What vegetables can a child eat? Baby's winter diet

If you continue to feed your baby breast milk, then do not rush to wean him off the breast. There are studies confirming the value of even occasional breastfeeding of a child in the second year of life, because you give the child not only food, but also a feeling of peace, security and confidence in his mother’s love. In addition, milk contains protective antibodies that help the baby resist infectious diseases. It is almost impossible to overfeed with breast milk (this is one of its unique properties - the ability to “automatically” adapt to the needs of the child), i.e. The mother produces the amount of milk and with the properties that the baby needs at the moment. But this does not apply to formula feeding. So if your child is formula-fed, measure the volumes strictly in accordance with his age and the pediatrician’s recommendations.

Dairy

So, the first group of products necessary for a baby who has crossed the one-year mark is dairy products. They contain proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. What to choose from the variety of dairy products: mixtures (so-called follow-up formulas), milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, kefir or cheese? The use of “follow-up formulas” (if the child is artificial) should hardly be abandoned, despite the indicated age - “from 6 to 12 months”. This is due to the fact that in recent years, many nutritionists have increasingly recommended postponing a baby’s introduction to whole milk until a later age (2-2.5 years) due to the increased number of cases of food allergies to cow’s milk protein.

Kefir is a traditional dietary food product. It accounts for more than 2/3 of the total production of fermented milk drinks. To produce kefir, kefir grains are used, which are a symbiosis (coexistence of organisms) of many microbes (lactic acid streptococci, lactic acid bacilli, acetic acid bacteria, flavor-forming bacteria and yeast). Kefir has all the beneficial properties of fermented milk drinks. Consuming kefir tones the cardiovascular and nervous systems, normalizes and improves kidney and intestinal function.

Kefir contains lactic acid bacteria, as well as bifidobacteria, which regulate the normal microflora of the human gastrointestinal tract, which not only improves digestion, but also has a positive effect on the immune system. However, it should be remembered that fermented milk products are highly acidic and in large quantities are not very beneficial for the child’s body. Studies conducted by the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS) have shown that consumption of kefir in an amount of 400 ml by children 6-8 months old can lead to pinpoint hemorrhages in the intestines (accompanied by loss of hemoglobin and iron). Don’t forget about this and introduce kefir into the diet of 6-7 month old babies. According to new recommendations from the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, this product can be given to children from 9-12 months in an amount not exceeding 200 ml. Fermented milk products also include yogurt.

Any yogurt is prepared on the basis of yogurt starter - Bulgarian bacillus and thermophilic streptococcus. It is these lactic acid cultures that make the tasty product also healthy. However, the healing properties of these bacteria are preserved only in “live” or “short” yogurts that have not undergone heat treatment. The shelf life of such yoghurts does not exceed 30 days at temperatures from +2 to +8 degrees Celsius. “Long” yoghurts can be stored for more than three months, not even in the refrigerator. Their life can be extended either with the help of preservatives or through heat treatment. All useful minerals and vitamins are preserved, but the bacteria die. Most yoghurts contain natural fruits; the taste of the fruit in some cases compensates for the lack of sugar or its substitutes.

A one-year-old baby can only receive specialized children's milk (not cream) yogurt with a moderate content of fat and carbohydrates. Such yoghurts are produced in baby food factories, they have a limited shelf life (several days) and are sold in baby food departments. They can be given to children from 8-12 months. Cottage cheese, as a source of protein and calcium, is necessary for a child, but within reasonable limits - about 50 g per day. It must be remembered that due to the high protein content, cottage cheese is not a very easily digestible product. In addition, too much protein in the diet is not at all harmless - in some children this can lead to a decrease in appetite, and in the future it will lead to an increased risk of atherosclerosis, obesity, and other disorders. Sour cream, cream and cheese are used in the diet of a baby in his second year of life in small quantities (just like cottage cheese and yogurt, it is better to give them not every day). Sour cream is added to ready-made dishes. It is advisable to grind the cheese (for example, on a grater). This product can be given in combination with pasta, or can be used as a separate dish.

