Nutritious foods for babies

Baby's first foods: The 10 best foods for babies

These 10 first foods are ideal for your baby because they're full of essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious. Avocados contain healthy fats, while bananas are loaded with potassium. Blueberries are bursting with antioxidants, whereas broccoli offers fiber and folate. Both lentils and meat are packed with protein. Prunes can help with constipation, and yogurt helps form healthy bones and teeth. Sweet potatoes and winter squash are great sources of beta-carotene and vitamin C.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it's important to offer your baby a variety of healthy foods. There are lots of healthy, baby-friendly foods out there, but these 10 recommended by doctors and dietitians alike stand out from the pack. From vitamin-rich fruits and veggies to meats and beans loaded with protein, these superfoods are full of essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious.

Many are also favorite first foods. Before introducing solids, talk to the doctor about your baby's readiness for solids, and which foods to introduce and when. Then introduce foods one at a time, waiting at least three days after each new food to watch for any allergic reaction.

Avocados

BabyCenter parents are all about avocado as a first food. This buttery fruit-vegetable is rich in healthy unsaturated fats that help boost brain development. In fact, the fat composition of avocados is somewhat similar to that of breast milk.

Serving ideas: Mash avocado with a fork, or make baby guacamole.

Bananas

Known as a good source of potassium, this grab-and-go fruit also contains vitamins B6 and C, fiber, and magnesium.

Serving ideas: Make banana and mango puree. Or, for your little one's first smoothie, puree banana and peach chunks with whole-milk yogurt.

Blueberries

Blueberries are bursting with antioxidants. The deep, brilliant blue of these berries comes from flavonoids that benefit your baby's eyes, brain, and even urinary tract.

Serving ideas: Blend or mash blueberries well and swirl a spoonful of the juicy purple puree into yogurt, or top silky coconut milk rice pudding with blueberry compote.

Broccoli

This cruciferous vegetable is a rich source of essential nutrients, including fiber, folate, and calcium. Introduce your baby to broccoli's bold flavor early, and you'll be expanding their tastes and encouraging a lifelong love of green vegetables.

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Serving idea: Steam until soft, cut into pieces small enough for your child to eat safely, and then chill. Steaming takes the bite out of broccoli, and some babies prefer the texture and taste when it's cold.

Lentils

Beans and other legumes pack lots of lean protein and fiber. But unlike larger beans, little lentils simmer into a pleasing mush just right for baby bites. They're also one of the cheapest healthy foods you can buy.

Serving ideas: Cook finely diced carrots along with the lentils. As your baby gets older, double up on nutrient-rich foods by making lentil and spinach stew.

Meat

Lack of iron can cause anemia. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends meat as a first food because it's such a great source of protein, zinc, and iron, especially red meat and dark poultry meat. Plus, babies absorb iron more easily from meat than from iron-fortified cereals, another common first food.

Serving ideas: If your baby is new to solids, try our easy turkey or chicken puree recipe. As they get older, introduce new flavors with chicken curry with green beans and zucchini or shepherd's pie.

Prunes

Whether you call them "prunes" or "dried plums," these humble fruits don't sound glamorous – but they're soft, sweet, and full of fiber. Your baby may suffer from constipation when switching to solids, as it's a big change for their system. Add pureed prunes to your baby's diet to aid digestion and keep things moving.

Serving ideas: Serve pureed prunes alone or mixed with other foods, such as oatmeal, cereal, or applesauce, for a naturally sweet treat.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of the more popular first foods for babies, who tend to like both their sweetness and texture. These colorful root vegetables are packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and minerals, including iron and copper.

Serving ideas: Serve sweet potato puree alone or swirled into pureed chicken or turkey.

Winter squash

Orange- or yellow-fleshed hard winter squashes such as butternut, acorn, and pumpkin boast many benefits, one of which is they're exceptionally rich in beta-carotene, recognized for being great for eyes. Squash is also an excellent source of vitamin C. Natural sweetness and a creamy texture add to the appeal of winter varieties.

