Nutrition food for 8 month baby

Sample Menu for a Baby 8 to 12 Months Old

Ages & Stages

Now that your baby is eating solid foods, planning meals can be more challenging. At this age, your baby needs between 750 and 900 calories each day, of which about 400 to 500 should come from breast milk or formula (if you are not breastfeeding)—roughly 24 ounces (720 mL) a day. Breast milk and formula contain vitamins, minerals, and other important components for brain growth.

At about eight months, you may want to introduce foods that are slightly coarser than strained pureed foods. They require more chewing than baby foods. You can expand your baby's diet to include soft foods such as yogurt, oatmeal, mashed banana, mashed potatoes, or even thicker or lumpy pureed vegetables. Eggs (including scrambled) are an excellent source of protein, as are cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and avocado.

Sample menu ideas for an 8- to 12-month-old baby:

1 cup = 8 ounces = 240 ml
¾ cup = 6 ounces = 180 ml
½ cup = 4 ounces = 120 ml
¼ cup = 2 ounces = 60 ml

Breakfast

2 to 4 ounces cereal, or 1 mashed or scrambled egg
2 to 4 ounces mashed or diced fruit
Breastmilk or 4 to 6 ounces formula

Snack

Lunch

2 to 4 ounces yogurt or cottage cheese, or pureed or diced beans or meat
2 to 4 ounces cooked pureed or diced yellow or orange vegetables
Breastmilk or 4 to 6 ounces formula

Snack

Dinner

2 to 4 ounces diced diced poultry, meat, or tofu
2 to 4 ounces cooked green vegetables
2 to 4 ounces cooked soft-whole grain pasta or potato
2 to 4 ounces diced or mashed fruit
Breastmilk or 4 to 6 ounces formula

Before bedtime

Breastmilk or 6 to 8 ounces formula, or water. (If breastmilk or formula, follow with water or brush teeth afterward).

More information

Sample Menu for a One-Year-Old
Starting Solid Foods
Breastfeeding Mealtime Milestones
Ask the Pediatrician: Is it OK to make my own baby food?

Last Updated: 8/12/2022

Source: Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 7th Edition (Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Is it OK to make my own baby food?

Yes, you may find several benefits to feeding your baby homemade foods. It can be less expensive than store bought, for example. It can let your child enjoy baby-friendly versions of foods they see the rest of the family eating. And it may be easier than you think. All you need is a blender, food processor, or even a hand-held mixer.

Keep these tips in mind to ensure homemade food is nutritious and safe for your baby:

When is my child ready to try baby food?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months. Before your child starts solid foods, be sure they are developmentally ready. They should be able to sit in a highchair or feeding seat with good head control, for example, and should show interest in food, opening their mouth on their own. Your pediatrician can help guide you through getting started.

What's the best way to get started making my own baby food?

First, think about foods are already on your menu. There's probably no need to make a special item. After introducing individual foods, you may want to try combinations. Don't worry too much about ratios—there is no magic formula. And try not to overthink which solids and how much of each to give your baby. (Remember that breastmilk or infant formula still provides the vast majority of calories and nutrients for infants under age 1.)

Instead, consider balancing several types of foods to offer different nutrients. You may find that your baby only eats a few bites of something new, so plan to store leftovers for later. Some foods may need to be offered 8-10 times before an infant or toddler eats them well.

Balance, moderation & variety

The latest USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage parents to “make every bite count" by having every food in an infant's diet support nutrition and growth needs. Think of each bite as a chance for your child to explore the color, taste, and texture of a nutritious food.

When offering your baby new foods, try to include fruits and vegetables in each color of the rainbow. Also offer good sources of protein (such as beans, chicken, fish, and yogurt), fat, and iron (for example, iron-fortified oat cereal or meats). Serving a variety of foods also is key to helping lower the risk of toxic element exposure for your baby. (See Heavy Metals in Baby Food.)

Get those allergen foods in!

Early exposure to common food allergy culprits, such as egg, soy, gluten, dairy, nuts and fish, can lower the risk of babies developing allergies to them. Try mixing a small amount of peanut butter with oatmeal cereal, for example, or offer bites of scrambled egg. You can also introduce yogurt or shredded cheese once your baby is eating solids, along with small bites of a well-cooked white fish like tilapia or cod. If your child has severe eczema or an egg allergy, be sure to discuss introduction of these foods with your pediatrician.

What should I avoid?

