Best Baby Foods
first foods for baby
When to start?
A lot of experts including the WHO now recommend waiting until 6 months to introduce any food besides breastmilk or formula to babies. This article has a lot of good information if you want to read more. Some pediatricians may follow outdated advice so I recommend doing your own research in addition to talking with your doctor. There is a growing amount of evidence that rice cereal is not necessary. It contains high levels of arsenic and has little to no nutritional value besides the artificial iron it is fortified with. This is hard on baby’s digestive system. If you are concerned about iron, there are other options such as an iron supplement or high quality organ meats. If you decide to feed your baby cereal, organic oat cereal may be a better option.
Benefits of waiting until 6 months:
Baby’s digestive system will be fully mature
Baby will be developmentally mature to eat food
Lower risk of iron-deficiency anemia
Lower risk of obesity later on in life
It is easier (baby can feed themselves)
Improved immune system
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dont-feed-your-baby-solid-food-before-6-months/
https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/HALF-Implementation-Guide/Age-Specific-Content/Pages/Infant-Food-and-Feeding.aspx
Arden eating his favorite food : avocado
how to start?
Offer baby food only when they are sitting upright to prevent choking. This is our favorite high chair since it securely clips onto the table and there is no gap for food to fall into. Follow baby’s lead. If they are turning away or distracted, don’t try to feed them more and if they are looking for more with a clean tray, offer a few more bites! There is no rush and remember “food before 1 is mainly for fun” so if your child doesn’t immediately take to solids, don’t worry just keep offering.
There are two popular options for feeding babies and you can choose one or a combination of both!
Purees: make sure to only feed baby when you have their attention (no sneak attacks or tv distraction)
Baby Led Feeding: Put a few slices of food on their high chair tray and let them do it themselves. They may not make any into their mouth the first few times just know it’s a learning experience!
best first foods
Any fruit, vegetable, fish, or meat is fine for baby’s first food! Basically, try to stick to WHOLE FOODS. The only foods you need to stay away from are honey and choking hazards such as popcorn, chips, whole nuts, and big globs of nut butter.
**first foods should be cut to the length and width of an adult pinky and soft enough to easily mush with your fingers. if it is hard to grab on to like avocado, roll the slices in hemp hearts or shredded coconut.
Already soft foods such as banana or avocado are good, soft first foods for anxious parents and babies who don’t know how to chew. (no teeth are required for food but baby is still learning how chewing works!) You could even mash these with breastmilk or formula and feed with a spoon to ease them into new flavors.
First Favorites:
Bananas
Avocado
Beans or lentils
Roasted carrot sticks
Steamed broccoli
Green peas
Steamed apples
Sweet potato
Zucchini
Smoothies
Soft boiled egg yolk
Flaky fish
Quality organ meats (local, pasture raised, organic)
Favorite readily available baby foods
Serenity Kids pouches are great and low sugar (you don’t want baby getting too used to the sweet stuff.) They’re made with small farm, pastured animal meat, wild caught fish and/or organic veggies.
Once Upon A Farm makes refrigerated pouches that are like smoothies. They’re sweeter with fruit and berries so babies love them and all organic.
Mamma Chia pouches contain hydrated chia seeds and blackberry purée and are a great on the go snack that babies (and you) will love!
nutrients and supplements
Important nutrients to include in baby’s diet:
Iron
Zinc
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamin D
Healthy fat
Supplements for babies: Probiotic (Klaire Labs infant probiotic), Fish oil (Nordic Naturals Infant DHA), and Vitamin D
Should I buy organic?
Conventionally grown foods contain high levels of toxic pesticides which can build up in babies’ bodies. I believe in limiting exposure to most toxins at home because we are exposed to them in the “real world” anyways so why not control what we can?
If organic foods are hard too find or out of your budget, check out the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 by the EWG. These are lists published each year showing which produce contains the most and least amount of pesticide residue. As a general rule of thumb, if it has thin skin like berries or lettuce, buy organic. Thick skinned produce such as bananas or pineapple are safer.
sugar and salt
Avoid any added sugar before 1, preferably 2 years old. Nothing says sugar is healthy and if we think of food as nourishment there is literally no need. Sugar has been shown to be just as addictive as drugs such as cocaine and we’ve all seen a “sugar rush” in a toddler. Skip the desserts and sweetened packaged foods, there are better options!
Too much salt stresses the kidneys of babies. When making food just for baby, skip the salt. If it is for the whole family, go light and put a salt shaker on the dinner table!
Foods for babies 8-9+ months
(When they get the pincer grasp down and can pick up small pieces of food.) Cut to the size of a chickpea and food should be soft enough to easily mash with your fingers.
food favorites:
Fresh fruits (berries are a favorite)
Steamed veggies
Smashed chickpeas
Hummus
Smoothies
Chia pudding
Fried apples (chopped apples sautéed in coconut oil with cinnamon)
Lentils
Cooked small pasta
Oatmeal
Flaky fish
High quality eggs
Zoodles and Meatballs
drinks
Introduce a straw cup, 360 cup, or an open cup around 6-9 months (these cups are more beneficial for proper oral development). Offer only a couple ounces of water when baby is eating so they become accustomed to the plain taste of water! Too much water isn’t good for younger babies because it doesn’t contain nutrients like breastmilk or formula does but once baby gets closer to 1 year old, always have water available for them to drink!
Do NOT offer your baby any sweetened beverages such as sports drinks, juices, sweet tea, or soda. Artificially sweetened (diet or “light”) are just as bad if not worse. Check out my post on reading ingredients.
Juice is not necessary for children and there is nothing wrong or boring about only feeding your child water. Here is the AAP’s recommendation on juice: “Juice should not be introduced into the diet of infants before 12 months of age unless clinically indicated. The intake of juice should be limited to, at most, 4 ounces/day in toddlers 1 through 3 years of age, and 4 to 6 ounces/day for children 4 through 6 years of age. For children 7 to 18 years of age, juice intake should be limited to 8 ounces or 1 cup of the recommended 2 to 2.5 cups of fruit servings per day.”
Water is perfect for us and we should all become accustomed to the taste of water! Keep it simple it’ll save you time and money. I try to steer clear of plastic since it tends to hold on to smells and stainless steel is an overall less toxic and more environmentally friendly option.
Favorite Learning Cups:
books
Baby Led Feeding by Jenna Helwig
This was a book I found extremely helpful with some great infographics on how to cut baby food for different ages. It talks about nutrition, how to introduce food, and the difference in choking vs gagging (super important to understand). I highly recommend this book!
‘Super nutrition for babies (not vegan friendly)
Although I may not agree with everything in this book, I still think it offers great advice on infant nutrition and the best way to introduce foods for optimal digestion.
This blog is a labor of love and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult your medical provider or dietitian for any health concerns.
Follow me on Instagram @yourtruepeace or join my Facebook group Your True Peace for lots of easy healthy food ideas and all the positive vibes! Please share if this helped you!
With love, Amanda