Ask your pediatrician which fruits should not be given to a baby under a
year old. These will include any form of citrus fruits and fruits with high
acid content most likely.
You can use canned or frozen fruits for making baby food, but it is usually
much better to use fresh if at all possible. Yes, it is more work to have to
wash, chop, and cook the fruit to soften it, but it is certainly more
nutritious. Often canned foods have already lost some of their nutrients, so
frozen is better if fresh will not be possible for whatever reason.
When the cooked fruit is soft, puree it until there are no lumps left.
Whether frozen, canned, or fresh, be sure that there are no seeds, skin, or
pits remaining.
If you need to use canned fruits, use those that are packed in natural
juice. If it is packed in syrup, rinse the fruit to remove some of the added
sugar.
Bananas, peaches, pears, etc. will not need to be cooked prior to pureeing
or mashing.
Good first fruits include bananas, applesauce, peaches, and pears.
Preparing Vegetables
Ask your pediatrician which vegetables should not be given to babies younger
than a year old. These may include beets, greens, corn, and spinach and
recommendations from doctors will vary, so gather the facts and make an
informed decision about whether to introduce these foods before a year of age
or not. Because of the natural nitrates, this is important to remember and
research.
Do not add sugar, salt, pepper, or other spices to the food you are making
for the baby.
As with fruits, fresh vegetables are a much better choice. If that option is
not possible, use frozen vegetables for the better alternative. Canned
vegetables are very heavily salted and that is not good for anyone's health,
babies included.
Good first vegetables include carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes.
When it's time for meat and combos . . .
When the pediatrician gives you the green light to start introducing
combination dishes and meats to the baby, a whole new world will open up with
the possibilities. This will happen when the baby is 9 or 10 months old in many
cases, and the new food type is called junior foods. They will not be as
heavily pureed but you still need to be careful that it is soft enough and
prepared safely for the age of the baby.
You will suddenly be able to mix any pureed meat with vegetables or
cereal. If your combinations are too thin, add a little extra baby
cereal to the mixture and if it is too thick, try a little bit of apple juice
or water.
Do *not* decide to put a child under the age of 2 on a fat restricted
diet. Children need the fats found naturally in foods for proper
growth.
Do not use processed meat such as cold cuts because of the
sodium content and additives. Instead, just puree your own meats (if you are
preparing the baby food from the family's dinner, remove the baby's portion to
puree before the meat is seasoned for other family members.) You will need to
add water, broth, or baby formula in order to puree meat and after a certain
period of time, you will be able to leave some soft and small pieces of fruit
or vegetables in the junior stage of food.
Try all kinds of combinations of meat and vegetables for junior foods. Try
mixing rice with some of the combinations. You may also want to try pureeing
some of the family's favorite casseroles and other meals as the baby is
approaching a year of age. Be careful about large pieces, however, and also
about the amount of spices in the food. It is still a baby eating it and foods
will still have to be softened and put into a food processor or blender even if
not pureed to the same degree.