Vegetable puree food. At what age and why should vegetables be introduced? What vegetable oil is used in vegetable purees and why

Vegetable puree for babies as complementary foods is recommended in the first place. Not juices or cereals, as some parents think, but vegetables. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, they have enough dietary fiber, which will provide the child with soft and delicate digestion and will be a good prevention of constipation.

In this article, we will talk about how to introduce vegetable complementary foods, how to prepare tasty and healthy puree for babies, what vegetables to give and in what quantity.

With what vegetables does the first feeding begin?

Breast milk and milk adapted formulas meet the requirements of the child for about the first six months of life. Then the baby's diet should expand. Vegetable puree pediatricians recommend introducing into the diet in the first place. But not all vegetables are acceptable for the beginning of the baby's acquaintance with new food.

If the child is on breastfeeding, he is recommended to introduce vegetable complementary foods from 5-6 months. For a baby who, by coincidence, is deprived of breast milk and eats mixtures, it is better to introduce vegetables into the diet at 4 months of age.

It is recommended to introduce vegetables in a certain sequence. For the very first acquaintance with a new food recommended vegetables that do not usually cause allergies, the so-called low-allergenic. This is zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower. At the same time, the first baby vegetable puree must necessarily be one-component, that is, contain only one type of vegetable crop - only squash or only cauliflower puree.

• pumpkin;
• carrot;
• potato;
• squash.

A month later, at the age of 7-8 months, they add cabbage, beets and cucumbers, a year - tomatoes, and at 1.5 years - beans, peas and other legumes. Eggplants are recommended to be introduced after one and a half years, closer to 2 years.

Manufacturer rating

Ready-made baby puree in a jar is convenient and safe. Manufacturers make sure that the composition of the product is hypoallergenic, balanced. To start complementary foods, mashed potatoes in a jar are the best option., because preparing homemade puree for the sake of half a teaspoon, which the baby will eat, is impractical. In addition, mashed potatoes in a jar are convenient to take with you for a walk, on a trip.

The choice of a certain brand of baby food is a matter of income and family preferences. A pediatrician can only recommend certain manufacturers, but the parents themselves will still choose, taking into account, among other things, the preferences of their own baby, because it happens that a child refuses to eat mashed potatoes of one brand, but he is delighted with the same mashed potatoes, but from a different manufacturer.

• safety and risk of allergy to the product;
• taste qualities;
• feedback from parents and pediatricians.

According to these three criteria, the current brands can be arranged in the following order:

• humana;
• Gerber;
• "Grandma's basket";
• Nutricia;
• "FrutoNyanya";
• "Topic";
• "Diaper";
• "Agusha";
• hipp.

When choosing a ready-made puree, be sure to pay attention to the age marking, the expiration date. If the jar does not make cotton when opened, it is impossible to feed the baby with such puree. If you wish, you can cook vegetable puree yourself, but a number of important conditions must be observed.

Selection and preparation of ingredients

To prepare a homemade vegetable puree that can be given to an infant, you need to choose only fresh vegetables, the appearance of which is not satisfactory. If a zucchini or pumpkin has darkening, bumps, rotten areas, cracks, “spoiled” sides, they are not suitable for baby food.

Vegetables can be bought in the market, in the store, but the best option are fruits and root crops collected on their site. If there is no dacha and garden, choose only those purchased that are grown in your lane. Imported and imported vegetables and fruits are usually stuffed with a large amount of chemicals to preserve their presentation. You need to be especially careful when choosing vegetables if they are not in season in your lane. Instead of a purchased zucchini in the dead of winter, it is better to buy ready-made mashed potatoes in a jar from a trusted manufacturer of baby food.

You should not select vegetables for baby puree, the sides of which are glossy - it is possible to use wax, with which vegetables are rubbed to retain moisture when transported from afar.

Recipes for cooking at home

Making puree is easy. The task will be facilitated by the presence in the kitchen of a blender, double boiler. A good puree is obtained in a slow cooker. In order to make a one-component puree for the first feeding, take a zucchini, wash it well and peel it. Cut the vegetable into large pieces, after removing the seeds and core.

If you cook vegetables in small pieces, they will almost not be preserved during heat treatment. useful substances.

Put the pieces of zucchini in a multicooker bowl, double boiler or a small saucepan with a little water. Bring under the lid to readiness. Use a blender to turn the boiled zucchini into a puree. If it turns out thick, add a little vegetable broth that remained after heat treatment, or boiled water. Infants salt and pepper vegetable puree is not recommended but you can add a couple of drops olive oil cold pressed. Ready puree is not stored. Before the next feeding, which provides for supplementary feeding with vegetables, it is prepared again.

After 8 months, the child will be able to eat multi-component purees. In this case, you can immediately cook several types of vegetables in the same way, and then make a single puree out of them. Zucchini and carrots, zucchini and broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, beets and carrots go well together. Almost all types of vegetables go great with mashed potatoes., which is prepared in the same way, but with the addition of milk or water (with the permission of the pediatrician), without butter. As the baby grows, you can, based on the usual vegetable puree create puree soups, as well as vegetable mousses, for example, from boiled pumpkin and cottage cheese, from zucchini and boiled carrots.

Calculate your feeding schedule

Norms and rules of use

Complementary foods always start with a minimum amount of a new product. For a baby, acquaintance with vegetables should begin with half a teaspoon.. During the day, the mother should carefully monitor the baby. If allergies, intestinal disorders do not appear, the next day you can increase the volume of vegetable puree to a teaspoon.

