9 month baby food routine

What and When Can Babies Eat at 9 Months?

What food is healthy for a nine-month-old?

A nine-month-old baby is growing rapidly, and complex brain development is taking place. A well-balanced, nutritional diet that fills their belly is critical at this time. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a nine-month-old should be eating a wide variety of foods. If babies are eating cereal, it should be fortified. This will provide the nutrients that they need.

It’s great to include a rainbow of foods in a nine-month-old’s diet. Their food should be colorful, fresh, and tantalizing. Encourage them to try fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and meats. Wait until they have turned one year old before introducing honey, as it may contain the bacteria that can cause botulism. Along the same lines, unpasteurized drinks or foods can contain E. coli and cause severe intestinal problems.

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What solid foods can a baby eat?

Food for 9-month-olds can be tricky. Many babies at this age are ready to try eating food with their hands. Finger food should be small and soft enough to pick up easily and chew without risk of choking.

At this age, babies’ chewing abilities haven’t yet fully matured. They may not use their teeth yet, instead using their tongue to mash up their food. Some safe options for nine-month-old babies include:

• Soft fruits (e.g., bananas and peaches)
• Bread (without the crust)
• Dry cereal
• Avocado
• Peas
• Green beans and cooked beans
• Tofu
• Meat and fish
• Sweet potato
• Pasta

When offering nine-month-old babies food (especially finger food), size is important. Pieces should be large enough to pick up but small enough that the baby won’t choke. Try to aim for cubes about a third of an inch in size. This is just a little bit bigger than a standard pea.

How much should a 9-month-old eat?

A nine-month-old feeding schedule is not much different than when they were first born. They are still on an on-demand schedule. This basically means that parents should look for signs indicating when the baby is hungry and when they’re full. They might eat a different combination of solid foods, breast milk, and formula every day, depending on their mood.

How much formula is good for a nine-month-old?

Babies at nine months old still require breast milk and/or formula every day as part of their regular diet. Breast milk and formula contain high levels of nutrients that are necessary for proper growth. Cow milk can be introduced when babies get a bit older.

Babies should eat at least five to six times per day to meet their nutritional requirements. As they begin to eat more solid foods, the amount of formula or breast milk needed will likely decrease in frequency and amount.

Sample menu for a nine-month-old baby

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests the following menu and feeding schedule for 9-month-old babies.

Breakfast

¼–½ cup cereal or mashed egg

¼–½ cup fruit, diced (if the child is self-feeding)

4–6 ounces formula or breast milk

Snack​

4–6 ounces breast milk, formula, or water

¼ cup diced cheese or cooked vegetables

Lunch

¼–½ cup yogurt, cottage cheese, or meat

¼–½ cup yellow or orange vegetables

4–6 ounces formula or breast milk

Snack

One teething biscuit or cracker

¼ cup yogurt or diced fruit

Water

Dinner

¼ cup diced poultry, meat, or tofu

¼–½ cup green vegetables

¼ cup noodles, pasta, rice, or potatoes

¼ cup fruit

4–6 ounces formula or breast milk

Before bedtime

6–8 ounces formula, breast milk, or water

A nine-month-old baby’s nutritional needs aren’t much different from the nutrients that adults need too. Over the course of a day, offer a 9-month-old foods of different colors. Here are some colorful examples:

• Green — green beans, peas, spinach, zucchini, and asparagus
• Orange — cantaloupe and sweet potatoes
• Yellow — peppers, squash, and bananas
• Red, blue, and purple — beans, cooked tomatoes, red peppers, and smashed berries

These different foods can also be a great diet for new parents to follow when breastfeeding and trying to get back in shape after delivery. This is an exciting time for parents and babies. It’s fun to watch babies explore new things, including textures and tastes. 

Recipes, Food Ideas & Tips

Babies grow really fast in their first year after birth, and their nutritional needs change rapidly along with their growing age. As your little munchkin reaches the threshold of nine months, you will be required to make changes in his diet. This means you will be required to transition from breast or formula milk to solid foods. If you wish to know about the feeding schedule of a nine month baby, what kind of food items you can feed, tips on feeding, and various other associated topics, read on!

