Indian six months baby food

6 Months Baby Food Chart with Indian Baby Food Recipes - GKFoodDiary

last updated: Jan 29, 2023 by Kalyani

6 Months Baby Food Chart, Indian Baby Food recipes, By six months your baby will be completely ready for solids and showing signs for readiness. This post will help you to decide on what are the foods you can introduce at six months with sample food charts. Prefer homemade foods than buying packaged or ready-made foods available in the market, because homemade is safest and healthiest.

Also, remember that solids food can't replace the nutrients breastmilk or formula provides during the first year. So consider including solids in your baby's diet as a complementary feeding. Please read on how to introduce solids to the baby before you plan a food chart for your six months baby.

What foods can be included in 6 months of baby's diet?

This stage is a little tricky as six months is a starting of solids. Safe, less allergic, easily digestible, healthy and nutritious foods are recommended when you start solids for the first time. Here is the list of safe options you can include in 6 months old baby's diet.

Fruits: Apple, Avocado, Banana, Pears, muskmelon, Peaches, Plums, Prune
Vegetables: Carrot, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato
Cereals & Grains: Rice, Ragi, Barley, Semolina/Suji/Rava, sabudhana/Sago/Tapioca, Ragira/Amaranth/Phool Makhana, Quinoa
Pulses: Yellow Moong Dal
Dairy: Ghee, Butter (in moderation)
Non-Vegetarian: None

How much quantity per day?

For the quantity of food, always be guided with your baby's hunger as appetite varies from baby to baby, and most babies change from day-to-day. Here is an approximate amount:

1 tablespoon of fruit or veg puree. Gradually increased to 4 tbsp
2 tablespoon of cereal. Gradually increased to ¼ cup

6 Months Baby Food Recipes

Here is the collection of 6 Months Baby Food Recipes, please customize the below sample charts with the mentioned recipes that can be included in 6 months baby’s diet based on availability, convenience, and your baby’s preference.

Sample Indian Food chart or Diet plan for 6 months old baby:

One meal a day would do for a 6 months old baby. Gradually you can shift to two meals around 7 months. When you begin, start with small portions. Baby's first food should be semi-liquid, gradually move to thick consistency as your baby learned to eat.

Introduce one food at a time and follow 3 days rule which will help to find out allergic reactions to a particular food. Here are the sample food charts(weekly) for 6 months old baby. You can customize these charts with recipes for 6 months of baby food based on availability, convenience, and your baby's preference.

Week 1:

	Days	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid-Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner	Bed time
Week 1	Day 1	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Banana Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 2	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Banana Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 3	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Banana Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 4	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Apple Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 5	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Apple Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 6	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Apple Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 7	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Carrot Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM

* BM/FM-Breast milk/Formula Milk

Week 2:

	Days	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid-Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner	Bed time
Week 2	Day 1	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Carrot Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 2	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Carrot Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 3	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Pumpkin Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 4	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Pumpkin Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 5	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Pumpkin Puree	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 6	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Rice Gruel	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 7	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Rice Gruel	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM

* BM/FM-Breast milk/Formula Milk

Week 3:

	Days	Early Morning	Breakfast	Mid-Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner	Bed time
Week 3	Day 1	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Rice Gruel	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 2	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Rice Porridge	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 3	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Rice Porridge	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 4	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Rice Porridge	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 5	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Dal Ka Pani	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 6	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Dal Ka Pani	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM
	Day 7	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM	Dal Ka Pani	BM/FM	BM/FM	BM/FM

* BM/FM-Breastmilk/Formula Milk

Week 4:

* BM/FM-Breast milk/Formula Milk

Last Updated: April-2018

Notes :

Sterilize the bowls and spoons used for feeding your baby in a vessel with hot water for five minutes and keep it immersed in the same vessel until use.
Never introduce more than one food at a time when introducing solids to your baby.
Salt and sugar are not recommended in baby's food until 1 year of age.
Check for allergy symptoms when you are introducing a new food to your baby and stop feeding you if you find any symptoms.
Feed your baby with breastmilk or formula milk on demand other than the timings mentioned in the chart.
Always check with your pediatrician before introducing any new food.
Steaming is a healthy option for baby food than pressure cooking. So I prefer steaming using an Idli pot or steamer.

