Homemade Baby food
Importat information about food additives:
Food Dyes Linked to Cancer, ADHD, Allergies
Food Additives of Public Concern for their Carcinogenicity
The following food guideline was developed as a complement to breast milk, which is strongly recommended to be maintained until at least one year of the baby’s life.
During the first five months, the baby should consume exclusively breast milk, unless indicated by the pediatrician. For the first three months the infant must breastfeed 20 minutes every three hours (a period known as «free demand») and from the fourth month, breast milk feeds are made every four hours during the day, and at night continuing with free demand (given as many times as requested) The infant’s sucking strength is increased, so nursing time is decreased to three-to-five minutes.
In the fifth month, carrot or apple juice is started at 11 am. It begins with teaspoons until reaching 150 ml. The infant will not be satisfied, so after this juice, you have to breastfeed.
At five and a half months, the juice is replaced by ground fruit at 11 o’clock. It is advisable to give one fruit at a time to observe tolerance. It is advisable not to mix more than two fruits at a time. The quantity can be equivalent to the volume of one or two apples. They must be raw. When cooked they lose their most important nutritional properties. The skin should not be used unless they are organic.
Recommended fruits
Apple, pear (not every day), citrus (only drops), raspberries, cherries (sweet), peach, tangerines, blueberries, plums, grapes, and strawberries (with special attention to see if the baby has an allergy; it is recommended to give it after two years old), banana, apricot, kiwi (ripe, not acid), cherimoya.
At six months, lunch is introduced at 11 AM, which replaces the ground fruit. It is prepared with two types of vegetables maximum, since mixing many foods makes them difficult to digest and, on the other hand, the baby must get used to savoring simple flavors. To assess tolerance, it is best to introduce new varieties of vegetables, always one at a time. These vegetables are ground with a fork and two teaspoons of oil are added to them. It can be cold-pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil, or chia oil. These last two are rich in omega-3 oil. It should always be kept refrigerated since at room temperature it becomes rancid.
The oil never gets hot. It is always added once the food is already on the plate, otherwise, its good properties are ruined.
Vegetables are always steamed or boiled with so little water that it evaporates completely and the flavor, texture, and color are preserved. Never overcook them, nor throw away the water in which they are cooked, except the water from the chard or spinach, which does have to be eliminated.
It is recommended that during the week the baby have consumed a variety of vegetables with colored roots (carrots and beets), leaves and stems (chard, spinach, fennel, or well-washed raw lettuce), and fruit or flower vegetables (squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower).
If possible, do not give potato, since it does not benefit the development of the nervous system, which is so important at this stage of development.
The food, if possible, should not be frozen, but rather prepared on the day and stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of two days. Meals with chard or spinach cannot be stored or reheated as they oxidize.
Salt should not be added. A small portion of raw vegetables can be added as salad, such as lettuce, carrot, cucumber, etc.
The amount of food that the baby eats will be progressively greater, being able to reach 350 ccs. They regulate what they can eat.
Recommended vegetables.
Carrot, fennel, squash, zucchini, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, asparagus, beets, Swiss chard, spinach, green beans, green peas, avocado, lettuce, sweet potato.
Vegetables not recommended
Onions, garlic, leeks, paprika, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, lentils, ripe peas, soybeans, kidney beans, peanuts, and white or red cabbage.
At 19 hours ground fruit is given.
At seven months, cereals are added. At lunch, whole grain cereals are added to vegetables. Three heaped tablespoons of cooked whole grain at a time, and the amount of oil is maintained.
Recommended cereals
Brown rice, rolled or whole oats, pearl barley, whole wheat, peeled millet, polenta or dried corn flour, toasted flour, bulgur wheat. For after the year: quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat.
Preparation of cereals
Toast: about 10 minutes in a pan without oil, until they’re lightly browned. They can be toasted in advance and stored in jars once cool.
Grinding: until it looks like flour. Only the amount that is going to be used at the moment is ground (in the case of harder cereals, such as barley, millet, etc. I recommend grinding them after cooking since it takes a long time to grind them raw)
Soak: for thirty to sixty minutes in cold water. That same water is then used to cook.
Cooking: depends on the cereal. It is normally specified on the package, but these data can be considered as a guide:
instant oatmeal, five minutes
traditional oatmeal, fifteen minutes
- millet, 30 minutes
- barley, 30 minutes
- polenta, 5 minutes
- dried corn flour, 5 minutes
- wheat flour, 15 minutes
- rice, between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the brand
- quinoa, 20 minutes.
Rest: leave to swell between ten and fifteen minutes after cooking, with a lid.
At eight months, the proportions at lunch and dinner change: both should have 50% fruit or vegetables (depending on the schedule) and 50% cereal. The quantity is also up to 350cc. When the first teeth come out, we must make them feel more of the texture of the food, with parts ground with a fork or finely chopped.
At nine months, a teaspoon full of seeds or ground oilseeds, always raw, is added. They should not be cooked, nor roasted so as not to overheat the oils they contain, otherwise, they will be ruined.
Warning: “Any form of solid food, especially nuts, are a choking hazard. Please be sure to monitor your child at all times while eating, to protect them from a potential hazard.”
Recommended seeds and oilseeds (unroasted and unsalted)
Sesame, flaxseed, marigold, almonds, chia, pumpkin, European hazelnuts (after the year), walnuts, pecans, and cashews. Pistachios, macadamia nuts, and Brazilian nuts are for older kids. They are always eaten raw, without cooking or reheating.
At ten months add two teaspoons of grounded seeds at lunch.
At twelve months you can add an egg a week. Each time the consistency of vegetables and fruits is more noticeable. You can start giving it chopped or grated (depending on the ingredient).
This guideline includes indications up to one year of age. After this, it is recommended to soak the hard grains overnight (approximately twelve hours) and not roast or grind them.
Most pediatricians agree that it is not advisable to give children added sugar, or foods high in saturated fats, sugars, transgenics, etc. Regarding salt, it should be avoided as much as possible, since it can cause kidney damage in children in the long term.
It is recommended that legumes be added to the diet after a year and a half of life.
Some pediatricians recommend feeding without meat (either red or white) until two years old; Others maintain that since one year old, the infant is prepared to eat everything that is prepared in the family (as long as salt and sugar are limited) As Comunidad de la Biblia, we recommend that all the meat that is consumed follows the standards given by God in the Bible, read: Biblical food (spanish version)
Blessings.