Baby’s First Foods

Knowing what is best to feed your baby and when – is half the battle. Always keep it organic when possible and even better – keep it local! When you put foods into your baby that are from the local area (and into your whole family) you are supporting the healthiest foods and the farmers who bring them to you. I want to talk about which foods you really want to focus on at what ages for your baby.

Here is a basic guideline of what to feed your baby in the first year and at what stages:

• Birth to 4 months: breast milk
• 4-6 months: Breast milk or formula, rice cereal, & grain cereals like rice, oats and barley. I like to mash bananas and scrape or puree a very ripe, peeled apple for 5 months and up
• 6-8 months: Breast milk, cereals (rice, barley, oats), Pureed or strained fruits and vegetables – banana, pears, applesauce, peaches, avocado, well-cooked carrots, squash, and sweet potato. You can give mashed potaotes, but without the added salt,  butter and milk (try removing a small amount of boiled potato before you mash).
• 8-10 months: Breast milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, baby cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals), Mashed fruits and vegetables (bananas, peaches, pears, avocados, cooked carrots, squash, potatoes , sweet potatoes), finger foods (small pieces of bread, cut up; small pieces of ripe banana; well-cooked spiral pasta; teething crackers; low-sugar O-shaped cereal), small amounts of protein (boiled egg, pureed meats, poultry, and small amounts of mercury free boneless fish; tofu; well-cooked and mashed beans with soft skins like lentils, split peas, pintos, black beans), Non-citrus juice (apple or pear)
• 8-12 months: Breast milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, baby cereals, rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals, fruit cut into cubes or strips, or mashed, bite-size-soft-cooked vegetables, peas, carrots, macaroni and cheese, casseroles, egg-pureed or finely ground meats, poultry, and boneless fish; tofu; well-cooked and mashed beans, finger foods, lightly toasted bread or bagels, small pieces of ripe banana, spiral pasta, teething cookies, low-sugar O-shaped cereal, non-citrus juice

Limit, as much as possible any foods with added sugar and ABSOLUTELY do not give your baby soda and candy (these items not only weaken your baby’s immune system, but also will rot baby teeth and overall the empty calories will not provide the necessary nutrition your baby needs to grow a healthy body and foundation for a healthy future.

You don’t have to buy expensive pre-prepared baby foods that are costly and often less healthy for your baby. As a matter of fact, if you plan a little, you can feed your baby well and hardly notice an increase in your grocery bill.