6 Months Old Baby Food Ideas

Congratulations, your baby has hit the half-year milestone. In the first six months of the baby, she would have gained all the nutrients from the mother’s milk. It is now time for your baby to start tasting solids and relish the food around them.

Nutrient Requirements of 6 Months Old Infant

Here are the nutritional components in baby food for 6 months old:

1. Calcium: Calcium in food is essential for their bone and teeth development.
2. Iron: Iron helps carry oxygenated blood to all the developing parts of the body.
3. Zinc: Zinc helps cell repair and growth.
4. Fat: Fat insulates the baby and helps in brain development.
5. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy and fuels their day-to-day activities.
6. Protein: These are a must for growth as they act as building blocks for cells.
7. Vitamins: Different vitamins contribute to the growth of the baby differently, and almost all the vitamins including Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, E and K are essential to the baby.
8. Minerals: Minerals like sodium and potassium directly influence the growth of the baby.

How Much Food Should Your Baby Eat?

Typically, a six-month-old baby is still primarily breastfed or formula fed. Besides this, solid food can be introduced at one primary meal of the day, preferably breakfast or lunch. Introduce only one food and observe the baby by continuously feeding the same food for at least three days. If the baby responds well and does not show any signs of allergy, then you can try other food varieties.

Best Foods for Six-Month-Old Baby

As recommended by expert paediatricians, salt and sugar can be avoided for babies until the age of one, as it puts unwanted stress on their kidneys.

Options for healthy food for six month old baby include:

• Fruits puree: Fruits can be steamed and mashed or pureed to be given as their first solid food. The popular fruits that are given as baby foods are apple, banana, pear, avocado, papaya and peach.
• Vegetable puree: Vegetables such a sweet potato, potato, carrot, sweet pumpkin, French beans etc. can be steamed and given either as finger food or as a puree.
• Pulses Soup: Variety of pulses, especially lentils can be boiled with water and the soup of the lentils, which contains the nutrient extract of it, can be given as a source of proteins to babies.
• Rice porridge: Rice is a good source of carbohydrates and vitamins for babies. Broken rice can be given as porridge, made in breast milk or formula milk.
• Cereal porridge: Porridge can also be made from a variety of single grain cereals like wheat, millets, barley, oats, etc. in breast milk or formula milk. These cereals can be dried and powdered together or separately, to make a mix for the gruel.
• Vegetable soup: A variety of vegetables can be boiled in water, and the stock can be used for making soup.

• Yoghurt: Although cow’s milk is not allowed until the age of one for babies, unsweetened yoghurt can be given in moderate amount as an alternative to purees.

What If Your Baby Is Allergic To Particular Food?

An allergic reaction to any food in the form of diarrhoea, vomiting, rashes, constipation or pain in the stomach can be a cause for concern. If there is an allergic reaction, immediately stop the food that you have been giving the baby. If the allergic reaction is life-threatening, seek medical assistance immediately. Avoid the allergy-causing food and retry it after a few months.

6 Month Old Baby Food Chart/Meal Plan

You can prepare a meal plan or a chart for your baby’s food routine and follow it as much as possible to incorporate a variety of healthy options. You can use the chart below to design your own 6 month baby food schedule according to your baby’s food preference.

Food Recipes for 6 Months Baby

Here are some interesting baby food recipes for 6 month old that are a blend of different tastes and flavours, for your baby to try and explore.

1. Apple Stew With Cinnamon

Ingredients:

• Apple – 1
• Water
• Cinnamon powder

How To Prepare:

• Cook the peeled and diced apple slices in boiling water.
• Alternatively, you can also cook them in a pressure cooker for two to three whistles.
• Take the steamed apples and blend them in a mixer jar. You can also sieve it to thin the consistency of the stew.
• To this, add a pinch of cinnamon powder and mix well.
• Apple stew is ready.

2. Mango Puree

Ingredients:

• Mango – 1

How To Prepare:

• Peel and remove the mango pulp.
• Blend the pulp to a paste or sieve it.
• As the fruit has natural sugars, serve without any added sweeteners.

3. Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• Powdered Oats – 1 cup
• Water
• Breast milk or formula milk – as per requirement
• Banana – 1/2

How To Prepare:

• In a pan, boil 2 cups of water.
• Once the water starts boiling, add the cup of powdered oats slowly to the water and stir continuously to avoid forming lumps.
• Once the oats are cooked, add 2 tablespoons of milk.
• You can add the banana paste to give a nice flavour to the dish.

4. Sweet Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

• Sweet pumpkin – 1/4
• Water

How To Prepare:

• Deseed a small pumpkin and remove the pulp. Dice it into small cubes.
• Boil 2 cups of water and add the pumpkin cubes to it. Cover the lid and let it cook for a few minutes.
• Mash or blend the cooked pumpkin to a fine paste and feed your baby. The natural sweetness of the vegetable gives a good taste to the dish.

5. Rice Porridge

Ingredients:

• Powdered rice – 1 cup
• Water
• Breastmilk/formula milk – as per requirement

How To Prepare:

• Take water and boil it in a pan.
• Slowly, add the powdered rice and cook it well.
• Take care to avoid formation of lumps.
• Top up the cooked rice with 2 tablespoons of milk and stir well.

6. Potato Puree

Ingredients:

• Potato – 2
• Breast milk/formula milk – as per requirement

How To Prepare:

• Select potatoes that don’t have soft spots or cracks.
• Wash them and peel the skin off. Dice it into small cubes.
• Add them to a cooker half-filled with water, and cook for 1-2 whistles.
• Transfer the cooked potatoes to a bowl and mash them with a spoon.
• Add breast milk or formula milk.
• Delicious potato puree is ready.

7. Sweet Potato and Carrot puree

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potato – 1
• Carrots – 2
• Water

How to Prepare:

• Select sweet potatoes and carrots that also don’t have soft spots or cracks.
• Wash them and peel the skin off. Dice it into small cubes.
• Add them to a cooker half-filled with water and cook for 1-2 whistles.
• Transfer the cooked potatoes and carrots to a bowl and mash them with a spoon until very soft.

Now serve and let your baby enjoy!

Feeding Tips

Feeding babies can be a daunting task for mothers. Here are some tips to make your baby’s mealtime happy and stress-free.

• Always start with just one or two spoons and give more only if your baby likes the taste.
• Introduce only one new fruit or vegetable at a time and observe her reaction to it, before starting with another foodstuff.
• Follow the 3-day rule and note down all the new dishes and ingredients you’ve fed your baby. This makes troubleshooting easier if she has an allergic reaction.
• Do not lumpy foods or finger foods to babies as small as six months. It can sometimes cause gagging and even choking.
• Decide on a calm and quiet place for feeding like the living room or the kitchen.
• Avoid distraction feeding, i.e. don’t feed your baby by getting her to watch something on a TV or mobile screen.
• Prepare and store baby food in sterilised steel or glass bowls instead of plastic containers.
• Give only homemade food as your baby’s digestive system is still underdeveloped.

Introducing solid foods to babies can be tricky, and mothers may feel confused as to what food is right for their baby. Most of the time, babies love to eat foods that are of varying tastes, textures and colours. A little effort towards tingling their taste buds can go a long way in successful feeding.