The Best And Worst Foods When Weaning A Baby
By Tom Pearson
11 months ago
Good - Carrots
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Carrots are known for being great for vision and for our teeth. They are a great source of beta carotene, fiber, potassium, vitamin K1 and lots of antioxidants. They have been linked to lowering cholesterol and are know to improve vision at night as well as in bright sunlight. Carrots aren't too sweet but have a natural sweetness, so aren't too overpowering.Bad - Oat Milk
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Contrary to popular beliefs, oat milk is not good for children under 5 years old. Oat milk is low in fat and in certain proteins that babies and toddlers need to grow. Most young babies are chubby and harbor a layer of 'puppy fat'. It is this layer of fat that is used by the body for mental and physical growth, and without it a babies development could be stunted.Good - Eggs
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Slowly introduce your baby to hens eggs, as they are a known allergen, meaning your baby may be allergic to them. If your baby can eat hens eggs, they are a great first solid food to start them on. Eggs, especially scrambled, are soft, easy to chew and easy to digest. A large hens egg can contain up to 6 grams of protein, which is essential for muscle growth.Bad - Chili's
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Although in later life children may come to love spicy food, chili's are definitely best avoided when weaning. High levels of capsaicin are what causes chili's to have that spicy heat. The level of spice found in something like a jalapeno may be too much for a baby and would cause them pain. Not to mention, if a chili got into their eye it could cause serious damage.Good - Parsnip
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Parsnips are another great, nutrient rich food for your baby. When cooked until soft they are easy to chew and safe for youngsters. Parsnips are high in vitamin C and rich in potassium. The potassium they contain is great for regulating kidneys (lowering the risk of kidney stones), regulating blood pressure and improving the overall heart function.Bad - Candy
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Candy contains very little to no nutritional benefits. It is high in sugar, additives and unnatural coloring's. All of these put together is a recipe for disaster. Candy is obviously delicious to babies, but it can be as addictive as some drugs due to the large dopamine rush we get when eating it. The high levels of sugar are also perfect for causing rotten teeth.Good - Potato
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Either mashed or boiled and cut into small chunks, potato is one of the best foods to help wean a baby. The flavor is not offensive and won't overwhelm a young palette, and when cut into small boiled pieces or mashed, it's very easy for small mouths to eat. Potatoes are high in the antioxidant vitamin C, which along with electrolytes, helps to prevent scurvy.Bad - French Fries
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Fried, greasy and salty. French fries aren't good for adults, let alone babies. The fatty oil french fries are cooked in makes them incredibly high in bad saturated fats. Paired with the amount of salt that is normally added to fries after cooking, they tend to be high in sodium too. This will increase blood pressure, putting more strain on babies heart.Good - Spinach
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The go to for our sailor friend Popeye, spinach! Many vegetables have an underlying hint of sweetness, however spinach does not fall into this category. This new flavor may prevent your child being a fussy eater as they get older. Spinach contains high levels of potassium and calcium, which is crucial for organ and bone strengthening and development.Bad - Honey
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Sometimes, honey can contain a bacteria which produces toxins. If these toxins are produced in the babies gut, then it can lead to infant botulism, a very serious medical condition. Botulism attacks the nervous system, making it difficult to breath. This then leads to paralysis and eventually death. Honey is fine for adults to eat as our immune systems have had time to develop.Good - Fish Without Bones
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Fish is one of the best natural sources of omega 3, a fatty acid that helps hormones in the blood prevent blood clots. Fish is best boiled or grilled, but it's important to let it cook enough before little fingers reach for a piece and get burnt. It's also crucial that any small bones are removed from the fish before it is served, as they could be a choking hazard.Bad - Burgers
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A beef burger topped with cheese, sauce and various toppings may sound great, however it's one of the worst things we can feed our kids. Burgers are too big for babies to handle, which can lead to choking. The ingredients within a burger are often high in saturated fats and sodium, which causes high cholesterol. Too much high cholesterol is linked with heart attacks.Good - Beans
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I don't know about you, but I love beans. As a child I couldn't get enough, and that's because they are a fantastic food for weaning. Beans are an amazing source of fiber which will help to keep your baby's digestion regular. Beans also reduce blood sugar, boost heart health and help maintain a healthy gut. They're nice and soft and a really easy addition to a meal.Bad - Chips
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Chips are a snack that are very very high in sodium. The high levels of salt found in potato chips lead to high blood pressure, which causes large amounts of stress on a small heart. Potato chips are also greasy, which leads to bad skin and may eventually lead to bad acne down the line. Chips flavors can also be quite strong, which may be overpowering for baby.Good - Sweet Potato
