Fresh squeeze baby food

Best Baby Food Pouches (Easy Homemade Ideas)

Learn how to make homemade Baby Food Pouches, no muss, no fuss, with these 15 easy recipe ideas. These are a great way to save money, share lots of flavors with babies and toddlers, and have convenient foods ready to go!

Baby Food Pouches

I always made my own baby food pouches because I like how affordable they are and how once you have a set of reusable pouches, there are so many options! Plus, you can feed many things you’re making for the rest of the family in a pouch, which means you can share flavors with the little ones even if they aren’t quite up to finger foods yet.

I view baby food pouches as one component of feeding a baby and like to mix purees with baby led weaning as a way to expose baby to a wide variety of flavors and textures from an early age.

I also find them very convenient for offering smoothies well into the toddler years!

Ingredients in You Need

What you need for your pouch adventure will depend on what you want to feed your baby! Basically you need something pureed (or a food like yogurt or applesauce that has a very pouch-friendly texture already) and a reusable pouch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s the general gist of how to make a baby food pouch. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for recipe ideas and best tips!

Choose your puree and prepare it. Let it cool as needed. (Or pull out the yogurt or applesauce.)
Fill the pouch, making sure that the cap is on if using the kind with the zipper opening on the bottom. (Otherwise it will all run right out the top!)
Store in the fridge or serve to baby.

TIP: As a quick an easy snack option, I like to mix half yogurt and half applesauce right in the pouch.

What can I put into a baby food pouch?

You just need the food to be smooth enough that it easily passes through the opening of the pouch, so anything that’s pureed or the consistency of pureed soup or yogurt will work. Generally speaking you can do:

Applesauce
Fruit purees
Vegetable purees
Baby food combinations
Pureed meats
Pureed soups
Smoothies
Yogurt

TIP: You can also use any of my go-to Baby Food Combinations too!

Making apple yogurt in a bowl

Flavor Ideas for Baby Food Pouches

These are some of my favorite recipe ideas to add to a pouch.

Applesauce
Apple Flax Yogurt: Equal parts Apple Puree and plain yogurt, plus a sprinkle of ground flax.
Baby Oatmeal with Applesauce mixed in for flavor.
Banana Yogurt
Pear Coconut Puree: Pear Puree with full-fat coconut milk mixed in.
Pear Yogurt: Equal parts Pear Puree and plain yogurt.
Red Lentil Coconut Soup
Sweet Potato Tomato Soup
Mango Smoothie
Mashed Butternut Squash
Mashed Roasted Sweet Potato
Spinach-Pea Puree (alone or with Applesauce)
Simple Green Smoothie
Strawberry Smoothie
Veggie Chili, pureed smooth

TIP: For the foods, like soup, that you’d usually serve warm, you can serve them warm in a pouch too. Just be sure they are warm and not hot. Test on your wrist like you would a baby bottle.

How long can I store baby food pouches?

I recommend making them 24 hours ahead or less so they are as fresh as possible. But you can make batches of purees and stash them in the freezer, so the pouch assembly part is quick and easy.

Do I need a baby food pouch maker?

Honestly? No. I tried one and didn’t like it because it took up space in my cabinets and the pouches themselves weren’t reusable, which seemed like a waste and a lot of money. Using reusable pouches is easy and more affordable.

What are the best reusable pouches?

I prefer the silicone Squeasy Gear pouch, which comes in a few sizes (I start with the 3.5 ounce size for babies). It’s easy to learn from as early as 6 or 7 months and the kids can use them for smoothies and applesauce well through toddlerhood as they are very durable. You may want to remove the lid when serving to kids so they don’t play with it.

I also like this set of 3.4 ounce Weesprouts reusable pouches a lot, which are a nice size for babies (there is a larger size too!) and they are easy to clean and use.

Favorite Store-bought Baby Food

There are so many great store bought options! I like the Amara Organic Baby Food (paid affiliate link), which locks in the nutrients, texture, and taste of fresh foods. You just add breastmilk, formula, or water— and the flavors are delicious with straight forward ingredients.

I also like Happy Family Organics Clearly Crafted and Plum Organics. Those are just a few options—there is a lot to choose from as you well know from the baby food aisle!

TIP: I recommend serving pouches occasionally along with regular solids from a spoon and baby led weaning style so baby has a chance to learn how to suck, swallow, move all sorts of textures around in their mouths, and gain the skills needed to be ready for finger foods around 9 months.

