What is the first fruit to feed baby

First Fruits for Baby | Stonyfield

Mom always said to eat your veggies, but don’t forget about fruit! Many fruits are easy to mash, dice and mix into child-friendly preparations, plus they provide important vitamins and nutrients babies need to grow strong and healthy throughout their first year. Of course, always check with your child’s doctor before trying anything new to rule out allergies or potential ill effects.

Bananas

Almost every baby’s first food is the banana, and there’s good reason why. “Bananas are mild, mashable and easy to chew. They’re loaded with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium, making them a perfect first fruit for baby,” says Jill Castle, M.S., R.D., childhood nutrition expert and co-author of Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters From High Chair to High School. Bananas can be introduced as early as four months of age. They can be quickly mashed and served on their own (perfect for parents on the go) or mixed with breast milk or formula. As your baby gets older, bananas can be sauteed, mixed with other fruits or combined with brown rice or hot cereal.

Avocados

Although green and commonly thought of as a veggie, avocado is actually a nutrient-rich fruit full of vitamin C, vitamin K and folate. You can introduce avocados into your baby’s diet at four to six months. “My favorite thing about avocado is its fat content,” says Castle. “Babies have rapidly-growing brains and need a high amount of fat in their diet during the first year. Avocados are a delicious way to help baby meet those needs.” One scrumptious, and surprising, way to prepare avocado is to mix and mash it with banana. It’s so tasty, you might just steal a spoonful for yourself.

Apples

An apple a day truly can help baby stay healthy. “Iron deficiency is common among babies because they often ‘grow out’ of the amount of iron they’re born with,” says Tina Ruggiero, M.S., R.D., L.D., nutrition expert and co-author of The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet. “Once an infant is weaned, it’s important to ensure that he or she is eating enough iron-rich food to compensate for the reduced iron intake from breast milk.” Fruits particularly bountiful in vitamin C, like apples, help babies absorb iron. Pureed or grated, they can be introduced at six months and mixed with iron-rich foods like cooked veggies, egg yolks and brown rice.

Mangoes

Added to the diet between six and eight months, mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as potassium, copper and fiber. This sweet treat can simply be mashed with a fork and mixed with veggies, organic yogurt or served on its own. As babies start to feed themselves, Castle suggests finely dicing mangoes to help them work on developing motor skills.

Cantaloupes

Sweet and juicy, cantaloupes are a well-rounded fruit to introduce to your baby’s diet around nine months. This melon is plentiful in vitamins A and C and rich in antioxidants. Perfect for your little movers and shakers, it can be diced up for those starting to self-feed. Build texture into meals by combing small cantaloupe squares with brown rice and yogurt.

Overall, fruits have the double benefit of sweet taste and high nutritional value. When they’re introduced to babies at the right time, and served with other nutritious foods, fruits can help them grow up happy and healthy.

Author Bio

Paula Carvajal has been a journalist since 2007. She has worked for Malibu Magazine, Us Weekly and Cambio, covering major award shows and events such as the Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys and New York Fashion Week. Carvajal received her Bachelor of Arts in communications and Spanish from Santa Clara University, as well as a Master of Arts from the University of Westminster.

Top First fruit for Babies, based on the age

First fruit for a baby is an important matter for every parent, it is no secret that fruit has many healthy vitamins and valuable nutrients. Fruit should be on the menu of adults and children regularly and are also important for babies’ nutrition. In addition to other foods, a balanced complementary diet includes healthy fruit and vegetables. Whether as a delicious fruit porridge or as an additional ingredient in another meal, fruit can be used in a particularly varied way to prepare tasty baby food. But which fruit is suitable for babies from when? You can find the answer here.

Begin carefully with the first fruit

The baby should always be introduced to new foods slowly and carefully. This is especially true for fruit and vegetables. Give your child time to get used to the new taste. So don’t serve a salad with exotic fruit first; slow down and take it easy. let the baby start with small pieces over a longer period, from one type of fruit to the next.

