Food choices for your child

Every parent loves to cook nutritious and healthy for their child. And they are in hunt for food which tickles the mouth as well as provides all-around nutrition to their child. So, if you are one of them, this is the right page for you to land. I am going to share list of food options that can be given to 6+ month old baby. These options are suggested keeping in mind Baby Led Weaning (BLW), so you will not find purees in this list.

check this post to learn basics of solids introduction

Given below are some of the best practices that I have been following and was advised for by our pediatrician:

• It is recommended not to give salt, sugar and honey till one year of age. So, for sweetness, you can add fruit purees (apple, banana, papaya, mango etc.) or dry date powder. Although there is no replacement of salt, still for flavor you can add spices (jeera, hing, black pepper) and do dressing with a small quantity of lemon juice.

• It is advised to avoid animal milk till one year of age, but in most cases, it can be used in recipes in small quantities. Just make sure it is boiled or if you want to completely avoid it, you can add formula milk. Make sure that you don't boil/cook formula milk. Just add it in the end of recipe. 

• To rule out any allergy, make sure to give any new food item in the morning only so that if baby is allergic to something, it is visible by the evening. 

• I use home-made desi ghee and home-made paneer for all recipes. But that is just out of love for my little-one, you can use whatever is convenient for you.

Vegetables to be added in cheela/dalia/khichdi

1. Potato
2. Tomato
3. Onion
4. Capsicum
5. Peas
6. Spinach
7. Corn
8. Beetroot
9. Pumpkin
10. Carrot
11. Cauliflower
12. Broccoli
13. Bell peppers (red/green/yellow capsicum)

I basically try to add 5-6 different seasonal veggies in all recipes (whatever is available in home).

check this post to know all about oats

Spices to be added in cheela/dalia/khichdi/stuffed paranthas

1. Hing
2. Jeera
3. Black pepper
4. Ajwain
5. Haldi

If you are adding chilies make sure that your child does not put it in their eyes. 

To enhance nutritional value of food, you can add a tablespoon of foxnut(makhana) powder, dry fruits powder or home made peanut butter e.g. add in dalia, halwa, home made cerelac, curd etc. etc. while serving.

Check recipe of foxnut powder here.

check recipe section of blog for recipes Just Parented: recipe

When and how to offer dry fruits

You can give dry fruits powder to your child when you start solids but since dry fruits are allergens, make sure you give it in a very small quantity first to rule out any allergy. You can roast and make powder of all dry fruits except raisins.  

Accessories : These are some of the things that I tried while my journey of introducing solids to my child and these really helped me to achieve my goal.

• Pressure Cooker : I prefer to use steel pressure cooker for cooking. Aluminum utensils are not good for health so you should also avoid it. 

• Booster seat : It has an removable tray with cover. Since this tray gets fixed,  you don't need to buy extra suction plate.

• spoon : Though in description of this spoon, it is for 8+ month child. But I used for my 6 month old son and works well for me. It is good for self feeding as well as if you want to feed your child yourself i.e. for traditional as well as baby led weaning.

• Steel glass : This glass has an embedded ghanti(ring) in it which kids find very fascinating and it makes easier for parents to feed water in it. 

• sippy cup :  I prefer to use open cup/steel glass for feeding water at home but while travelling it can be messy so I bought sippy cup for such occasions or if there is hot summer(may, june weather of north india) and child is refusing to take water in steel glass.

• bib : 
• cloth bib

• silicone bib

• zigzag cutter : It help in cutting vegetables or fruits in finger shape. Because of zig zag mark, it is easier for child to hold and eat.

• vegetable chopper : It is most useful product. You can chop any vegetable in it and use for stuffing paranthas or add in khichdi/dalia

Related posts : 

http://www.justparented.com/2021/04/introducing-solid-foods-to-your-child.html
http://www.justparented.com/2021/05/how-to-make-foxnuts-makhana-powder.html

http://www.justparented.com/2021/08/home-made-oats-cookies-for-kids.html

Just Parented: Introducing Oats to your tiny tots

Just Parented: Eggplant Pizza

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P.S. : I will keep adding more options to this page as and when I try new recipe for my son. Also, please do share with us if you have other options in mind or you try any new food item on your child.

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