Healthy Food Ideas For Your Baby

1/11/2015|Updated: 4/28/2015

Letting your baby taste some food for the first time is such a special moment. To see the reaction on their cute little faces as they try to figure out what just happened is pure entertainment! I remember watching my own boy grabbing his pear and sweet potato sticks and chewing away on it with his bare gums.

So then comes the question too – what should I feed my baby?

In this context it’s important to mention that the WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until 5-6 months and supplemental breastfeeding (nursing as well as other foods) until 23 months.

What Foods Should I Feed My Toddler?

For the first few months of introducing foods it’s all about letting the baby explore and experience some new flavors, textures and even mild spices. I love the Baby Led Weaning approach where you just present your little one with easy-to-hold foods and let them pick and eat it themselves, rather than having to make our buy special baby food and purees. Because the main bulk of baby’s nutrients still comes from the milk at this point, you don’t have to worry so much about making sure they eat enough or the ‘right’ foods.

I also truly believe that babies are intuitive and know what their bodies need. If my son prefers to just eat sweet potato one day, and then turn only to chicken the next, I just go with it. In fact, younger toddlers tend to want, and need, more protein and then once they get a little older they often turn to more carbohydrates.

After you’ve made sure there are no food allergies and your baby is eating pretty much anything (usually after their first birthday) go ahead and give them the same food you’re eating. There’s no need to cook multiple dinners as long as you focus on real, whole, nutrient dense foods.