Cereals

The next group of products is cereals, which are a source of carbohydrates, vegetable proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In terms of nutritional value, buckwheat and oatmeal rank first. Much has already been written about the influence of the beloved semolina porridge, which is still widely used in the nutrition of young children. But it is necessary to remember: semolina is a cereal containing gluten (a protein from cereals that can cause allergies especially in infants). And there are not so many vitamins and minerals in semolina. Therefore, you should not abuse this product. Rice is very easy to digest, absorbed by the body and is widely used for children with digestive problems. Unfortunately, the content of vitamins (for example, E and B1) and minerals (for example, potassium) in rice is even lower than in semolina. Corn also cannot boast of a particularly valuable vitamin and mineral composition. In addition, it contains a lot of starch. But corn is one of the sources of selenium. After prolonged cooking, this porridge is easily digestible by the baby.

Fruits and vegetables

For a child of the second year of life, it is useful to add fruits or vegetables to porridge (for example, apples in rice, pumpkin in oatmeal). At this age, it is already possible to expand the range of fruits offered to the baby (fresh and in the form of juices, purees) with oranges, apricots, strawberries, kiwis (in limited quantities, if juice - 100 ml, if puree - 100 ml). Gooseberries, cherries, currants, cranberries, raspberries, lingonberries, and pureed blackberries are very useful. A biologically valuable vitamin drink can be prepared from rose hips. Grapes have the ability to enhance fermentation processes in the intestines. In addition, they oversaturate the child’s diet with carbohydrates. Combined with the relatively low vitamin content, this makes it a product intended for older children. The vegetable menu can be enriched with beets, turnips, green peas, and beans. Legumes should be given with great caution and only in a well-cooked, thoroughly chopped form, since, despite their richness in vegetable proteins, these vegetables contain coarse fiber. It causes increased gas formation and significantly enhances intestinal motility, as a result of which the child’s stool becomes more liquid.

Meat products and fish

Meat products play an important role in children's nutrition. They are given in the first half of the day (taking into account the longer period of time required for absorption), and not only in the form of minced meat and meatballs (as for children of the first year of life), you can also prepare steamed cutlets. The diet is expanded with lean pork, offal (especially tongue), chicken, rabbit meat, and turkey. Waterfowl meat (ducks, geese), fatty pork and lamb are not recommended due to the difficulty of digesting them. And, of course, no sausages, frankfurters or small sausages. You can introduce low-fat varieties of fish (hake, pollock) into your child’s diet. Fish should be given 2 times a week, provided that there is no allergic reaction to it. Fish contains large quantities of useful minerals and vitamins. It can be boiled, stewed with vegetables, made into cutlets and meatballs, soufflé. And caviar, so beloved by many adults, can be given only occasionally and with great caution (it can cause an allergic reaction).

Eggs

Eggs contain easily digestible protein, valuable amino acids, vitamins, micro- and macroelements. One egg should be included in the daily diet of a baby in his second year of life (except for cases where the child suffers from a food allergy to chicken protein). This can be a whole egg, a steamed omelet, or eggs added to culinary products (cottage cheese, pancakes). Under no circumstances should children be given raw eggs. Quail eggs differ from chicken eggs not only in their higher protein content (with a large amount of the amino acid tryptophan), but also in their higher fat and cholesterol content (despite such a small size). However, they can be a good alternative for children with chicken protein intolerance (1-2 pieces per day or every other day).

Oil

Another source of fat in the diet of a baby in his second year of life is butter. It is better to give butter in its natural form (for example, spread it on bread or add it to ready-made dishes), without heat treatment. The same applies to vegetable oil (sunflower, olive, soybean, corn). It is used in the final stage of cooking vegetables.

Sweet

Please note that the baby should not eat pastries, cakes, chocolates, or fatty cookies. For confectionery products, we can recommend marmalade, jams, marshmallows, preserves. You need to be very careful with honey, since, in addition to its undoubted benefits, it has a high ability to cause allergic reactions. Instead of sugar, it is better to use fructose.

Bread

It is better to give white bread to children under 1.5 years of age, as it is easier to digest.

Beverages

As for drinks (except for the already mentioned fruit and vegetable juices and dairy products), a child of this age is allowed tea (natural and lightly brewed). Carbonated drinks (even mineral water) are not included in the child’s diet.

