Introducing first foods to your baby can be a daunting time. Knowing exactly what foods to trial at each stage of development and how to cook these in a way your child will love! Here’s four fabulous recipes that will take you through the stages of introducing first foods to your baby from 6 months through to 12 months and beyond.
It is often challenging and confusing for parents to know where to start when it comes to introducing their baby to solid foods. To provide your baby with the nutrients needed from foods of the right texture, start solids by around 6 months of age, but not before 4 months.
First food facts
Current evidence suggests that major food allergens should be introduced to a child’s diet before they turn one as this may reduce their chance of developing an allergy. These foods include cooked egg, soy, sesame, dairy, wheat, fish, and other seafood, tree nuts (such as cashew or almond butter) and peanut butter. Studies show that this may reduce the chance of a baby developing a food allergy.
Eggs are a good source of protein, provide iron, iodine, vitamin D and essential fatty acids, making them a nutritious food to include in the diets of babies.
We suggest starting your baby on solids by around six months of age, but not before 4 months. This is the time where your baby’s nutritional needs are at their highest, and their physical development will allow them to accept and digest solid food.
When feeding your little ones solids, we suggest starting with iron rich foods, such as iron-enriched infant cereals, pureed meat, eggs, fish, tofu or legumes. You can add other whole foods of the right texture such as vegetables (such as cooked potato, pumpkin, carrot, broccoli), fruits (such as banana or pear) and dairy foods such as full-fat yoghurt.
It is also important to remember to avoid giving your baby small, hard pieces of food including raw carrot, celery and whole nuts as it can put them at risk of choking.
Tips for introducing first foods
- It is important to keep increasing and varying the texture of food for babies to allow the muscles around the mouth and jaw that are involved in feeding to develop properly.
- Babies will quickly learn to accept increasingly lumpy foods so that by the time they are around 12 months of age, they will be eating a wide variety of foods like the rest of the family.
- Once babies have accepted pureed foods, progress to mashed foods then move onto minced and chopped. By around 8 months of age, most babies can manage finger foods. It is important to be mindful that the texture of the food offered is appropriate to the infant’s stage of development.
- If your baby does not seem interested in eating or trying new foods, wait a few days and try again.
First food Recipes
Sweet Potato, Zucchini Puree and Egg
Stage 1 – 4-6 Months: Start giving your baby solids by around six months of age, but not before 4 months. Introduce smooth (pureed or mashed) foods.
Ingredients
- 450g sweet potato, peeled, chopped
- 1 large zucchini, chopped
- 1 egg
Method
- Place sweet potato in a steamer over a saucepan of simmering water. Cover and steam for 10 minutes or until almost tender. Add zucchini and steam for 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Alternatively, place vegetables into a microwave safe dish and add 4 tablespoons of water. Cover with a lid and cook on 100% power for 5 minutes. Stand for 3 minutes before opening lid.
- Drain. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, place egg in a small saucepan of water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Peel egg.
- Process sweet potato and zucchini in a food processor until smooth (or alternatively you can use a blender).
- Serve pureed vegetables (approximately ¼ cup) with ¼ mashed egg per portion.
Notes
Tip: Freeze left over portions of puree (without egg) in individual airtight containers for up to 2 months. Thaw, warm and stir through mashed egg before serving.
Mini Almond Pancakes
Stage 2 6-9 Months: Once you have introduced eggs, it is important to give eggs in dishes regularly (twice a week) as part of a balanced diet to maintain tolerance. Lumpy foods and finger foods can be introduced around 8-9 months.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (75g) plain flour
- ½ cup (50g) almond meal
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 60ml (¼ cup) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 small banana
- ¼ cup blueberries mashed
- 1 ½ tbsp plain yoghurt
- Ground cinnamon, to sprinkle (optional)
Method
- Sift flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. Stir in almond meal. Whisk eggs, milk and vanilla in a jug. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
- Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Spoon tablespoons of batter into pan to form 4 mini pancakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter to make 12 pancakes, spraying with a little more oil as required.
- Stir mashed blueberry through mashed banana. Add a dollop of yoghurt, then banana and blueberry mix on top of pancakes.
- Sprinkle over a pinch cinnamon if desired.
Notes
Tip: Leftover pancakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 month. Try serving topped with apple puree, mashed berries or ricotta.
These mini almond pancakes are perfect for toddlers aged 9 – 12 months.
Egg worm noodles with simple fried rice
Stage 3 9-12 Months: Eggs should remain a regular part of the diet to maintain you little one’s nutritional needs.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups chopped mixed vegetables (see Tip)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
- 250g packet microwave brown rice
Method
- Boil, steam or microwave vegetables until just tender. Drain.
- Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl until well combined. Lightly spray a medium non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture, tilting pan to evenly cover base. Cook omelette for 1-2 minutes or until just set. Carefully loosen edges and turn out onto a board. Cut into thin strips ‘worms’.
- Cook rice following packet instructions. Combine rice and cooked vegetables. Divide fried rice between serving bowls and serve topped with egg ‘worms’.
Notes
Tip: Choose from a mixture of chopped sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrot, corn kernels or mixed frozen vegetables.
Fried rice can be frozen in small portions in a sealed container without the egg worm omelette for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan.
Turkey, broccoli and quinoa burgers
Stage 4 Family Foods: At this stage your little one is able to eat as many eggs as the whole family!
Ingredients
- 150g broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets
- 500g turkey breast mince
- 100g (½ cup) quinoa flakes
- 3 long green onions, thinly sliced
- 5 eggs
- 4 wholegrain buns, split, toasted
- 60g (1/4 cup) hummus
- 4 eggs
- 60g mixed salad leaves
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
- 1 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce, plus extra, to serve
Method
- Steam, boil or microwave broccoli until tender. Drain. Set aside to cool then finely chop.
- Combine broccoli, mince, quinoa, green onions and one egg in a medium size bowl. Divide mixture into 4 portions. Shape each portion into a 2cm-thick burger patties (see Tip).
- Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook patties for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Fry remaining eggs until cooked to your liking.
- To assemble, spread bread roll bases with hummus. Top each with salad leaves, tomato, cucumber a burger patty and an egg. Drizzle with a little sririacha chilli sauce and enclose with bun tops. Serve.
Notes
Serving suggestion: try serving with baked sweet potato fries for an extra serve of veg. Peel and cut 600g sweet potato into 1cm thick fries. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake at 200°C for 30 minutes, turning once, or until golden.
Essential Details: Australian Eggs