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Like carrots, sweet potato is a great way to help eyesight. They also contain high levels of fiber and antioxidants which protects the body from radical damage. Sweet potatoes contain fats which fight the bad cholesterol found in other foods, and are known to lower heart problems. They also contain vitamins which slow Macular degeneration. A real super food!Bad - Peanuts
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Peanuts are high in good fats, and are contain really good vitamins for babies. That's a good thing right? Although a peanut is made up of good things, they are quite small and present a choking hazard for children under 5 years old. Peanuts can be given to babies, but should be either ground smooth, crushed into a power or in smooth peanut butter form.Good - Boneless Chicken
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Chicken is a white meat, meaning it is high in protein, crucial for brain development. Its best to cook chicken in the oven to ensure it is cooked through to the middle. No pink should be visible once cooked. It's also important to ensure any small or large bones are removed, as these could splinter which may cause a choking hazard for babies and toddlers.Bad - Bacon
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Another extremely fatty food is bacon. Often cooked in oil, it's already off to a bad start. Bacon also contains a lot of fat, some one which is rendered out when cooking, but mostly it stays within the slice of bacon. Saturated fat levels are high in even half a slice of bacon, so its best avoided until baby can work off its high calorific value through exercise.Good - Cheese
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Full fat hard cheese is an excellent source of dairy, which in turn is a great source of calcium. Some cheese are quite high in sodium and saturated fats, so it's best to choose a low fat and low salt option if possible. Even if this isn't an option, a small amount of cheese will be beneficial, and the strong flavor in some mature cheeses help to stop children becoming fussy eaters.Bad - Fried Chicken
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Hot, greasy and salty. 3 bad key words when weaning a baby. Hot fried chicken can easily badly scold a baby, and the hot oil fried chicken is cooked in is very high in saturated fat. Fried chicken may also contain small bones which, due to the cooking process, may become brittle. If baby ingests a small bone it could lead to choking, suffocation and death.Good - Broccoli
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Broccoli is similar to spinach. It doesn't really have a natural sweetness, so when boiled it will help to expand a child's taste buds which may prevent them being fussy when they grow up. Its a great source of fiber and when boiled is soft and easy to chew. Tell your kids to try and find the monkey hidden in the broccoli tree, it's a great way to have them eat their greens.Bad - Curry
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Curry is spicy, salty, hot, may contain bones and is way too overpowering for a baby. Although some baby food may have the color and consistency of a curry sauce, curry is a big no no when it comes to weaning. The temperature of a curry paired with the spice levels could cause baby some serious burns, which may have lifelong implications such as scarring and pain.Good - Yogurt
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Plain yogurt is great for the gut as it contains live bacteria. These macrobiotic bacteria help to promote gut health by removing the bad bacteria within the gut. Soft fruits like melon and pear can be added to yogurt to increase the vitamins and calorific value. The high levels of calcium help to build up babies fat reserves and strengthen teeth and bones.Bad - Sausage
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In very very small amounts, small pieces of sausage can be added to pasta sauce to help improve the flavor and texture. On its own, sausage is very high in saturated fat and is usually made up of off cuts of pork. Sausage is also padded out with rusk, which does not really contain any nutritional benefits, and is used mainly as a bulking ingredient.Good - Pasta
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Pasta is great warm or cool, served either plain or with a basic, low sugar and sodium tomato sauce. It's a key carbohydrate, meaning it releases energy well which can be perfect for helping baby pick up new skills. Pasta like penne is a great way for babies to experience feeding themselves, and who doesn't love a cute baby covered in tomato sauce?Bad - Hard Candy
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Hard candy is one of the most commonly choked on food stuffs. Small pieces of candy can get lodged in babies throat, causing breathing difficulties. Babies are often too small to perform the Heimlich maneuver without breaking bones, so to avoid any unnecessary aggravation, hard candy is just best avoided altogether. Not to mention how bad it is for baby teeth!Good - Pulses
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Tinned beans, lentils and peas are pulses. They are a great way to help the bowel and reduce the risk of bowel cancer later in life. Pulses are a great way to manage babies weight, and they tend to be pretty cheap, so they are a great way to help bulk out a meal without costing too much. Tinned pulses are also safe to be stored (in the correct environment) for a long time.Bad - Almond Milk
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Almond milk does not contain high levels of fat needed to help baby grow. Almond milk also contains chemicals which can harm the thyroid, and is a common allergen. It would be difficult to tell if baby was allergic to almonds, and milk can be consumed at a rapid rate compared to whole almonds, so its best that this is avoided until baby is over 5 years.Good - Boneless Lamb
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Lamb is another great meat to get babies started on. When cooked thoroughly, it is tended and melts in the mouth. It has a rich favor, something that baby will never have experienced. A high quality cut of red meat like lamb is high in iron, zinc and vitamin B12. It helps promote muscle growth and brain development, and the iron helps with blood production.Bad - Sardines
