Autumn 2015 - The Pre and Primary School Guide | Page 12

health

baby & toddler
food

The surprisingly simple way to make your own baby
and toddler food

Want to give your family a jump-start on good nutrition? By
introducing your children to a nourishing, whole-food diet at a very young
age, you can teach them to prefer the taste of real foods over processed
ones. This lays the foundation for healthy eating habits later in life.
Help your little ones crawl into a wholesome lifestyle by making your own
baby and toddler food. Here are some tips to follow to introduce a meal
plan that ensures your child consumes high-quality, healthy ingredients.

Start early

Developing eating habits and food preferences is a learning process just like starting to walk or potty train. In order to introduce healthy eating
habits in children, it is essential to expose infants older than 6 months to
the taste and texture of a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
When introduced to these foods early, children are more likely to adopt and
practice beneficial eating habits in adulthood.

First bites

First bites are a big milestone in a baby’s life. Pediatricians recommends
starting solid foods around 6 months of age. After introducing your child to
single-grain, iron-fortified cereal, you can experiment with different vegetable
and fruit purees and adjust each meal specifically to your child’s preference
and needs. To make your own purees, invest in a quality that easily blends
whole food ingredients to a