Cooking food

So, the baby’s nutrition should be balanced, energetically valuable and correspond to age-related abilities (biting, chewing, digesting and absorbing food). Food, as in an earlier period, remains pureed (now no longer through a fine sieve, but on a grater); boiled meat and fish can be turned in a meat grinder only once. It is possible to prepare pancakes, casseroles, soufflés and puddings. You should not give up ready-made specialized products “for baby food”. High control over the quality of products, their preparation, and composition that meets the child’s needs make them indispensable in the baby’s nutrition. Do not forget about the variety of food and about taking into account the child’s taste preferences: let him get acquainted with as many foods as possible that are allowed at this age.

Diet

Up to 1.5 years, the regime of four to five feedings a day remains relevant, the intervals between feedings are 4-5 hours. The hours of eating should be strictly fixed (deviations of 15-30 minutes are acceptable) in order to develop a conditioned reflex in the baby and, accordingly, better assimilation of food. The most high-calorie meal should be lunch, the least - an afternoon snack. To maintain a good appetite, you should not give anything between feedings except water). The daily amount of food for children from 1 to 1.5 years is about 1000-1200 ml (not counting liquid). It should be noted that milk and kefir are not a drink at this age, but food. Approximate standards for daily consumption of various food products (taking into account the recommendations of Russian nutritionists) are given in the table.

Sample menu for a child 12 - 16 months for 3 days

The first day

After waking up, if lactation is maintained, breastfeeding or formula milk Breakfast Porridge with milk with the addition of fruit and baby cottage cheese Bread and butter or grated cheese Dinner Pumpkin puree soup Vegetable puree with meat (zucchini, veal) Bread Fruit juice (apple-cherry) Afternoon snack Children's kefir or children's yogurt Children's cookies Fruit puree (apple with oatmeal) Dinner Hard-boiled egg Vegetable puree (green peas and potatoes) Tea For the night

Second day

Breast milk or formula Breakfast Children's cottage cheese Oatmeal (dairy-free) with apples Tea with milk Dinner Vegetable soup with spinach Fish fillet with cauliflower Bread Compote Afternoon snack Children's kefir or milk or formula (if allergic to cow's milk protein) or children's yogurt Crackers Apple Dinner Steam omelette with cheese Apple and carrot puree Banana and pear nectar For the night Breast milk or formula

Day three

Breast milk or formula Breakfast Milk porridge with fruit Bread and butter Tea Dinner Chicken soup Steamed cutlet with mashed potatoes Biscuits Kissel Afternoon snack Children's yogurt or children's biokefir Children's cookies Dinner Cottage cheese casserole with sour cream Rosehip puree with cream Multivitamin juice For the night Breast milk or formula

Heat treatment of many products reduces the concentration of vitamins, microelements and some other substances in their composition. Therefore, any mother of a growing toddler who is starting to try complementary feeding wants to give her baby the maximum benefit and is interested in at what age it is permissible to start giving the child raw foods.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are the most important sources of vitamins for children's bodies.

What foods are given raw to children?

A child’s diet may include in raw form:

Vegetables. After peeling and removing seeds, they are used to make salads, seasoned with vegetable oil or lemon juice. First, the vegetables are grated on a fine grater, and for a child over 2 years old, they can be cut into small pieces and seasoned with sour cream.
Fruits. They are one of the first to appear on children's menus in the form of applesauce and banana puree. Apple slices are given to the child's hand to stimulate chewing from 6-8 months. To prevent your baby from choking on an accidentally bitten piece, you can use a nibbler.
Berries. Due to the risk of allergies, their introduction into children's menus should be very careful. For small children, rub them through a sieve, removing the product from seeds, skin and dense veins.

Are raw vegetables healthy?

Cooking most vegetables leads to the loss of a large amount of the valuable substances they contain. For this reason, doctors, including Dr. Komarovsky, advise including raw vegetable salads in children's diets. However, one should not forget about moderation.

Some kids are fond of raw vegetables and are ready to eat them in large quantities. Sometimes this indicates a lack of vitamins (by looking closely at which vegetable the child prefers, you can understand what the baby lacks), but excessive consumption of raw vegetables should not be allowed. This will negatively affect the functioning of the intestines and can cause bloating, colic and stool disorders.