Also, Check out the below links for 7 - 11 months Homemade Baby food recipes

7 months Baby food recipes
8 months Baby food recipes
9 months Baby food recipes
10 months Baby food recipes
11 months Baby food recipes

You may also like:

Gkfooddiary Recommends

6 months baby food chart with baby food recipes

By Swasthi on August 6, 2022, Comments,

6 months baby food chart with baby food recipes. The best time to start solids for babies is after 6 months. There are many sources suggesting introduction of solids from 3 to 4 months. But an early introduction of solids can lead to more colic, digestive troubles and allergies.

A baby develops digestive enzymes in between 4 to 6 months which are crucial for digestion of foods. It is a good choice to wait until the baby develops these enzymes completely.

A baby typically begins to develop head control from 3 to 4 months and gains strong head to neck muscles by 6 months. A strong head to neck control helps the baby to accept solids well and can easily swallow.

So by 6 months a baby has a better digestive system and a good head control which are needed before the introduction of solids.

Breast milk is the best bet for the overall growth of a baby. It is recommended to exclusively breast feed a baby for the first 6 months.

As an exception, formula milk is an alternate for women who cannot breast feed baby due to professional, personal or medical reasons.

If you have a baby older than 7 months, you can follow this complete
baby food chart for 8 months old and above

How do you know your baby is ready for solids?

1. The baby’s head & neck are stable. This means baby can accept food and swallow.
2. Baby must be able to sit stable with or without support.
3. Shows interest in food when others are eating.
4. Baby must be able to open the mouth when food is offered.
5. Baby is still hungry after breastfeeding or formula feed.

Tips on how to start solids for baby

First consult your pediatrician to confirm if your baby is ready for solids. It is very important to plan well before you introduce any other foods apart from breast milk.

Make your own feeding schedule along with the foods you intend you try and get an approval from your pediatrician. Most clinics and hospitals also provide a diet chart or at least a guide.

I have made this from the guidelines I got from the Clinics here in Singapore. I have followed the same for both my babies.

1. Always start with a single food. Either a fruit, vegetable or grain. Avoid a mixture of foods. You can start with mashed fruit first. The presence of digestive enzymes in fruits helps the baby to digest them better.

2. After a week, while you continue feeding fruit, you can start rice water (kanji), after a week clear dal soup or boiled vegetable broth / water.

3. Always follow the 3 day wait rule for every food you introduce. Wait for the results until the 4th day. Please see the doctor immediately if your baby develops rashes, runny nose, watery eyes, colic etc.

4. Introduce new foods to your baby during breakfast or lunch. Avoid trying new foods during the later time of the day as it is easy to get a control over the problems.

5. A 7 month old baby can eat only a tsp of mashed food initially. Slowly by 4 weeks increase the quantity to a tbsp and then more.

Helpful tips – introducing solids for baby

1. Use stainless steel or glass bowls and cups for preparation of baby foods. Avoid plastic ware even made of any superior material, including virgin plastic or graded as BPA free. Any kind of plastic ware consists of plasticizers that are used to make the containers flexible.

Plasticizers are similar to BPA and are an endocrine disruptor. Even BPA free plastic and virgin plastic ware have chemical plasticizers. Please use google search for more info.

2. Always feed the baby in a calm, quite environment and in a steady place like – on the lap, in a high chair or on the floor.

3. While feeding, refrain the baby from activities like watching a TV show, playing with a hand held gadget like mobile, and tablet or game devices. Some of these emit radiation that is not good for the baby.

4. Meal time has to be a learning for the baby, speaking to your baby about the food – its texture, taste and color helps the baby to develop a liking for the food. Or narrate a good story to the baby, do not encourage the baby to talk while eating. This may seem to be over disciplined but this is the only way i have found to grow fuss free kids. They will begin to love any food that is served.

5. Introduce water from a steel cup or a glass not from a feeding bottle or sipper. A 90 ml cup is best suited. This makes the transition from teat to cup easy when the baby grows up.

6 months baby food chart

To follow this baby chart please ensure your baby has completed 6 months and you have an approval from your pediatrician for the same.