What to Feed a 9-Month-Old

Babies experiment with food as they reach this age. While some babies may show more interest in fruits, others may prefer veggies. Some babies may like to eat pureed or mashed food, whereas others may enjoy chewy foods, or more texture in their food. Here are some 9 month old food ideas that you can try for your little bundle of joy:

1. Fruits and Vegetables

Following are some fruits and vegetables that you can add in your little one’s diet:

• Papaya
• Apple
• Blueberries
• Pears
• Banana
• Peaches
• Grapes
• Kiwi
• Mangoes
• Plums
• Apricots
• Prunes
• Watermelon
• Carrots
• Green beans
• Beetroot
• Bottle gourd
• Broccoli
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potato
• Tomato
• Butternut squash
• Eggplant
• Zucchini
• Cauliflower

2.

Non-Vegetarian Options

Following are some non-vegetarian foods to give a 9 month old baby:

• Egg yolk (keep an eye out for allergies)
• Chicken
• Lean meat
• Fish (except shellfish)

3. Other Food Items

Here is a list of other food items that can be fed to a nine-month-old baby:

• Oatmeal
• Bread
• Tofu
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Butter
• Chickpeas
• Quinoa
• Semolina

How Much Milk Is Enough for a 9-Month-Old?

By the time your little one is 9 months of age, he may be consuming three main meals and one or two snacks in between, which would include fruits, veggies, cereals, and various other kinds of foods. However, breast milk or formula milk is still important for your baby, and should be an important part of his meal plan. This is because your baby still needs ample protein in his diet, and milk is of the most essential sources of protein for him.

The quantity of milk at around nine months of age can be anywhere from 16 to 24 oz, depending upon how much solid food your baby is consuming throughout the day. Alternate between breast/formula milk and solid meals.

9-Month-Old Feeding Schedule

Your baby’s 9 month old meal plan will include breast or formula milk. Where some mothers may choose to wean off completely at this age, others may continue to breastfeed up to 2 years of age. However, it is important to introduce solid food in your baby’s diet planner after 6 months of age, to provide for the additional nutritional requirements of your growing baby. From 9 to 12 months of age, your baby may require approximately 750 to 900 calories in a day. Where your baby may get approximately 400 to 500 calories from breast or formula milk, the rest have to come from solid food. Here is a sample eating schedule that you can try for your baby:

Meal	Food Options
Breakfast	½ cup pureed fruit ½ cup cereal 4 to 6 oz breast or formula milk
Mid-morning snack	4 to 6 oz breast or formula milk
Lunch	Cheese or yogurt/khichdi /rice + dal 4 to 5 oz breast or formula milk
Evening snack	¼ cup of boiled vegetables
Dinner	½ cup of cooked vegetables ¼ cup of boiled rice, or boiled lentils with ghee

You can try various combinations of foods to make your own 9 month baby food chart as per the taste and preference of your baby.

Foods to Avoid for a 9-Month-Old Infant

As you slowly and gradually introduce your little one to the benefits of various kinds of solid foods, you need to be extra careful when feeding certain varieties of food, as they may cause complications in young babies. Here are some foods that you should avoid feeding your munchkin:

• Honey should be avoided in any form, as it may cause infant botulism, an infection that can harm your baby’s guts. Also, honey at such a young age may affect your baby’s teeth development.
• Undercooked or raw eggs may lead to salmonella contamination. Therefore, make sure you feed well-cooked egg whites and yolks to your baby.
• Sugary foods such as candies, ice creams, custards, or cookies should be avoided. Also, make sure you keep a tab on the amount of sugar that you add in your baby’s food.
• Do not give fish that contain high amounts of mercury in them, as they may harm your growing baby’s central nervous system. Some of the fish with high mercury include shark, marlin, swordfish, etc.
• Whole nuts are not good for your baby as they are difficult to chew, and may cause choking in babies.
• Too much salt may harm your baby’s kidneys. Therefore, make sure you add very little salt in your baby’s food.

Baby Food Recipes for a 9-Month-Old Baby

Thinking of whipping yummy and nutritious recipes for your little one? Here we have some easy to make recipes that you can try!

1. Sweet Potato and Peach Delight

A perfect dinner recipe for your baby that comes loaded with the health benefits of peach and sweet potato.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe peaches
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato
• A pinch of cinnamon
• Water, as required

How to Prepare 

• Wash sweet potato and peaches nicely. Soak up excess water with a kitchen towel.
• Peel and chop the sweet potato. Deseed and chop the peaches. Keep aside.
• Heat microwave oven at 375 degrees.
• Place the chopped peaches and sweet potato in a flat baking dish.
• Sprinkle cinnamon, and add enough water to cover the pieces.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the food becomes tender.
• Remove the content from the baking dish, and mash or puree as your baby likes.

