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Has your little one crossed the first milestone of six months duration into this world? If yes, then it’s time for the next adventurous phase of motherhood. Yes, you have guessed right. It’s time to introduce the first solid food to your toddler. A strict warning by most paediatricians to the parents – do not offer processed food, pureed products or any type of junk items straight from the supermarkets in the initial formative years of taste development.
Baby-led weaning is the most popular method of introducing solid foods to kids above 6 months. A simple way to allow the baby to explore different solid foods. In the initial stage, do not worry about the quantity consumed by the baby. Ensure you give your kid a variety of tastes and textures. Remember this is the phase of palate development.
A frequent question of most parents is – what is the right food for the baby to kick the journey of solid food? The first foods must be well cooked and soft for them to easily chew and digest. The pieces of food size need to be small enough would fit their fist. Here are the top 6 first foods in the baby-led weaning food list most mothers have tried and tested for baby-led weaning.
Baby led weaning food list:
1. Banana
A well-ripened banana is a right first food your baby. An excellent source of healthy fats, which requires zero cooking. Ensure it is not hard and it is soft so that the baby can easily chew and swallow. It might be a little messy for the kid to eat a ripened banana from the plate. But don’t bother. Your little one is learning about new food through their senses.
2. Carrot
No raw carrots until your baby has proper teeth to bite. A well-steamed carrot, usually more than the normal duration, ensures it is easy on the baby’s gums. If you wish, you can mash them or just steam and cut into cubes or long strips for them to hold in their hands.
3. Sweet Potato
Steamed or baked sweet potato with the skin can be a great food for a beginner. You can remove the skin and cut into strips or just mash them and feed them with a spoon. You can also cut them into cubes and ask your child to eat all by themselves.
4. Apples
Apples are a rich source of nutritional beginner foods for babies. You can wash them thoroughly and give them small pieces of apple to gnaw on (if your kid has got his or her teeth) or you can also blanch them until tender and mash it like a paste and feed them.
5. Lentil water:
A small portion of boiled lentils such as Moong Dal (lentils) or Toor Dal and the same steamed water can be offered to the child a soup. You can also mash the Dal with well-cooked rice, which can be easily consumed. Highly rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals this is the ideal food for starters.
6. Melon
When you offer the different fruits, melons top the list, which is an enormous nutrient value. Melons are soft and juicy in nature and can easily be digested by kids who don’t have teeth. Ensure you give small pieces of melons without the seeds. Make sure the hard chunks of melons are not consumed.
When you are introducing new foods, ensure your little one is enjoying this journey. Do not force and feed them. Make sure food is fun for them. It is imperative to inculcate the joy of eating healthy and nutritious food. Not many kids love to eat with a spoon. You can also use your hands and go the traditional way of feeding. Always ensure there is a gap of four days before you introduce a new food to your child. A happy and healthy baby will always associate food with positive interactions of life and shall feel blessed.
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by Ila Asthana
