Healthy First Foods Your Baby Will Love

By Bamidele Wale-Oshinowo

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants start receiving complementary foods at 6 months in addition to breast milk. Your baby’s first taste of solid food should be a single ingredient and must be age appropriate. As your baby grows older, you may want to introduce mixed ingredients. Below are samples of recipes for different age groups:

From 6 months

Brown Rice Cereal (Organic preferably)

Whole grains, such as brown rice are high in fibre, healthier and more nutritious for your baby. Grind organic brown rice (our local Ofada Rice would do) in a food processor reserved only for baby, put water in a saucepan to boil and stir the rice powder in gradually. Keep stirring until it forms a paste, simmer for a few minutes, and mix with breast milk or infant formula.

Avocado

Avocados taste great, and are well tolerated and easily digested by most babies. They contain vitamins A, C, calcium, and more.

Peel about one ripe avocado (depending on the size), take out the pit of the ripe avocados, cut the meat out (do not cook), place them in a bowl and mash with a fork, stir until the mixture is smooth.

Banana Puree

Banana contains vitamins A, C, D and iron amongst others.

Peel one ripe banana (do not cook), place in baby’s food processor and blend into a puree. You can also mash the banana in a bowl using a regular fork and heat in the microwave for only 20 – 25 seconds before mashing for extra softness.

Pears

Pears contain phosphorus, potassium, vitamins C, A, folate, etc.

Peel some pears, cut into chunks, remove all the little seeds, put in a saucepan, add some water and steam gently until it is tender. Place the pears in a food processor and blend until it forms a smooth puree.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, beta carotene, potassium, vitamin E, calcium and folate.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into small chunks, place the chunks in a saucepan, add enough water and boil until tender. Once soft enough, put the cooked sweet potato chunks in a food processor, add the leftover water from the saucepan and blend until the puree is smooth. Pour the smooth blended sweet potatoes into a bowl and stir. Serve warm.

Note: You can serve these foods alone or mix with breastmilk or infant formula.

From 8 Months

Mixed Purees

Babies aged 8 months and above can be served with mixed fruits. You can puree oranges with bananas; mangoes and sweet potatoes; apples and rice cereal; avocados and banana; oatmeal with oranges or bananas.

From 10 months

Beef, Turkey or Chicken on Rice

Introduce mild peppers. Beef, chicken or turkey are high in protein and other essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, niacin, fat, zinc.

Preparation

1)         Use lean beef, if you are using chicken or turkey, take out the skin or use the breast cut.

2)         Put in a saucepan after cleaning, then add a pinch of salt, onions, very little condiments and boil until very tender

3)         Put the chunks of beef or chicken in a food processor, blend slightly

4)         In another saucepan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some peppers (tomatoes and small peppers)

5)         Pour the mixture of beef or chicken in the saucepan with the cooked pepper, simmer until well cooked.

Serve with well boiled rice.

Peeled Beans Porridge

Beans are high in protein and supply a good number of vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, folate, vitamin B6, and thiamin.

Preparation

1)         Peel beans and parboil for 5 minutes; pour into a colander and wash thoroughly

2)         Clean out one piece of fresh titus fish. Boil with onions and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes

3)         After boiling the Titus fish, rinse with fresh water, remove all bones and mash

4)         Blend clean tomatoes, small red pepper (tatashe) and onions to make a thick puree.

5)         Bring parboiled beans to stove, add boiling water and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 45 minutes

6)         Prepare fish sauce with blended puree using little oil and a pinch of salt. Add appropriate quantity to cooked beans. You may serve with pap.