Your eight-month-old baby is at a very interesting stage of growth. With a tooth or two, your baby is grinning its way to become a toddler. By eight months of age, babies master the art of gulping down mashed food and even slowly start chewing on the foods which are more solid. Nutritious food that challenges their chewing skills will perfectly suit the dietary requirements of an eight-month-old baby.
A wholesome diet that comprises of the right quantity of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals is essential for a growing eight-month-old baby. There are many natural food substances that offer a right mix of these nutrients. Typically, food for an 8-month-old baby include one or more of the following.
Fruits are an excellent source of a variety of vitamins, minerals and other micro nutrients. Apart from the regular fruits like apple, banana, papaya, pears, etc., you can additionally include some fruits like kiwi, strawberry, pomegranate, etc. Fruits that are cut in the shape of long cubes make for excellent finger foods for babies.
At eight months of age, your baby can move on from mashed vegetable puree to chewing on small cubes of steamed vegetables. A variety of vegetables can be incorporated into the baby’s diet, by adding it to rice or by making a steamed vegetable bowl. Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, Asparagus,green peas, pumpkin can be slowly introduced into the diet.
Fish is a very nutritious food that can be given to babies as small as eight months. Fishes like tuna, salmon, hamour etc. that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids are very good for the growth and brain development of babies. Fish can be given to babies in the form of a puree or as soup.
Tofu is made out of soy milk and cow’s milk respectively. They are protein-rich and are very good for developing babies. Tofu can be used for babies who have an allergy to paneer because of lactose intolerance.
Chicken is believed to be one of the healthiest foods for babies. It can be typically started at the age of seven months or more and is usually given as soup or as a puree. The broth or the juice in which the chicken is cooked is also a nutritious drink for babies.
Cheese made out of pasteurized milk is a great source of calcium for growing babies. The processed cheese available in the market makes for a great snack for babies to munch on.
Egg is a wholesome food that contains both good fat and healthy proteins. An egg can be given to babies as a snack by boiling them and feeding them as bite-sized pieces. Some babies have an allergy to egg, and you must watch out for any warning signs of allergy in babies.
Thick yogurt made from cow’s milk can be given to babies, especially in summers. There are many fruit flavoured yogurts available in the market that make for excellent snack options for babies. They not only provide good bacteria for the gut but also serve as a great source of essential vitamins and minerals.
Most often eight-month-old babies feed actively but sometimes get distracted away from food due to their newfound mobility. Babies who start crawling by this age, usually feed on the go as they show more interest in exploring the things around them. A typical eight-month-old baby follows a schedule that includes three solid meals and two snacks along with at least two sessions of breast or formula feeding.
Here is a sample food schedule for an eight-month-old baby.
Here is a sample chart that you can use as a guideline for your eight-month-old baby.
Day of the week | Early morning | Breakfast | Mid-morning snack | Lunch | Nap-Time | Evening snack | Dinner | Night |
Monday | Breast milk/ formula milk | Rice porridge | Carrot puree | Rice with dal | Cheese | Rice porridge | Breastmilk/ formula Milk before nap time | |
Tuesday | Oat meal porridge | Boiled egg | Rice with vegetable | Yoghurt | Whole wheat bread with vegetable | |||
Wednesday | Meat puree | Apple puree | laban or yoghurt with Lentil puree/soup | Lentil soup | Millet porridge | |||
Thursday | Broken wheat porridge | Banana | Idli with dal | Apple stew with cinnamon | Rice with vegetable | |||
Friday | Fish puree | Vegetable soup | Chicken puree | boiled vegetable bowl | Rice porridge |
Apart from the regular puree foods that your baby is now used to having, you can try some of these new recipes to tickle your baby’s taste buds. Here are some interesting homemade baby food recipes for 8 months old
Broccoli is nutritious and tastes delicious too. Here is how you can make broccoli soup for your baby.
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How to prepare
If you love eating fish, your little one will like it too. Learn the recipe of fish puree. It’s easy-to-make and tastes delicious!
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How to prepare
Finger millet is high in proteins, calcium, and iron. It also helps a baby gain weight and you know apples are always good. So include finger millet in your baby’s diet by making yummy apple and finger millet porridge!
Ingredients
How to prepare
Ingredients
How to prepare
At eight months of age, babies move around quite a lot and spend a lot of their energy in exploring the things around them. To fuel their physical and mental activities, a healthy balanced diet is a must. Planning your baby’s food chart well in advance and sourcing fresh fruits and vegetables can help in providing the best nutritious food to them.