Choice of Foods

CHOICE OF FOODS

At five to six months

Mashed fruits.

Start with a quarter of a mashed banana and increase the quantity every week. Later stewed apple (peel, cut into bits, steam and mash with a spoon), papaya, chikoo, mango and pears may be given.

Vegetables.

Start with a thin soup of carrots, pumpkin, doodhi, beetroot and tomatoes. Try peas, beans and leafy vegetables sometimes later. Gradually you can try giving a thick soup.

Cereals.

You could begin with rice. Rice with moong dal in the form of a khichdi makes an excellent choice. Other cereals like rava kheer, thin wheat seera, dalia, sooji, ragi, biscuits soaked in milk can be tried a little later. A highly nutritious mix can be made out of roasting, grinding and mixing equal parts of rice, wheat, and ragi and moong dal. The mixed powder is stored in an airtight container. This powder can be used for making a thin kheer with milk and a bit of sugar.

Fruit juice.
Orange and apple juice may be offered like a drink between feeds.
Seven to nine months

Potatoes.

You can try mashed potatoes with a bit of butter. Some babies also enjoy mashed vegetables.

Eggs.

Boil the egg for three minutes. Start with a quarter of the yellow part, and gradually include the white. Remember, eggs are rich in cholesterol and it is best for the baby not to have an egg more than three times a week, some babies may also show allergy towards eggs.

Meat and other non-vegetarian foods.

You can get the baby started on them