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I remember like it was yesterday getting ready to start my oldest on solids. Do I do purées or baby led weaning? What if he chokes? What will I feed him?! I spent a lot of time researching different meal ideas to make sure I had lots of options. Thinking back, I definitely went overboard on research so I hope these 5 tips for starting solids post saves you time!
Looking for meal ideas? Check out my Pinterest board for lots of healthy meal ideas for kids. Also, you can read all about exactly how I do solids with our boys in my Ultimate Guide to Starting Solids post.
It is no secret that babies/kids typically do not like vegetables. One way to help encourage early vegetable eating is to start them off with veggies instead of fruit. When babies eat fruit first, going to a less sweet and more bitter food like vegetables can immediately deter them from wanting to eat them. I started both my boys with sweet potatoes. Worked like a charm! I am a few months into the solids stage with our second and things are going very well. He has tried a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and grains and so far only hates green beans. He will eat them however when they are mixed with something else, just not by themselves.
Some babies just will not eat veggies even if you do start them out with a veggie first. You have to get sneaky and force them in anyway! A few ways to do this is to puree a fruit and veggie together, or combine it with a grain etc. A favorite in my house are homemade pancakes. I simply toss oats, a banana, and an egg into a blender and it makes perfect pancakes! I have put in spinach when trying to get in extra iron which is another great hack. This recipe is a good one if you want to make a good spinach pancake. I also always add spinash to scramble eggs.
There can be some controversy surrounding peanuts and when to expose your child so definitely consult with your pediatrician prior to exposing your baby to peanuts. Some doctors will advise you to wait until the baby is over a year old to introduce peanuts but our pediatrician believes exposing them early can prevent a later food allergy and this method worked well for my little guys. I simply add a tiny bit of peanut butter into their baby oatmeal so it is a small and controlled amount. Neither of my boys have any food allergies thus far.
There are all kinds of icky things added into food these days. The only way to somewhat control what you are putting into your baby is to purchase organic whole foods and puree them yourself. If you do not want to puree your own food, you can buy organic premade food but please please research the brand to make sure they aren’t one of the culprits known of using high quantities of metals etc. in their food. I also suggest a fruit/veggie wash like this as it helps eliminate pesticides. Buying all organic food can be expensive- I get it! So at the very least, try to buy the produce known as the “dirty dozen” organic as these fruits/veggies are treated with the highest quantities of pesticides.
Mamas, these bibs will save your life! They last forever and helps make clean up after mealtime so easy. I still use the ones from our first born now 2 years later! We love the Oxo Tot silicone bib but there are several on the market that will do the trick. I love that they roll up making it easy to bring them anywhere!
Starting solids can seem daunting at first but once you find what works for your little one, it will be so much fun! Messy memories 🙂
What are your top secrets for starting solids?