Watch a cartoon with your child in which the Blue Tractor, together with Professor Kislykh Shchi, sings a funny song about the benefits of vegetables:

There is a lot to be said about the benefits of raw vegetables:

Raw carrots are a source of carotene, pectin, vitamins, fiber and minerals. This vegetable is good for vision and skin condition.
Raw beets are high in iodine, iron and other minerals, as well as vitamin compounds. E This vegetable in its raw form strengthens blood vessels and has a positive effect on the blood formula, and also protects the liver and supports metabolic processes.
By consuming raw pumpkin, the child will receive fiber, ascorbic acid, carotene, potassium salts, B vitamins and other useful substances. This vegetable has a positive effect on intestinal function, has an anti-inflammatory effect, and also helps remove cholesterol and toxins.
Fresh tomatoes provide your child with beta-carotene, B vitamins, potassium, vitamin PP, iodine, iron and many other compounds. Thanks to pectin, phytoncides and organic acids in their composition, such vegetables have a positive effect on digestion and metabolic processes. It’s just important not to forget that they are often allergic to them, and greenhouse tomatoes can be a source of chemicals harmful to children.
Raw onions are rich in essential oils, minerals, phytoncides, carotene, flavonoids, many vitamins and fiber.
It stimulates appetite and the secretion of gastric juice, thereby normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Raw garlic contains many vitamins, phytoncides, microelements and other useful compounds.
It strengthens the child's body's defenses and also has a bactericidal effect. Broccoli and cauliflower It is useful to eat both boiled and raw. These vegetables help prevent various diseases, including gastrointestinal pathologies and cancer.
When fresh, these types of cabbage are very tasty and many children like them. Raw turnips can be used to prevent constipation.

This vegetable contains a lot of ascorbic acid, as well as vitamins PP, B5, A, B2, B1, sulfur, magnesium and phosphorus.

Pumpkin can be given to babies both fresh and boiled.

Which vegetables are healthier after cooking?

Despite all the benefits noted in many raw vegetables, some crops have a positive effect on the child’s body when boiled, baked or stewed: Beet
during heat treatment it loses nitrates. Baked potato
is more beneficial, so it is not recommended to give raw potatoes to children, as well as fried products. Eggplant
after baking, they are deprived of harmful chemicals, and their beneficial properties appear more actively. Asparagus and tomatoes
after heat treatment, they give the child’s body more lycopene and vitamin A. Baked or stewed zucchini

At what age should a child be given raw foods?

A child is introduced to raw vegetables at the age of 1 to 2 years, carefully observing how the baby’s digestive tract tolerates such products in their raw form. A one-year-old baby is first given a small amount of raw vegetable, such as grated raw carrots in a salad. If the baby tolerated such a dish well, the volume is gradually increased.

Onions and garlic can be irritating to your baby's mucous membranes.

Raw onions, like raw garlic Recommended for children no earlier than 3 years of age. Such products are limited in children's diets due to their irritating effects on mucous membranes and rather difficult digestion.

Such raw fruits , How apple, banana and pear, appear in the diet of babies before they are one year old. The child is introduced to other raw fruits and berries (peaches, grapes, strawberries, plums, apricots, citrus fruits, etc.) after a year.

Calculate your complementary feeding table

In the first year of a baby’s life, the formation of his immune system and bone tissue occurs, and therefore many pediatricians recommend adhering to a strict regimen of introducing additional products.

What vegetables and fruits can be given to a child at 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 months, up to a year?

The child is 6 months old.

The first thing introduced into the diet is vegetable and fruit purees.

Artificial dieters can also be given porridge for better weight gain.

Be sure to start with very small doses, for example 1 teaspoon per day and observe the reaction of the baby’s body. If there were no rashes during the day, then you can introduce an increased portion, but do not introduce another new product.

IMPORTANT: One of the first foods to be introduced will be cauliflower and zucchini due to the content of calcium and phosphorus sufficient for development. And also pumpkin puree, which greatly helps the child’s digestion.

As for fruit purees, preference is usually given to apple and pear, which are rich in pectin and contain a lot of iron for the normal functioning of the circulatory system.