2. Simple Apples and Pumpkin

This simple recipe can be whipped in no time, and can be served as a main meal option!

Ingredients

• 2 cups apples, deseeded, peeled, and chopped
• 1 cup pumpkin, peeled and chopped
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 cup water

How to Prepare

• Put the chopped apple and pumpkin pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle cinnamon powder, and give a thorough mix.
• Heat water in a heavy-bottomed pan.
• Throw in the pumpkin and apple pieces in the water.
• Cook on medium flame until they turn tender and mushy.
• Turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool down.
• Mash or puree well, and serve it to your munchkin!

3.

Fruity Yogurt

One of the simplest baby food recipes for your nine-month-old baby, this yogurt recipe can be made in no time.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• ½ cup mixed fruit puree (blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and other such fruits)

How to Prepare

• Mix fruit puree and yogurt in a bowl.
• Serve this yummy and sweet delight as a snack to your baby!
• You can use a mixed vegetable puree in place of fruit puree for variation.

Feeding Tips for Parents

There is no doubt that as a parent you mean well for your baby. However, it is always good to be careful and mindful when it comes to feeding your little one. Here is a feeding guide, or some tips for feeding finger food or any kind of food to your baby:

• Do not overwhelm your baby with large portions of food. Always start with small amounts or portions, and increase the amount of food as your baby gets comfortable.
• It is perfectly alright to let your baby eat with his hands. Make sure that your baby’s hands are clean. Babies usually master holding a spoon or fork at around 15 months or later.
• Never try to force your baby to eat. As a parent, you can only choose what to feed. Let your baby choose how much solid food he wishes to eat.
• If your baby resists eating a certain food, do not force it on him. Try offering the same food again after a few days to see if your baby likes it or not.
• Watch your baby closely whenever he is eating, as babies may choke sometimes. Never feed chunky or big morsels of food to your baby.
• Make your baby sit in an upright position while feeding, preferably on a high chair.
• Refrain from putting your baby to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice. This may lead to tooth decay and other dental problems in babies.

Taking note of these suggestions when making your baby’s feeding schedule can definitely help you. However, if you find yourself stuck in some place, do not hesitate to take your paediatrician’s help!

Baby menu at 9 months

6-12 months

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Although breast milk or formula remains the mainstay of infant nutrition at this age, a 9-month-old baby's menu becomes more varied with new complementary foods. The correct diet of the child is the basis of his harmonious development, good health and good mood. But how to organize a diet, what can be given at this age and how much should a child eat at one meal?

8 min. for reading Feb. 17, 2022

The correct diet for a nine-month-old baby includes 5 meals: a day the baby receives liquid food twice and thick food three times. This is due to the fact that mashed potatoes and cereals take longer to digest than milk, so they give the baby a longer energy supply. Feeding is usually carried out at intervals of 4 hours. If the baby asks to eat 2-3 hours after liquid food, offer her a baby snack, fruit or vegetable (in small pieces or in the form of a puree).

A 9-month-old baby's daily diet includes many healthy foods and drinks that provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and minerals. In addition to milk and infant formula, the following foods can be given to a child:

• Fruits and vegetables in the form of puree (apple, pear, cauliflower, etc.)
• Fruit juices and compotes without sugar.
• Meat in various forms.
• Fish.
• Kashi from various cereals.
• Chicken or quail egg yolk.
• Children's fresh cottage cheese.
• Children's low-fat kefir.
• Children's cookies, croutons, bread.

Read also: The baby refuses new products

According to WHO recommendations, by the 9th month, all of the above products should already be on the menu. If something from the food is still unfamiliar to your child, it is recommended to gradually add it to the diet.

Start with smaller portions and see how your child reacts to the new food. If there is no allergic reaction to the product, you can increase the volume and add it to new dishes. New complementary foods are recommended to be introduced at intervals of 5-7 days. An indicative table for one day will help to create an optimal diet for health. It also shows how much formula or milk the baby should eat per day.

* infant formula.
**Dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or infant formula given to the baby. Milk porridge is diluted with water.

