Wholesome Homemade 1st Baby Foods

"Mushy yes, but tasteless never!"

You're excited, your baby is around 6 months of age and has reached a new milestone: it's time to start 

BABY FOODS. There's nothing more satisfying than watching your child discover the joys of eating. "Most of our taste preferences are formed early in life—in the first couple of years and especially in the first year—by the kinds of exposures we have," says Alan Greene M.D., author of Feeding Baby Green.

Where to start? What to buy? How to prepare it? If you have decided that you would like to make your very own baby food then you're in luck - I've done my research so you don't have to. 

Why I choose to make my own? When you make it at home, you know exactly what’s in it and can get your little one in the healthy habit of eating realistic flavours. 

When to feed?

"The best time to feed your baby solids for the first time is when he's feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed—in the morning or right after a nap," says Karen Ansel R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Your baby should be hungry but not starving and that there aren't too many distractions around. 

What to feed?

The first foods you should feed your baby are those that are easily digested and least likely to trigger an allergic reaction. Don’t be tempted to add salt or sugar to your baby’s food however bland. Salt may harm your baby’s kidneys and sugar will encourage a sweet tooth. If you want to add some flavour you can add some cinnamon or coconut oil, coconut oil is .  

You should give your baby one new food at a time, and wait a a minimal of 2 to 3 days before starting another. After your baby has gotten used to the act of eating, introduce new foods rapidly.The foods baby likes or dislikes will change constantly - don't give up on a food you think your baby does not like; offer it at least 10 times. Be sure to try the disliked food again later.

The first thing most people will tell you to start with is infant cereal, which makes sense? Or does it?

What I have come to discover is that most infant cereals are highly refined, processed bland and studies are now revealing that grains may not be good starter foods for baby to digest. 

My suggestion (backed up by my daughters reaction to her first foods) is to sticking to REAL foods as your babies first foods. Afterall, vegetables have a much higher nutrient content than grains and less chance of an allergic response.

So far my #1 first baby food is Avo. Avocado, often referred to as the "perfect food", has a fantastic creamy texture, it's fresh, it doesn't require any cooking and it is FULL of nutrients and "good" fat, PLUS my little one LOVES it, in fact she grabs the spoon in a hurry to get more in.

#2 Sweet Potato, a nutritional "all-star" loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and fiber. These can be baked, steamed, boiled or microwaved and then blended. This is another of my daughters favourite foods thus far.

#3 Coconut - is very nutricious, and high in lauric acid which also happens to be the main fatty acid found in breast milk. Lauric acid is what makes breast milk so digestible and is believed to protect the body from infection and boost the immune system. You can cream fresh coconut using some of the milk or you can let her drink coconut milk from a bottle. Coconut oil is considered to be the healthiest type of dietery oil, I simply add a dash of coconut oil to pureed butternut or sweet potato.

#4 Butternut

   #5 Banana is another baby food that is as easy as 123 to prepare, plus it comes "packaged". Bananas are bursting with nutrients and also aid the intestines in making a valuable mucous lining, ripe banana contains amylase enzymes to digest carbohydrates. Furthermore, it is a favourite amongst the 'littlies'. Banana's are naturally sweet, therefore you can use them in food combinations to give more flavour or sweetness to other fruits or vegetables such as apples, blueberries, kiwi, peaches, pears, pumpkin, and sweet potato.

It is recommended that you purchase organic though, because the peel is porous. 

#6 Baked Apple and Cinnamon Pureé

You can even throw a banana or some almonds (when they're a bit older) into this mix and it's still a winner!

#10 Flaxseeds At around 7-8 months you can start adding ground flaxseeds or flaxseed oil to add essential omega's to your babies food. 

For more fantastic recipes:
Baby Popsicles
Coconut - Ideal First Food Recipe