The infant feeding scheme does not involve adding more than one new food in two days. This is important in order to keep track of possible negative reactions of the child's body to food. It will be useful for the baby and his parents if the amount of complementary foods meets the standards.

A table will help determine them, indicating the minimum and maximum value of the amount of vegetable puree that is allowed at a particular age.

The table shows the daily value. Parents can split this amount into two or three meals if the child likes vegetables. Thus, a child at 5 months can be given vegetables twice a day, 15 grams per feeding, and at 6 months, two times 25 grams can be given.

Before the age of one, it is important to teach the child to eat vegetables., otherwise later, at an older age, the baby may refuse to eat these foods and dishes that are useful and necessary for his growth and development. But only in theory, children should eat this or that amount of food. In practice, everything may turn out wrong - the child will require vegetables more often and more, or refuse them altogether. With the latter problem, most often parents turn to pediatricians.

What to do if the child does not want to eat mashed potatoes?

A child who does not want to eat mashed vegetables at his tender age has a lot of reasons for this behavior.

Here are just some of the reasons why children refuse this dish.

• Complementary foods introduced too early, the child is psychologically and physiologically not ready for it - you need to postpone the idea and return to it in a week.
• The child does not like the taste of vegetables- Try another vegetable. If you don’t eat zucchini, give broccoli, if you refuse store-bought mashed potatoes in a jar, cook it at home.
• The type of vegetables is incomprehensible or unpleasant- put the child more often in a high chair at an adult table during dinner or breakfast, he should see how adults eat their food. This will form an idea of ​​​​why the mother bothers him with a spoon and a strange substance in a plate or jar. Serve mashed potatoes in a beautiful children's plate, use an interesting spoon with animal figures, interest the baby in the process of eating.
• The child is not up to vegetables- He is teething or his stomach hurts, he gets sick. In this situation, it is impossible to offer new products so as not to increase the load on the baby's body.
• Baby is not hungry- in this situation, wait until the child is hungry and offer vegetable puree at the very beginning of the meal.
• Already have a negative experience- if the baby was forced to eat vegetables, they pushed a spoon into him by force, the taste of mashed potatoes will be unpleasant for understandable psychological reasons. In this situation, give the child the opportunity to choose for himself whether to eat or not. And the vegetables that are so needed can be mixed into other types of food, for example, into vegetable puree soup, into porridge.

In order to prevent situations in which the child will hate vegetable dishes, it is important to do everything in a timely manner. Do not follow the advice of relatives and pediatricians too blindly about the timing of complementary foods. If a child once in his six months refused a vegetable marrow, no need to insist. Try offering him food a little later.. All children develop at different rates and according to their own schedule. This applies not only to height and weight, but also to metabolic processes, the processes of producing the necessary enzymes in the body, because without them the assimilation of new food is impossible.

The same recommendation applies to the amount of vegetables eaten. The child does not owe anything to anyone. He may well have his own tastes and needs in the amount of complementary foods. And not always his real needs exactly correspond to pediatric norms and tables.

For information on how to cook vegetable puree at home for a child of 7-8 months, see the following video.

When buying vegetable purees of industrial production for feeding, it is advisable to choose products only from well-known manufacturers, be sure to pay attention to the composition of the product (the puree for the first feeding should include only vegetables and water, while the content of salt, milk, thickeners / starch and any spices). It is also necessary to check the expiration date and tightness of the packaging. It is important to remember that after opening a jar of ready meals, the remains of mashed potatoes cannot be stored and reuse, as they are an excellent breeding ground for the development of pathogens. In addition, when reheated, all the useful properties of the product die.

The baby grows and develops rapidly, and gradually he needs more and more energy and nutrients. The child's need for vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, also increases. Their quantity, supplied with breast milk or formula, becomes insufficient. Therefore, by about the age of 6 months, the crumbs' diet should be replenished with new healthy food that can meet the increased needs of the child's body. You need to introduce food. Healthy children with normal body weight and sufficient weight gain, as well as babies prone to constipation and overweight, are recommended to introduce vegetable puree as the first complementary food. Vegetables are a source of a number of useful substances necessary for a growing organism. Unlike fruits, which used to be traditionally used to start complementary foods, vegetables are less likely to cause allergies and contain significantly less sugars and organic acids that irritate the baby's immature digestive system.

Where to start feeding?

Feeding a baby should start with low-allergenic vegetables, such as zucchini, cauliflower, squash, broccoli, and light varieties of pumpkin. A little later (from about 7–8 months), you can add potatoes, carrots, white cabbage, and beets to the diet of crumbs. After 8-9 months, the baby's menu can be diversified by thermally processed tomatoes, onions and garlic. And for a child older than 10 months, you can add finely chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, celery) to ready-made dishes. Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as legumes (beans, peas), eggplant, turnips, radishes can appear in the diet of crumbs only after a year.

At the beginning, a one-component puree is given, consisting of one type of vegetable. This will allow you to track the reaction of the baby to this particular product. After the child adapts to the first vegetables, and in the absence of intolerance reactions (appearance of skin rashes, bloating, change in stool), more complex dishes from a combination of 2-3 types of vegetables (for example, zucchini, potatoes and carrots) can be introduced into the baby’s diet . The first acquaintance of a child with a new product begins with a large number- 0.5-1 teaspoon in the morning. In the absence of negative reactions, the volume of the dish is gradually increased over 7–10 days to the norm corresponding to the age of the child (approximately 100–150 g per feeding).

