baby care

View Original

Vegetables For Baby - Introducing Solid Foods

Vegetables for baby are always a good idea! Do you want to expand your baby’s tastes? It is essential that you start with vegetables, not fruits. If you do it differently, your baby won’t accept veggies that easily. Sweet fruits always win! That is why we need to make them love vegetables first.

Separate tastes

Preparing vegetables for baby remember to start with separate flavors. Give only one vegetable at a time. You will get to mixing later. The first thing is to introduce a single product, let the baby know the taste of every food separately.

Observe the reaction, maybe take notes.

Cooking

Don’t propose your little one raw food; the little stomach is not prepared yet. Every vegetable need to be cooked. Steam-cooked preferably, but not necessarily, you can also cook with a small amount of water. Make sure not to use salt or any other spices. Also, don’t add sugar or any other sweetener. Baby needs to know real tastes.

Consistency

Vegetables for a baby should be in the form of puree. A food processor is handy while introducing solid foods. Although any other blender will do too.

Amount

Remember that milk is still your baby’s primary food. Introducing solids is more about teaching new tastes and preparing the baby for the later diet, than getting full. One teaspoon is enough for a start. Gradually increase up to five-six teaspoons.

Repetitiveness

Introduce each new food for several days. At first, the baby probably won’t be interested at all. After few (three-five) days you can judge if your baby will accept the taste or no. Sometimes new product needs to be given fifteen times before baby gets used to it.

If you’re having trouble picking right vegetables for baby to start with, purchase my How to Introduce Solid Foods to your baby book, it is a complete guide that will carry you through all the process, since the month four up to more than a year. Introducing solids may be quite a journey for you two!

Susan Urban