
they do present a choking hazard for young babies.
Make sure they're all removed before you get cooking.
Ah, green beans.
They just fit, don't they?
Actually cooking these vegetables for babies might seem like a finickety task, but it's
done easily enough.
Simply steam or boil them in a small amount of water for no longer than 15 minutes, and
serve either as-is or mashed up, depending on how far along your baby is on the solid
food path.
If the skins are causing you trouble, put them in a strainer and try to work them out
before doing the mashing or pureeing.
Otherwise, however, they should make a fine finger food.
Banana is an absolutely ideal to give your baby as a first food for many reasons.
It's sweet and creamy, meaning kids will take an instant liking to it, and is also very
easy to mash up and serve.
Once your baby is a little older, you can also cut it into pieces of an appropriate
size and give it to them as a finger food.
But the nutritional effects of bananas are what really make them heroic.
They're high in fiber, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamin A. That means
less chance of constipation, prevention of urinary infections, strong bones, anaemia
prevention, better memory and brain development, and stronger eyesight.
They're also great at boosting the immune system and preventing coughs and colds, and
they're easy to include in a range of recipes and dishes.
Now that's bananas!
You're probably well aware of the notion that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and
it turns out that they'll keep the pediatrician away, too.
As a first food, apples should always be peeled, even if you're mashing or pureeing them, so
as to avoid stomach and swallowing problems.
Generally, they're best served soft or as part of another recipe, because raw apple
is going to be a minor nightmare for babies with few or no teeth.
The actual nutrients that babies will get out of apples include vitamin A, folate, potassium,
calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium.
They're also very high in insoluble fiber and soluble fiber, both of which are highly
beneficial to bowel health.
Pears are great first food for babies for two main reasons: firstly, because they're
incredible nutritious, and secondly because they're very, very easy to eat.
Even better, pears aren't sprayed with loads of pesticides and chemicals during the harvest.
They're also very low in acids, meaning they can help relieve infant reflux.
It's generally better to serve them peeled to make them less of a choking hazard, and
you should make sure to leave out the core.
For your efforts, you'll get a fruit which contains essential fatty acids, is loaded
with fiber and vitamin C, and boosts the immune system.
It's a superhero fruit!
Arguably the biggest advantage of giving yogurt to your baby is that it's very easy to prepare.
No mashing, no peeling — it's already a bunch of goop, so just put it on a spoon and
go for it.
"Mmmm, that is delicious.”
There's one crucial thing to remember here, though, and that's to make sure all the yogurt
you buy for your baby is plain, unsweetened, and made from whole milk.
Flavored yogurts are almost always very high in added sugar.
Be on the look-out for any ingredients that may also mean sugar, too.
Fat-free or low-fat yogurt is also a no-go, because babies require the calories and fats
that come with whole milk for growth and energy.
Just because you're limited to one kind of yogurt doesn't mean you can't make it interesting,
however.
Try mixing or mashing in pureed fruit or vegetables.
The big benefits of yogurt are live cultures, a type of bacteria which may help prevent
colic and diarrhea.
Just make sure you pick the right product and be aware of the symptoms of food allergies,
and yogurt should make a great early food for your child.
Brown rice is a healthy food choice for adults, and in much the same way, brown rice can also
be a highly nutritious food for babies to enjoy once they started on solid foods.
It contains plenty of essential fatty acids and is loaded with fiber.
It also contains decent amounts of calcium, protein, minerals and vitamins, which will
all be very helpful in fostering your baby's development.
Some rules do apply, here: keep uncooked brown rice in the fridge to avoid it turning rancid,
try not to use leftovers and consider pureeing rice after it's cooked to make it easier for
your child to eat and digest.
Rice cereals are often a go-to beginner food for parents of young infants, and there are
plenty of reasons to get started on them early.
They help treat GERD and keep reflux away, making them great for babies who are prone
to colic.
They're a good source of calories, too, which can be a crucial factor in deciding a baby's
diet.
Generally, they're easy to digest and rarely cause allergic reactions.
Be warned, though: not everyone agrees about the benefits of rice cereals.
Some nutritionists and dieticians warn that the iron in rice cereals doesn't absorb well,
suggesting that babies find their iron in other sources instead.
These alternate sources include pureed red meat, dark poultry, egg yolks, beans, lentils,
and pasta.
As in any situation in which there's no real consensus to be found, the best thing for
you to do is probably trust your own judgement and only give your baby what you're comfortable
with.
Or maybe go with what your pediatrician recommends.
This probably won't come as much of a surprise, but it's heavily advised that you never give
a young child peanuts.
This, however, is more because they pose a choking risk than because of the whole allergen
thing.
In fact, exposing your baby to peanuts from an early age is a very good idea, as long
as you do it properly.
Enter peanut butter.
Recent research has shown that introducing peanuts to your baby's diet can reduce the
risk of an allergy developing by up to 80 percent.
Even with peanut butter, however, it's important to be wary — eating large amounts, such
as by the spoonful, can be just as much of a choking hazard as the whole nuts themselves.
Instead, try adding it to yogurt, mixing it into pancake batter, or even making it into
a soup.
And watch out for a reaction as your baby eats!
If all turns out okay, you'll have yourself a new food for your child to enjoy which is
rich in protein and extremely tasty.
Just make sure the stuff you buy is low on sugar and salt and you'll be golden.
Eggs have often been a contentious choice of food for babies, but contemporary research
has suggested that they can actually be a great first thing for kids to try.
"There's no better start to the day than eggs for breakfast. Except maybe eggs with a side of..."
"... Bacon?"
The main worry here is that eggs are one of the most common allergens, so it's important
to watch out for any reactions that might occur shortly after consuming them.
As long as your baby has no known history of food allergies, however, you can probably
rest easy letting them try eggs for the first time.
If you're worried about this, stick to egg yolks — it's the whites that usually cause
allergic reactions.
With that in mind, let's talk nutrition.
Egg whites contain most of the protein in eggs, as well as folate, selenium, calcium,
magnesium, and potassium.
Egg yolks do contain cholesterol and saturated fats, but they also contain essential fatty
acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
Eat both and, of course, you'll get it all.
Once again, it comes down to what you're comfortable with.
Fish is another funny one.
Shellfish is off the cards entirely until they're at least a few years old, but many
suggest that some fish is safe to give to babies as young as six months old.
You should always check that the fish is good, and you're best off sticking to white fish
to begin with.
The benefits are numerous, however: fish contain all nine amino acids, meaning they're a source
of complete protein.
You're also looking at a range of minerals and vitamins, too.
Fish can be an allergen, so be vigilant for any reactions that may occur, and stay away
from fish that are high in mercury.
Cook thoroughly and always de-bone to prevent choking.
Otherwise, sit back, relax, and try to enjoy knowing that your baby is all proteined up!
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