Pantry of vitamins

vegetable marrow most suitable for the first acquaintance with a new food. Due to its coarse fiber and high content of pectins, it has a mild and delicate taste and is easily digested. This vegetable is rich in mineral salts of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, which have importance for the metabolism of a growing organism. It practically does not cause allergies. Zucchini contains a lot of folic acid, iron and copper, which play an important role in the process of hematopoiesis. In its composition, it also contains carotene, vitamins C, B2 and B1. A close brother of zucchini, zucchini is also very useful and widely used in baby food.

Cauliflower due to its composition, it is also the optimal product for the first complementary foods. It contains a small amount of fiber, so it is easily digestible and does not cause bloating and colic in babies. The vegetable protein contained in cabbage is a source of essential amino acids (lysine, threonine and methionine), which contribute to blood formation, tissue growth and repair, the functioning of the kidneys and adrenal glands, and the thyroid gland. Cauliflower contains a lot of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), carotene, potassium, vitamins B1, B2, E, PP, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and iodine, which are necessary for the full growth and development of the child.

Broccoli nutritionally superior to cauliflower. This vegetable is much richer in vitamin C than oranges. In addition, broccoli is an excellent source of B vitamins and calcium.

Pumpkin- one of the champions in vitamin composition. It contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, carotene, vitamin D, which promotes the growth and strengthening of bones, as well as iron, copper, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Pumpkin pulp is rich in pectin, sugars, vegetable proteins and fats, B vitamins. A large amount of dietary fiber contained in pumpkin normalizes the baby's intestines (especially if the baby suffers from constipation), and also helps to eliminate toxins from the body.

Potato very rich in potassium, necessary for the normal functioning of the kidneys and of cardio-vascular system a child, as well as vitamin C. Especially a lot of vitamin C in young potatoes, but during long-term storage and during cooking, most of it is destroyed. This vegetable also contains B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus. Due to their high starch content, low fiber and protein content, potatoes are fairly easy to digest, especially when mashed. However, it is precisely because of the large amount of starch that the calorie content of potatoes is almost 2 times higher than that of other vegetables, so children with overweight should limit the use of this vegetable. In addition, high starch content can cause food allergies in a child, provoke constipation, bloating and abdominal pain. For these reasons, potatoes are not suitable for first feeding. It is better to cook it in combination with other vegetables, no more than 1/3 of the total volume of vegetable puree. To reduce the amount of starch, peeled potatoes can be soaked in cold water for 1–1.5 hours before cooking. Sprouted and green potatoes should not be used in baby food, as it accumulates the poisonous substance solanine, which can cause poisoning.

Carrot sweet and tasty, so kids like it very much. It is a major source of carotene and is also relatively rich in vitamin C, potassium and iron. Due to the high content of fiber and pectins, carrots have a laxative effect, so it is very useful for babies prone to constipation. But when introducing this vegetable into the crumbs menu, one should be aware of its high allergenicity and with great care offer it to children who are prone to allergic reactions.

Vegetable puree: buy or cook?

When it comes time to introduce complementary foods, every mother thinks - what kind of complementary foods to choose, canned or prepared on their own? The answer to this question cannot be unambiguous, and each mother makes her own choice. The feeding period is a transitional stage in a child's life. At this time, the child's body is being rebuilt to a qualitatively perfect level. the new kind food, and the baby becomes especially vulnerable to any violations and errors in nutrition. In this regard, the requirements for the quality and safety of products for the first complementary foods are very high.

Of course, the most useful for the crumbs will be dishes made from fresh vegetables grown in our own garden without the use of harmful substances and fertilizers. But not all parents have such an opportunity, and vegetables purchased in a store or on the market do not always meet the strict safety requirements for baby food.

In this regard, WHO experts and domestic experts in the field of baby food recommend using canned food for complementary foods. It is explained simply - children food industrial production is made from high-quality and environmentally friendly raw materials, with guaranteed chemical and microbiological safety. "Jared" purees have a strictly balanced composition and are enriched with all the vitamins and microelements necessary for the baby, regardless of the season. In addition, the degree of processing and grinding of vegetables into ready-made purees is made in strict accordance with age characteristics chewing apparatus and digestive system child.

You can cook delicious and healthy vegetables for your baby yourself. In order for home-made vegetable puree to be as healthy and safe as possible for a child, the following rules must be observed:

Before cooking, vegetables should be thoroughly washed under running warm water with a brush.

You can use frozen vegetables to prepare vegetable puree for your baby. They need to be thawed immediately before cooking, because after thawing they quickly lose their vitamins, fresh appearance and inherent taste. You can defrost them by placing them in a package in hot water, or you can start boiling or stewing them by removing them directly from the freezer. Frozen vegetables should not be washed or thawed in water. The fact is that water dissolves most of the vitamins and nutrients contained in them.

To save maximum amount vitamins and minerals, vegetables should preferably be steamed or stewed with a small amount of water. When cooking, they should be thrown into boiling water and then cooked over low heat under a tightly closed opaque lid.

For babies under 1 year old, vegetable puree is prepared without the addition of salt and spices.

The first complementary foods should be homogeneous (without lumps) of a delicate texture, so after the vegetables are cooked, they must be rubbed through a sieve or chopped in a blender. And to make the puree more liquid, it can be diluted with expressed breast milk or vegetable broth.

