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Make baby food meat


Basic Beef Baby Food Puree (6+ Months)

This homemade Basic Beef Baby Food is a great addition to your baby’s favorite purees for extra protein and flavor! It’s an incredibly simple recipe with big flavor and nutrition! It’s perfect as a Stage One Baby Food – 4-6+ months.

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Beef Baby Food

Beef, it’s what’s for baby’s dinner! Beef puree, that is. 😉

This beef puree is loaded with so many great nutrients that your baby needs in order to thrive – protein, iron, calcium and folate.

And while it may seem counter-intuitive and perhaps weird (or at least it did to me), beef puree 🥩 is a great first food for your baby.

Just because it’s a nutrient-dense puree doesn’t mean your baby needs bowls upon bowls of it. Since beef puree has a somewhat intense flavor, a few spoonfuls added to your baby’s favorite veggie or fruit puree should be enough.

Is it your first time making homemade baby food? If you answered yes, then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. The detailed article goes over all the essential information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, knowing when your baby is ready for solids, introducing purees, making the best first foods for baby, and more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes.

Beef Puree Video

Watch this video to see how easy it is to make your baby homemade Beef Puree!

Reasons to Love this Beef Puree
  • simple yet flavorful
  • packed with protein
  • great to add to any other fruit or veggie puree that baby loves
  • baby food for 4-6 months and up
  • stage 1 baby food
  • freezer-friendly 
  • homemade

Ingredients

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Beef: Since beef is the star of the show in this puree, we are going to start with a good piece of meat. We are going to use 8oz of chuck stew meat or cubed sirloin beef. You can also easily scale up this recipe if you want more than 12 ounces of baby food.
  • Broth: To get that rich, deep beef flavor, we will cook our beef in beef broth. I recommend using a low-sodium, sodium-free, or free-range beef bone broth for this recipe. You can also use any of those variations above with a vegetable broth as well. If you don’t have any of those on hand, you can use water. 
  • Oregano: We are adding dried oregano to give the puree a little more complex taste. This can easily be omitted if you prefer or you can substitute in dried parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme or cilantro.

Grass-Fed Beef: I recommend using grass-fed beef for this recipe, if possible. Grass-fed beef will have more healthy fats, more free Omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats), vitamins A, E, and B as well as more antioxidants.

Health Benefits of Beef

  • Protein: Beef is an excellent source of protein, which is essential for proper growth and development of all organ systems and maintaining and repairing tissues. It is considered a complete protein, meaning it has all of the amino acids that are needed to make protein.
  • Iron: Beef is a good source of iron, needed for making red blood cells, neurodevelopment and preventing iron deficiency anemia, and zinc, needed for growth and development and supporting the immune system.
  • B12: Beef is also high in B12, which is essential for brain development and healthy red blood cells.
  • Choline: can also be found in beef, which is also important for brain growth and development.

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Boil: In a medium saucepan, bring the cubed beef, broth, and oregano to a boil over medium heat. 
  2. Simmer: Turn the heat down to low and cover the saucepan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the beef is just cooked through. Let it cool slightly.
  3. Puree: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a blender or food processor and puree until you reach your desired consistency, adding broth in 1/4 cup increments if needed.
  4. Eat: Serve to your baby plain or added into another puree. 
  5. Freeze: Store a small portion in the fridge and freeze the rest for another meal.

Tools Needed

These tools will make it a lot easier for you to make this healthy Beef Puree. For more of my favorite kitchen tools make sure to check out my shop.

  • Saucepans
  • Blender or Food Processor
  • Freezer Tray
  • Storage Containers for Fridge
  • Stasher Bag
  • bib with catch pocket
  • Saucepans

Frequently Asked Questions

When can baby eat beef puree?

Babies can have beef as one of their first foods. When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.

Can beef be baby’s first food?
Yes, beef can 100% be baby’s first food if you want it to be. It is recommended to wait to introduce the top eight allergen foods to baby once a few other well tolerated foods have been introduced, but otherwise foods can be introduced in any order so choose whatever you are most excited for baby to have.

Is beef a common allergen for baby?
No, beef is not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it.

Does beef cause constipation for babies?
No, beef itself is not known to cause constipation in babies, however it won’t really help with constipation either since it lacks fiber. If baby is eating too much meat, it could replace fiber-rich foods, which could cause constipation.

How to Store Beef Puree
Refridgerator

You can store this puree in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Freezer

This puree can be frozen for up to 2 months.

  • Spoon puree into a freezer storage container. Do not overfill. 
  • Place the lid on the storage container or cover with a piece of saran wrap, and label with the date and recipe name. 
  • Place the tray into the freezer and let it freeze completely — preferably overnight. 
  • Pop out the baby food cubes and place them in a ziplock baggie or stasher bag. Don’t forget to relabel the baggie or stasher bag for future reference.

Need more information on how to store your baby foods? Head over to my Best Baby Food Storage Containers – Plus 6 Tips on Freezing and Thawing post!

