From around nine months you can begin to offer your little one a greater variety of foods, including harder finger foods such as raw vegetable sticks.
Even if you still need to help your baby to eat, it’s a good idea to encourage them to have a go at feeding themselves at mealtimes. By bringing some variety to the table, with different colours or textures, it will help you to hold your baby’s interest when trying new types of foods.
Remember that little tummies fill up easily, so while babies need energy, in general avoid giving them meals consisting of only high fibre foods, such as brown or wholegrain bread.
Fats are important for energy production and contain valuable vitamins such as Vitamin A. Don’t give low fat milk, cheese and yoghurt to babies under two years old.
During their second year, it’s quite common for babies to start rejecting new foods or foods that they seemed to enjoy before. The good news is that if you offer a wide variety of foods during this stage, you will lessen the likelihood of your baby going through a fussy phase as they get older.
Even if your child does become picky around food, most children eventually learn to eat the foods they see their parents and other children eating. That’s why it helps to eat with your baby as often as possible and to organise some meal times with other children. It will help them develop their social skills, too.
Breakfast:
Cornflakes with kiwi fruit
Lunch:
Chicken curry with rice and steamed cauliflower
Yoghurt mixed with fresh mango purée
Dinner:
Pasta with sweet pepper sauce
Egg custard and raspberries
Finger foods:
Kiwi fruit slices, cauliflower florets, breadsticks, cooked pasta pieces
Breakfast:
Baby muesli with blueberries
Lunch:
Pasta with Bolognese sauce
Clementine elements
Dinner:
Fish and potato cakes with stir fried vegetables
Peach and raspberry smoothie
Finger foods:
Blueberries, cooked pasta pieces, stir fried vegetable sticks
Breakfast:
Scrambled egg with toast fingers
Lunch:
Lamb with couscous and steamed vegetables
Rice pudding
Dinner:
Asparagus with feta cheese
Strawberries
Finger foods:
Ripe pear pieces, steamed vegetable sticks, cherry tomatoes
Please be aware that the information given in these articles is only intended as general advice and should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you or your family or your child is suffering from symptoms or conditions which are severe or persistent or you need specific medical advice, please seek professional medical assistance. Philips AVENT cannot be held responsible for any damages that result from the use of the information provided on this website.