Vegetable puree for each meal must be freshly prepared. Due to the high risk of food poisoning, the finished dish should not be stored and reused.

Many experts advise starting complementary foods with vegetables. They are a valuable source of important minerals, dietary fiber and organic acids, and include useful and essential vitamins. Vegetables after heat treatment are easily and well digested, help to improve digestion, material metabolism, and rarely cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, such ingredients are introduced into complementary foods first. In addition, they increase immunity and have a general strengthening effect, contribute to the growth and development of the child.

It is possible to introduce vegetable complementary foods to a breast-fed child from six months; on artificial or mixed nutrition, mashed potatoes are given as early as four to five months. So that the crumbs do not develop an allergy to vegetables or another negative reaction, it is important to properly give complementary foods, follow the order of inclusion and dosage. In this article, we will look at when and what vegetables can be given to a child for complementary foods. And learn how to cook vegetable puree for complementary foods.

Rules for the introduction of vegetable puree

• At first, introduce vegetables only one at a time and only after heat treatment. Puree first, then supplement with breast milk or formula;
• It is recommended to introduce a second vegetable into complementary foods after five to seven days. Introduce the next new foods three to five days apart. When introducing multi-component purees, each product must be introduced separately before that;
• It is recommended to start complementary foods with the least allergenic vegetables, which include zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower. Then include pumpkin and carrots, potatoes and greens. These are the safest and healthiest vegetables for children up to a year and older;
• The most allergenic are foods with the addition of chemical additives and vegetables with a bright skin. These are tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants. It is better not to give such products to children under one year old;
• In the first months, complementary foods with vegetables are not recommended, which are difficult to digest and digest, can cause digestive disorders and stool disorders. These are white cabbage, beets, turnips and radishes;
• From some vegetables, for example, from carrots, you can prepare not mashed potatoes, but juice. In this case, the drink in the first months should be diluted by half with water. And tomato juice is not recommended. A child can cook porridge from a pumpkin, but only without milk. Dairy porridge is not recommended to enter up to 10-12 months;
• A child under one year should not be given salted and pickled vegetables. The recommended age for inclusion of such products is no earlier than three to four years;
• For the first time, the baby should receive a small portion of vegetable puree in the amount of half to one teaspoon. After that, observe the reaction of the child;
• If manifested, exclude the product from the diet and consult a doctor. You can repeat the introduction at least a month later and only after the recommendations of a specialist;
• If there is no negative reaction, continue to give vegetable puree and gradually increase the dosage to 40-50 grams. A serving for a child at 8-9 months reaches 80-100 grams. A one-year-old baby can already eat 130-150 grams of vegetable puree;
• It is better to give and introduce vegetable puree in the morning. It is better to cook it yourself from your own fresh or high-quality purchased seasonal vegetables. In addition, you can buy ready-made baby food from a reliable and trusted manufacturer;
• The introduction of complementary foods does not cancel breastfeeding. Experts advise continuing to feed the baby up to 1.5-2 years, and sometimes even older, if lactation continues, feeding does not bring much discomfort to the mother, and the child does not refuse breast milk;
• From seven months, some fruits and dairy-free cereals begin to be introduced into complementary foods along with vegetables, from eight months - meat. More details on what and when to enter correctly will tell. And with which product to start vegetable complementary foods, see below.

Table and scheme for the introduction of the first vegetable complementary foods

How to cook vegetable food

It is better to prepare meals for the baby on your own. Choose only high-quality and fresh fruits without rot and defects. You can also use homemade frozen vegetables. Many are interested in whether frozen vegetables from the store can be used in this case. It is not recommended to do this, as such products contain preservatives, chemicals and harmful additives, which can lead to serious poisoning. For the same reason, canned vegetables should not be used.

Vegetable puree for the first feeding is steamed, in a slow cooker, saucepan, oven or double boiler. Products are boiled, baked or stewed. For taste, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil, breast milk or formula to the puree, for children over nine to ten months old, you can put a little sour cream or butter.

Fresh and fried vegetables, salt, sugar and pepper should not be given before a year. The later you introduce sugar, the better. Children quickly get used to sweets and then begin to refuse regular food, as it already seems insipid and tasteless. In addition, sweets can cause allergies, diathesis and caries, and lead to excess weight.

Wash ingredients thoroughly before cooking. Some advise soaking vegetables for a while in clean, filtered water to eliminate harmful elements. So, potatoes are left for 12 hours, and other types of vegetables for two hours.

The finished puree is stored no longer than a day in the refrigerator, but it is better to use the food immediately and cook it again each time. If you are using ready-made puree, you need to heat the food in a water bath. Never put baby food in the microwave!

Vegetables that are cooked on your own are the safest. Homemade food is tastier and healthier. However, not all parents can cook every day, so they choose ready-made meals. In this case, it is important to choose the right puree with natural composition, which will not cause an allergic reaction and the baby will like it. You will find a detailed review and rating of brands of children's vegetable purees.

After the introduction of mashed potatoes, you can cook mashed soups for the child, and at eight to nine months they begin to give liquid soups. In the recipe for soups, it is important to use only finely chopped vegetables that the baby can chew and swallow.

Recipes for complementary foods

Zucchini puree for the first feeding

Rinse and clean the zucchini, remove the middle with seeds, cut into rings. Then you need to put the vegetable in boiling water and cook for seven to ten minutes. The finished zucchini is passed through a fine sieve or blender to make the puree homogeneous and airy. Then add expressed breast milk or prepared formula to the dish.