Label Tip: Don’t forget to label your purees before you place them in the fridge or freezer with the name of the puree and the date you made it. Take it from me; by the end of the week, you will completely forget what is in your freezer and how long it’s been there. 😉

Great Beef Combination Purees

While this beef baby food is great by itself, it can be a little intense for some babies. I recommend mixing it into one of your baby’s favorite purees as an introduction to the rich taste of beef. Here are some great purees to mix with the beef puree:

  • Apples
  • Sweet Potato
  • Pear
  • Carrot
  • Broccoli
  • Pea
  • Mango

PUREE FEEDING TIPS

  • Follow your baby’s lead – when feeding purees from a spoon, sometimes there’s a tendency to keep offering bites past the point of your baby being full. Always follow your baby’s cues for when they are done eating. Turning away from the spoon, closing her mouth, or pushing food away are all signs that your baby is finished with the meal.
  • Try adding a little seasoning or spice to purees – babies like flavor! Or consider changing the temperature of purees from time to time, to slightly warmed or slightly chilled. Varying these aspects adds to the sensory experience!
  • Throwing spoons is a common phase that all babies go through at one point or another. One of the best ways to handle spoon throwing is to ignore it and keep feeding your baby as usual (with an extra spoon you already have at the table). If your baby ends up also throwing back up spoons #2 AND #3, simply encourage your baby to eat with their hands until they appear to be finished with the meal. ***Give baby plenty of opportunities to practice putting items in and taking items out of containers outside of mealtimes.

Recipe Tips
  • Use a Slotted Spoon: When transferring the cooked beef from the saucepan to the blender, make sure to use a slotted spoon so you don’t add too much broth into the puree from the start. You only want to add broth if needed while blending. I had to add a 1/4 cup of broth to the blender while I was pureeing this beef. 
  • Reheat Gently: If you are freezing some of this beef puree, reheat it in 20-second intervals. You don’t want to recook the beef.

Recipe
  • 8 ounce beef chuck stew meat, or cubed sirloin beef
  • 2 cups beef or vegetable broth, low or no sodium
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • Boil: In a medium saucepan, bring beef, broth and oregano to a boil over medium heat. Turn to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until beef is cooked all the way through. Let cool slightly.

  • Transfer: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a blender or food processor, reserve broth.

  • Puree: starting on low and working your way up to high-speed, puree the beef until you reach your desired consistency, adding in broth in 1/4 cup increments if needed. I had to add in just 1/4 cup of broth to get the consistency seen in this photo.

  • Eat: serve to baby plain or added into another puree. 

  • Freeze: store a small portion in the fridge and freeze the rest for another meal. 

Age: 4-6 months and up

Yield: 12 ounces

Storage: Fridge – store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

 

Saucepan

Blender

Bumkins Baby Bowl

Freezer Tray

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How to Serve Meat to Baby (6+ Months)

Meat is a great first food for babies and it can be made into a baby food puree, mashed into a chunky puree, served on the bone, shredded, or served in strips as a finger food or for baby-led weaning.  These 6 meat baby food ideas are simple, healthy, and quick to make using beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and pork. This guide is perfect for babies 6 months and up!

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Meat Baby Food

Serving your baby meat from the start might seem like an unconventional first choice, but meat is an extremely nutrient-dense food for babies 6 months and up.

This guide will give you 6 easy ways to incorporate meat 🍗 into your baby’s diet – served as a baby food puree, mashed with veggies, served on the bone, made into meatballs, served in strips, shredded or ground. You can serve meat to baby doing purees or baby-led weaning. These recipes are great for babies 6 months – 2 years of age!

First time making homemade baby food? Then, I would suggest that you start by reading my very in-depth Guide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food – which goes over all the important information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, how to know when baby is ready for solids, how to introduce purees, the best first foods for baby, and more! If you are doing Baby-Led Weaning, then be sure to check out my Complete Guide to Baby-Led Weaning – which covers what exactly is baby-led weaning, to every parent’s concern of baby-led weaning and choking, this guide goes over it all. I will also share how to know when baby is ready for BLW, the top 10 best first foods, a helpful sample blw feeding schedule, helpful tools to have on hand, and much much more!

Want more information? Then make sure to check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!

Meat for Baby Video

Watch this video to find out how to feed meat to your baby!

Reasons to Love These Meat Recipes for Baby
  • can be served as a baby food puree
  • also great for baby-led weaning or the finger food stage
  • nutrient-dense
  • easy to have one meal for the entire family
  • excellent sources of protein, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium and niacin
  • good sources of iron, vitamin B6, and phosphorous
  • puree and ground meat are freezer-friendly

Benefits of Meat for Baby

Different meats will have different nutrient profiles, but in general, meat is an excellent source of protein, which is essential for proper growth and development of all organ systems and for maintaining and repairing tissues. It is considered a complete protein, meaning it has all of the amino acids that are needed to make protein.

Meat tends to be a good source of iron, needed for making red blood cells and for neurodevelopment, and zinc, needed for growth and development and supporting the immune system. Animal sources, including meat, are high in B12, which is essential for brain development and healthy red blood cells.

Best Meat to Serve Baby

There are a variety of meats your baby can eat right from the start! And with so many options on how to serve them, your baby will never get bored. Try serving your baby a new meat dish every week for maximum exposure.

