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.
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.
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:
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:
Formula-fed 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.
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.
Packed with proteins, fish and chicken can be extremely helpful in your child’s brain development and growth.
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.
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.
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.
Leafy vegetables, especially greens such as spinach and fenugreek are particularly beneficial to babies as they contain iron.
All kinds of vegetables are good for your baby. Make it a point to use three different vegetables – one at every meal – every day.
Eggs, especially the yolk is good for babies at this age. It is also easy for them to eat and digest.
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 |
Ingredients
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.
Ingredients
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.
Ingredients
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.
Ingredients
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.
Ingredients
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.
Compiling an 11-month-old baby food list and using it as a reference can simplify things for you.
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.