Introducing Solids Chart / Baby First Foods(4-7 months)

Introducing Solids Chart / Baby First Foods

Best first foods for baby 

Best first baby foods 

What do you need to make homemade baby food?

 You do not require much for making homemade baby food and introducing solids to baby and equipments from your kitchen are enough for this purpose. However, few things will be good to have. I had these and they have served me well and continue to serve me till date though my daughter is past baby food days. 

 

  • A small pressure cooker (1 to 1 ½ litre capacity ) : This is a life saver when you are introducing solids to your baby. You can cook small amounts of food baby in a jiffy without much fuss.

 

 

 

  • A good quality steel strainer : Great for straining cooked food. Can also be used to puree well-cooked food. Simply put cooked fruits/ vegetables for making baby food onto strainer and pass it through using a spoon or fork.

 

 

How to start introducing solids to baby?

Below are good baby first foods to start with :

 Rice cereal as baby first food

 Rice cereal can be given to baby once baby is nearer to 6 months mark. Mix cereal with lukewarm water or baby’s milk to make a very runny mixture. Feed this with a spoon and not in a bottle.

 Dal water  as baby first food

 Dal water is commonly given to babies as a first food. It is the water in which pulses have been boiled. Usually green gram (moong dal) is given to babies first as it is the easiest to digest.

See how to make Moong dal water / Dal ka pani as baby first food

 Rice water as baby first food

 You can also give cooled rice water, i.e. water in which rice has been boiled. This is a little but not too starchy and a light baby first food.

 Fruits  as baby first food

 Fruits can be great first foods. Fruits like banana and apple are usually not allergenic and can be safely given to babies. Babies love eating fruits for their sweet taste.

 Banana as baby first food

 Banana can be simply mashed very well to a paste and mixed with a little milk or water to make runny and given to baby. To make sure there are no chunks, pass through a strainer.

You can also make banana suji halwa as baby first food

 Apple as baby first food

 Apple needs to be cooked before it can be given to baby.

 Peel apple. Cut into small chunks and cook in a saucepan with small amount of water for 10-15minutes till apple is very soft. If you use a pressure cooker, cook till 2-3 whistles and cool before opening.

  Pass this through a strainer or blend first and then strain. Make sure no fiber goes in to young baby’s food as baby’s digestive system is still immature and cannot handle very tough tissue. As baby grows, you can simply mash or blend and give without straining. Use remaining water to make the puree.

How to make AppleSauce for Baby First Food

 

Vegetables

Veggies like carrots, Bottle gourd (Lauki), ridge gourd, pumpkins can be introduced to baby’s diet, a few weeks after baby has adjusted to cereal or fruits.

Clean and small cut vegetable into small pieces. Boil vegetable in a saucepan or pressure cooker till veggies are very well-cooked. Mash or blend and pass through strainer.

 DON’T ADD ANY SUGAR OR SALT TO YOUR BABY’S FOOD AT THIS STAGE.

Pumpkin and Potato Mash/Puree as baby first food

 


 

Get a food chart for babies below 1 year.

 For recipes for 6-9 months old  babies and recipes for 10-12 months babies , go to Recipe Corner 

 

 HOW MUCH SOLID FOOD TO GIVE?

You should take it very slow when introducing solid foods. Always introduce only one new food at a time and continue the same for 3-4 days to keep tab on any allergic reaction. If you notice any rashes , hives etc , discontinue the culprit food immediately and do not start until a month or two later.

Baby will not eat much at first. She might just spit everything out or may eat a little. It may take many attempts for baby to accept a food. In any case, take it slow and don’t offer more than a teaspoon at first gradually increasing to a tablespoon and then to 2-3 tablespoons.

 Follow our 6 month baby food chart for introducing solids

Baby eats very little. What to do?

  • Always follow baby’s lead. Don’t ever force baby to finish what you have made. If baby turns the head away or spits out the food repeatedly, stop right away.
  • If you force-feed the baby, she might just vomit everything out, so stop and try again the next day and there is a better chance of succeeding.
  • Also, force-feeding will make baby dread feeding sessions and you can then be ready for howling session at the sight of high-chair itself.
  • Make the meal-time fun and not a chore for the baby. She can get all the required nutrition from breastmilk or formula, so don’t fret if she takes only a spoon of that applesauce and then loses interest.

 

WHAT NOT TO GIVE THE BABY TILL 1 YEAR?

There are a few things which well-wishers might suggest you while introducing solids, but should be kept out of baby’s menu for now and till the baby turns 1 year old.

  • Cow’s milk

  • Honey

  • Chocolates

  • Egg whites

  • Extra fat in food. Though, it is traditional to add some ghee to baby’s food, use it sparingly.

  • If there is any history of allergy in the family, delay that item till a tleast 1 year.

  • Citrus fruits should not be given to baby before 6 months.

 Read more on foods to avoid during first year.

Hope all these will help you in introducing solids and planning your baby’s first foods.  If you like the article, do share it in your circle. Do leave a comment to ask a question or let us know your feedback.  You can follow us on Facebook, twitter and pinterest.



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5 Replies to “Introducing Solids Chart / Baby First Foods(4-7 months)”

  1. Pallavi Gupta says:

    My son is 6 1/2 month old… He doesn’t want to eat anything… No carrots, no khichdi, no potatoes. I m really worried
    Pls suggest something

    Reply
    1. you can make set mix.take roasted wheat,rice,black gram {dehusked}and sugar in 1:1:1:2 ratio grind all them to powder.it can be mixed in pulse water,rice water,milk,boiled water,atleast 2times in a day 3-4 teaspoon.TRY says:

      try it.hope for good

      Reply
  2. jeff schneider says:

    Do you have any more posts on this subject? This was really useful

    Reply

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