Nine weaning food ideas

Other than nutrients, weaning helps your baby develop coordination skills and enjoy chewing (Shutterstock)

Weaning is an important stage for many reasons. It helps babies transition from breast milk to other foods so they can get essential nutrients.

It’s not only about the nutrients. Weaning helps your baby develop coordination skills, enjoy chewing as they try new foods and it helps parents know if their baby is allergic to certain foods.

The question of what’s safe and what’s not safe for weaning babies often crosses every parent’s mind. You have to be careful because certain groups of foods affect babies differently depending on how old they are.

Peas

Peas are a good source of proteins and fiber among other benefits.

They are a great weaning choice because it’s easy for babies to digest them.

They can easily be prepared by boiling and mashing them into a puree. It needs to be a bit on the watery side rather than a thick texture.

Sweet potatoes

Your baby will love this meal because it has some sweetness to it. Also, they have immune boosting properties which is why it’s good for weaning. Feed it to your baby in the form of a soft puree.

Carrot and potato puree

This is suitable even for the first weaning stages. Most babies are able to digest the starch in potatoes well at about six months.

If you’re a little concerned about the starch, you can start off with carrot puree only then add potato mash after some time.

Vegetable soup

Here you have the freedom to mix different types of veggies for your baby.

Some of the best veggies are carrots, broccoli, butternut or any other type that they’re comfortable eating.

Steam the vegetables and blend until it’s mushy. Transfer the mush to a pan and add water then let it cook for a few minutes before serving.

Pasteurized yogurt

Yoghurt is a great source of healthy fats and calcium. Some babies respond well to yoghurt at six months while others at eight months and above. Still, you have to make sure that you give them pasteurized yoghurt to prevent any health risks.

Try the natural yoghurt and avoid those that are packed with artificial sugars.

Be careful as certain groups of foods affect babies differently depending on their age (Shutterstock)

Avocado and banana mash

Fruits should also be an essential part of your baby’s weaning diet. There are healthy fats and vitamins in avocados and bananas have some great vitamins too.

Mash them together to combine all the amazing benefits of bananas and avocados.

Apple puree

Apples are good for digestion and a healthy source of nutrients as well. They taste great especially when served with other purees including veggies.

Before you blend, make sure you peel them which will make digestion easier and remove all the seeds properly to prevent poisoning.

Baby rice

Babies are also able to digest baby rice in early weaning stages. Usually, most babies don’t have any allergic reactions with this. Mix the baby rice with breast milk or formula.

This is a great breakfast meal for your baby.

Bread pieces

Finger foods are also important. Bread pieces are one of the options that are recommend because they help your baby develop coordination when eating.

Start off with plain soft bread then with time, you can lightly toast them.

Extra tips

Avoid weaning your baby too early or too late. This can cause a number of health problems. Avoid feeding them foods with salt in them because they’re not able to process it just yet. Only introduce salt after 12 months. Start introducing high allergy foods one at a time to see whether your baby is allergic to any of them. Introducing too many things at once will make it harder for you to spot any reactions.

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