It is better to start introducing the remaining products in the following months, because it takes a fragile body a lot of time to get used to each new product.

Within two weeks, the baby's complementary feeding portion will grow to fully replace one daily feeding.

To kid at 7 months You can try introducing from fruits:

Peach
Apricot
Banana
Prunes

These fruits are rich in microelements and vitamins and do an excellent job of replenishing iron and improving digestion in a growing body. If the baby has loose stools, then prunes will need to be discarded.

By 8 months The baby’s body is formed and ready to accept fermented milk products. Therefore, many pediatricians advise making homemade kefir, yogurt and cottage cheese and gradually introducing them into the baby’s diet.

Fruits you can add to your baby’s diet include:

Strawberry
Malina
Currant
Cherry
Plum

At 9 months, children can introduce exotic fruits into their diet:

A pineapple

At the same time, it is very important to observe the child’s stool and manifestations on the skin. If there is a reaction of the body in any of the manifestations, then it is better to cancel this product.

At 10 months the child is ready to try cherry plum, plum, watermelon. At the same time, it is the last fruit that needs to be given in very measured doses, as it affects the water balance in the body.

At 11 months and up to a year you can start introducing into the diet: tangerine, orange, grapefruit.

Despite all the usefulness of these products due to the high content of vitamin C and other vitamins, these products are very allergic and therefore require careful approach.

From vegetables, you can give those that are rich in fiber and were not available at an earlier age:

Eggplant
Beet
Legumes
White cabbage
Tomatoes
Brocolli

Vegetable soups can be cooked with the addition of vegetable oil and a little salt, which will improve the taste of new products.

What vegetables and fruits can be given to a child at 2 years old?

At the age of two years, the child already has four meals a day and, despite all the variety, does not yet fit into the general adult table.

If a child allows himself snacks between meals, this will reduce his appetite, but if, on the contrary, reduce the number of meals to 3, then this may affect the baby’s routine and well-being. Therefore, the best breaks between meals are 3-4 hours.

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for cells and the child gets them from fruits, vegetables and cereals. It is also very important that the body receives a sufficient amount of macro- and microelements, which are found in large quantities in vegetables and fruits.

The following vegetables can be given to two-year-old children:

Eggplant
Tomatoes
Radish
cucumbers
Bell pepper
Potato
Carrot
Brocolli

Fruits and berries can be given to a 2-year-old child of all types in amounts up to 150 grams. in a day.

Why doesn’t a child eat vegetables and fruits during complementary feeding: what to do?

Nowadays, the number of children who are breastfed is growing, and when the baby turns 6 months old, many mothers buy jars of vegetables and fruits in the hope that now the baby will begin to enjoy trying new foods.

But for some reason, not all children happily accept their mother’s initiative and refuse such innovations.

Many mothers resort to all sorts of tricks to get their baby to open his mouth and eat at least a spoonful.

What can you do here:

Play your favorite cartoon
Enlist help to distract the attention of relatives who will occupy him with a toy
Use a favorite toy as an example of how she enjoys eating purees.
You can use various sayings: “An airplane (spoon) is flying and straight into Katya’s mouth..”

But unfortunately, not all tricks can work on a capricious baby. Then you can try to improve the taste of food with salt and mixing vegetables or fruits.

How to teach a child to eat vegetables and fruits if he doesn’t want to or refuses?

An option to increase a child’s food interest is to give him the opportunity to try everything with his hands. To do this, you can put a plate on suction cups in front of him and put small pieces of food there that he can touch with his hands and taste.

What to do if a child stops eating vegetables and fruits?

A child’s body, like no one else, knows what it needs, and therefore, if your baby suddenly stops trying fruits and vegetables, then you should not panic. He just has the right, like you, not to want them at the moment.

And moreover, most likely, the vitamins and microelements that he has already received are enough for him. And after a while, without your persistent persuasion, he will again return his interest in these products.

What to do if a child does not eat vegetables and fruits well? The child does not eat fruits and vegetables: Komarovsky

According to Komarovsky, if a child does not want to try vegetables and fruits, then the time simply has not come. High-quality breastfeeding replaces all types of complementary foods, because the female body, from century to century, has fed the child with everything it needs, and there is no point in trying to deceive nature.