How to Store

Store pre-made pouches in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store leftover pouches in the fridge for up to 24 hours and serve again. You can also freeze pouches for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature.

Best Tips for Success

If using a pouch with a zipper bottom, like this one from Wee Sprout, avoid overfilling to prevent difficulty sealing the pouch.
Be sure the mixture is totally smooth to avoid it becoming stuck in the opening of the pouch.
Add ½ teaspoon hemp seeds to any mixture for extra healthy fats.
Add 2 tablespoons full fat coconut cream or plain yogurt to the mashed sweet potato or squash for healthy fats.
Try any other Baby Food Combination or my No-Cook Baby Foods in a pouch.
Serve foods you’d usually serve warm (like soups) just warm, not hot. Test on your wrist to be sure the temperature is not hot.
Omit any added salt or sweeteners as needed.
Combine pouches with baby led weaning foods for a wide range of texture exposure.

Related Recipes

I’d love to hear your feedback if you try these ideas out, so please comment below to share—I love hearing from you guys!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Baby Food

Calories 46kcal

Servings 1

▢ 1½ ounces Apple Puree
▢ 1½ ounces plain whole milk yogurt (regular or Greek)
▢ ½ ground flaxseeds (or hemp seeds)

Add the ingredients to a small bowl. Stir to combine well.
Add to the pouch, avoiding overfilling. If using a zip bottom style of pouch, be sure the cap is on to prevent the puree from coming out.
Serve or store for up to 5 days. (If storing leftovers in a pouch, store in the fridge and serve within 24 hours.)

If using a pouch with a zipper bottom, like this one from Wee Sprout, avoid overfilling to prevent difficulty sealing the pouch.
Pouch flavor ideas:
Be sure the mixture is totally smooth to avoid it becoming stuck in the opening of the pouch.
Add ½ teaspoon hemp seeds or 2 tablespoons full fat coconut cream or plain yogurt to any mixture for extra healthy fats.
Try any other Baby Food Combination or my No-Cook Baby Foods in a pouch.
Serve foods you’d usually serve warm (like soups) just warm, not hot. Test on your wrist to be sure the temperature is not hot.
Omit any added salt or sweeteners as needed.
Combine pouches with baby led weaning foods for a wide range of texture exposure.
Store leftover pouches in the fridge for up to 24 hours and serve again.

Calories: 46kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 21mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 54IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

Homemade baby food pouches {how-to and 5 recipes}

Portable, squeezable and with lots of flavor options, homemade baby food pouches are easy to make and a great way to serve healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your little ones!

I made ALL of the baby food for both of my little ones. Which was no small feat because they were very hearty eaters. A good thing, but whew, kept me busy in the kitchen!

I always made big batches of purees, to knock out a bunch at a time, and inevitably, I’d be left with extras when they were moving onto finger foods and self-feeding.

So I started turning those purees into homemade baby food pouches.

(I also have tons of other ideas of ways to use leftover baby food – I didn’t want to waste a bit!)

You can of course buy squeeze pouches in the store.

They have lots of different kinds of applesauce mixes, yogurt squeezies, and fruit and veggie combinations.

But you can make your own so quickly, easily and for much less money. Plus, you can customize them to your little one’s liking and feel good that you’re controlling the ingredients.

My kids are older now – M is 5 next week (yikes!) and J is coming up on 3 – but they still love these squeezies. M says she has lots of friends who bring them for lunch, so she’s always asking for me to send them to school.

And I’m happy to.

I love that it’s an easy way to ensure they are eating their veggies. They will take down one of these pouches in a matter of minutes but they don’t always dig into a big bowl of peas or a plate full of broccoli. #yet #Iwontgiveup

So today I’m giving you the run-down on what I use, how it works and five easy homemade squeezie combinations to get you started. (Check out these 5 additional homemade baby food pouches for more ideas!)

Equipment for baby food pouches

I have the Infantino Squeeze Station and it’s been great. It’s the only specific baby food equipment I’ve bought and was definitely worth it.

You’ll also need to buy refill pouches (they come in batches of 50 and you will go through them!)

They have other accessories, but I’ve stuck to these basics so far.

You’ll also need an immersion/hand blender or regular blender to make the purees to put into the squeeze pouches.

How to make baby food squeeze pouches

You set up the squeeze station by inserting three pouches into the bottom (they fit through some grooves and sort of snap in.) Then you put the empty containers on top and screw them onto the bags.