  • Beef: served on the bone (ribs), made into meatballs, ground, in strips, shredded or pureed
  • Chicken: served on the bone (drumsticks), made into meatballs, ground, in strips, shredded or pureed
  • Turkey: served on the bone (drumsticks), made into meatballs, ground, in strips, shredded or pureed
  • Lamb: served on the bone (lamb chops), made into meatballs or ground
  • Pork: served in strips, shredded, made into meatballs, ground or pureed

You will want to stay away from any processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, store-bought sausage, ham, deli meat, etc, ideally as long as possible, but at least until 1 year of age, since processed meats tend to be full of preservatives and have been linked to cancer. You will also want to season the meat at home with homemade spices or spice blends and avoid any store-bought marinades, rubs, or sauces as they tend to be too high in sodium and sugar. Make sure all meat is fully cooked to prevent any food-borne illnesses that can be caused by undercooked meat. That means no rare or medium-rare steak for your baby. 

Meat Sources: you certainly can buy organic, pasture-raised, and grass-fed meat, which is lower in saturated fat and higher in Omega 3’s and antioxidants than conventional, if you prefer and your budget allows. But conventional meats are also completely safe and healthy for babies.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can you introduce meat to baby?

Whether you start baby on purees or are doing baby-led weaning, meat is an amazing first food for baby! When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age for purees and at or after 6 months for baby-led weaning. Some of the developmental milestones your baby needs to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled their birth weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.

Is meat a choking hazard for babies?

Yes, meat is one of the more common choking hazards for babies. You want to make sure the meat you are serving to your baby is soft, tender, and appropriately sized for your baby’s age. When in doubt, go for a bigger 2-3′ strip (2 adult finger size) of meat for your baby, or a puree. For safe ways to prepare meat for your baby, see my recommended recipes below. And always be near baby or toddler when they are eating meat of any kind.

How do babies chew meat without teeth?

The question of how babies can chew foods without teeth, especially meat, makes all of us scratch our heads! But in reality, we all chew food with our back molars, not our front teeth, which baby doesn’t get until 18-22 months of age. Good thing babies have super tough and strong gums, which they use to mash, gnaw and chew foods. Baby’s gums are better at chewing food than you would think, and your baby will be able to chew more foods the older they get, even without their molars.

Is meat a common allergen for baby?

No, meat is not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it

Does chicken cause constipation for babies?

No, meat is not known to cause constipation in babies, however it won’t really help with constipation either since it lacks fiber.

How to Cut Meat for Baby

A good rule of thumb to follow is the younger the baby, the bigger the piece of meat. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but the bigger the piece of meat, allows baby to hold onto it while chewing and sucking on it without posing as high of a choking hazard. For babies 6-9 months, you will want to cut the meat into 2-3′ strips that are roughly the size of 2 adult fingers. You can slice the meat thinner for babies 9-12 months or shred it into small pieces. 

Storage Instructions
  • For Meat Puree: you can store meat puree in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze individual portions in a freezer tray for up to 2 months. To defrost, gently heat on the stove or in the microwave until warm.
  • For Ground Meat: you can store cooked ground meat in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze individual portions in a freezer tray for up to 2 months. To defrost, gently heat on the stove or in the microwave until warm.
  • Meatballs: you can store cooked meatballs in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 2 months. To defrost, gently heat on the stove or in the microwave until warm.
  • Meat on the Bone, Strips, and Shredded: can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Feeding Tips

  • Watch for signs that your baby is ready to start solid foods, usually around 6 months of age. Look for sitting with minimal assistance, good control of their head and trunk, bringing hands and toys to their mouth, and appearing interested in what you are eating.
  • Throwing spoons is a common phase that all babies go through at one point or another. One of the best ways to handle spoon throwing is to ignore it and keep feeding baby as usual (with an extra spoon you already have at the table). If baby ends up also throwing back up spoons #2 AND #3, simply encourage your baby to eat with their hands until they appear to be finished with the meal.
  • Have a spare spoon (or three!) – even very young babies often want to be involved in feeding themselves as much as possible. Giving baby an extra spoon to hold can be helpful in giving her a sense of control and also promotes hand-eye coordination. Allow baby to use spoons as a teether during the meal. There are many great options out there but a few we particularly love include the Olababy 3 Piece Set, the NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils, and the ChooMee FlexiDip Baby Starter Spoons.

Helpful Tools

These tools will make doing feeding baby so much easier. For more of my favorite kitchen tools make sure to check out my shop.

  • steamer basket
  • medium saucepan
  • storage containers for fridge
  • highchair
  • suction bowl or baby bowl
  • baby spoon
  • open lid cup
  • bib with catch pocket

Meat Puree for Baby

Serving a meat puree to your baby is a great way to expose your baby to the taste and nutritional benefits meat has to offer. While you can serve baby just the meat puree, it does have a very intense flavor that some babies may not care for. If this is the case, I would recommend you add a spoonful of chicken, beef, or turkey puree into another fruit or veggie puree your baby likes. Some great combinations are beef with sweet potato puree, chicken and mango puree, or chicken and broccoli puree. Since meat is not a common allergen, you can serve a meat combination puree as soon as your baby has tried the other fruit or vegetable. You can also serve baby a chunky mashed meat and veggie puree (recipe below) for a simple stage two puree.