Thoroughly clean fruit for baby

Unfortunately, pesticides or artificial fertilizers are increasingly used in growing fruits. To serve fruit that is as pure as possible, we recommend buying organic fruit. Also, fruit should be thoroughly cleaned before consumption to remove unwanted foreign substances or impurities without leaving any residue.

Prefer fresh fruit

If you want to choose a healthy first fruit for your baby, then you should choose fresh produce. Under no circumstances should canned fruit be used for baby nutrition because the canned fruit contains sugar and preservatives. Dried fruit is also not recommended as it sticks to the baby’s teeth and can cause tooth decay.

Respect the baby’s taste

Always pay attention to the baby’s reactions when you feed fruit and vegetables as complementary foods. Every baby has an individual taste and therefore prefers different foods. It’s no different with fruit. Just because you like melons doesn’t necessarily mean your baby likes them. Respect your baby’s tastes and don’t necessarily force them to like every fruit.

Best first baby fruits

Here we introduce you to the best types of first fruits for baby:

Apple:

The apple is one of the healthiest fruit and is suitable as the first fruit for babies. The fruit is rich in vitamins and nutrients. Due to a large amount of fiber, apples also contribute to an optimally functioning intestinal flora and make this type of fruit easy to digest. The preparation is easy; Apples can be baked, steamed, or boiled directly in the water. Iranian apples can be pureed and fed directly or processed into apple sauce. Because of the high water content, you don’t need any additional water for pureeing. Apples can also be added to conventional porridge as an additional ingredient.

For babies from 6th months old
- baked
- steamed
- cooked

For babies from 8th months old
- raw
- Preparation is possible in different ways

Banana:

An excellent choice as the first fruit for babies. banana provides exceptionally many of essential nutrients, including numerous vitamins and important minerals. This is why this fruit, like the apple, has a very good reputation and is particularly beneficial for health. In general, the banana is easy to digest; only when consumed in large quantities can constipation occur. A particular advantage of this type of fruit is its easy preparation. The banana does not need to be washed or cooked. Simply, you just peel off the skin and then crush the pulp. The banana is therefore ideal as a fruit for traveling.

For babies from 6th months old
- raw
Fast preparation

Pears:

Of course, the pear should not be missing from the complementary food menu. Despite its pleasantly mild and sweet taste, the pear is one of the few fruits with more nutrients than calories. In addition to the important vitamin C, it is primarily the fiber and potassium that makes the pear particularly stomach-friendly. Even the skin of the fruit is easy to digest for babies. Pears, therefore only have to be cooked for very young children and can be fed raw without any problems from the 8th month. Simply squeeze or puree the soft pulp.

For babies from 6th month old
- steamed
For babies from 8th months old
- raw
Easy to digest
Particularly rich in nutrients

Peach and nectarine:

Peaches and nectarines are especially mild and easy to digest, which is why they are particularly popular as baby food. At first glance, the two fruits look very similar because they can only be distinguished on closer inspection of their skin. While nectarines have a smooth, shiny surface, peaches have dull and downy skin. Both fruits are not only beautifully sweet and juicy so that most babies like to devour them but also offer valuable ingredients. Including, of course, a lot of vitamin C and vitamin A, as well as a variety of minerals and important fiber. The fiber, in particular, ensures that peaches and nectarines are good at helping the baby with constipation. The fruits can be fed separately in small crushed pieces or prepared with other ingredients.

For babies from 6th months old
- poached
- steamed
- baked

For babies from 8th months old
- ripe peaches also raw
- Mild and tolerable
- Good for the digestion

Watermelon:

The watermelon can be given as complimentary food very early on. The juicy, sweet taste and soft consistency make them attractive to babies. Melons also provide plenty of vitamin A and C, important calcium for healthy bone formation, and beta-carotene for healthy eye development. The watermelon is best cut into small pieces for the child to nibble on for consumption. However, removing the seeds before feeding is important to avoid swallowing and choking. Parents should look twice! In rare cases, melon can lead to rashes; if this should occur, a consultation with a pediatrician is recommended.

