What Kinds of Foods Can I Give My Baby?
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Fruits and Vegetables
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Fruits and vegetables are the classic first foods many parents feed their babies beginning at six to eight months of age. Pureed vegetables such as peas, squash, broccoli, beets and sweet potatoes make tasty introductions into vegetables for your baby and are easy to make at home. Pureed fruits such as apples, bananas, apricots, blueberries, plums and prunes make wholesome introductions into fruits. Mixing both vegetables and fruits together can give your baby many of the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals he needs daily.
Meats and Protein
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Around seven months to one year of age, parents may begin to feed their baby coarser textured foods that require the action of chewing. Meats such as beef, pork and chicken are appetizing ways to introduce meat into your baby's diet. If you do not want your child consuming meat, tofu may be substituted, as it provides many of the same textures as meat.
Grains
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Rice cereal is typically the first food besides formula and breast milk that babies ingest. You can feed your baby rice cereal beginning when she is four months of age, so long as she is able to support her own head, her tongue thrusting reflex is all or almost gone and she has taken an interest in the food you eat. Grains such as rice, barely, oatmeal, millet, buckwheat, flax and wheat germ all make tasty introductory cereals or grains to your baby.
Dairy
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After his first birthday, you can introduce your baby to cow's milk, preferably whole to get the most nutrients. You can also introduce eggs and yogurt at this stage of your baby's diet. Small pieces of cheese are another safe and tasty food he can begin consuming at this time. You will need to cut larger pieces down to a safer size or hold off until he has more teeth. If you do not wish your child to consume cow's milk, or he has an allergy to cow's milk, you can substitute soy, rice or oat milk.
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