A baby usually consumes milk every 2 to 3 hours. Solids should be served in between the feeds. Use plain boiled and cooled water to puree the fruits if needed. Avoid mixing milk or any other ingredient with fruit.

The combination of fruit and milk products results in indigestion, loss of appetite, no weight gain and accumulation of toxins.

Clear soups can be used to make pureed rice, oats or ragi cereal. Feeding only clear soups regularly is not a good idea as they lack the nutrition that is provided by a semi solid food or milk.

I have shared a sample baby food chart below which shows the quantities of fruits and vegetables. From the chart (day 13 to day 20), you can replace potato with rice porridge (kanji) or dal soup or ragi porridge.

This is an alternate table which you can follow if your baby is in between 6 and 7 months.

Wake up

Breastfeed or formula milk. What ever time your baby wakes up.

breakfast
7.30 to 8 am fruit puree

One of the following: (only after 1½ to 2 hours of milk). You can use boiled cooled water to thin down the puree.
1. Banana- mash with a fork or run in a blender.
2. Apple- peel,core,steam for about 5 to 6 minutes. Puree in a blender
3. Chickoo (sapota)- mash with a fork and spoon
4. Pear- peel and core, steam for 5 to 6 minutes
5. Papaya – mash with a fork or blend
6. Ripe avocado – add it to a blender and puree

lunch
11. 30 to 12.30 pm

After introducing fruits, you can try these. Continue to feed fruits for breakfast.
first 1 week – rice cereal
2nd week apple rice or rice cereal with boiled carrot
3rd week ragi porridge Or apple ragi or oats porridge Or apple oats Or clear moong dal soup
4th week – Repeat the foods mentioned above. You can also introduce soupy khichdi. You will have to make it following the same method I mentioned for rice cereal above.

rest of the day

Breast feed or formula (only after 1.5 to 2 hours of lunch)

Baby food recipes for 6 months old along with ingredients and instructions to prepare

These are the quantities i followed for my kids i got from the Health Promotion Board,Singapore.Use any one
Quantity of fruits for 6 months to 9 months
½ small apple
½ small pear
½ cup sapota
½ cup papaya
½ medium banana

How many times can the same fruit be given in a week?

Including a variety of fruits will provide different kinds of nutrients to the baby.
Banana – 3 to 4 times
Apple – daily
Chickoo- daily
Pear- 3 to 4 times
Papaya – 4 to 5 times
Avocado- 3 to 4 times or daily

Do read the complete post before you attempt any of these recipes
More tips on preparing Lunch

from 3 rd week – Rice, ragi or oats. Clear dal soup with veggie.
first 7 days (from 3rd week) -Single grain with milk (formula or breast milk). You can also use gluten free or baby oats or ragi to make porridge.
next 7 days – Rice with a single veggie or apple. You can use steamed or boiled carrots.

VEGETABLES to prefer
1. carrots
2. pumpkin

LENTIL/ DAL to prefer
1. moong dal
2. toor dal

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.

Follow Swasthi’s Recipes

Email sign up to receive awesome Swasthi’s Recipes in your inbox *

Popular Recipes

Featured Recipes

Business dialogue “An hour with the Trade Representative of Russian Children’s Products Industry: Russia – India” took place at the XII IDT Congress

Color scheme:

C C C C

Font

Arial Times New Roman

Font Size

A A A

Kerning

1 2 3

Images:

Regular version

Information

12/23/2021

Within the framework of the XII Congress of the Children's Goods Industry, an online business dialogue "An Hour with the Trade Representative of the Russian Children's Products Industry": Russia - Delhi" was held, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and the Association of Children's Goods Industry Enterprises. The main speakers of this session were Evgeny Ostapkevich, Head of the Operations Department of the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in the Republic of India, Anna Krotova, Head of the International Economic Center, and Nikita Semenov, member of the Board of Directors of the Topol Group of Companies. Anastasia Vasilkova, co-founder and head of the direction for the development of export of goods and services of Choupette, moderated the hour with the trade representative.

Yevgeny Ostapkevich, Head of the Operations Department of the Trade Mission of the Russian Federation in the Republic of India, spoke about the specifics of interaction with Indian partners and measures to support exporters provided by the Trade Mission of India. The speaker spoke about the general economic situation in India and the state of affairs in the Russian-Indian trade and economic cooperation, with a special emphasis on children's products that could be in demand in India.