I feeding 6 hours	Breast milk or formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance	200 ml
II feeding 10 hours	Dairy-free porridge*	180 g
	Vegetable oil <	about 1 tsp
	Fruit puree (apple, pear)	70 g
III feeding 14 hours	Vegetable puree or pureed soup	180 g
	Vegetable oil	about 1 tsp.
	Meat puree (rabbit, turkey)	50 g
	Fruit juice	70 g
IV feeding 18 hours	Fruit puree	50 g
	Vegetable puree or dairy-free porridge	180 g
	Vegetable oil	about 1 tsp.
	Meat puree	50 g
V feeding 22 hours	Breast milk or formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance	200 ml

*dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or it is safe for children with allergies to cow's milk proteins.

** you can eat porridge or vegetables, so you can eat grass - porridge with vegetables.

1st day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Buckwheat porridge with pumpkin, juice
Lunch	Pumpkin steam cutlets, veal puree
Snack	Rusks or baby biscuits, yoghurt
Dinner	Cauliflower puree
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

2nd day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Oatmeal, berry juice
Lunch	Steamed fish, rice, fruit compote
Snack	Vegetable puree
Dinner	Vegetable puree
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

3rd day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Semolina porridge, quail egg yolk
Lunch	Steamed zucchini, boiled veal, apple compote
Snack	Pumpkin and apple puree
Dinner	Curd casserole with carrots
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Fourth day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Rice porridge, fruit puree
Lunch	Mashed potatoes or turkey meatball soup
Snack	Carrot Apple Juice
Dinner	Kefir
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

5th day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Oatmeal and apple puree
Lunch	Cream soup with chicken and vegetables
Snack	Carrot juice
Dinner	Cauliflower puree, crackers or bread
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

6.

Sixth day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Rice porridge, half yolk (chicken egg)
Lunch	Vegetable soup with chicken breast, juice
Snack	Baked apple
Dinner	Spinach mashed potatoes
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Seventh day

First breakfast	Breast milk or formula
Second breakfast	Millet porridge, croutons
Lunch	Steamed chicken cutlets, vegetable puree
Snack	Apple juice
Dinner	Curd with fruits
Second dinner	Breast milk or formula

Parents need to gradually accustom the child to eating solid foods, because now he is moving to a new level of development: more teeth appear, so the baby can now chew food. If this is not done in a timely manner, a baby may refuse solid food in a year. Changing the consistency of dishes favorably affects the development of the digestive system.

No need to grind fish and potatoes in a blender - just put the food on a plate and mash well with a fork. Meat can be offered in the form of meatballs to develop chewing skills. It can be turkey, rabbit, veal, beef, chicken. The norm of meat for one meal is 60-70 g.

It is quite normal if at first large pieces in a dish cause discontent in a child or even a gag reflex - he will soon get used to it. Sometimes it happens the other way around - the baby willingly tries the pieces, but refuses pureed food. Treat your baby with apple slices, bread, crackers or baby snacks. But the meat is still better to grind thoroughly.

At this age, consumption of mother's milk or adapted formula decreases. There are only two feedings per day - in the morning and in the evening. Everything else is "adult" food. Ideally, the baby should sleep through the night and get up at 06:00-07:00. If the little one wakes up at night, it is already possible to gradually wean him from feeding at night (provided that he is gaining weight normally). You can consult with your pediatrician about this.

Please note that uneaten food (already cooked) must not be stored and reheated. It is also not recommended to add sugar and salt to the dish.

If you give your child ready-made baby puree, we recommend that you do not feed him immediately from a jar, but pour the right amount onto a plate. In this case, the rest can be stored in the refrigerator for another 24 hours.

Find out more: Baby Portion

Pay attention to the quality of food you cook: appearance, smell and expiration date. It is better to use seasonal vegetables and fruits, and shop in trusted places.

Wash food thoroughly under running water before cooking. You can also use special children's products for washing fruits and vegetables.

All products must be brought to full readiness, and then thoroughly crushed to the desired consistency, so that the baby can comfortably chew small pieces. After eating, wash the dishes with a special detergent.

How to properly feed a 9-month-old baby if he refuses food and does not eat the foods you suggest?

Poor appetite is one of the indicators of a baby's health. The problem may concern the digestive tract, glucose levels, central nervous system. The feeling of hunger appears when the level of sugar in the blood decreases. But for this you need to take breaks between meals. Also, the smell of food affects the appetite - it causes the release of gastric juice.

How to regain your appetite:

• observe the diet;
• develop a delicious menu for a baby at 9 months;
• Serve dishes beautifully and set the table;
• ventilate the room before eating;
• let your baby use cutlery.

See also: The baby does not eat well, how to feed?