Pumpkin puree

Wash and clean the pumpkin, remove the seeds and cut into small pieces. Take 200 grams of chopped pulp and put on a baking sheet, pour a little water and put in the oven at 180 degrees for twenty minutes. Pass the finished pumpkin through a blender, add a little breast milk or ready-made milk formula or vegetable oil.

Multi-component puree

Boil potatoes, a few florets of broccoli and cauliflower separately. Cabbage and broccoli are boiled in boiling and lightly salted water for two to three minutes. When preparing a dish, potatoes should be less than cabbage. Pass boiled vegetables through a blender or sieve, mix and add breast milk, vegetable oil or a mixture.

Pumpkin puree soup

Take 100 grams of carrots and 250 grams of pumpkin pulp, cut into cubes and put in boiling water. Simmer for twenty minutes until the ingredients soften. Grind the prepared vegetables through a sieve or blender. You can add a little chopped greens to the finished dish. Then pour 125 ml of milk into the vegetable mass and cook for five minutes. Such a soup can be used for babies whose complementary foods have already been introduced with milk, and for children who are not allergic to cow protein.

If the child does not eat vegetable complementary foods

Sometimes the baby may refuse vegetable complementary foods, because boiled or stewed vegetables, especially cauliflower, carrots or broccoli, may not be to the taste of the baby at all. In this case, you need to find out the reason for the refusal. Perhaps the refusal is due to some kind of discomfort. The baby may have a tummy or teeth pain, an allergy may occur due to this product. Either the child may develop a cold when the appetite is reduced, or teeth may erupt. In this case, you need to eliminate the disease and discomfort.

Most likely, the child does not like the taste or appearance of the dishes. In this case, try to diversify the menu, make the taste more interesting and rich. Make interesting compositions and cuts from products together with your child. Choose bright and contrasting fruits or vegetables. Cook with the children, everyone will be interested to try what he has prepared.

Eat and taste the food yourself, show by example how delicious it is. Remember that your own example - best method education and training of children. Imagine and tell an interesting fairy tale or a story about the foods that are in the recipe.

If the child does not eat any vegetable, you can discreetly and in a small amount mix it into a dish that the baby loves. For example, in mashed potatoes add some zucchini. Many kids do not like zucchini, as it does not look very appetizing, but at the same time the vegetable is very useful for children.

It goes well with potatoes, and together with your favorite mashed potatoes, the baby will receive useful vitamins unloved zucchini. You can also discreetly mix stewed vegetables into soups, into minced meat for cutlets, and so on. In addition, you can cook unusual dishes.

Unusual children's vegetable dishes

Broccoli pudding

Take 100 grams of broccoli florets, potatoes and carrots. Clean and prepare vegetables, grate. Pour oatmeal with boiling water for 15 minutes and mix with grated vegetables. Grease a baking sheet or baking dish with vegetable oil, sprinkle with ground or breadcrumbs and put the vegetable mixture on top. Bake at 180 degrees for twenty minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the sauce. Mix 50 ml of milk, one chicken egg and a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pour the sauce over the vegetable mass and bake for another ten minutes at the same temperature. For older children, bell peppers and meat or ham can be added to the recipe.

vegetable smoothie

Take two hundred grams of broccoli, one hundred grams of cauliflower and carrots, 50 grams of hard grated cheese and half a teaspoon of cumin seeds. Rinse the vegetables, peel and cut into pieces, put in salted boiling water and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Cool the cooked vegetables, add the cheese and lightly salt, mix and pass through a blender until the consistency of mashed potatoes. Fry cumin without oil and sprinkle vegetable smoothie on top, if desired, you can add sour cream or homemade sauce. Serve with croutons or crackers.

Pumpkin and courgette mousse

Take a small zucchini fruit and 100 grams of carrots. Wash and clean vegetables. Cut the zucchini into halves, remove the middle, cut the flesh into cubes. Cut the carrots too. Put the ingredients in a saucepan and pour a tablespoon of olive oil, simmer for two to three minutes. Then pour in five tablespoons of water. Close the pot and steam the ingredients for 15 minutes. Cool the vegetables and pass through the mixer to the state of lush mousse.

Carrot cupcakes

This recipe is great for kids who don't like or eat carrots. But this is a very important and valuable source of vitamins A and C, beta-carotene. To prepare, take two chicken eggs and half a glass of sugar, mix. Then add 100 grams of butter, two peeled and grated carrots, a glass of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder.

Then knead the dough, you can add a little dried fruit to the cake. Raisins and chopped dried apricots are especially good. Spread the dough into molds and bake cupcakes at 200 degrees for half an hour. Ready cupcakes can be sprinkled with powdered sugar.

The body of a growing crumb needs the intake of essential substances, vitamins and trace elements. For a baby at the age of six months, additional food acquires considerable importance. For an artificial child, the need for complementary foods arises as early as 4 months. Vegetables are the most acceptable option in most cases. To decide which vegetables to start feeding with, and how to introduce vegetable puree, you need to pay attention to the baby's tendency to allergies and digestion.

The purpose of feeding is not so much the desire to saturate the baby, but the acquaintance with new food and the transition from a liquid to a thicker consistency.

When deciding in what sequence to introduce vegetable complementary foods to babies, you need to pay attention to the most hypoallergenic ones. Among them are broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin and potatoes. It is best to introduce vegetables from zucchini. The tender pulp is saturated with essential substances and deservedly tops the first choice rating. A new vegetable can be introduced in about a week.