Note: Be sure to write the contents and date on your bags before you start to fill them. Much easier than after they’re done.

Next, you spoon your puree mix into each container, filling it almost to the top. You use the press tool and push the puree down into the pouch. It’s a weirdly gratifying feeling.

If the mixture gets stuck or won’t push, you probably have a small chunk in your puree that got caught in the hole. Just unscrew your tube, dump the contents back into your blender and reblend (or pick out the offending piece if you see it).

After the bags are filled, unscrew the tubes and carefully pull the bags out. Twist on the orange top and voila!

You can keep them in the fridge for a couple of days or pop them straight into the freezer to have on hand later.

It’s really easy and actually, really fun!

Notes about baby food pouch combinations:

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to all of these to help preserve them. The only exception is the pineapple-broccoli mixture. The citrus from the pineapple is enough on its own.
You can keep the peels on the pears and apples, just be sure to puree them very well so pieces don’t get stuck and prevent the mixture from going into the squeezie bags.
The vegetables and grains need to be cooked and soft, so plan ahead. Or use leftovers. These can be a great way to use up scraps and reduce food waste.
If any of your mixtures seem too thick (because the water content of fruits and veggies can vary), just add a bit of applesauce or a splash of water to the blender until its thin enough.
Each pouch holds about 4 ounces. Most of these batches for me make about 3 squeezies worth. You can of course always double up if you want to knock out a bunch. They freeze great, so you might as well!

Check out the recipes below and get to making some baby food pouches. I hope your little one enjoys!

(And let me know if you want to see another round-up like this – we have lots of other flavor combinations we’ve made over the years that I can share!)

XO,

Kathryn

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the apple-brown rice-spinach pouches:

1 apple, core removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves (raw)
Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the pineapple-broccoli pouches:

1 cup cut pineapple (thawed if frozen)
2/3 cup cooked broccoli florets

For the mango-sweet potato-quinoa pouches:

1 ripe mango, peeled, seed removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup cooked sweet potato
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the banana-barley-zucchini pouches:

1 ripe banana
1/2 cup cooked barley
1/2 cooked chopped zucchini
Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the pear-peas-spinach pouches:

1 ripe pear
1/2 cup cooked peas
1 cup raw spinach
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Make sure all of your grains and veggies are cooked, if indicated.
Combine all ingredients for each pouch combination in a blender or immersion blender and blend until it’s a smooth, pourable consistency. (See notes.)
Label your bags, set up your station and add the mixture to the squeeze station containers, filled to the indicated line. Push down with the press tool and fill each bag. Remove the bags from the station and twist on the tops.
Store pouches in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, simply move the pouch to the refrigerator - it thaws in less than a day.

Notes

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to all of these to help preserve them. The only exception is the pineapple-broccoli mixture. The citrus from the pineapple is enough on its own.

You can keep the peels on the pears and apples, just be sure to puree them very well so pieces don’t get stuck and prevent the mixture from going into the squeezie bags.

The vegetables and grains need to be cooked and soft, so plan ahead. Or use leftovers. These can be a great way to use up scraps and reduce food waste.

If any of your mixtures seem too thick (because the water content of fruits and veggies can vary), just add a bit of applesauce or a splash of water to the blender until it's thin enough.

Each pouch holds about 4 ounces. Most of these batches for me make about 3 squeezies worth. You can of course always double up if you want to knock out a bunch. They freeze great, so you might as well!

Here are 5 more homemade baby food pouches if you want more flavor/combination ideas!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 pouch
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 50

The different varieties will yield different nutrition information.

Peculiarities of using juices in children's diet

Fruit and vegetable juices are valuable sources of vitamins, minerals, organic acids, fiber, pectins and other important elements for our body. They are well absorbed by the body, so they are suitable for baby food. Today we will talk about what juices and at what age should be given to the baby so that he grows up healthy and active.

Juice, nectar and fruit drink - what's the difference?

On the shelves of stores you can find various fruit and vegetable drinks for baby food: juices, nectars and fruit drinks. They differ in composition and, accordingly, health benefits.

Juices

The basis for such drinks is fruit, vegetable or berry raw materials, which account for at least 85%. Other juice ingredients: water, sugar or acidifier. Juices are available:

Freshly squeezed - such drinks get on the table immediately after preparation. In their manufacture, only natural raw materials are used. They are considered the most useful, because they are the leaders in the content of the most important biologically active substances. It is recommended to consume them immediately, because after a few hours, freshly squeezed juice loses most of the nutrients. Also, freshly squeezed juices aggressively affect the mucous membrane of the digestive tract due to the high content of acids. Therefore, children and people with gastrointestinal diseases should use them with caution.