Do not feed infants under age 1 honey, since it can contain bacteria that could make them sick. Also beware of foods that may be a choking hazard, such as nuts or raw carrots. You can offer your baby water with meals, but it is best to avoid all other beverages except breastmilk or formula. Homemade foods should not replace breast milk or infant formula, and remember that you should not make infant formula at home. (See Is Homemade Baby Formula Safe?)

Storing homemade baby food

Some parents like to prep in advance by cooking in batches and storing the pre-made baby food. This can make life easier during busy days. Consider freezing the leftovers to use another time. After cooking, an ice cube tray is a wonderful way to freeze leftover food. Each cube is about 1 oz of food, and you can transfer to a zipped plastic bag or other storage container after freezing. Be sure to label the type of food and the date. Plan to eat frozen baby food within 3 months by reheating on the stove or in the microwave.

What about baby-led weaning?

Some families choose to skip pureed foods and offer babies small bites of regular table foods, typically without utensils. This allows infants who reject purees or prefer texture to feed themselves, even choosing what and how much they eat.

It's a good idea to talk with your pediatrician before starting. Your child should show signs of general developmental readiness for solids, plus the ability to bring their hands to their mouth. Begin with small bites of soft or mashed foods first, such as baked sweet potato, scrambled egg, small pieces of banana or ripe mango, or green peas. Remember to avoid raw vegetables, nuts and seeds, popcorn, whole grapes, and other foods that may increase choking risk.

Remember

What's right for your family may not be the same as for your friends, so try to avoid comparisons. All families are different and strive to do their best. Making homemade baby food is a great option, but don't feel badly if you need to use store-bought food, as well. Family size, budget, and schedule all contribute to these decisions. Just remember to offer a variety of foods to your baby, and make every bite count!

More information

Starting Solid Foods
Choking Prevention
Ask the Pediatrician: How should we feed our baby if we're running low on money?
Heavy Metals in Baby Food

Diet for an 8-month-old baby

In the ninth month, fish can be introduced into the diet of children. Along with animal meat, fish is a source of complete protein with a well-balanced composition of amino acids, fat, vitamins B2, B12 and minerals. Compared to meat, fish contains 5 times less connective tissue, due to which it is quickly boiled soft, has a delicate texture after heat treatment and is easier to digest. Fish oil is characterized by a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including the ω-3 class. These substances are necessary for the child to mature the brain, retina, strengthen the cardiovascular and immune systems. Sea fish contains such important trace elements for the child's body as iodine and fluorine. The child should be given 1-2 times a week instead of meat, be sure to monitor how the child tolerates fish in general and its individual varieties. Preference should be given to oceanic fish, preferably white (cod, hake, pollock), red salmon can be recommended, river pike perch, carp.

Self-cooked fish is given to a child with boiled and mashed vegetables. You can also offer your baby fish and vegetable canned food, but they contain only 10 - 20% of fish.

At this age, when all the main food groups have already been introduced, special attention should be paid to the diversity of the composition of dishes. New, possibly combined products are introduced, for example, not only purees from various fruits and berries, but also their combinations with cottage cheese, cream, cereals, etc.

From the age of 8 months, the child's diet can be expanded to include fermented milk products (baby kefir, biokefir, bifidokefir, yogurt, bioyogurt, biolact). Fermented milk products are prepared using a special starter culture that breaks down milk protein, so that the baby can get an indispensable set of amino acids in a well-available form. Fermented milk products improve the composition of the intestinal microflora of the child, are rich in B vitamins and calcium. Their regular use favorably affects the functioning of the intestines, stimulates appetite, and increases the absorption of micronutrients. Children's dairy products are introduced into the baby's diet gradually, starting with 1 tsp. and with good tolerance increase their volume to 150-200 ml per day.