The first vegetable complementary foods are selected according to the season and are given in a certain order. It is undesirable to take stale and imported fruits. If the age of the child allows, it is better to offer purees with the beginning of autumn, when the markets are full of the freshest fruits.

What vegetable puree for the first complementary foods to choose? Undoubtedly the most high level in the ranking is zucchini. The structure of the finished product compares favorably with many others. It will be easier for the baby’s weak intestines to digest this delicate vegetable.

Introduction rules

How to cook the first baby dish for a baby? Vegetable puree should be introduced to the child slowly, carefully monitoring the reaction of the baby. It is not uncommon to be allergic to even the most simple products. The introduction scheme includes the basic rules:

1. Any baby purees should be introduced no earlier than six months of age of a breastfed baby.
2. You can not give a new type of food 3 days before and after preventive vaccination.
3. When the child must be absolutely healthy.
4. You can start trying a new puree with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the daily portion to the age norm during the week.

What should be guided by the introduction of the first complementary foods:

• manifestation food interest;
• the ability to keep the body in an upright position;
• the presence of at least one tooth;
• doubling birth weight.

Many babies have difficulty gaining weight. In this case, you do not need to rush with vegetables. The best choice would be complementary foods with gluten-free cereals. In other cases, the variant of the first feeding with vegetable puree is preferable. Such a dish gently affects intestinal motility and allows you to smoothly get rid of the problem of constipation in infants.

Often, young mothers cannot figure out how to introduce a second vegetable into a child's complementary foods. In this case, part of the already familiar puree is gradually replaced by part of the new one until the daily dosage is reached. In what sequence to add new dishes, parents will have to decide.

Where to begin

Young mothers usually consult with a pediatrician about where to start and how to introduce complementary foods - vegetables come first. What is the best vegetable puree?

Children's goods stores present ready-made baby food in incredible quantities. Any mother can create her own rating of children's products and choose the best option for the baby. However, homemade puree is the preferred method. To make vegetable puree, you do not need anything special, except for a blender. According to many parents, Braun tops the ranking of the best devices. These blenders have high power and versatility.

To decide which vegetable puree is the best choice, you need to take into account the baby's tendency to allergic reactions. If negative manifestations were observed during breastfeeding, you should not start with more allergenic foods. When deciding where to start, baby zucchini puree is an ideal choice. Even in winter, you can buy this vegetable for feeding. It refers to undemanding plants and does not require the use of increased amounts of fertilizers.

Useful properties of vegetables

These valuable products have a lot of advantages and bring invaluable benefits to the body. little man. table especially useful properties:

• Zucchini. Has the softest texture. The finished puree has a creamy texture and is rarely rejected by small gourmets. The high content of water and vegetable fiber normalizes the digestion of the child. The vitamins and microelements included in the composition enrich the diet of the baby.
• Broccoli. An irreplaceable source of nutrients. Contains a lot of vegetable fiber and helps to cope with the problem of constipation, especially in crumbs on artificial feeding.
• Cauliflower. It is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. It has a high fiber content. However, babies with a tendency to diarrhea should not rush to introduce it into the diet.
• Pumpkin. One of the most healthy vegetables. Its inclusion in the diet is recommended not only for infants, but for all adults. Contains a lot of useful substances. Natural carotene ensures the proper development of the eye apparatus of the crumbs.
• Potato. A valuable source of potassium, necessary for the stable functioning of the cardiovascular system. The high content of starch provides the baby's body with the necessary energy. Usually entered last.

Puree preparation

Many recipes do not contain anything complicated, so absolutely any young mother can cook vegetable puree. The main need in the preparation of vegetable purees is to achieve the most homogeneous state. It will also be useful to consult with a pediatrician on how to properly introduce complementary foods. It is better to start introducing mashed vegetables into complementary foods with self-cooked. How to make baby puree?

vegetable marrow

Deciding which puree is better to start introducing the child to the first course and which vegetables to choose, the choice falls on the zucchini. This vegetable is particularly hypoallergenic and has a delicate texture after cooking.

How to do, let's start:

1. First you need to thoroughly wash and clean the zucchini. To prepare vegetable puree, it is enough to take 1-2 zucchini. It is advisable to choose the smallest fruits without any damage.
2. Then you need to place the chopped vegetable in a saucepan and pour a small amount of water. Steam cooking can be the most effective and convenient for many mothers.
3. Cooking should be no more than 10 minutes. Grind the cooked vegetable with a blender until smooth.

Cauliflower

Cooking is a little different from cooking zucchini. It will take a little more water and time. When preparing a new dish, boiled vegetables also need to be mashed into a puree until smooth. It is permissible to dilute the puree with milk or milk mixture. This vegetable is most often introduced after zucchini. It has good compatibility with mashed potatoes from other types of cabbage.

Broccoli

With the introduction of vegetable complementary foods, broccoli is also in the first lines of the rating of vegetables. With self-cooking, it is not always possible to achieve an absolutely homogeneous state. Therefore, the child does not need to introduce complementary foods before the above vegetables. By this age, the baby will already get used to unfamiliar food, and it will be easier for him to switch to food with tiny grains.

The recipe also does not contain anything unusual: boil and grind.

Pumpkin

At what age should pumpkin be introduced? The first vegetables are offered to the baby at 4-6 months. Sometimes you can come across the statement that pumpkin puree strengthens the baby's stool. This is a rare phenomenon, usually eating pumpkin dishes, on the contrary, softens the baby's stool.