For babies from 8th months old
- raw
Remove seeds

Blueberry:

Because of their particularly valuable nutritional content, blueberries are often referred to as the so-called “superfood.” In addition to antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, the little blueberries are also considered cholesterol-lowering agents, making them so popular with people of all ages. Blueberries are prepared raw. To do this, they are pureed with a little water and can be mixed into any porridge. In contrast to other berries such as raspberries or strawberries, blueberries belong to the heather family and are generally not considered allergenic. Nevertheless, a brief consultation with the treating pediatrician can be made before the introduction.

For babies from 10th months old
- raw
Great food
Particularly rich in nutrients

Grapes:

As with other berries, grapes contain a multitude of valuable ingredients. In addition to a huge portion of vitamin C and other vitamins, it is above all the numerous minerals and antioxidants that make grapes so healthy. The delicious grapes can also be used to feed babies. However, there are two points to consider here:

The skin of grapes should only be given from the 10th month.
Grapes must be washed off thoroughly. Because often large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides are used so that the grapes keep their great appearance when sold. It is best to use organic grapes here.

Of course, the seeds of the grapes should also be removed before the baby is fed.

For babies from 10th months old
- raw
- Remove cores
Rinse thoroughly

Orange:

Citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit are primarily known for their high vitamin C content, which strengthens the immune system and has numerous other positive properties on the human body. However, since citrus fruits are very acidic, they are difficult to digest. So you should therefore wait until the baby’s digestive system become strong enough. From age 1, citrus fruits can be a valuable vitamin C source.

For babies from 12th months old
- raw
Very good source of vitamin C
Strongly acidic

Plum:

Plums contain potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, all essential nutrients that promote nerve function and build bones, blood, and cells. Antioxidants and soluble fiber are also contained in the fruit, contributing to the diversity of friendly bacteria in the gut, supporting digestion, and maintaining optimal cell function.

In addition, plums have a laxative effect, especially in the form of fruit juice or dried. So you can use them when your baby is constipated. There are also different subspecies of plum. Very few people are allergic to plums, but one of them may be your baby.

Different colors of plums contain other nutrients. Plums such as those in the red or purple varieties contain:

Different antioxidants.
Thus protecting cells and reducing inflammation, such as quercetin in green plums.
Anthocyanins in red and purple plums.

These reasons are enough to use plums as the first fruit for the baby.

For babies from 10th months old
- Smashed
- form of puree

Carrots:

Carrots are the good first fruit for babies, regardless of whether you want to feed your child with porridge or whether you want to use the baby-led weaning method. The carrots have a sweet taste and are readily accepted by children. Carrots are very healthy because they contain plenty of vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

For babies from 6th to 8th months old
- Peel and cut carrots
- Steam or boil

For babies from 9th to 12th months old
- Peel and chop carrots
- Steam or boil until soft.

Avocado:

The avocado is another best first fruit for babies. There is a large amount of healthy vegetable fat in this fruit. Vitamin B6, E, and A are also abundant in them. For example, babies need the latter for their eyes and skin. It is essential for cell protection to have vitamin E and for protein metabolism to have vitamin B6. Also, avocados contain potassium, a mineral beneficial to babies’ nerves and muscles.

Furthermore, it is an excellent option for those who wish to offer their baby a little something in between ingredients. It is not necessary to cook the pulp before spooning it out. As early as the fifth or sixth month, avocado is suitable for babies. Before starting complementary feeding, it is essential to wait until the baby has shown signs of complimentary food maturity.

A ripe avocado may shoot out of your baby’s hand due to its slippery nature. To give the avocado some grip, roll it in some dry food.

For babies from 6th to 9th months old
- serve a whole, halved avocado without the skin or ripe stalks
- Mash avocado and serve it on a spoon

For babies from 9th to 12th months old
- The raw small sliced avocado

For babies from 12th months old
- half a smashed or sliced avocado in the bowl with a spoon

Mango:

Mango is the second most consumed tropical fruit worldwide after the banana and is available all year round. The mango’s natural sweetness ensures an exotic touch and awakens babies’ taste buds. This makes mango one of the best first fruits to introduce to babies.