In order for the baby to eat willingly, he must be in a good mood. Try to avoid stressful and nervous situations, feed him in a calm, comfortable atmosphere.

If the baby refuses to eat or eats very slowly, do not rush or force him to eat. Also, do not force the little one to eat foods that he refuses. Otherwise, in the future, he will have a negative attitude towards the feeding process, refuse to eat any food at all. He can even feel sick and vomit only with one kind of food.

Important

Games and cartoons during meals do not really improve appetite. On the contrary, in this way you only teach the baby to eat without noticing the dishes.

With the help of our tips, you can create a menu for a child at 9 months for every day, which will meet the requirements of a healthy diet and preferences of the baby

1. What should not be given to a child at 9 months?

It is not recommended to give cow's milk until the age of one. It contains too much calcium, which overloads the kidneys, and protein, which is poorly digested. Also be careful with foods that can cause allergies or contain a lot of sugar

2. Should oil be included in a baby's diet?

A 9-month-old baby's menu should include animal and vegetable oil, as it contains many vitamins, proteins and fatty acids necessary for the proper development of the baby. Among the useful products of plant origin, it is worth noting olive, corn, sesame or linseed oil.

3. Can a 9-month-old baby be given fish?

Low-fat white fish can be a healthy addition to your baby's menu. It is recommended to give fish 1-2 times a week instead of a meat dinner - flounder, cod, hake or pike perch are suitable. If the baby responds well to the product, try making fish cakes or meatballs.

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Diet for a child aged 9-12 months

By 9 months the main complementary foods have already been introduced, so the expansion of the child's diet continues. It is important to know that at this age the consistency of products should change from homogenized to finely and coarsely ground.
A meat dish for an older child can be offered in the form of meatballs, which diversifies the child's diet and stimulates the formation of chewing skills. Canned meat industrial production for children over 8 months. - coarsely chopped, spices and spices (white pepper, celery, parsley, dill, onion, basil, thyme) can be added to them.

The amount of fish puree increases to 60 g per day by 12 months. Fish is given 2 times a week boiled without broth (instead of meat).

At this age, children's pasta can be offered to the child.

The number of children's cookies and crackers is increased up to 10-15 g per day (2-3 cookies).

By the year it is useful to add finely chopped fresh garden greens (dill, parsley) to various dishes, which significantly enriches the diet with vitamins and minerals.

Sample diet for a 12 month old child:

breakfast 8 hours	Dairy-free or milk porridge* Butter Boiled egg yolk Fruit puree	150-200 g approx. 1 tsp. 1/2 pcs 50 g
lunch 12 noon	Vegetable puree Vegetable oil Meat puree (meatballs) or fish Bread/rust Compote	180 g about 1/2 tsp. 50 g 10 g 50 ml
afternoon tea 4 pm	Breast milk (kefir or yogurt)** Cottage cheese Fruit puree Baby biscuits	100 g 50 g 50-70 g 2 pcs
dinner 20 hours	Vegetables or porridge** Meat puree Vegetable oil Fruit juice	180 g 20 g 1/2 tsp. 50 ml
before bedtime 11 pm	Breast milk (DMS)***	200 ml

* - dairy-free porridge should be diluted with breast milk or infant formula that the child receives. Milk porridge is diluted with water.
** - daily volume of kefir or yogurt can be up to 200 ml,
*** - baby milk formula

Approximate diet of a 12-month-old child with an allergy to cow's milk proteins:

breakfast 8 hours	Dairy-free porridge* Vegetable oil Fruit puree	150-200 g approx. 1 tsp. 50 g
lunch 12 noon	Vegetable puree Vegetable oil Meat puree/meatball Bread/crust Compote	180 g about 1/2 tsp. 50-70 g 10 g 50 ml
afternoon tea 4 pm	Breast milk or medicated formula for infants with cow's milk protein intolerance Fruit puree Rusk	150-180 ml 50 g 10 g
dinner 20 hours	Vegetables or dairy-free porridge** Vegetable oil Meat puree Fruit juice	180 g about 1/2 tsp. Learn more Do you need a baby food maker Should i wake up the baby to feed Girl baby shower food table Baby food warming bowl When to feed baby solid foods chart Baby foods with vitamin c Baby refusing bedtime feed How to get frozen baby food out of tray First baby solid food recipes Munchkin baby fruit feeder Baby making sounds while feeding Share this: Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) MENU Home About Us Products Blog Testimonials Contact Us Follow Us Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Cancel Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. .