When is your child ready to eat pasta sauce, Cheerios, or have his first bite of chocolate? While it’s great to introduce your child to different kinds of flavors, we should be careful about what and when we give him certain types of foods. Here are some tips.
Start smooth
Your baby’s first solids are actually quite liquidy: watered down cereal, gradually thickened to a porridge consistency. Start with easily digestible mashed bananas or mashed carrots mixed with a little breast milk or formula.
Finger foods
When your baby is about 9 months old, he can try practicing his pincer grasp by feeding himself finger foods. Try chunks of soft fruit, cooked vegetables, diced pasta or macaroni, cheese cubes, and ever popular Cheerios. The food must be cut into needlethin slivers or quarter inch cubes to prevent choking risks.
By nine months your child can also try other carbs like couscous, plus eggs, poultry, and boiled meat and fish. Best not to give fried foods as the oils can be hard for his stomach to break down.
Chocolate and other sweets
It’s okay to give your one-year old a nibble of soft chocolate or cake, but remember that these should not be given frequently as he may develop a sweet tooth and then turn his nose up at blander food. This is the best time to train his taste buds towards healthier eats.
Don’t give any nuts like cashews almonds or walnuts until your child is three. The earlier they’re introduced, the more likely these foods become lifelong allergens for some children.
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