Vegetable recipes for months suggest the early introduction of pumpkin into the diet.

by the most suitable option could be baking a vegetable in foil. However, not every young mother is ready to heat up an electrical appliance for the sake of a tiny piece. Therefore, it is quite acceptable to boil the pumpkin in a small saucepan or steam it. A ripe vegetable is cooked for a sufficiently long time due to the content of a large amount of vegetable fibers, but the cooking time should not exceed 30 minutes.

The finished piece should also be chopped with a blender. The result is a gentle puree that is in no way inferior to the analogues on sale.

Potato

Puree is getting ready traditional way. Do not rush into this dish. Its addition to the baby's menu should be postponed for the most last dates introduction of complementary foods. When preparing puree, it must be mixed with others by at least half. When cooking, most of the vitamin C is lost. However, the rest is able to fill the needs of the child.

Additional additives

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very important for the development of the baby's brain. However, vegetable and animal fats are not able to provide the necessary amount of crumbs to the body.

For this, a nursing mother needs to eat a considerable amount of useful omega-3 acids. Their content in fish is significant, but not enough for a mother who is breastfeeding a child. Many vegetables and fruits contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. But most of it falls on the bones and seeds of fruits.

It is advisable for a nursing mother to take dietary supplements to make up for this deficiency. Supplements based on fish oil derived from fish pulp are preferred. Fish liver supplements may contain too high heavy metals. It is necessary to carefully select foods in the mother's diet.

The right approach to the introduction of complementary foods will allow timely preparation of the baby's intestines for the transition to the common table. Excessive perseverance and haste are inappropriate in this matter. If the baby is not ready to eat new food, do not be zealous and force him to eat a new dish.

Without exception, all parents want to see their children strong, healthy, physically and intellectually developed. Food is a source of all the necessary nutrients, trace elements, vitamins and immunoglobulins for the normal growth and development of the baby, therefore proper nutrition The child plays an important role in his life.

Basic rules for the introduction of complementary foods

The first product must be one-component, that is, you should not mix several new types of products in one plate, otherwise it will be impossible to track which particular product caused the child to have a rash or other manifestations of a food allergy.

The product must be homogeneous- i.e. carefully crushed and pureed, without lumps. Otherwise, the presence of heterogeneities can cause a child who is not yet ready for solid food to refuse any food other than mother's milk or formula for a long time. This is due to the gag reflex. It helps the child to automatically push the object out of the throat so that the child does not choke. If something hard gets into the child's mouth, his tongue moves forward and down to push the object out. The gag reflex remains with a person for life, but the part that pushes it out disappears by about 6 months. It is because of this reflex that it is so difficult for a child to swallow solid food introduced too early.

New product is always introduced in the first half of the day to eliminate the need to suffer in the middle of the night with a suddenly swollen tummy or diarrhea.

Give food to baby only from a spoon and not from a bottle. The baby is growing up, and he needs to master the skills of eating not only through sucking.

Give a new product before breastfeeding or formula.

Can't introduce new products 7 days before vaccination and within 7 days after vaccination.

New products cannot be introduced if the child is sick. This will be an additional burden on the baby's already weakened body.

Each product administered within 5-7 days, starting with 1 teaspoon (half a teaspoon for fruits).

If one product is completely introduced, then the new one is introduced as follows: 1 teaspoon of the new product, then 3 tablespoons of the old product, and the last spoon again the new product. Then breastfeed or formula feed.

Do not arrange snacks for the child between meals. Children's stomach is very small, so the signal of saturation in the child's brain comes very quickly and he simply refuses to eat.

In order for the baby to always eat with appetite, don't force him to eat. if he does not want and does not need to pour large portions, it is better to pour a little less. Should be considered taste preferences child. Some children are happy to eat fruits, vegetables and meat, and some prefer dairy products and various cereals.

Sometimes a child begins to eat badly if something bothers him. You should not expect a large appetite from a recently ill child. In younger children appetite worsens during teething.

Buying ready-made mashed potatoes or cooking it yourself is a serious issue that everyone decides for himself. O important aspects this choice in more detail

Where to start feeding

Today, pediatricians and pediatric nutritionists recommend that up to 6 months a child be fed, without any complementary foods, with breast milk. Children who are on artificial or mixed feeding Complementary foods can be introduced at 4 months.

Here is the approximate sequence of introducing new foods into the baby’s diet:

from 4 months - vegetable and fruit purees, cereals

from 6 months - cottage cheese, yolk

from 7 - 8 months - meat

from 8 months - bird, cookies

from 8-9 months - sour-milk products, fruits

from 9-10 months - fish

Here is an example feeding plan. small child during the day:
breast milk (mixture) → porridge → vegetables with meat → cottage cheese + fruits + cookies → fermented milk product→ breast milk (mixture) Next, we will dwell in more detail on each of the products .

The first products for the introduction of complementary foods

The first porridge for feeding

With a lack of weight in a child, cereals are introduced first. The first three cereals that are used in the introduction of complementary foods - buckwheat, rice, corn - do not contain gluten. This protein contained in cereals (oatmeal, wheat, etc.) has a different name - gluten. Many people suffer from gluten intolerance, which is expressed in acute allergic reaction. In babies, it usually manifests itself in the form of diarrhea, exhaustion, and bloating. That is why, gluten-containing products (not only cereals, but also cookies, crackers from wheat or rye flour) are introduced into the baby's complementary foods carefully and not in the first months.