Serving ideas: Roast a winter squash like butternut, scoop out the flesh, and puree it for an easy first food. As your baby gets older, introduce new flavors and textures with dishes like smashed chickpea and butternut chili.

Yogurt

Creamy yogurt is rich in calcium and vitamin D, necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Your baby can have it at 4 to 6 months, long before they'll be ready for cow's milk.

Opt for plain yogurt with no added sugar. Also look for a brand with the most live cultures, which help regulate the good bacteria in your baby's digestive tract. Make sure you pick up whole-milk yogurt – babies need the calories from fat.

Serving ideas: Yogurt is fine on its own, or swirl in pureed berries or other fresh fruit, applesauce, or mashed avocado.

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Best Foods for Baby (and What to Avoid)

When it comes to feeding baby, there’s no “Top 10” list of superfoods for you to print out, stick on the fridge and follow to a tee. (Sorry!) In fact, experts agree that limiting your little one to only a few “best” foods in their first year (or any year, for that matter) would actually do them a disservice. “The first year of life is when the palate is trained,” says Tina Ruggiero, MS, RD, LD, coauthor of The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet. “The three rules I tell my clients to follow are: Go for color, think fresh and introduce new flavors and different textures at age-appropriate stages. Following these guidelines, parents will find more than 10 fruits, more than 10 vegetables and more than 10 proteins to try.” And while you’ll also want to talk with baby’s pediatrician for guidance, adding the following great options to baby’s diet—and avoiding a couple first-year no-no foods—will get your kiddo off to a healthy start.

Breast Milk

If you’ve been breastfeeding baby, know that just because your little one is now ready to start solids doesn’t mean you should stop nursing. After all, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for about six months, and then continuing to breastfeed along with giving solids until baby is 12 months old—or longer, if it works for both mom and baby. “The very best food for the first year is breast milk,” says Loraine Stern, MD, FAAP, coauthor of the book Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know. If you’re using formula, continue until baby is 12 months old or until your pediatrician gives the okay to stop.

Best age for breast milk: Birth and older

Iron-Fortified Cereal

Baby is born with a natural supply of iron, but it’ll be depleted by the time they’re around 6 months old, Stern says, so introducing iron-rich foods is essential. One that fits the bill: Iron-fortified cereal. It doesn’t have to be the traditional first food of rice cereal—oatmeal and barley are good options too—just make sure you start with a single-grain formula.

Best age for iron-fortified cereal: 4 to 6 months and older

Avocados

Avocados are a great first fruit to offer baby, because they’re loaded with monounsaturated fats (that’s the good kind!) and have a mild taste and smooth consistency. They’re super-easy to prepare too: Simply mash a very ripe avocado with a little breast milk or formula until it reaches a pureed consistency.

Best age for avocados: 6 months and older

Sweet Potatoes

Okay, so there’s no baby superfood—but sweet potatoes come pretty close. According to Ruggiero, they’re one of the most nutritious foods for baby. Why? They’re rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A—and that’s important for good vision, healthy skin, normal growth and protection from infections. Plus, many babies like the soft, pudding-like texture of pureed sweet potatoes, says Susan Casey, RD, CD, pediatric clinical dietitian at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Best age for sweet potatoes: 6 months and older

Meat—like chicken, lamb or beef—is an excellent source of protein, as well as iron, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and zinc. Just make sure it’s pureed to a smooth texture. (According to Nutrition, for infants, “even finely chopped meat may be hard to handle and cause choking.”) Try mixing the pureed meat with breast milk and a favorite veggie puree if you’re preparing it yourself, or buy plain pureed jarred meats.

Best age for meat: 7 to 10 months and older

“Beets are an extraordinary nutrient source,” says Ruggiero. “They’re a good source of folic acid, high in potassium and beta-carotene, and they’re a sweet veggie—which babies take a liking to quickly.” Roast or steam them until they’re super-soft; then mash them.