Meat for Baby-Led Weaning

It’s very easy to serve meat to babies for baby-led weaning starting at 6 months or as a finger foods starting at 9 months. You will want to start by serving baby the bigger pieces of meats (ribs or drumsticks, 2-3 inch adult finger size strips, or longer meatballs) and work your way down to the smaller pieces as your baby develops their pincer grasp, usually around 9 months of age.

Palmar vs. Pincer Grasp

Palmar grasp and pincer grasp can be confusing, so let’s go over the basics.

Palmar Grasp

The palmar grasp is when your baby takes an entire 2-3′ piece of food and places most of the food into the palm of their hand with their fingers curling around the food. This leaves a small portion to stick out of the top of their hand, which is what they will chew on. The palmar grasp usually develops around 6 months of age, making it the first way your baby will move food from their plate to their mouths.

Pincer Grasp

A pincer grasp is when a baby uses their index finger and thumb to pick up smaller pieces of food. A baby will typically develop a pincer grasp around 9 months of age but can vary as all children develop at different rates.

HOW TO SERVE MEAT TO BABY

There are several different ways to prepare meat for baby. Here are 6 of my favorite ways:

  • Meat Puree (4-6+ Months)
  • Mashed Meat with Veggies (6+ Months)
  • Meat on Bone (6+ Months)
  • Meatball or Patty (6-7+ Months)
  • Ground (8-9+ Months)
  • Shredded or 2-3 inch Strips of Meat (Strips – 6+ Months, Shredded – 9+ Months)

Meat Puree for Baby

You can serve baby pureed chicken, beef, or turkey puree. The key to making delicious pureed meat is to keep the meat tender during the cooking process. I like to simmer the meat in a low or no-sodium broth until just cooked before letting it cool and then blending until smooth. You can add veggies such as onions, carrots, celery, and red peppers to the broth for extra flavor. Once made, the meat puree will last 4 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.

Meat to Use: you can use chicken, beef, turkey or lamb to make a baby puree.

Meat on the Bone

While serving meat on the bone to your baby may seem a little intense, it’s actually the perfect food for small hands to grasp and be able to self-feed as the bones make for the perfect handle. Make sure to remove any skin, fat, or small bones before serving.

Meat to Use: You can serve baby chicken or turkey drumsticks, ribs, or lamb chops.

Meatballs for Baby

You can serve meatballs for babies starting around 6-7 months of age. I love to make homemade meatballs for baby so that I can form them into long finger shapes, which are easier for babies to grasp and eat. You can also slice the longer meatballs into strips or chop them into smaller ‘pea’ size pieces. If using store-bought meatballs, look for a brand that doesn’t have a ton of added ingredients and has lower sodium. If serving a round meatball to your baby, you can cut it into quartered strips or small pieces.

Meat to Use: you can use beef, chicken, turkey or lamb to make meatballs for baby.

Ground Meat for Baby

Serving cooked ground meat is a great way for your baby to eat meat, as it is soft and tender than other cuts of meat, which makes it easier for your baby to chew and swallow. I also love that you can add in seasonings such as dried oregano, basil, paprika, garlic powder, mild chili powder, etc, to your meat while cooking to give it an exciting seasoned taste. You can serve ground meat to babies 9 months and up that are working on their pincer grasp or load some of the cooked ground meat onto a baby fork or self-feeding spoon to feed them or hand the utensil over to your baby to feed themselves.

Meat to Use: Feel free to use ground turkey, chicken, beef or lamb.

Pulled or Strips of Meat

The first food my daughter ever had was a huge piece of steak she grabbed off of my husband’s plate! Pulled (shredded) or strips of chicken, beef, pork, lamb, or turkey are one of the easiest ways to serve meat to babies. Take a 2-3′ strip, which is roughly the size of two adult fingers, of meat that you are going to have for dinner and serve it to your baby. You can also shred the meat into smaller pieces for slightly older babies (9+ months). Just make sure you remove any skin, fat, hard pieces, or small bones before serving.

Mashed Meat with Veggies

This method works great for babies on Stage Two or Stage Three baby food purees or just starting on finger foods. To make this, you will mash a small piece of chicken, beef, or turkey along with a spoonful of cooked veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, or broccoli until they are combined yet still slightly chunky. Then you can feed baby this chunky puree, or you can load a self-feeding spoon and have them feed themselves.

Tips
  • Soft and Tender: With whatever meat you are serving, make sure it is soft and tender to make it easier for your baby to chew. You don’t want to serve baby tough overcooked meat, skin, small bones, or pieces of fat as those are all choking hazards.
  • Serve a Variety: make sure you serve your baby various meats in a few different variations to diversify their textures and tastes, which helps with picky eating. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and offer baby chicken liver, veal, mutton, goat, buffalo, or organ meats such as heart, kidney, and liver.
  • Choose Dark Meat: offer baby dark turkey or chicken meat whenever possible as it has almost double the amount of iron in it.
  • Serve Fully Cooked Meat: Ensure you are serving your baby fully cooked meat as “rare” and “medium rare” are a no for baby.
  • 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or basil
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • Prep: If baking, preheat the oven to 400° F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and coat with a little cooking spray.