The expert named two categories of goods: children's toys and baby food, and explained why, according to the trade mission, they will be in demand in the growing Indian market.

India's children's toy market reached US$1.2 billion in 2020. Of these, only 20% are produced in India, 80% are exported from other countries, primarily from China: the export of toys from China reached 600 million US dollars. According to analysts' forecasts, the children's toys market in India will grow by another 12% over the next 5 years.

The Indian government is trying to stimulate its own production of toys, in particular, protective import duties. For some goods, the duty rate reaches 60%.

Basically, toys in India are produced by small and medium-sized businesses. Clusters in which producers work on favorable terms are usually created by the states and they operate on the basis of a common message - "Make in India". Indian authorities give their producers significant preferences.

In this regard, the Trade Representation recommends that Russian companies enter the Indian toy market, taking into account local realities - the prospect of localizing production in India, which will help to avoid barriers in the form of high duties and expensive logistics.

The second interesting niche for export is baby food. The mentality needs to be taken into account here - Indians have a traditional way of thinking and don't really trust packaged baby food, especially for babies. But at the same time, the demand for baby food is growing along with an increase in the birth rate.

In addition, in India, the number of working women who have to look for a replacement for traditional nutrition is constantly increasing. The main export segments, as seen by the Trade Delegation, are milk formulas, cereals for baby food and ready-made mixtures of vegetables and fruits. These prepared food segments are the fastest growing and are expected to grow by another 22% in the near future.

Baby food, like toys, is subject to high import duties. The import of food products in India is controlled by a special division, and a license will be required for a particular manufacturer or supplier.

In general, for all comers who would like to enter the Indian market with Russian goods, a "field" or "desk" study will be mandatory. If you come to the conclusion that your product will be in demand, study the sales channels - they often do not coincide with Russian ones. The third step is to bring products in line with international and Indian standards and identify partners correctly. The most reliable payment system when dealing with Indians is a letter of credit.

The Indians discuss each clause of the treaty for a very long time, they do not make hasty decisions. When entering the Indian market, one should not expect an instant result, one must be prepared for lengthy negotiations, including on opening part of the production in India and creating jobs there.

The Trade Delegation is ready to advise anyone who would like to enter the Indian market and can provide a partner search service with a preliminary check of interest. Together with the REC, the Trade Representation organized a special export support group.

The recording of the event is available at the link.

A conversation about how to properly enter and promote Russian manufacturers of children's goods in different countries, not only in India, will be one of the topics of discussion at the Secrets of Children's Marketing forum, which will be held on March 16-17, 2022.

Reference

The Children's Goods Industry Congress is the main industry event of the year, which is held to organize a dialogue between business and the state, popularize the best practices of industry leaders, and form new tools for international and scientific and industrial cooperation. The event is held with the assistance and support of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Natural Resources and other departments.

Representatives of the Russian and international children's goods market, industry experts and organizations were invited to participate in the XII IDT Congress in 2021. Participation in the event is free.

The main topic of the XII Congress of the children's goods industry was the concept of sustainable development in the interests of childhood, which is reflected in the Action Plan ("road map") for the development of the children's goods industry until 2024, approved by the order of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1813-r of 07/11/2020. and determining all the important and complex tasks of industry for a given period.

how to choose and what kind of baby food is better?

The ideal "baby food" for an infant is breast milk. However, not all mothers can breastfeed their baby, usually this is due to the health of the mother or child. It happens that the woman herself has a serious condition after childbirth and in the early postoperative period, reduced lactation or diseases in which breastfeeding is contraindicated. In such cases, the baby is given formula milk - this is the only alternative to mother's milk. Subsequently, at four to seven months, complementary foods should be introduced into the child's diet, regardless of whether he is breastfed or artificial. The mother is faced with the task of choosing the right baby food for complementary foods.

In this article, we will talk about what foods for babies are and how to choose the best baby food.

Legislation defines "baby food" as food products that meet the physiological needs of a child under 14 years of age. And nutrition for young children is food intended for children from birth to three years[1]. It is necessary to make a diet taking into account the age of the baby and the characteristics of his physical condition.