Best age for beets: 11 months and older

Yogurt

Plain (not vanilla) whole-milk yogurt is another protein-rich option for baby—plus, it contains calcium and beneficial live active cultures. (Confused as to why yogurt made with cow’s milk is okay for babies, but actual cow’s milk isn’t? “Very simply, lactose is already broken down with the culturing of the yogurt, and milk proteins are either removed or limited, so it’s easy for baby to digest,” says Ruggiero.)

Best age for yogurt: 9 months and older

Cheerios

Believe it or not, many experts love good old-fashioned Cheerios. The little O’s in the yellow box are an excellent finger food and a good source of fiber. “I don’t think childhood would exist without Cheerios,” says Stern.

Best age for cheerios: 9 months and older

Check out The Bump’s Finger Foods chart:

Image: The Bump

Foods to Avoid Giving Babies

There’s a plethora of healthy options out there to feed baby–but there are some things you do want to avoid. Make sure anything you offer your little one isn’t a choking hazard, and hold off on the following items:

Honey

Tempted to sweeten up baby’s bland pear sauce with a touch of honey? Don’t. According to Nutrition, “Honey is linked to infant botulism, an illness that can be fatal.” The tummies of babies under age one simply can’t deactivate the botulism spores that might be in honey, Stern says. So avoid this food until baby has passed their first birthday.

Cow’s Milk

Babies can’t easily digest cow’s milk, which is one reason why experts recommend waiting until the one-year mark before offering it.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

Dig In! A Guide to Starting Solids

A Fool-Proof Guide to Making Baby Food

The Best Finger Foods for Baby

Note to mothers: useful products for the child

A growing child needs strength for the great discoveries that happen to him every day. In order for a child to grow up healthy and active, his diet must be varied and balanced. ELLE will tell you how to create the most useful children's menu.

A child's health depends on many factors, and nutrition, physical activity and a favorable environment play an important role in its development. Healthy foods for children contain a boost of vitamins and minerals necessary for active growth. Knowing the list of the most necessary products for the child, you can easily create a menu, each time offering the child a new tasty dish.

Intuitively and so it is clear what foods are good for children. The diet of children should be based on dairy products, cereals, vegetables, fruits, berries, greens, meat and fish, eggs, nuts. It is important that every day the child eats a variety of foods high in proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.

We start with breakfast, and there is no better dish than porridge for the first meal. Cereal cereals energize the body and give a feeling of satiety. The most useful cereals with a low glycemic index are rice, buckwheat, and wheat. These cereals are rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, E, saturated fatty acids. The complex carbohydrates in rice help to generate the energy that students need in the learning process. Buckwheat porridge is rich in vegetable proteins. The least useful porridge is semolina.

Another indispensable product for the full development of a child is a chicken egg. They contain a lot of animal protein, amino acids, vitamins A, D, B2. In the absence of individual intolerance, the child can eat eggs at least every day. Moreover, there are many recipes for cooking eggs that will not get bored day by day. Omelet, poached eggs, Benedict, egg in a toast, scrambled eggs, hard boiled or bagged - such a breakfast will be eaten in a minute by a little hero.

A fruit salad can be offered to a child for lunch. The composition of all fruits in different dosages includes vitamins and trace elements. It is believed that the body is better able to digest fruits and vegetables that are suitable for its place of birth and growth. In our country, the most useful fruits are apples, plums, pears, peaches, apricots, rich in vitamin A. This vitamin is important for the formation of hormones in a young body, improves visual acuity, helps improve the quality of skin, hair, strengthens bone tissue and teeth.

Citrus fruits contain a lot of vitamin B1, which is responsible for the body's metabolic processes. For the proper development of the nervous, cardiovascular and muscular systems and the prevention of beriberi, you need to eat at least 100 g of pineapple, kiwi, grapefruit per day. Children should eat fresh or frozen fruits. Canned fruits additionally contain sugar, which increases the calorie content of the dish, and all useful components, as a result of long-term storage, come to the child in a lower concentration. It is advisable to eat different fruits every day.