  • Mix: In a medium mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients. Mix together with your hands or a spatula until just incorporated.

  • Form: Roll the mixture into 3" long rolls – roughly 10 in total. Place on the baking sheet.

  • Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until done all the way through. Let cool and serve to baby.

Age: 6-7+ months

Yield: 10 longer meatballs

Storage: will store in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 2 months. To reheat, gently heat the meatballs in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove top until just warm.

Nordic Ware Baking Sheet

Stackable Glass Bowl Set

EZPZ

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How to cook meat puree for babies

About nutrition

Photo
Parents

Babies will not try baby meat puree until they are 7-8 months old. At this age, the child grows and develops intensively, and the iron reserves that he accumulated while he was in his mother's tummy and during breastfeeding are depleted in his body. It is during this period that it is recommended to introduce baby meat puree into his diet. Meat is the main source of complete animal protein, which is necessary for a growing man to protect against infections, normal development and formation of teeth and bones. Properly prepared meat puree for the first feeding contains easily digestible iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins. It also contains extractives that stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and the digestive system.

It is worth remembering the rules for the introduction of complementary foods. A new product is introduced gradually (over 5-7 days) starting with a small amount. It should be given in the morning to mark an unwanted reaction. Complementary foods are given from a spoon before breastfeeding or formula milk.

When feeding with mashed meat, start with a portion of 3–5 g (that’s 1/2 teaspoon), so that, gradually increasing its size, reach 60–80 g by 1 year. you can buy in the store, ready-made. Is it worth it to "fool around" with home cooking? It's up to you. There is no single answer to the question of which meat purees are best for your baby. But we think you will agree that a homemade recipe guarantees confidence in every ingredient. Yes, and cooking mashed potatoes at home is not difficult.

Puree meat for the first complementary foods: Recipe and step-by-step instruction

You will need:

  • Glass or ceramic cup capacity 200-500 ml

  • Glass of 0.5-1 l 9000 9000

  • plastic or metal spoon

  • meat cutter

  • plastic cutting board (more hygienic, wood is more difficult to clean and germs can accumulate on it)

  • blender

  • actual piece of meat

1.

Choosing meat

For the first feeding, it is recommended to choose hypoallergenic rabbit or turkey meat, which are easy to digest and contain little fat. Lamb and lean veal and beef are also not forbidden. Pork for babies will be too fatty and can cause a malfunction in the digestive system, chicken quite often causes allergic reactions.

It is recommended to buy meat for baby meat puree in a trusted store. Since any meat must pass veterinary control, the seller must carry a certificate confirming this procedure. Give preference to whole cuts of meat (not in cubes), fresh and juicy in appearance, not weathered. The cut of a piece of meat should be even, pink. A dark red or whitish cut indicates that the meat was either stored incorrectly, or is far from the first freshness.

To help a mother who is worried about the question “what to feed her baby”, we have prepared a material “What to feed a baby: a baby’s nutrition diary from birth to a year”

Photo
Parents

2.

Preparing meat

Before preparing the meat puree for the first feeding, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the meat under running cold or warm water. Remove fat, veins, skin, films from it and free it from bones.

Then cut a piece of about 10 cm from the whole piece of meat. Meat puree, like other foods for babies, should not be stored. For this reason, at one time you will need a very small piece of meat. The remaining meat can be cut into larger pieces and put in the freezer. Just keep in mind that any food for babies can only be thawed once. A defrosted product cannot be re-frozen: temperature changes create a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogens. So every time, intending to prepare meat puree for feeding, we take out 1 piece of meat from the freezer. For the first time, this amount is more than enough.

3. Rules for cooking meat for baby puree

Put the meat in a pot of cold water (remember, it must be filtered or bottled) and wait until it boils. After 5 minutes, drain the water (this is necessary to get rid of fat and extractives that make digestion difficult) and fill the meat with new water, it should cover it. Cook the meat until tender over low heat for about 2 hours (turkey, veal and lamb should be cooked until tender for 1-1.5 hours). If the water boils away, add it again. And remember that kids do not need to salt and add spices to the meat.

Find out how to make a menu for a one-year-old baby here: “Almost an adult menu: what to feed a child from one to two years old”

Photo
Parents

cut it into small pieces. Then grind the pieces in a blender.

To make puree a homogeneous consistency, similar to thick porridge, add a few tablespoons of mixture or vegetable broth to it (meat broth is not allowed for babies!).

Ready-made meat puree can be mixed with vegetable puree, which is already familiar to the baby. So the child will more easily accept the new product. You can also pour a few drops of vegetable oil into the meat puree (7-month-old children are entitled to 5 ml).

The first serving of meat puree should be 0.5 teaspoon. Pay close attention to your child's reaction. If everything is in order, after a week you can increase the portion. By the year the child should already consume portions of 60-80 g of meat. It is best to feed baby meat puree at lunchtime.

Read also: “When a child begins to chew and how to prepare for this”

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Parents
Parents

Each mother has his own recipe for making meat puree for infants . We will present some of them.