Mango contains Vitamin A, which is critical for growth, and Vitamin C, which facilitates the absorption of iron in the body. Mango is richer in vitamins than Apple.

The mango must be ripe, not too green, and not overripe. Choose a smooth, yielding fruit but not too soft. Spots are a sign of overripe fruit, as opposed to too many fibers when the fruit is too young.

Mango can be fed with conventional fruit such as apple or pear. A combination with banana or other tropical fruits is also possible.

Babies can digest mango from 8 months, but it should be cooked well to prevent allergies. When preparing mango juice and mango puree, be aware of the fibrous parts of the fruit, which pose a hazard if the baby swallows them.

At 12 months, ripe cubes can be cut into small pieces or mixed with the compote of other fruits.

For babies from 8th months old
- Cooked well
- Smashed

For babies from 8th months old
- cut into small pieces

Melon:

Melon is a great first fruit for babies because of its high sugar content, intense aroma, attractive flesh color, and texture. Melons are excellent for all ages. Their nutritional value, deliciousness, and versatility make them a great choice. When babies are ready for solid foods, usually after six months, you can introduce melon to them.

Melon is one of the easiest-to-digest fruits, which makes it a great starter food for babies. It is easy to chew melons due to their high water content (or suck, if the baby doesn’t have teeth), allowing them to pass through the digestive system smoothly while supplying vitamins and minerals.

Many minerals, vitamins, and antioxidant compounds in melon are known to be anti-inflammatory compounds.

Melon is a good source of vitamin C and pro-vitamin-A, primarily in carotenoids (especially in orange and yellow varieties), an essential micronutrient for a baby’s health. Melons with orange flesh, like cantaloupe, contain the same amount of beta-carotene as carrots.

Muskmelons have more vitamin A and C than bananas, apples, pineapple, peaches, and grapes.

Since melon pulp and rind contain carotenoids and chlorophylls, cutting closer to the skin is best to maximize nutrition.

Water makes up almost 90 percent of melons. By eating cantaloupe throughout the day, you can keep your baby hydrated.

For babies from 8th months old
- cut into “graspable shapes” about the size of your thumb finger.

For babies from 10th to 12th months old
- cut melon into larger slices (thicker half-moon pieces) with the rind on or off.

Which fruit for baby from when?

As the baby ages, more types of fruit can be introduced. After starting with the local classics such as apple, pear, or easily digestible fruits such as the banana from the 6th month, you can also approach more exotic fruits such as kiwi, pineapple, or citrus fruits in the further course.

Fruits for babies from 6th-month-old
- Apple, pear, banana

Fruits for baby from 8th month old
- Peach, apricot, watermelon

Fruits for babies from 10th-month-old
- Blueberry, grapes, kiwi

Fruits for babies from 12th-month-old
- Pineapple, orange

Read about 5 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Fruit.

Consumption norms for fruits and berries

Reviewer Kovtun Tatiana Anatolievna

36923 views

September 15, 2021

Fruits are an essential part of a child's diet. They enrich the baby's diet with minerals and vitamins, fiber and fruit sugars. Moreover, each fruit and each berry has its own, only their inherent properties.

Useful substances in berries and fruits

Thus, the champions in the content of vitamin C are black currants, rose hips. Apricots are the richest in beta-carotene. Plums are known for their high content of pectins, which are good for digestion.

Baby's introduction to fruits

For infants, fruits are introduced in the form of puree according to all the rules for the introduction of complementary foods. The first acquaintance of the baby occurs no earlier than 4 months with a monocomponent hypoallergenic fruit puree. Usually it is apple or pear puree. Then you can enter the puree of their plums, apricots.

New flavors, as well as multi-component purees, are introduced later - from 5 months. From this age, a wider range of fruits is allowed, as well as some berries - peach, raspberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, cherry, rosehip. The rule for the introduction of multicomponent purees is that the baby should already try all the fruits and berries that are part of it, or only one fruit or berry can be new. This is necessary in order to track the possible intolerance of one or another component of the puree.

Puree from citrus fruits, bananas, mangoes can be given to a baby from 6 months, and puree from such exotic fruits as papaya, kiwi, passion fruit - not earlier than 8 months.