Straight juices - prepared in the same way as fresh juices, but then pasteurized to keep them longer. In industrial production, sugar, water, preservatives and dyes can be added to them. Less aggressive towards the mucous membrane, but at the same time contain many useful substances.

Reconstituted juices - prepared from fruit, berry or vegetable concentrate, which is diluted with water. Also, drinks are sometimes supplemented with sugar, dyes and preservatives. They are inferior to freshly squeezed juices and direct-pressed drinks in terms of the content of nutrients.

Information about what kind of juice you have in front of you can always be found on the packaging of the drink. The composition of the product is also indicated there. Pay attention to the content of sugar and other chemicals.

Nectars

These are drinks with natural juice (up to 50%). They also include water, sugar or sweeteners, fruit, berry or vegetable puree, preservatives. Most often, nectars are prepared from concentrates, which are then diluted with water.
In the vast majority of cases, nectar is inferior to natural juice in terms of the content of all biologically active substances. But there are vegetables and fruits from which it is impossible to squeeze ordinary juice: for example, bananas, papaya, passion fruit and others.

Fruit drinks

Morse is a drink made from frozen berries. According to production standards, it must contain at least 15% berry juice or puree. Morse can also be prepared at home: you need to chop the berries, add water and sugar to taste. Due to the low content of berry raw materials, fruit drink is inferior in useful properties to many juices. But it is superior to nectars, because freezing, unlike other methods of processing raw materials, retains most of the biologically active substances.

What are the benefits of different juices?

Each drink made from fresh fruits, vegetables or berries is rich in nutrients. We will consider only the most popular options.

Orange juice is rich in ascorbic acid, which increases immunity and strengthens blood vessels. In addition, the drink contains other vitamins: A, E, K, representatives of group B. All of them are necessary for our health.
The drink also contains a lot of minerals (copper, iron, phosphorus, zinc and others), dietary fiber, pectins.

Regular consumption of orange juice strengthens the body, helps to cope with acute and chronic stress, improves immunity, stimulates digestion, and accelerates the elimination of toxins.

This drink also has some contraindications. It is not recommended to use it with increased acidity of gastric juice, gastritis and diabetes.

Apple juice is an affordable fruit drink in our region. It is distinguished from other drinks by its high content of vitamins A, B and C, as well as iron, magnesium and phosphorus. In addition, apple juice contains biotin and pantothenic acid.
With the regular use of freshly squeezed juice, the immune status, memory and concentration of attention improve, the work of the cardiovascular system normalizes. Apple juice is recommended to be included in the diet for anemia, low acidity of gastric juice, frequent colds.

In addition, this drink is known to help recover from illnesses and improve digestion.
It is recommended to limit the use of apple juice for gastrointestinal pathologies, since the drink has an irritating effect on the mucous membrane.

Peach juice contains vitamins A, B, C, malic, tartaric and citric acids, pectins, dietary fiber. It is also rich in potassium and iron.

Peach juice enhances the secretory activity of the digestive tract, stimulates the functioning of the liver and biliary tract, and has an antiemetic effect. It is recommended to use it for various vascular diseases, anemia, heart rhythm disturbances, as well as frequent colds.
Peach juice is not recommended for acute and chronic diseases of the digestive system, a tendency to gain weight, diabetes.

Carrot juice is the leader in vitamin A content among all vegetable and fruit juices. Thanks to this, it improves eyesight, improves immunity, strengthens bones and teeth, and normalizes the functioning of the thyroid gland.

In addition, carrot juice contains other vitamins (B, C, D, E and K), minerals (magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron, phosphorus, copper and calcium), organic acids and fiber.

Regular consumption of the drink improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system, has a calming effect, and normalizes sleep.
Due to the high content of organic acids, freshly squeezed carrot juice is contraindicated in diseases of the digestive system. Also, due to the high content of carbohydrates, it is not recommended to drink it with diabetes.

Tomato is the only vegetable and fruit juice drink that contains lycopene. This substance from the harmful effects of free radicals. The drink also contains vitamins A, B, C and K, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber.