It is worth noting that if the child is prone to constipation, then rice porridge should be postponed.

Regarding the preparation of porridge, there are 2 options: grind the cereal in a blender and cook it yourself or buy porridge in packs that do not require cooking, but are bred. With regard to the latter, it is better to give preference to fortified and sugar-free. Ready-made cereals are dairy and dairy-free. It is worth noting that dairy-free cereals usually contain a sweetener. Milk porridges are diluted with water, dairy-free ones can be diluted with water, infant formula, breast milk or special “baby milk” (on a pack of such milk, “baby milk from 8 months” is indicated). Porridges are diluted according to the instructions on the pack with heated liquid.

Porridges are introduced gradually, starting with 1 teaspoon per day. Then, if the child tolerates this product well, completely replace one milk feeding porridge.

After all the cereals are introduced separately, it is better to offer the child multi-grain cereals.

Vegetable food

If the child has no problems with weight gain, then vegetables can be safely used as the first complementary foods. Nutritionists recommend starting with vegetables rather than fruit purees, because a child, having tasted sweet fruit puree, may refuse healthy vegetables in the future. Also, vegetable complementary foods will be very useful for children suffering from constipation.

As the first vegetables in the diet of a child, it is recommended - broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, potatoes- in that order. Before cooking potatoes, it must be soaked in cold water for 1.5-2 hours. You can start vegetable complementary foods with 1-1.5 teaspoons.

Fruit purees and juices

As the first fruits for a child, they are perfect - apple, pear, prunes, banana. The best option will be a baked apple. It is recommended to start fruit complementary foods with half a teaspoon, gradually increasing the portion to 30-40 g per day.

From juices it is worth giving preference to apple, pear. Freshly squeezed juices should not be given to small children. They begin to introduce juices from 5 ml per day, gradually increasing the dose to 30-40 ml per day.

Cottage cheese for feeding

If the child has no problems with closing the fontanel, cottage cheese can be introduced from 6 months. If the child's fontanel closes very quickly, the introduction of cottage cheese is delayed.

Cottage cheese is introduced carefully, starting with 5 g per day, gradually increasing the dose to 30-40 g per day. By about 12 months, a serving of cottage cheese per day increases to 100g. For the introduction of the first cottage cheese, it is recommended to use “baby” cottage cheese from 6 months.

Yolk for feeding

The yolk of the egg, like the cottage cheese, is introduced very carefully. Stop yourself in a rush to choose rustic for a child chicken eggs bigger. To reduce the risk of an allergic reaction, nutritionists recommend start with quail eggs. Be sure to wash your eggs thoroughly before boiling.

You should start with 1/8 of the yolk, gradually increasing the portion to the whole. The yolk must be crushed and add to vegetables or porridge.

Meat food

As the first meat product in the diet of the baby are introduced turkey and rabbit. Veal, according to the recommendations of pediatricians, is postponed for more late deadline(after a year), due to the risk of allergies, especially if the child has such a reaction to milk, milk formula.

If you decide not to use canned meat puree, then boil the meat in the second broth, i.e. after the water with the meat has boiled for 5 minutes, it is drained, the meat is poured with new water, and the meat is cooked on the “second” water. The meat must be boiled and mashed, salt should not be added to it, the baby does not need it in additional quantities. You can mix meat with vegetables, thereby diversifying the diet of crumbs.

Meat is introduced into vegetable feeding starting from 1 teaspoon, increasing the portion to 50g per day.

Cookie

For 8mi month old baby in relation to cookies, it is better to opt for “baby” cookies from 5 months. It differs from classic cookies in that upon contact with saliva, it almost immediately turns into gruel, which eliminates the risk that a baby who is not ready for solid food may choke.

Do not give small children biscuits as a snack between meals, otherwise he can quickly get enough and refuse a full meal. Cookies, as a rule, are offered to the child for an afternoon snack, along with cottage cheese and fruit.

Fish food

Fish should be introduced into the child's diet only after the introduction of meat. You should start with white species - cod, hake, pollock. Red fish is introduced much later due to the fact that it often causes allergies in children.

Fish is also introduced, starting from 5g, gradually increasing the portion to 50g. It should be noted that fish is given to a child no more than once a week.

Dairy products for complementary foods

Offer your child yogurt, kefir, on the packaging of which is marked “children from 8 months”. Kefir is also introduced gradually. If the child tolerates this product well, completely replace one milk feeding with a fermented milk product.

We compose the menu

Should be drawn up approximate menu child and calculate its calorie content. The number of calories for children from 6 months to a year should be 800 kcal. The nutrition of the child should be primarily varied. This makes it possible to provide the child's body with all the components necessary for its proper development and prevents the child's appetite disorder. Introducing certain foods into the child's diet can improve health and correct some disorders.

Cooking for the baby is necessary, using various ingredients for this, and diluting the resulting vegetable or meat puree with milk formula, breast milk or water.

Gradually, children move on to 4 meals a day. They can already be fed most of the dishes prepared for the whole family. You should only avoid adding spices and give dishes to the baby first in a pureed form. It should also be remembered that proper nutrition is not only a set of certain products, but also the first skills of cultural behavior. Before feeding, be sure to wash the child's hands, the dishes for the child's food should be beautiful, clean and safe.

Read the article by a child psychotherapist for information on how to correctly form nutritional skills in children under one year old.

Food for the crumbs should be balanced, healthy, tasty and always fresh.