The Best Baby-Led Weaning Foods

We’ve recently talked about Baby Led-Weaning and why it’s making waves for parents and caregivers worldwide. As its name suggests, you introduce and let your babies independently eat solid foods instead of feeding them purees or mashed food. Your child also gets to decide how much they want to eat. There are loads of benefits to this practice including reduced risk of overfeeding and obesity, development of healthy eating habits, dexterity and coordination, and quite frankly, it’s so much easier for busy parents to prepare finger foods and let babies eat on their own.

It’s also a joy to see your little ones explore different tastes and textures for the first time (We suggest you document it on videos!). During the first few tries, you might get worried about your babies not eating enough, so it is very important that you don’t stop milk feeding. Milk should still be able to provide them the complete nutrition during this time.

We’ve gathered some of the best friendly foods which are not only healthy, but such a breeze to prepare!

                                                      Photo by David Di Veroli on Unsplash

1. Avocado: Ultra rich in good fats, and also friendly for babies’ gums. Avocado is one of the healthiest fruits, so introduce them to your kids early!
2. Sliced Mangoes: Rich in Vitamin A which is good for your baby’s skin. It’s extremely soft which makes it perfect for toothless babies. Slice them vertically and leave the skin on so it’s less slippery.

                                                        Photo by Mike Dorner on Unsplash

3. Bananas: The cult favorite especially when you’re on the go. Bananas are rich in potassium, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C. More so, it contains decent amount of fiber and carbohydrates.
4. Steamed Carrots: A good introduction to the world of veggies. Carrots are rich in Beta Carotene which converts to Vitamin A for healthy eyes and skin and are also full of anti-oxidants. Steam them until they are soft enough for your kids to chew with their tiny teeth and gums.

                                                        Photo by Jonathan Pielmayer on Unsplash

5. Cucumber: Not only do cucumbers make a great finger food, it also offers relief on teething babies’ sore gums. Put them in the fridge an hour before and let your baby enjoy its unique, soothing taste.
6. Steamed Broccoli: Broccolis are fun and babies love holding this small tree-like vegetable. Not everyone knows, but it’s actually very rich in Vitamin C, even more than oranges!

                                                            Photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash

7. Cheese slices: Hard cheeses like edam and cheddar are perfect for older babies. It provides calcium for stronger bones, and have an exciting taste that your babies will love.
8. Shreds of meat: Start with boiled chicken or turkey strips, and as your baby learns to chew better, you can eventually introduce small pieces of beef or lamb. Meat are good source of protein which helps growth and development.

These are just some our favorites, and you can explore more as you go along this exciting journey with your little one. Hard-boiled eggs, steamed baby sweet corn, sugar-free rice puffs and wholesome bread toasts are also great additions to the list.

Take time to observe your child’s eating habits, and ensure that you give them variety of foods so they get balanced nutrition. It will be messy, moms and dads, so arm yourselves with helpful products like silicon bibs with food catcher, easy-to-clean baby feeding chair, and more importantly, an endless supply of love and patience. All the best!

Sources:

http://www.motherandbaby.co.uk/baby-and-toddler/baby/weaning-tips-and-advice/14-brilliant-finger-foods-for-baby-led-weaning

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/baby/first-foods-to-try-baby-led-weaning/

http://nutritiondata.self.com/

https://unsplash.com/