The Union of Pediatricians of Russia created the National Program for feeding children in the first year of life and the National Program for optimizing the nutrition of children from one to three years old [2]. They describe recommendations regarding what formula to feed the baby from birth, how to introduce complementary foods and expand the baby's diet. These programs provide detailed information on what nutrients and nutrients should be included in the diet of children of different ages.

First you need to figure out what kind of baby food is [3]. Products for toddlers can be divided into two categories:

Infant formula. There are for children from birth to six months (formula 1 mixtures, or initial), from six months to a year (formula 2) and from a year (formula 3). The composition of such baby food is adapted, that is, as close as possible to the composition of breast milk.

In the initial mixtures, the amount of protein is reduced to 1.2-1.5 g / 100 ml - in accordance with the composition of breast milk. They also changed the fat and mineral profile. The initial mixtures are enriched with such an essential amino acid as taurine, and micronutrients, probiotics, vitamins.
After six months, the baby's need for protein increases, mother's milk changes its composition. And babies on artificial feeding begin to be fed with a more nutritious mixture of formula 2. Taurine is no longer always needed: the body of a baby aged from six months to a year is able to synthesize this amino acid itself. Meanwhile, the content of iron, calcium, zinc increases compared to the initial mixtures, because by this age the child's reserves of minerals received from the mother during pregnancy are depleted, and they need to be replenished.
A child's diet changes after one year - he is already able to eat a variety of solid foods. However, it is advisable to continue to feed him with a mixture, though already formula 3. Pediatricians recommend it as a source of vitamins and minerals that the baby can easily absorb.

Complementary foods As we have already noted, it is introduced when the baby is four to seven months old. This interval is referred to as the "critical window" and is considered optimal for initiating complementary foods for several reasons:

The baby needs a wider range of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. In addition, his baby's digestive system is already ready to accept more solid and complex foods than mother's milk or infant formula.
At this age, the child develops an interest in food, and it is necessary to offer him the right foods to develop his taste.
During this period, the risk of developing a food allergy to a new product is lower.
Timely introduction of complementary foods prevents the risk of micronutrient deficiencies and iron deficiency anemia.

Usually the first food is vegetable puree or monocomponent gluten-free cereals, milk or dairy-free. Over time, cereals containing gluten, supplements from fruits and berries, and also consisting of several cereals are added. A six-month-old child can already be given several types of vegetables and cereals. Also, at about six months, they begin to give meat puree, then fruit, and from eight months - fish. A child from seven months is allowed the yolk.

From the age of 12 months, complementary foods already make up the majority of your baby's diet. At this age, it is especially important to diversify the child's diet: he can be given soups with small pieces of vegetables, meat, fish and cereals.

For information

During the first feeding, the child's eating habits are laid, and it depends on the parents how correct they will be. Often, mothers introduce fruit juices into complementary foods too early. And because babies have an innate preference for sweet tastes, they can become naughty and stop eating the unsweetened foods they need, especially vegetables. Unhealthy taste habits are formed, which can later provoke obesity.
Domestic doctors are concerned about such irrational nutrition of young children - due to the wrong approach to nutrition, many babies experience a deficiency of vitamins and an excess of fast carbohydrates.

How to choose baby foods

Finding the right foods for your baby is not an easy task. Store shelves are bursting with boxes, jars and bottles, and manufacturers write on every second package that the baby will be healthy, strong and cheerful after feeding. Of course, the baby will receive the necessary substances, no matter what product his parents choose, because all the production of baby food is strictly controlled by the state. By the way, Russia has some of the most stringent requirements for the quality of baby food in the world.

However, products for children differ in their properties. It is necessary to select food so that by the end of the first year of life the baby has actively developed chewing skills and an interest in independence, and the diet of complementary foods is reasonably varied.

For children from one to three years of age, the diet should be even more varied. It is important that the child receives daily something new from the main food groups: dairy, vegetables and fruits, meat and fish, cereals, butter and vegetable oil. Of course, the baby's diet should be expanded taking into account his state of health.

