The average age for teething in children is between six to twelve months. With teeth, comes the ability to crunch and chomp down new, solid foods. But what exactly can you feed your baby?
There is no need to stress about preparing special food for your one year old. Whatever the rest of your family eats can be eaten by them too. You only need to take care to avoid as much salt in the food as possible. Of course, this does rule out most take-away and restaurant food, as they usually contain a lot of salt.
All time classic! Cereals like flaked corn soften with milk and are easy to digest. Try to get whole grain cereal, as much as possible.
Cut up cucumbers are a rejuvenating snack anytime of the day. For your baby’s ease, the best way to cut them is lengthwise, making “cucumber-sticks” shaped like French fries. If it’s a hot summer day, a few cucumbers can easily prevent dehydration.
Lentil is packed with protein, which helps in muscle development. Lentil can be eaten with rice or as a soup and it doesn’t have a strong flavour.
This is easy to feed your one year old and it contains the goodness of all the vegetables you add in it. For instance, carrot soup would be good for the eyes, and potatoes contain fibre.
Soya granules are quickly becoming a standard substitute source of protein for pure vegetarians. The soft texture it becomes after cooking makes it an ideal food choice for babies.
A regular food for the family that can easily be eaten by the baby, too. A sandwich of vegetables or cheese makes it a balanced meal.
Be careful to buy organic chicken, or chicken that is certified to be free of hormonal treatments. Over cooking the chicken to make it softer is a good idea for your toddler. Also, avoid strongly spicy flavourings, and tear the cooked meat into tiny bits, removing the bones before your feed it to your child.
When preparing fish, always remember that frying it makes it lose a lot of its nutritional value, as opposed to using it in a sauce. Like chicken, and indeed, more so, be very careful to tear off the meat and make sure no bones remain, before you feed your child with it. Even the fine bones found in sea fish can get stuck in a toddler’s throat.
When planning your 12 month baby food schedule you do not have to go out of the way from your usual foods. If your weekly eating pattern has turned monotonous, this may be a good time to add a bit of colour to it, as your baby and you, both, need a well-rounded, balanced diet. Here is a sample baby food chart:
Starter | Breakfast | Second Breakfast | Luncheon | Afternoon | Dinner | Late night | |
Sunday | Breast Milk / Formula | Banana pancakes | Watermelon Scoops | Chicken with vegetable stew | Cheese pieces | Barley Porridge | Breast Milk / Formula |
Monday | Breast Milk / Formula | French Toast | Banana slices | Pasta Bolognese | Bread rolls | Cottage cheese on toast | Breast Milk / Formula |
Tuesday | Breast Milk / Formula | Egg Sandwich | Fried Apple rings | Creamy chicken with avocado | Apple slices | Lentil Soup with croutons | Breast Milk / Formula |
Wednesday | Breast Milk / Formula | Apple and Cinnamon Waffles | Cucumber sticks | Vegetable Noodles | Banana Shake | Cereal with milk | Breast Milk / Formula |
Thursday | Breast Milk / Formula | Grilled Cheese and tomato sandwich | Mix of Berries | Steamed cod with Brown rice | Chicken curry rice | Cheese and bell pepper omelette | Breast Milk / Formula |
Friday | Breast Milk / Formula | Fruit salad with yoghurt | Halved grapes | Homemade Chicken nuggets | Apple shake | Broccoli and cheese soup | Breast Milk / Formula |
Saturday | Breast Milk / Formula | Oatmeal Porridge | Cereal with milk | Rice with fish | French Toast | Chicken soup | Breast Milk / Formula |
Make sure you get the chance to prepare the following dishes for your young one :
A quick, sweet snack!
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The high protein content in chickpeas and the carbohydrates in pitta bread make this a balanced way to start the day!
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A great source of calcium and carbs and one that is hard to refuse if you have a picky eater!
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This simple treat is easy enough that toddlers can make it all on their own!
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A quickly readied snack suited for mornings and afternoons. Did you know that in most European languages other than English, the name for French toast, translates, literally, to “Poor Knights”?
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This semi-solid recipe is filling and yummy, and your little one is sure to enjoy this and, ask for seconds.
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Eating healthy isn’t a chore; it’s a habit. And there’s no better time to start eating healthy, than when you literally start eating.