With regular use, tomato juice strengthens the musculoskeletal system, prevents the development of osteoporosis, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and the heart muscle, thins the blood, improves intestinal motility, reduces flatulence, stimulates the production of bile.
Tomato juice is not recommended for gastritis with high acidity, ulcers.

How and when to give juice to children?

Children can be given fruit and vegetable juices. It is best to use direct-pressed drinks, as well as berry fruit drinks or nectars with a high content of natural raw materials. It is better if the drinks do not contain sugar, salt, preservatives and dyes.

As complementary foods, fruit and vegetable juices are introduced into the diet of a child at 7 months of life - if he is breastfed, and at 4 - if he is artificially fed. During this period, it is enough to give the baby 0.5-1 tsp. juice at every feeding.

After 1 year, a child can drink up to 120-150 ml of juice per day, but this amount is best divided into several doses. And children over six years old can drink 200 ml per day, also in divided doses.

Do not forget that juice is not a drink to quench your thirst, but a full snack. It can replace a second breakfast or afternoon snack. At the same time, it is better to give preference to fruit or berry drinks before lunch, and vegetable drinks after lunch.

Freshly squeezed juices should not be introduced into the diet of children under 12-14 years old, their digestive tract may not be able to cope with an aggressive drink. Therefore, the benefit from it will be much less than the harm.

Don't stop at just one juice. In order for the child's body to get the maximum benefit, drinks should be alternated. Fruit and vegetable juices from several products are also suitable. For example, apple-peach or cucumber-tomato.

When you first introduce this or that juice to the children's menu, be sure to monitor the child's condition. Juices are strong allergens, so check your baby's skin for rashes, redness, and scratching. If these symptoms appear, try a different type of juice or fruit drink.

Also watch your digestive system. Accelerated peristalsis, increased gas formation, loose or frequent stools are signs that you have given your baby too much juice. Also, symptoms can occur if the body does not absorb the vegetable or fruit from which the juice is made. If the symptoms persist for several days, it is better to contact the pediatrician and review the baby's diet.

Food: why go into a jar? | 74.ru

Should you feed your child industrial baby food or cook it yourself? When is it necessary to start accustoming a child to adult food and how to do it? These questions are of concern to many young mothers, not only when the time for the first feeding comes up, but also later, when the babies get older. We will try to understand some of the nuances of choosing industrial baby food and cooking food for babies at home.

The first question mothers face when they need their first complementary foods is whether to buy cereals and purees in the store or cook them on their own. Of course, the main thing at the same time is the benefits of products for the baby. Manufacturers claim that commercially prepared, vitamin-enriched meals are better than home-cooked foods, and many pediatricians support them in this. But in the minds of most parents there is a stereotype: a jar is preservatives and a lot of different not very useful additives. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine how useful mashed potatoes can be, which is stored for two years, and even at a temperature of 25 degrees.

In fact, the long shelf life of baby food is ensured by sterilization and packaging features. With proper storage, they can be used without fear, but it’s often impossible to find out how and where the jars were stored before they hit the counter. Moreover, some unscrupulous sellers interrupt expiration dates in order to sell expired goods - such mashed potatoes or porridge will definitely not bring any benefit to the baby. It remains to hope for the decency of the seller or cook it yourself, so as not to expose the baby to unnecessary risk.

“Industrial nutrition for young children makes life very easy for the mother. Firstly, instant porridges, they only need to be diluted, and secondly, they are well homogenized and designed specifically for a small age. But from ten months, of course, it is advisable to include porridge in the traditional version in the child’s diet in order to teach the baby to chew food, stimulate chewing, ”explains Tatiana Tabak, head of the gastroenterology department of the Chelyabinsk children's hospital No. 9.

However, no one forbids mothers to cook porridge for a young baby on their own, especially since today there are so many helpers in the form of double boilers, blenders and other equipment in the home kitchen. The main condition is to observe the dosages to obtain porridge of the required consistency and rinse the cereal before sending it to the pan. Up to a year, it is better to offer the baby low-allergenic cereals - rice, buckwheat, corn.

But vegetable and fruit purees are preferable to store-bought ones, especially in winter and early spring, doctors say. “By using commercially produced purees to feed children, we can give the child a wide range of vegetables and fruits, especially at a time of the year when their supply is very scarce. You can offer the baby and parsnips, and green beans, and green peas. The only thing is that you need to choose these jars correctly, - warns Tatyana Alekseevna. – Industrial purees are prepared with different degrees of grinding for each age. Homogenized purees are designed for the age of four months, at six months the baby can already be offered pureed puree, and from ten months - chopped with small pieces of vegetables and fruits. In jars, which are recommended from ten months, there are already good pieces, which again teach the child to chew. Unfortunately, a mother often takes a jar, looks at the composition of the products, and if it is indicated that it is recommended for children from five months, she buys it for her older child. It is not right. Children need to take food that is appropriate for their age.”