If the child is gaining enough weight and does not look sick, then you need to let go of the situation and introduce fruits and vegetables gradually without coercion or persuasion. The time will come and the child himself will reach for new and healthy products.

Video: What to do if the child does not want to eat - Doctor Komarovsky

Vegetable puree is one of the three mandatory complementary foods that must be introduced into a baby’s diet before the age of one year. Often this is where a baby’s acquaintance with “adult” food begins. How to properly prepare and give vegetable complementary foods to your child? Why are vegetables so important for babies?

What are the benefits of vegetables for children, and why are vegetable purees needed?

Whatever vegetables the baby’s puree is made from, it should be:

1. Thicker consistency than milk or adapted milk formula.

How to introduce vegetable purees into a baby's diet

There are no differences from others. The puree should be prepared from one vegetable, with water, without any other additives. It is allowed to dilute it with breast milk or an adapted formula familiar to the baby.

On the first day, preferably before lunch, give one teaspoon. Watch for any problems: regurgitation, bloating and pain in the tummy, frequent stools or pathological impurities in it (foam, water, greens, streaks of blood). If everything is in order, the next day give 2 spoons (if complementary foods are not the first, 3 are possible) and observe again. Continue this way until you have replaced all feedings with vegetable puree. You can see the approximate amount of complementary feeding at different ages here. The serving size will also depend on the baby’s appetite, mood and what and how he ate at the previous feeding.

After your baby has gotten used to the full volume of his first vegetable puree in about a week, you can add a small amount of a new vegetable to it. At least a week is allotted for its introduction, after which the third component can be included in complementary foods, and so on.

How to prepare vegetable puree for your child

It's simple if you follow the rules:

Vegetables are thoroughly washed, peeled and washed again under running water. If they were stored in a room accessible to mice, it is advisable to pour boiling water over them.
Cut into small pieces and throw into a saucepan of boiling water (on the stove or in the microwave). This way, the beneficial substances are preserved in the pulp and not washed out into the broth. A more successful cooking option is steaming: in a slow cooker, double boiler.
The prepared vegetables are rubbed through a plastic sieve or blended in a blender to achieve the desired consistency. If the puree turns out to be too thick, dilute it with boiled water. You can also use a decoction if you are sure that there are no nitrates washed out into the water when boiling.
To increase the calorie content of a dish It is useful to add breast milk or the baby’s usual adapted formula instead of water. For the same purpose, vegetable oil (45 kcal in 1 teaspoon!) and butter (about 30 kcal in a teaspoon, depending on the fat content) are used, and after a year - cream or meat broth.
Spicy herbs and onions can be finely chopped and rubbed with a knife, added to the finished puree, or blended with vegetables in a blender.
It is very advisable to do without table salt at least until the child is one year old.

If you are not sure about the safety of the available vegetables or do not have the opportunity (time or kitchen equipment) to prepare baby puree of the required consistency, we recommend giving vegetable complementary foods (at least at first) in the form of canned baby food.

When a child turns 6 months old, every family celebrates this date in a special way, because this is a kind of milestone in the baby’s development. The child moves to a new stage of development. Now he not only observes those around him, but also tries to actively participate in the life of the family. He recognizes the people around him and can show various emotions - from joy to fear.

The reluctance to constantly lie down or sit leads to the fact that the baby gradually learns to crawl and stand near support. The baby's increased physical activity also requires changes in his diet. Only breast milk or formula to cover his energy costs is no longer enough for him to fully develop. That is why, if complementary foods were not previously introduced into the child’s diet, it is simply necessary to do so at six months.

Can the diet of children at 6 months be different?

The answer to this question is clear: yes, it can. It all depends on the following factors:

whether complementary feeding had already been introduced at this age;
how long has the child been offered adult food;
does he have any allergic reactions to this or that product?

Children who are fed breast milk begin to introduce complementary foods at 6 months.. It is not recommended to do this before the specified age. A Formula-fed babies can begin supplementing their diet with complementary foods as early as 4 months.. This explains the differences in the diet of six-month-old babies.

What foods can be given to a child at six months old?