When organizing the nutrition of a child from the moment of introduction of complementary foods and up to three years, a mother needs not only to know what can be fed, but also to consider what foods should not be included in the diet. Among the prohibited products for children under three years of age:

any mushrooms, vegetables and fruits in a marinade;
pickles, preserves in tomato sauce;
commercial juice concentrates, carbonated drinks, coffee and strong tea;
various seasonings - mustard, ketchup, hot sauces, horseradish, pepper, vinegar, mayonnaise;
products containing flavors, industrial colors, including chewing gum;
margarine and refractory fats - lamb, pork;
chocolate, sweets, other sweets.

To choose the right baby food, you need to know exactly what you should pay attention to and what you don't need to worry about.

When choosing mixtures it is important to check:

Absence of palm oil. Formula manufacturers may use palm oil (more specifically palm extract) because, like breast milk, it is rich in palmitic acid. However, in human milk, palmitic acid is in the beta position, while in palm oil it is in the alpha position. Such alpha-palmitic acid can interfere with the absorption of calcium and fats and is generally less well absorbed by the child's body. This can negatively affect the work of the intestines, lead to constipation, regurgitation. Milk fat is better suited for baby food as a source of palmitic acid[4][5].
Protein ratio. Breast milk protein is primarily whey proteins and casein. A child needs both types of protein, while proteins are easily digested, which cannot be said about casein. If baby food contains a lot of casein, it stays longer in the digestive tract, which can cause problems with the baby's stool.
The presence of additional functional elements in the composition - lutein, nucleotides, pre- and probiotics. The task of lutein is to protect vision from ultraviolet rays. Nucleotides are low molecular weight compounds that promote the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria in the intestines. And pre- and probiotics in the composition of infant formulas help to establish comfortable digestion.

When choosing complementary foods, pay attention to:

Age appropriate. It is important that in the diet of a child under three years old who receives complementary foods, special children's products prevail - in their composition the components are selected taking into account the age-related needs of the baby's body. It is impossible at an early age to transfer children to "adult" foods like pickles, smoked foods, fast food, and so on.
Fortified foods. It is important that the composition contains vitamins and minerals. The National Child Nutrition Optimization Program recommends choosing complementary foods that contain elements designed to prevent anemia, rickets, and vitamin deficiencies.
Dietary diversity. The menu for a baby up to six months is quite monotonous. But as they grow older, the baby needs more various nutrients - proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals.
To the individual reaction of the baby. If the child is already receiving complementary foods, then it is worth introducing a new product only after the previous one has been fully introduced. If the baby is allergic to the product, then it should be administered carefully, carefully checking the reaction of the body.

Ingredient safety testing is optional. Of course, the content of any "chemistry" in the product for feeding a child, whether it be a mixture or complementary foods, is unacceptable. There is no need to worry about this: baby food is carefully checked. If it is registered on the territory of the Customs Union and hit the shelves, then it complies with SanPiN 2.3.2.1940-05 and there will be no "prohibited" components in its composition. Also, contrary to popular misconception, in Russia it is forbidden to use GMOs in children's products.

Notes

Baby food in jars (usually puree) has a short shelf life after opening, as it does not contain preservatives. However, before the jar is opened, the products can stand for quite a long time on the shelves of stores or in the refrigerator at home. This is possible thanks to a special production technology, sterilization and vacuum packaging. If a soft pop is heard when opening the jar, this is a good sign: the puree is not spoiled. But products in jars with swollen lids or a protruding bottom should not be used: microorganisms already multiply in such food, it is not suitable for food.

Features of the choice of dairy products

It is necessary to choose dairy products for babies, following the doctor's recommendations. The specialist will take into account the health of the baby, especially if he is allergic to cow protein. In Russia, such an allergy occurs in 30–40% of children [6]. Such a reaction may occur due to hereditary predisposition and immaturity of the body. But most often, allergies go away when the child grows up.

Goat milk baby food may be a suitable option for young children with a predisposition to allergies. Its protein is perceived by the body better than cow's: alpha-s1-casein, contained in large quantities in cow's milk, makes a product based on it difficult to digest - food stagnates in the baby's gastrointestinal tract, motor skills are disturbed, as a result, allergies often occur. In goat milk, as in breast milk, there is practically no alpha-s1-casein [7]. Therefore, goat's milk, and hence the mixture based on it, are better absorbed.