Babies survive purely on breast milk for the six months of their lives. Their tiny tummies are yet to develop fully and that can make digestion a big issue.
But after the sixth, or in some cases, the seventh month, you can start feeding your babies solid foods in stages. While meat, chicken and fish are still a few months away, soft and mashed foods are very much on the table.
And just like that, you have a wide array of nutritious baby food options to choose from. While there are a lot of canned options available in the market, nothing beats the taste and safety of homemade baby food. Moreover, you can never run out of baby food ideas, as long as you have the ingredients. At the same time, you minimise food wastage too.
So millennial parents, instead of opting for canned baby food, try these five nutritious baby food recipes for a seven-month-old. These are free from additives and chemicals and filled with only your love of all things natural.
To add to that, the recipes are quite simple and the baby food purees will be ready in 10 minutes or less.
Before we share recipe ideas, here are some steps that are common to make nutritious baby food purees.
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Step 1:
- Take any peeled fruit or vegetable.
- Steam it until it’s soft enough to be mashed with a fork. (This should only take about 6 to 10 minutes.)
- If your baby is over four months, they can already enjoy any fruit or vegetable.
- But you should save pork, fish, beef, or chicken for when they turn one; this is when they can handle slightly thicker foods.
Step 2:
- Once mashed, add breast milk or a little water for consistency.
- Puree in a blender until smooth (or until it reaches your desired consistency) and there you have it.
If you’re away from home, you can bring a manual food mill that helps you make mushy, baby-friendly meals in seconds even when you’re on the go.
5 Baby Food Recipes For A 7-Month Old Baby
1. Banana and apple puree
This super delicious recipe is a quick and easy breakfast option that ensures your baby gets all the essential vitamins and nutrients!
You will need:
- 1 banana
- 1/2 apple
- 1 tsp honey
- a pinch of cinnamon
Method:
- Peel a small banana and mash with a fork.
- Add a little milk if necessary to smoothen the consistency and add a familiar taste to the banana puree.
- Mash it using a food processor with some peeled and diced pieces of apple, honey and cinnamon
- Feed the baby the puree
2. Potato puree
Potato is the most accessible and flexible ingredient to use for puree. It can be mashed with peas, broccoli, green beans or carrots. For kids who are one year old and above, potato goes well with beef, pork, lamb, or chicken.
Method:
-
- Peel the potatoes and dice them into small chunks.
- Cook the potatoes in boiled water for 15 minutes until they are tender.
- Drain potatoes and rinse in cold water for 2-3 minutes to stop the cooking process.
- Use a food processor to puree the cooked potatoes.
- Add some water or breast milk to the blender to make it smooth and creamy.
3. First carrots puree
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Carrots are naturally sweet in taste and have a pleasant texture, which makes them a great first food for babies. The preparation is simple too and carrots are rich in the supply of the antioxidant beta carotene and vitamin A.
Method:
- Trim and peel carrots and cut them into small cubes of about an inch in size.
- Put them in a medium saucepan with water.
- Boil the carrots and lower the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for 25 minutes.
- The carrots will boil down to a soft substance.
- Let it cool down and then puree it in a food processor with one cup of water.
4, Beets and Blueberry mash
For kids slightly older than seven months, you can look at adding some mashed food options in their diet instead of complete puree. The beets and blueberry mash is a good place to start in that case. It’s loaded with a nutritious combination of antioxidants, vitamins, and fibre
Method:
- Wash and peel the beets and then cut them into small cubes. Wash the blueberries too. You can use both fresh and frozen ones.
- Steam the beets and blueberries together for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the steamed ingredients into a food processor or blender and hit the mash button till it turns into a puree.
- You can add some water or breast milk to make the consistency softer.
5. Avocado and banana puree
Image Source: Pexels
Make the good old banana more nutritious by adding some avocado to it. Avocados pack good fats and fibre while bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin C. Moreover, the banana adds its natural sweetness to the mixture. All of these are necessary for your child’s healthy growth.
Method:
- Peel the bananas and cut the avocados in half. Scoop out the avocados with a spoon.
- Add both the ingredients to a blender and keep it running until it turns smooth.
- Make sure to use a food strainer to remove any lumps to create a completely smooth puree for your baby.
5 things to keep in mind when preparing baby foods at home
- Babies having food for the first or second time won’t have more than 1-2 tablespoons.
- Keep a track of all the ingredients you use. In case your baby is allergic, it will help you identify which food your child is allergic to.
- Keep experimenting with different recipes to see which ones your baby likes the most.
- While starting solid foods is great, babies should not be off breast milk. Some babies continue having breast milk for up to two years.
- Most of all, have fun when you prepare these nutritious baby food recipes.
ALSO READ:
Best Baby Food 2021: How To Provide Optimal Nutrition To Your Baby
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