Homemade meat puree for babies with beef

Needed: 40 g beef, water, 1 teaspoon butter

Cleaned meat, free of bones, membranes and sinews, cut into small pieces. Stew the pieces in a small amount of water until fully cooked, about 2 hours. Cool the finished meat and scroll twice through a meat grinder, and then chop in a blender. This way you will achieve a uniform consistency. Add a little vegetable broth to the resulting puree and bring to a boil. Thoroughly mix everything, add butter.

You can also add some breast milk to the meat puree. But in this case, boiling mashed potatoes is no longer required.

Turkey meat puree recipe

You will need: 100 g turkey fillet, 0.5 cup of water.

Meat can be cooked on the multicooker rack, steamed or boiled in a pot of water on the stove. We cook in a slow cooker by setting the “steam” mode for 40 minutes. We cut the boiled meat into pieces, which we grind with a blender until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Dilute with water. Since the turkey puree is a little dry, you can pour a few drops of vegetable oil into it. Ready-made meat puree can not be stored in the refrigerator for more than a day.

How to choose the right meat puree for babies in the store? We figured out the issue together with a nutritionist: “Ready-made meat puree for a baby: analysis of the composition”

Svetlana Lyuboshits

How to cook meat for children up to a year

how to introduce meat into a child's diet

  • What kind of meat is healthier for a child
  • How is meat useful
  • Turkey meat for a child
  • How to cook meat soufflé for a baby
  • How to cook minced meat for children up to a year old
  • Reviews

    • During the first year of life, the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of a baby gradually begins to adapt to new food. With the onset of each month after reaching six months of age, complementary foods from new products are introduced into the baby's menu. The task of the mother, together with the pediatrician, is to carefully, gradually introduce new foods to the growing little man and not harm the health of the child, as well as to provide him with an adapted and balanced diet according to his age and development. How to introduce mashed potatoes and cereals into your baby's nutrition you will read in our articles. But we will discuss a more serious issue with you right now. And this: how to cook meat for children under one year old? About all the features of introducing this product into the child's diet. as well as recipes for its proper preparation, you can learn from our article.

    Also read our article: “First complementary foods: where to start”

    Approximately by 8-9 months of life, meat purees are introduced into the baby’s diet - a rich source of protein necessary for development, and of course iron, which is well absorbed organism. For a healthy baby, they begin to introduce 1-2 teaspoons of meat or poultry per day, gradually, over a couple of weeks, increasing its amount to a full serving. In a year, a baby, as a rule, can already eat at lunch or dinner up to 65-90 grams of meat puree with vegetables or dairy-free porridge.

    How to cook meat for children up to a year. Meat for baby food can be purchased in children's stores or supermarkets in the form of canned food, as a rule, these are small 100 gram jars. Or, you can cook the meat yourself at home. It is up to the mother to decide which product to choose in order to feed her child.

    What kind of meat is healthier for baby food

    How to cook meat for children under one year old. For the preparation of meat dishes for baby food, only the freshest meat is used, which must be cleaned of fat and films, without adding salt and spices to it during heat treatment. Only upon reaching 1-1.5 years, you can start adding some salt to food, add vegetable or butter to it, use fresh herbs.

    But the question is not how to get a piece of meat correctly, but what kind of product to give preference to, and where to start complementary foods for a baby? Let's try to look into this issue in detail together.

    Read also articles:

    • “The most useful cereals for breakfast”
    • “How to feed a child: first feeding rules”
    • “What to prepare children: Prepare children: Prepares children dishes"

    When and how to introduce meat into the diet of a child

    Meat contains amino acids, minerals and vitamins that are essential for the body and full development of the baby, so by about 8-9 months of the first year of life it must be included in the baby's menu.

    1.5-2 months after the introduction of the first complementary food in the form of porridge or vegetables, the baby's gastrointestinal tract will be adapted to the assimilation of heavier, meat food. There are other rules by which you can navigate that the baby is ripe:

    • at least 6-7 weeks have passed since the start of the first complementary foods;
    • the baby's first teeth have started to erupt;
    • low hemoglobin levels during blood tests;
    • there are serious indications for the baby to start gaining weight.

    When and how to introduce meat into a child's diet . The introduction of meat into the menu allows tissues, mice and the skeletal system to fully develop, in addition, the chewing apparatus is strengthened, and chewing skills are formed. And with artificial feeding, meat in the child's diet should be introduced a month earlier.

    Important! It will be quite difficult to skip meat at the right time if you follow the general recommendations for introducing new foods into your baby's menu.

    Complementary foods can be started with canned meat, which has a homogeneous texture. In addition, jars can be bought only from one meat, without additives, and they will be enough for exactly two meals at first. Just be sure to transfer the remaining puree to a clean, sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid and store the product for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. It is more comfortable. And what is better for your child? It is more useful, of course, to prepare mashed potatoes yourself from fresh meat. But here you have to work hard.

    Which meat is healthier for a child

    Which meat is healthier for a child. Starting from 7-9 months, meat must be present in the baby's diet every day. If it is not enough in the crumb menu, then this can lead not only to anemia (insufficient level of hemoglobin in the blood), lag in physical and mental development, various disorders of the nervous system and anemia.

