11 Months Old Baby Food Ideas

By the time your baby is 11 months old, he is likely to be able to eat on his own. You can give your baby the same food as the rest of the family after mashing it or cutting it into small pieces to help him chew and digest it better. Be sure to watch over your child during meal and snack times to make sure he does not choke on any food.

How Much Can a Baby Eat at This Stage?

By the time they are 11 months old, most babies can eat a wide range of items like fruits, vegetables, and meat. Three meals and a snack alongside formula or breast milk are what an average 11-month-old baby needs each day. The meal and snack timings will depend on your baby’s daily routine as well as yours.

How Much Quantity Per Day?

Your baby’s appetite will vary depending on his level of activity and his growth spurt to a large extent. The following is an approximate estimation of the quantity of food your baby needs each day:

• Up to half a cup of cereal
• Up to half a cup of vegetables
• Up to half a cup of fruits
• Up to 3 tbsp of dairy
• Up to half a cup of mixed cereals
• Up to 4 tbsp of meat or other proteins

How to Check If Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk or Formula

While feeding your baby, a few concerns are bound to creep up every now and then. You might wonder if your child is getting enough milk or formula every day – here are some ways in which you can assess this:

Breastfed Baby:

• If your baby appears content after every feed, it is an indication that he is getting enough milk.
• When you experience a let-down, it is an indication that breastmilk is being replenished on a regular basis.
• Check your baby’s urine and see if it is clear and odourless. That is a sign of a well-fed baby.
• Your baby has regular bowel movements.

Formula-fed Baby:

• Convert your baby’s weight into pounds and multiply it by 2 and 2.5 to get two values that will be considered as lower and upper ranges for the amount of formula your baby needs each day.
• As your baby approaches his first birthday, the formula feed is likely to decline to just one big feed per day.
• See if your baby wets a minimum of six diapers in a 24-hour period.

Best Foods for Your Eleven-month-old Baby

It is important to cultivate healthy eating habits in your baby right from an early age. So, keep a watch for any possible allergies and introduce your child to all kinds of foods.

1. Fruits

A great source of vitamins and minerals, fruits should be an integral part of your baby’s daily diet. From apples to oranges to bananas and pears, let your baby try everything.

2. Poultry and Fish

Packed with proteins, fish and chicken can be extremely helpful in your child’s brain development and growth.

3. Cheese

Different types of cheese like cottage, cheddar, ricotta, and goat cheese can enhance the taste of your baby’s meals while satisfying daily protein requirements.

4. Pulses and Grains

Everything under this category can be offered to your 11-month-old baby. Switch between grains and pulses to give your baby some variety during mealtimes.

5. Dairy Products

Dairy items like yoghurt and curd are good for infants. Refrain from feeding your baby cow’s milk – that can be given only after the age of 1 year.

6. Leafy Greens

Leafy vegetables, especially greens such as spinach and fenugreek are particularly beneficial to babies as they contain iron.

7. Vegetables

All kinds of vegetables are good for your baby. Make it a point to use three different vegetables – one at every meal – every day.

8. Eggs

Eggs, especially the yolk is good for babies at this age. It is also easy for them to eat and digest.

11-month-old Baby Food Chart/Meal Plan

Here is a sample meal plan for an 11-month-old baby:

	On Waking Up	Breakfast	Morning Snack	Lunch	Evening Snack	Dinner	Late Night
Monday	Formula/Breast milk	Healthy Cereal	Pieces of Apple	Rice With Vegetables	Formula/Breast milk	Chicken or egetable soup with toast	Formula/Breast milk
Tuesday	Formula/Breast milk	Millet and lentil porridge	Banana Slices	Couscous porridge	Formula/Breast milk	Broken Wheat Porridge	Formula/Breast milk
Wednesday	Formula/Breast milk	Banana Pancake	Sweet Potato Wedges	Lentil puree and Other Gravy	Formula/Breast milk	rice and vegetables puree	Formula/Breast milk
Thursday	Formula/Breast milk	Apple and cinnamon pancake	Mashed Papaya	Rice With Fish stew	Formula/Breast milk	Mashed potatoes with meat	Formula/Breast milk
Friday	Formula/Breast milk	Egg Yolk on Toast	Stewed Pear	Chicken With Vegetables and rice	Formula/Breast milk	Rice and gravy	Formula/Breast milk
Saturday	Formula/Breast milk	Broken Wheat Porridge	Rusk/Teething Biscuits	Beef puree with rice and steamed vegetables puree	Formula/Breast milk	Couscous porridge	Formula/Breast milk
Sunday	Formula/Breast milk	Cheese sandwich	Melon Cubes	Mashed potatoes with meat puree	Formula/Breast milk	Baked veggies with mashed potatoes	Formula/Breast milk