As for how much fruit puree can be given to a baby, then up to a year the daily volume is calculated simply - the age in months is multiplied by 10, but up to a year the volume should not exceed 100 g. at 5 months, the baby should eat 50 g of fruit puree, at 6 months - 60 g, per year - 100 g.

Fresh berries and fruits

A baby up to a year old, while he has not yet learned to chew, and his gastrointestinal tract is not yet ready to eat food without cooking, fresh fruits and berries can be given only for informational purposes. In addition, pieces of fruit or berries should be given to the baby very carefully so that he does not choke, and only if you are completely confident in the quality of the product and the pediatrician gave the go-ahead.

It should be noted that, in accordance with the recommendations given in the National Program for Feeding Children in the First Year of Life in the Russian Federation, food and dishes of industrial production should be used in the child's diet.

After a year, when the baby's first teeth erupted, he learned, at the very least, to swallow, gnaw and eat food not only in a puree form, fruits and berries can already be offered to him in the form of a fruit salad. You can give him a bite of apple slices.

From one to two years old, the baby is supposed to have about 100-150 g of fruit per day per day, and berries can make up a third of this volume. At this age, the baby can be offered strawberries, but very carefully, as this is a highly allergenic berry.

A preschooler can eat fruits completely fresh - up to 200 g (a third of this volume can be berries), and a schoolboy - 300 g.

Fruits and berries must be present in the baby's daily diet.
In the daily diet of children of the first year of life, familiar with complementary foods, not only fruit purees in residual quantities, but also children's fruit juices and nectars must be present without fail. Juice with pulp is especially useful, as it contains fiber.

Children's juices, drinks, fruit drinks and compotes will also help introduce the child to new tastes. The age of introducing certain types of juices into the diet of babies is comparable to the age of introducing fruit and berry purees from them.

It should be remembered that you should not exceed the recommended age limits. So, for babies aged one year, the daily volume of juice is no more than 100 ml.

Reviewer Kovtun Tatiana Anatolievna

Scientific adviser to PROGRESS JSC, Ph.D. calcium and other vitamins. The juice is delicious, sweet, children drink it with pleasure, and suddenly it turned out that there are potential risks: the high sugar content in the juice increases calorie intake, overweight and the risk of caries. More recently, about twenty years ago, doctors recommended the introduction of complementary foods, starting with juices and fruits. But now the situation has changed. Children's nutritionists believe that the optimal time for the introduction of juices is 1 year after the child gets used to the main complementary foods: vegetables, cereals, meat, fish, fruits. At the same time, you can find recommendations to give juices from 6 months or after 3 years. Carbohydrates, which are abundant in juice, change the child's appetite, but to get the required amount of vitamins, you need to drink a lot of it, about 1 liter! In addition, they do not give a feeling of satiety and the child may be prone to overeating.

Administering fruit juice American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations: download

Optimal completely avoid the use of juice in infants under 1 year old;
AAP and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guidelines state that juice should be offered to babies in a cup, not a bottle, and that babies should not go to bed with a bottle in their mouth.
They concluded that long-term exposure to the sugar contained in the juice on the teeth is the main factor influencing dental caries.
After 1 year, fruit juice can be used as part of a meal or snack. It should not be drunk like water during the day or used as a means to calm an upset child.
Do not give juices if the child has diarrhea, oral rehydration solutions only.
The development of perioral rash in some children after feeding freshly squeezed citrus juice is most likely due to the chemical irritant effect of the acid.
Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms that some children experience are most commonly associated with carbohydrate malabsorption.
Although fruit allergy can develop at an early age, this is rare.

Baby food - fresh juices

It is not recommended to introduce freshly squeezed juices to children under one year old. But there is no strict ban. Juice up to a year is not useful, unlike children older than one year . It contains a lot of fruit acid, which can lead to increased peristalsis and intestinal walls, pain, and digestive disorders. Dilute with water in a ratio of 1:1. And remember, fresh juice retains its maximum amount of vitamins in the first half hour, so do not store juice for later. With a later introduction of juice, their better tolerance is noted. This is due to the maturation of the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and its readiness for the absorption of juice. But even with this, the child may experience pain and bloating, regurgitation, and stool disorders. This is due to the presence of organic acids in juices, which have an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

How do I start adding juice to my baby?