    Every responsible parent, before introducing a product new to him, must take a sample from him. And thanks to meat, the most important amino acids and vitamins that are necessary for its development and growth enter the crumbs' body.

    Benefits of meat

    Amino acids are essential for proper metabolism and metabolism in the body, as well as protein synthesis. The body is able to synthesize 20 amino acids, and with a lack of at least one of them, a protein deficiency appears in the body.

    Iron - in meat it contains from 65 to 95%, depending on the variety. And thanks to this mineral, cells are saturated with oxygen, the flow to tissues and small vessels improves.

    Calcium - vital for bones and muscles, their proper growth and development. In addition, this mineral contributes to the normalization of the nervous system.

    Vitamin A - effectively breaks down fats and adipose tissue in the body, and also contributes to the formation of new healthy cells.

    Vitamin B12 - performs the most important task - forms blood cells, promotes the growth and formation of nerve endings.

    Vitamin D - helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, helps the bones form and grow properly, and also plays the role of preventing rickets.

    It is recommended to start complementary foods with turkey or beef, but it is best to postpone allergenic pork and chicken until the very last moment. Consider the options for the usefulness of meat by variety and be sure to pay attention to how much and how to cook this or that variety.

    Important information! Meat has a different structure than mashed potatoes and porridge, so this product is great for helping to form the first chewing skills in a child of the first year of life.

    Turkey meat for a baby

    The most successful option for the first complementary food for a baby, it is turkey that contains the least fat, a lot of protein and amino acids, useful minerals and vitamins.

    Benefit

    Turkey meat, especially fillets, has low allergenic properties and is high in protein. Almost completely absorbed by the body, while the meat contains very little fat and cholesterol.

    Compared to other varieties, sodium predominates in the product, and the iron content is higher than in rabbit or beef. Very tender and tasty meat, which should be given preference for feeding a baby.

    How long to cook

    If using turkey breast, it is enough to boil the meat for half an hour in boiling water and then grind it with an immersion blender.

    When using turkey thigh meat, it is worth dressing it for 10-15 minutes longer, and only then start chopping the product.

    Rabbit

    Meat rich in protein, which practically does not cause allergies, while being absorbed by the body up to 95%. The protein content reaches 20-25%, with much less fat than in beef.

    Benefits

    It is recommended to select carcasses of young rabbits that are less than 3-4 months old, and use the back of the rabbit carcass for baby food.

    How long to cook

    Rabbit meat is cooked in the same way as turkey, with a small exception - during cooking, you can add root vegetables - onions and carrots, parsley or celery root to slightly reduce the "specific" aroma.

    Chicken

    How to cook meat for children under one year old. From chicken, it is recommended to use breast (fillet) for cooking, and give the child no more than 2 times a week, due to the fact that the product can cause allergic reactions.

    Benefits

    There is no special benefit for the nutrition of the baby in this meat, so it is worth introducing it into the diet after the baby has grown up, chews confidently, and be sure to monitor whether there is an allergy to the product.

    How much to cook

    How to cook meat for children up to a year. Chicken meat will be ready in 25-30 minutes, especially if you cut it into small pieces and use breast fillet or flesh from the thigh. Village chickens take much longer to cook than a chilled product from supermarket shelves.

    Beef

    It is this type of meat that most often begins feeding an infant, and this is done not only because of the availability of this product, but also due to the fact that beef contains a lot of iron. In addition, this product contains a lot of valuable protein, essential amino acids and vitamins.

    The product is absorbed by the body by 75-80%, and if it is veal, then by 85-90%. For the preparation of baby puree, it is recommended to use tenderloin, it contains only 2.8% fat.

    Horse meat

    How to cook meat for children under one year old. Another variety of low-allergenic meat product that can be included in the diet of a child of the first year of life. Moreover, it is horse meat that is practically not inferior in terms of fat, vitamins and nutrients to beef that is healthy and familiar to us.

    Pork

    Despite the fact that pork is hypoallergenic, it is quite fatty, so the load on the body increases. If you give it to a child, then you should choose the leanest part of the carcass for cooking, for example, tenderloin.

    Lamb

    Lamb meat is practically not inferior in nutritional value to other varieties, but in itself is more rigid and fibrous, so it is difficult to start complementary foods with it because it is impossible to grind it at home to a homogeneous state.

    Meat broth for a child

    Meat broth can be introduced into the diet of a child not earlier than 1-1.5 years, and even then infrequently. First, meat is introduced into the menu, and only then you can diversify the menu with broths and soups based on them.

    Lean meat should be boiled in a small amount of water, with the addition of vegetables, preferably root vegetables.

    How to cook meat for a baby

    Some mothers, especially those with a restless child, find it more convenient to introduce complementary foods on the menu by buying meat in jars in the form of canned food. Their composition is simple and safe, in the classic version without cereals and vegetables, the meat itself and water are directly contained. But it is much tastier, healthier and more economical to cook it at home. However, not every parent knows how to properly cook and process it before giving it to the baby. Let's look at this issue in the most detailed way.

    For the first feeding

    Homemade meals must be fresh, ideally if mom cooks them for just one meal, and not store them in the refrigerator for a second or even third use.