Homemade Baby Food Recipes

1. Semolina Halwa

Ingredients

• ½ cup semolina
• 1 cup of water
• ½ tsp powdered cashews/almonds (optional)
• ½ tsp ghee
• 1 date, pureed

How to Prepare

Warm the ghee in a pan and then roast the semolina in it. Keep stirring to avoid burning. When the semolina turns aromatic, add the water and date puree. Stir to prevent lumps, and if you are using the powdered dry fruits, you can add them in at this point. When the semolina appears cooked, turn off the heat. Keep the consistency of the halwa a little thin as it will thicken further while cooling.

2. Spinach and Cottage Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 cup pasta (penne or macaroni)
• 1 bunch spinach
• 1 cup grated cottage cheese
• Water as required
• Salt if required

How to Prepare

First, cook the pasta and ensure it is soft enough for your baby to eat easily. You can also mash it lightly if you want. Wash the spinach well and boil it for a while. Add the cottage cheese to it and cook for a few minutes till the raw smell and taste disappear. Cool this mixture and grind it to a smooth paste with a little water. You can also add in a little salt if required. Mix this with the pasta and serve it to your baby.

3. Creamy Carrot and Sweet Corn Rice

Ingredients

• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup boiled sweet corn
• ¼ cup carrot peeled and chopped
• ½ cup of rice
• 1 tbsp butter
• A bay leaf
• A pinch of pepper powder
• Water as required

How to Prepare

Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the onions in it until translucent. Add the cooked and boiled corn to this. Next, add the chopped carrots and pepper. Sauté for a while and turn off the heat. You can cool this and roughly or smoothly grind the mixture depending on your child’s preferences. Boil water to cook the rice and add the bay leaf. Cook the rice till it is soft enough for your baby to eat. Stir in the mixture and remove the bay leaf. Serve it warm to your baby.

4. Apple Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 apple- peeled and grated
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 cup chicken minced or ground finely
• A pinch of pepper
• A pinch of thyme, finely powdered
• Some oil to grill/fry

How to Prepare

Mix the listed ingredients except for the egg yolk. Then shape the mixture into small nuggets. Beat the egg yolk well and brush it on the nuggets – you can also dip the nuggets in the beaten egg yolk. Shallow fry or grill the nuggets till the chicken is cooked well. Using olive oil can make the nuggets more crispy and flavourful.

5. Red Kidney Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• ½ cup red kidney beans soaked overnight
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato- finely chopped
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp butter
• A pinch of black pepper powder
• Salt if required
• Water as required

How to Prepare

Place a pressure cooker on heat and melt the butter. Add the chopped garlic and sauté it for about a minute. Then put in the onions and stir fry till they become soft. Then add the chopped tomato and sauté till it becomes pulpy. Add the soaked red kidney beans to this and sauté for a few minutes. Pour in two cups of water and cook the beans well in the cooker till they are soft enough to mash. Blend the mixture to a soup consistency and boil it. Add the lemon juice and pepper along with some salt if you want. Serve in a bowl.

Feeding Tips to Feed Your Eleven-month-old Baby

Compiling an 11-month-old baby food list and using it as a reference can simplify things for you.

• Sterilise utensils like spoons, plates, bowls and glasses that you will use to feed your baby. You can immerse these in hot water for a few minutes and take them out when you are ready to serve the food.
• Every time you introduce a new healthy food, be sure to keep an eye out for any signs of allergies. Also, be sure to give a gap of at least three to five days before introducing the next new food and only introduce one food at a time.
• Try to avoid sugar and salt in your baby’s food at least until the first birthday. Cow’s milk and honey are also not advised unless your baby turns one.
• Be sure to supplement your baby’s solid feeds with breast milk or formula based on your child’s demands.
• Check with your paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child’s feeding habits.

Your baby is growing up fast and starting to explore the world around him. So, this is the right time to introduce your baby to new foods one at a time and gradually get him to eat what the family eats. Just ensure that the food you offer your child is as healthy and home-cooked.