“When we started complementary foods, I was in favor of jars. I have seen enough advertisements, beautiful pictures in fashionable children's magazines, - says mother one and a half year old Ilyusha Anna . - For a couple of weeks, I honestly tried to cram canned cauliflower, pumpkin, potatoes into my child. Writhed, spat out. I had already decided that my son did not like vegetables. But then I decided to buy the same products, only natural ones. And you know, gobbles up both cheeks! I buy frozen cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, beans. I froze pumpkin, zucchini. There are always potatoes, carrots, and buying them in winter is not a problem. He eats this with pleasure. And diversifying the menu, having different ingredients, is very easy. For lunch, for example, zucchini, broccoli and spinach with meat, and for an afternoon snack, pumpkin and apple. I cook all the vegetables in a double boiler, it turns out delicious.

If you wish, it is really easy to prepare a vegetable dinner for your baby. To do this, you need to choose beautiful fruits without spots and cracks and rinse thoroughly under running water without soap. It is better to cook them for a couple, since when cooking, many useful substances pass into water, or bake. In this case, the loss of vitamins will be minimal. It is also possible to use frozen products: all useful substances are perfectly preserved in them. The finished vegetable must be chopped with a blender or rubbed through a sieve. You should not chop the vegetables that you give your child for the first time with a fork or a crush: the child’s body, most likely, will not be able to digest such mashed potatoes. Nothing is usually added to the first purees, especially sugar and salt, but in some cases it is possible to bring the puree to the desired consistency with breast milk or formula. Later, you can add a little vegetable oil.

Babies up to a year old can be introduced into the diet of zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, green beans, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots. Closer to the year - corn and peas. It must also be remembered that mashed potatoes, beloved in our country, are a rather heavy dish, so it is advisable to mix potatoes with other vegetables. And one more thing: it is not recommended to warm up homemade purees, it is better for the baby to receive them freshly prepared.

As for fruits, acquaintance with them begins with apples and pears. They can be given fresh - first scraped, then cut into pieces, added to porridge. In the form of mashed potatoes and baked fruits, any kid will also like it. Compotes are very useful, but it is better to postpone acquaintance with freshly squeezed juice for up to a year and a half and give it only in a diluted form.

Another question that worries many parents is at what age should a child be transferred to regular food? “I'm already exhausted. Everything I cook in the steamer goes into the bucket! One and a half years and a full mouth of teeth - and eats only canned food. I tried to give food in pieces, and crushed in a blender, and just from my plate - my mouth was locked and hysterical. How much longer can you hold on the banks? - asks young mother Olga Li .

“Introduce ordinary food, but well pureed, preferably from a year old. Up to two years, only chopped food is recommended, Tatyana Tabak advises. - You can’t give a child meat in pieces - he simply won’t chew it. For this age, minced meat is used with three passes through a fine grate of a meat grinder. Soups are only pureed. From two years old, you can already have soups with small vegetables, salads from raw vegetables, beef tongue, cut into small strips. And acquaintance with minced meat and goulash is better to postpone until three years. Until the same age, it is not advisable for children to give fresh pastries, it is better to replace them with dry cookies, and up to a year - with children's cookies.

As for milk and dairy products, which are so necessary for a baby, up to three years of age, doctors recommend using milk mixtures rather than whole milk, at least for city dwellers. For children under six months, the first formula is produced, with a low protein content, safe for the kidneys and liver of a small child, in the second and third formulas its content is higher. Why is it undesirable to use whole milk? In the milk in the package, we only know the content of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and what other vitamins are in it, what the cow ate, where she lived - it is not clear, therefore there is a risk. Children's milk is filtered by proteins, fats, carbohydrates, 15 vitamins and several microelements are also introduced there - this is fortified milk, which is more useful only fresh milk. However, the townspeople do not have the opportunity to drink it, only pasteurized is available here, in which there are practically no vitamins left.

Cooking or buying canned food? Should I give my baby formula or whole milk? Transfer a child to an adult table from a year or from two years? Definitive answers to these questions will never be found.