    From 7 months

    Before cooking meat yourself, in order to introduce the baby to a new product, you should know that there are some rules that must be strictly observed:

    • Meat must be boiled, even if you stick small meatballs, before freezing, you need to boil them for 5-7 minutes, cool, and only then you can freeze them. Meat balls prepared in this way can later be steamed.
    • the dish must be given from a plate with a special spoon and in small portions;
    • The best time to feed meat is at lunchtime. For example, for starters, the baby is given a little vegetable puree with meat, and then you can already feed the baby with soup, breast milk or a mixture;
    • at first, the meat is diluted with milk or a mixture when chopping, you can also use vegetable broth from those vegetables that the baby has already tried;
    • vegetables or cereals can be gradually added to the meat to gradually displace the milk and replace it with a full meal;

    Important! It is undesirable to mix meat with potatoes - it turns out to be a very difficult dish for digestion and assimilation, which the baby's gastrointestinal tract can simply not cope with.

    • The already prepared dish can be stored in the refrigerator in a clean, sterilized container with a tight lid for no more than 10-12 hours.

    Up to a year

    As soon as the baby develops the first chewing skills, it is advisable to scroll the meat several times through a meat grinder, and slightly salt the product to form small meatballs from it. After boiling or steaming, they can no longer be crushed with a blender, but kneaded in a plate with a fork or spoon.

    Also, closer to the year, you can add yolk, a little fresh, very finely chopped greens to meat balls for cooking dinner for taste and aroma.

    How to cook the first food from meat (video)

    How to cook a meat soufflé for a child

    When the baby grows up a little, his meat menu can be diluted with a very tasty and tender soufflé. Moreover, at first it is steamed, and as the child grows up, it can be baked in the oven, adding other ingredients for taste.

    For cooking you will need

    • 150 gr. lean meat;
    • 1-2 slices of yesterday's white bread;
    • 1 whole chicken yolk or quail egg;
    • some baby milk;
    • salt, onion and herbs to taste.

    Preparation :

    • Boil a piece of meat until tender, take it apart from possible fat and films, tendons and cool.
    • Cut the crusts off the bread and soak it in milk.
    • Grind the boiled meat with the addition of bread in a meat grinder, turning the minced meat twice for juiciness and tenderness.

    Tip! At this stage, you can add vegetables and herbs to the minced meat, and add some salt to the future soufflé.

    • Add a little milk and a beaten egg (yolk) to the resulting mass and mix everything thoroughly.
    • Pour the soufflé mass into a fireproof mold, preferably one that will not stick to anything.
    • Soufflé can be prepared in a double boiler or multicooker, but putting the form in a sieve or colander and putting it in a saucepan with water is also not forbidden.
    • Now you need to make a small fire, cover the pan with a lid and cook for half an hour.
    • Cool the souffle to an acceptable temperature and you can start feeding the baby.

    How to cook minced meat for children under one year old

    Approximately 1-1.5 years old baby needs up to 80-100 grams of meat or fish per day to grow well and develop properly. As a rule, by this age the child already has chewing skills, so you can add minced meat dishes to his menu - meatballs, hedgehogs with cereals or small steam cutlets.

    How to prepare meat for children under one year old. Not all parents know how to properly prepare minced meat at home for baby food, so today we will share tips and tricks for preparing it for future use as well.

    • it is not recommended to use frozen meat for baby food, it is better to give preference to a steamed or chilled product;
    • which part of the carcass should be preferred? Baby food uses tenderloin and carbonate, thigh or shoulder blade. The meat is thoroughly cleaned of fat, tendons and films, washed in running water and dried with kitchen paper towels. Now it can be cut into strips and passed a couple of times through the fine grate of a meat grinder. As soon as the baby grows up, one grinding will be enough, but the grate should still remain small;
    • The crust must be cut off from the pieces of white bread, the crumb itself is soaked in boiled warm water or warmed milk. It is allowed to add bread crumb no more than 25%;
    • cooking minced meat is a labor-intensive process, so it is worth preparing it in reserve, forming meatballs out of it or simply freezing it, spreading it in a thin layer in a bag. So it will take up less space in the freezer and defrost faster;
    • When preparing meat for baby food, only vegetables, herbs and cereals can be added to it. You should not use any spices and seasonings, except that after reaching 1-1.5 years you can add a little salt to it.

    Reviews

    Elena, 30

    We started introducing canned turkey from six months after the approval of the pediatrician. Daughter liked it, quickly switched to home cooking.

    Olga, 24

    Since 8 months we have been eating rabbit and beef, I haven’t tried cooking and mashing meat yet, but I really liked the soufflé recipe. I will definitely try to cook and please the new dish of the baby.

    Veronica,56

    My daughter has just started to give meat, while we are buying jars, we have already tried turkey and rabbit. The next step is beef and we want to cook our own chicken.

    Introduction to the meat menu is a responsible task for parents, and besides, it will bring pleasure to both baby and mother. After all, he seeks to try everything new and does it with interest. But it may also happen that the baby may not like it. Do not worry and worry, but try in a few days to offer him a slightly different kind of meat for testing. And the obligatory rule for the introduction of complementary foods: let's try complementary foods for the baby before the main feeding with mother's milk (or formula).

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