The child's lunch should be hearty, but moderate, and must include protein foods. If the child is not brought up in a vegetarian family, then for lunch he should be offered fish or a lean meat dish. Rabbit meat, turkey, veal are considered dietary. Dishes prepared from these types of meat and poultry are rich in protein, iron, zinc, vitamins B2 and B6. Steamed, boiled or stewed meat is better and faster absorbed by the body.

The healthiest foods for kids can be found in the fish section of the grocery store. Swedish scientists, using the example of the children of their country, proved to the whole world what the benefits of fish are for a young organism. According to their research, the content of fish in the children's diet improves the mental abilities of children by 2 times, in comparison with those who do not eat seafood.

Fish is rich in proteins, iron, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, fish dishes should be included in the child's diet at least once a week. The most useful varieties of fish for children are cod, pike perch, trout.

Meat and fish dishes at lunchtime are best served with boiled side dishes - potatoes, buckwheat, rice, durum wheat pasta.

For an afternoon snack, offer your child a glass of milk or kefir, any dairy product. The norm of dairy products for a child is at least 500 ml of milk and 50 g of cottage cheese per day. You should choose products with low fat content, from 2.5 to 3.5% is suitable for milk, up to 9% for cottage cheese%. Healthy dairy foods for children contain calcium, the most important element for bone growth, animal fats and vitamins, as well as lactobacilli that are beneficial for the digestive system and intestinal tract.

For dinner, also prepare a meat or fish dish and vegetable salad for your child. Vegetables contain fiber, without which the full digestion of food is impossible. The most useful vegetables for a child are fresh or steamed. In this form, vegetables will retain most of the vitamins.

Smirnova Olga

reflection in many things. For example, in the preparation of a competent and balanced diet.

It's no secret that a young body is in dire need of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. This is a guarantee that your child will grow up big and healthy. Strong immunity and proper nutrition will help to resist the harmful effects of the environment, activate mental activity and, as a result, easily cope with school workloads.

For loving mothers, we have compiled a list of 10 healthy foods that you should definitely include in your child's diet so that he grows up healthy and strong.

1. Nuts and nut butter

Foods that are similar in value to nuts can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Nuts are a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. They are especially rich in vitamin E, which increases the body's defenses and strengthens the immune system, as well as calcium and iron, which are very important for the body to grow strong and strong.

This product must be in the diet of every schoolchild. You should eat nuts and younger children. If your baby is already familiar with fruits, vegetables and cereals, then you can and even need to introduce nuts into the diet. The only question is in what form, because nuts are a fairly solid food.

An excellent solution is nut butter. It should be added in small amounts to cereals or purees. You can buy nut butter in the supermarket, but it is better to cook this product at home. Moreover, it is not so difficult. Pour the nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 25 minutes. After that, grind the nuts in a blender until they acquire a paste-like consistency. This will happen in about 5-15 minutes - it all depends on the power of your blender. If desired, honey can be added to the paste. It should be stored for no more than 2 weeks in a closed form in the refrigerator.

2. Chicken eggs

Chicken eggs are very healthy for children. In their composition, you can find 12 vitamins that the body needs for normal life. These are, for example, vitamins A, D, E, group B. Eggs also contain minerals in large quantities: calcium, phosphorus, iodine, copper, iron, cobalt. There is a lot of fat in the egg yolk, but these are polyunsaturated fatty acids that only benefit the body.

Chicken egg is perfectly absorbed by the human body, so this product must be included in the diet. Eggs will be a great breakfast for your kids. They charge the body with energy and vitality and provide a feeling of satiety for a long time. From them you can cook a large number of delicious dishes: scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs, egg pudding.

3. Butter

If you watch your figure and get frightened at the mere mention of the word "fats", this does not mean at all that they are completely contraindicated for your child. It has been scientifically proven that under no circumstances should saturated fats and "correct" cholesterol be excluded from the diet of children under 2 years old - they play an important role in the development of the child's brain and nervous system. Give preference to organic oil and, in consultation with the pediatrician, introduce it into the diet, adding a small amount to baby food. Of course, we are talking about the moment when your child has already mastered one-component purees.

