Now that your baby is ready for solids, it is important to know what they can and cannot eat.
Certain foods are essential, while others can destroy their health.
Here is a quick guide of the foods!
Safe Solids:
Meats: If they are soft and easy to chew. Remove all bones.
Eggs: Cooked and mashed are safe for your baby.
Full fat dairy products: You can feed your baby milk, cheese, and yogurt. Never feed your baby fat-free milk.
Legumes: Beans, lentils, and peas are excellent protein sources for your infant.
Finger foods: Breads, cooked pasta, and rice cakes are great options to teach your baby to pick up their food.
Fruits: Soft, mashed fruits make a perfect snack. (Bananas, pears, mangos, avocados, etc.)
Vegetables: Softly cooked vegetables will provide your baby will the nutrients needed to grow up healthy. (Carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, etc.)
Nuts and seeds: Only feed your baby nut butters or finely ground nuts. Never feed your child whole nuts if they are under 5 years of age. Be careful to food allergies as well. Watch your baby closely to ensure they are not experiencing an allergic reaction.
Foods to Avoid:
Honey: A common but possibly fatal mistake parents make is feeding their child honey. Never feed a baby under the age of 12 months honey as it can cause botulism, a serious food poisoning.
Undercooked meat and eggs: Never feed your child something undercooked. These could contain Salmonella, which can make your child terribly ill.
Unpasteurized dairy: The pasteurization process kills harmful bacteria. Feeding your child unpasteurized dairy products can lead to an infection.
Sugary, salty, and processed foods: These can damage your baby’s health and wellbeing. Additionally, they can preset diabetes, heart disease, and childhood obesity.
Excessive sugar can also damage teeth and lead to cavities. Furthermore, too much salt can hurt babies’ sensitive kidneys.
Stick to healthy, wholesome meals to provide your baby with the safest nourishment.
Whole nuts: These are commonly known to cause infants to choke. Never feed a child under 5 years of age whole nuts. Be alert to potential allergies as well.
Low-fat foods: Babies need more fat than adults to grow. Do not skimp on this important macro.
How Often do you Feed them?
Starting at 7-9 months, many infants can begin to have 3 small meals per day. Choose foods that contain a balanced source of protein, carbs, and fats.
At 9-11 months of age, babies can eat approved family meals if cut into small bites or mashed. As they reach the 1-year mark, they should be able to eat harder finger foods, such as apples and crackers. This age is the prime time for 3 meals a day.
At the 1-year mark, babies can eat three small meals, along with 2-3 snacks. Every baby is unique and has special needs, so feed your baby depending on their needs.