List of permitted foods for a six-month-old baby is quite extensive and includes quite a variety of products:

It is important to understand that the consumption of certain products depends on when complementary foods were first introduced.

Vegetables

Many pediatricians recommend starting complementary foods with vegetables. They improve intestinal function, are full of vitamins and have a neutral taste, unlike fruits, which, as a rule, children like more than vegetables. If you start complementary feeding with fruits, then there is a high probability that the child will refuse other foods.

If the baby is just starting to try adult food, then you should start complementary feeding with these hypoallergenic vegetables, like cauliflower, broccoli and zucchini.

The first puree should be monocomponent, that is, consist of only one product. This requirement is due to the fact that the mother needs to monitor whether any product causes an allergic reaction in the baby. And if there are several ingredients in the puree at once, then it will be impossible to find out which component the allergy occurred to. Mixing several vegetables is permissible only if these products have already been offered to the baby and he has not had a reaction to them. Each new product must be introduced into the diet gradually, starting with 1 teaspoon. The volume of product consumed should increase every day until it reaches the required norm. At the age of 6 months, a portion of vegetables should be about 150 ml.

After vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini, other permitted foods are gradually introduced: potatoes, carrots, onions, pumpkin.

The baby can be fed with both ready-made purchased purees and prepared ones yourself.

To properly prepare vegetables for your baby, you need to know a few rules:

Porridge

After introducing vegetables into your baby’s diet, it is recommended to start introducing him to cereals. The first porridges should be mono-ingredient and gluten-free. Therefore, the first cereals that are suitable for feeding a baby are buckwheat, corn and rice. A little later, you can introduce oatmeal. And if the baby has been eating porridge for a long time, then you can diversify it by adding chopped pieces of fruit.

The healthiest porridge listed is buckwheat. If the child is prone to loose stools, then rice porridge will be ideal. And vice versa, if a child has frequent constipation, then you should not give rice porridge. For the first complementary foods, it is recommended to feed the baby with dairy-free porridge and introduce milk as the basis of the porridge later. You can buy porridge for your baby ready-made in the store or prepare it yourself. The volume of porridge eaten per day for a 6-month-old baby should gradually reach approximately 150 ml.

Fruits

Fruits are usually given to the baby in the first half of the day. It is better to start complementary feeding with apples and pears. Later, apricot, plum, peach, and banana are introduced. They need to be mashed with a fork until pureed, or you can buy ready-made puree in jars. The amount of fruit eaten per day is approximately 50–60 ml.

Meat

Meat begins to be introduced into the baby’s diet only after vegetables, fruits and cereals. Therefore, if you have just started introducing complementary foods to your baby, introducing meat will be postponed until a later time. If complementary feeding was introduced a long time ago, then the baby can be fed meat as early as 6 months.

It is best to start complementary meat feeding with these lean meats, like rabbit, veal and turkey. You can buy ready-made meat puree or make it yourself. Its amount in the baby’s diet should be gradually increased to 30 ml.

Egg yolk

At 6 months, formula-fed babies can begin to be given egg yolk. For children fed on breast milk, chicken yolk is introduced later, at 7 months.

Since eggs themselves are a rather allergenic product, the egg white is not given to the child until he is one year old, and the yolk is introduced with great caution.

The first portion of egg yolk should be very small.

Its size should be approximately the size of a match head. Gradually the serving size increases to ½ yolk. After eating the yolk for the first time, it is important to closely monitor your baby's reaction to the yolk for several days. However, it is not recommended to introduce any other products during this period, since the allergy may not appear immediately.

What can a 6 month old baby drink?

If breastfed children were not recommended to drink water up to 6 months, then as the child becomes more active and begins to eat adult food, water and other drinks must be present in the baby’s diet.

In addition to water and milk (breast or formula), the child can be offered decoctions of rose hips, chamomile, dill, juices from familiar fruits, and special children's tea. You can also start giving dried fruit compotes. It is not recommended to give regular black or green tea to a 6-month-old baby due to the caffeine it contains, which negatively affects the baby’s nervous system.

Baby's diet at 6 months

At 6 months the child eats 5 times a day. At least two feedings (morning and before bedtime) should be milk feedings (breastfeeding or formula feeding).

An approximate diet for a child at this age may look like this.