Our mothers and grandmothers were carriers of valuable information about butter on an intuitive level. There is, perhaps, not a single schoolboy of past years who would not eat sandwiches with butter in the morning. And this makes sense. Fats help to maintain a feeling of satiety for a long time, it is better to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and make food tastier. The result is happy students and good grades.

4. Beans and lentils

Legumes are an important source of vitamins. Particular attention in the preparation of a child's diet should be paid to beans and lentils. They contain many vitamins and minerals - iron, zinc, manganese - and other useful substances, such as folic acid. In terms of protein content, beans and lentils are very close to meat products. If you want to add variety to your diet while still maintaining its nutritional value, legumes are a good alternative.

To make beans and lentils easier and faster to cook, soak them in water overnight. In the morning, beans should be strained and boiled until soft. If you're cooking red lentils, you don't need to soak them, as they cook fairly quickly. Legumes can become both an independent side dish and an integral ingredient in various soups and vegetable stews.

5. Fish

Everyone knows about the beneficial properties of fish and its importance for a child. Fish is an important source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

It contains omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are responsible for cell growth, help strengthen bones and improve vision, play an important role in brain development and enhance mental activity, and increase the body's defenses. All these important properties make fish such a useful and indispensable product in the children's diet.

6. Herbs and spices

Childhood is not a reason to refuse herbs and spices. Add them to the meals you cook for your children. They will help make the dish tastier and more interesting, bring variety to the usual menu and saturate food with additional vitamins and minerals. Herbs are a valuable source of vitamin E and strengthen the immune system, while spices improve the functioning of the digestive system and have a positive effect on the overall tone of the body.

Popular and healthy combinations: fruit puree with cinnamon, cauliflower with nutmeg, meat sauce with caraway or oregano, vegetables or chicken with thyme, avocado with cilantro, fish with parsley and lemon.

7. Tofu

Tofu is basically soy milk curd. The process of making it is very similar to the process of making cheese. Therefore, sometimes tofu is referred to as cheese. Already from the definition it is clear that this product is very useful. It contains a large amount of iron, zinc and a lot of protein. This product has a high energy value. No wonder it forms the basis of vegetarian nutrition. All of the above facts make tofu a product that is ideal for children.

Tofu can be cooked in a variety of ways. Choose the one that will appeal to your child: bake, boil, fry. Tofu can become both an independent and very nutritious snack, and one of the ingredients in delicious desserts.

8. Wheat bread

A child is nowhere without bread. Choose for your child wheat bread or options with seeds and bran.

Some parents believe that eating a lot of bread is harmful for children, because this product contains gluten and this can lead to the development of celiac disease, a chronic disease of the intestines and digestive system. However, there are also studies that prove that completely eliminating bread from the diet of children is not advisable, because, on the contrary, it can increase the risk of developing this disease. Therefore, bread should be included in the child's diet, but in moderation, although in principle your child will not eat more than necessary.

Bread can also be replaced with whole grain breads and biscuits, as well as wheat flakes. The latter will be the perfect breakfast in the company of low-fat milk.

9. Natural yoghurt

Yogurt is not only tasty, but also healthy. All children are not indifferent to this product and gobble it up with great pleasure. And parents are only happy, because yogurt contains a large amount of vitamins, calcium, and other useful substances that help the child grow up healthy and smart.

However, it is important to clarify here that yoghurts, which are in great abundance on supermarket shelves, are not a very healthy product for your child. Jars of dyes and flavors contain too much sugar in their composition. Choose natural yoghurts for your child without additives. You can sweeten them with natural delicacies - for example, berries and fruits, honey, syrups.

10. Red meat

Iron and zinc, which are found in large quantities in red meat, are perfectly absorbed by the child's body. Red meat is a unique source of complete protein, which is essential for normal human growth and development. B vitamins strengthen the immune system, improve eyesight and have a positive effect on digestion.