First, a teaspoonful (about 5 ml) between feedings, observing the baby's reaction. For children under 3 years old, juices are recommended to be diluted with boiled or baby water in a ratio of 1:2. Freshly squeezed juices - up to 7-8 years. The amount of juice: from 1 year to 1.5 years - up to 100 ml, should not be exceeded. At 2 years - 200 ml.

First, it is better to give the juice of green apples or pears. Juice from plums, apricots, peaches - it is better to give at an older age, they have a slight laxative effect.

Then you can give a mixture of juices from 2 or 3 fruits. You can give a mixture of cherry, cherry, currant, raspberry juice, orange juice, pineapple, mango, grapefruit and mixtures thereof. It is better to give grape juice from 5-6 years old, there are a lot of carbohydrates.

It must be remembered that:

Apple, carrot and pear juice - strengthen
Plum, pumpkin, apricot, peach - weakening

This can be used if there are digestive problems.

If we choose industrial juices - carefully read what is written on the label, there should be no artificial additives, dyes and preservatives. Do not use opened packages. Should I give industrial juices for baby food? Why not? They are made from high quality, proven, specially selected raw materials, production is strictly controlled, they have balanced compositions and optimal taste. Until the age of 3, buy juices for your child only marked “baby food” on the package.

Introduction of fruit and fruit puree - European recommendations

If your young child has already tasted vegetables and accepted them, it's time for fruit. The season is always for them, but the best is in autumn, when the most delicious apples, pears and plums appear. Fresh fruits from all over the world are available in stores all year round, but it's worth starting with seasonal, locally grown ones. And these are: apricots, raspberries, apples, pears, plums. They contain not only vitamins, dietary fiber, but also minerals, including valuable microelements, which should be present in the child during the expansion of the diet.

Fruit is usually recommended from 6-7 months of age. Complementary foods often begin with fruit or vegetable purees. But it is better to start with vegetables. Fruit puree tastes better, is sweeter, and the child may then eat vegetables worse. But vegetable puree will not affect the baby's desire to eat fruit dishes. Therefore, more often pediatricians are advised to give fruit dishes after the introduction of vegetables and cereals. Start complementary foods with fruits in the form of mashed apples or bananas or pears. Then you can add fruits that grow in your area of \u200b\u200bresidence. Then you can include fruit and fruit and vegetable mixtures.

Fashionable but exotic fruits or with strong flavors - strawberries, mangoes, kiwis, currants - are best introduced later. But there is no strict ban.

Fruit puree should be started with 1 teaspoon in the morning, increasing to 100 g over 2 weeks.

Homemade or factory made? As you wish, subject to the basic hygiene rules of cooking. If you have time, make your own fruit puree. Plums, apricots, banana can be mashed in a mortar or blender. Grate apples and pears on a fine plastic grater. For the first time, the apple can be boiled, then it will be soft. Pour the prunes with boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. Do not add sugar!

Homemade fruit puree - don't forget about hygiene

Pour boiling water over a grater, preferably a plastic one or a blender, wash and peel the fruit.

Gradually make the fruit puree coarser.

Start with liquid puree, at 8 months - finely ground puree, at 10 months of age. - puree from larger particles.

When the child has 6-8 teeth, you can give pieces of fruit and he will eat them on his own.

Properties of various fruit purees

Banana puree is a good source of trace elements: magnesium and potassium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Bananas rarely cause allergic reactions
Prune puree can act as a mild laxative that increases intestinal motility. Contains potassium, vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin).
Blueberry puree contains tannin - tannin, contains pectin, which has a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect, contains a large amount of provitamin A - beta-carotene, which is good for vision, manganese. In addition, blueberries are low allergenic. Apricots are an excellent source of potassium, carotene, vitamin C and pectin.