Baby

The best foods for baby's first year

November 21, 2012

When you introduce your baby to solid foods, he will discover a new world of tastes and textures. And the good news is: when your baby is growing up, it is possible to combine food discovery and healthy eating.

Whether you are breastfeeding or not, you should introduce solid foods at about six months. You will start with cereals, fruits and vegetables in the hope that your baby will enjoy discovering these new foods!

Cereals

The first solid food for babies is rice or barley, followed by oat, soya or wheat cereals. Mixed cereals can be introduced when all the individual cereals have been tried first, making it easier to see if certain foods are problematic for your child.

Good for…

Cereals are high in iron and vitamin B complex.

Fruits and vegetables

Even if it is said that it’s easier to love vegetables if they are introduced before fruits, some still recommend starting with fruits first. Every specialist has his opinion on the matter and will preach accordingly There are no advantages to either one expect that the more variety of fruits and vegetables offered to your child, the more essential nutrients he will receive. It is better to introduce each fruit and vegetable purees separately before starting to mix them together to identify any foods that can cause problems to your child.

Good for…

High in vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables prevent constipation and regulate the baby’s bowel movement.

Tips
  • Coloured vegetables like carrots are sweeter than green ones, so it is recommended to introduce green vegetables before.
  • Beets, turnip, spinach, cabbage and broccoli are high in nitrates and are harder to digest. Wait until the baby is 9 months old before introducing these foods.
  • Be careful with citrus foods since they are very acid. Wait until the baby is one or even two years old before introducing these foods.
  • Because of manipulation, home-made and frozen veggies have a 20% lower vitamin content compared to fresh produce, and yet, we don’t give these to our babies right away!
  • Canned veggies go through a process that resembles pasteurization, which means that the vegetables are boiled and then lose 40% of their vitamin content. Remember that the amount of sodium in these products is also very high and should be kept away from babies. This is why it is better to give fresh produce and frozen vegetables to your baby and only have canned vegetables for emergency situations.
  • Even if it tastes better to adults, never add salt or sugar to fruits and vegetables. Not only is it bad for their bodies, but it stops the child from discovering the real taste of food.
  • Fruit juices are introduced only after having discovered solid foods; about a month after. Don’t forget that juices contain a lot of sugar (even natural juices) and should not replace breast milk or formula. Don’t give more than a cup a day (250 ml) and always dilute it until the child is a year old.

 

To know more
Eating with fingers, a spoon, a fork and a knife

They start off by eating everything with their little hands. But eventually, they will be able to manipulate utensils like a big kid! Here are some pointers on the proper timing to start introducing forks and spoons.

12 finger foods

Because it is an important step in your child’s development, here are some finger foods. Get a washcloth and welcome dexterity and autonomy!  

Food Taboos

With the increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide, many foods with a high sugar and fat content are being pointed at. But do we really need to ban certain food products for toddlers?

The order of solid foods

Your customs and culture will certainly influence the order in which you will introduce solid foods to your baby. In Quebec, we start with cereal, followed with vegetables and then fruits.


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