Sample menu for a healthy baby 8 months

I feeding 6 hours	Breast milk or infant formula	200 ml
II feeding 10 hours	Dairy-free* or milk porridge Butter Boiled egg yolk Fruit puree Fruit juice	180 g ½ tsp 1/2 pcs. 20 g 30 ml
III feeding 14 hours	Vegetable puree Vegetable oil Meat puree Fruit juice	170 g 1/2 tsp 50 g 50 ml
IV feeding 18 hours	Cottage cheese Baby biscuits Fruit puree Supplementation with breast milk or baby kefir/yogurt	40 g 1 - 2 pcs. 40 g 100 ml
V feeding 22 hours	Breast milk or infant formula	200 ml

* - diluted with breast milk, infant formula or water

Approximate daily ration for an 8 month old baby allergic to cow's milk proteins

I feeding 6 hours	Breast milk or formula for children allergic to cow's milk proteins	200 ml
II feeding 10 o'clock	Dairy-free* porridge Vegetable oil Fruit puree (apple, pear)	120 g 1 tsp 80 g
III feeding 14 hours	Vegetable puree Vegetable oil Meat puree	170 g 1 tsp 40 g
IV feeding 18 hours	Vegetable puree or porridge Vegetable oil Meat puree	170 g 1 tsp 30 g
V feeding 22 hours	Breast milk or formula for children allergic to cow's milk proteins	200 ml

* — is diluted with breast milk or formula for children with allergies to cow's milk proteins

What to feed a baby at 8 months

Shalunova Anastasia Ivanovna

member of the Russian Union of Nutritionists, Nutritionists and Food Industry Specialists 9002 9002 9002 Anastasia Ivanovna, does the nutrition of a child at 8 months differ from the diet of a one-year-old child?

— Yes, different. By eight months, additional baby foods with greater density and nutritional value are needed as the more active baby develops new needs. The most important stage in the formation of a balanced diet begins, the purpose of which is to lay the right eating habits in order to transfer the child to the common table by the year and feed him with adult food, which is customary to eat in the family.

— What is the optimal combination of complementary foods with breast milk and infant formula?

— During the day, complementary foods and the usual milk food for the baby - mother's milk or an adapted formula - are given in different feedings. In the morning and evening, the mother will continue to breastfeed or formula, and for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea she will offer the child complementary foods.

— In what cases is the start of complementary foods delayed?

— There are a number of reasons for delaying the introduction of new complementary foods:

allergic reactions;
unformed gastrointestinal tract and rejection of complementary foods;
unformed nervous system;
complications or operations after childbirth;
chronic diseases;
benign and malignant neoplasms;
lack of nutritional interest with an unformed need for complementary foods.

— Why is it important to expand the baby's diet at 8 months?

— Eight months is a period of increased activity, intensive growth, formation of the food apparatus, digestive, urinary, and immune systems. All this requires the expenditure of a large amount of energy and the introduction of additional complementary foods that contain nutrients, vitamins, minerals in greater quantities than dairy food and the first complementary foods.

— What to feed a baby at 8 months?

- By eight months, the child can already try a large number of puree food options - these are vegetables, fruits, cereals. But the older the baby becomes, the less the products are crushed so that he gets acquainted with the pieces, learns to chew and swallow them. Age-appropriate foods are numerous. But it is worth remembering that at least four days are allotted for adaptation to one new nutritional component in order to have time to track the body's reaction. If the baby responds well to one product, move on to the next.

What can a baby eat at 8 months

— What foods are harmful at eight months?

- The cooking method will play a role here. For the baby, the products are not fried, but boiled. It is not recommended to consume juices, soda, products with food additives, sweeteners, flavors and preservatives. We do not give the child sauces, canned food, fatty meats, as well as poorly digestible semi-finished products. Whole milk as an independent product at this age is too early to give.

8 month old baby menu option

Cream-soups MAMAKO ^® with goat's milk is a natural product for normalizing digestion and adapting the baby to the adult menu.

Why does the child not want to eat complementary foods?

— Such behavior is possible due to the lack of food interest or the immaturity of some functions or organs of the child — not everything depends on the mother here, it will be necessary to resolve the issue with doctors and try to introduce new products.

Food interest is considered to be situations when a child reaches for a spoon, looks into a plate, is interested in different tastes. If this is not the case by eight months, it is worth contacting an allergist, a nutritionist, a gastroenterologist through a pediatrician.

Read also

Why a child refuses to eat complementary foods and what to do in such situations.

— How can I tell which complementary foods my baby is allergic to?

- The easiest way to track allergies is through observation and keeping a food diary. Flushing, screaming and crying, and constipation can occur alone or along with other symptoms of a food allergy. It is necessary to introduce new food very carefully, not to give everything at once, so that the body adapts to complementary foods, and in the case of an allergic reaction, it is easier to recognize its pathogen.

Nutrition at eight months should be varied and balanced. The nutrients of each new product are important, because the child needs to be supplied not only with energy, but also with dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.