One of the biggest delights of motherhood for me is showing my babies how to have a healthy, joyful relationship with food. To listen to their hunger and fullness cues. To be exposed to a variety of tastes and textures and real, whole ingredients. To experience food as more than just a utility, but as a way to spend time together with loved ones around the table, or preparing meals with one another in the kitchen.
It all starts young, with how and what we choose to feed them even from when they are babies. And, our attitude about how we feed them. Going into it chill, without the pressure (on them or us) to get it right or eat everything on the plate.
But like so many mamas, introducing Noah to solid foods was, at first, a source of overwhelm and stress for me….. there are so MANY opinions about how to start, when to start, what to start with. How to do it the right way. And even more so, what NOT to do (with a million contrasting opinions).
But you know me— I put on my little nutrition detective cap, did a lot of research and found…. feeding babies isn’t all that different than feeding adults. The best foods are nutrient-dense and colorful fruits and veggies, grass-fed organic dairy and proteins and eventually, whole grains and nut butters (served in a baby-safe way).
Inside my baby food guide (find it HERE), you can get the simplified version of all of my baby food research, and the steps you can take to introduce solids to your baby in a safe, healthy and smart way. That nourishes their little bodies, brains and cells to grow well, and that takes the stress off of YOU to spend hours pureeing hundreds of things or cooking 5-star gourmet meals for your 7-month-old that you don’t even make for yourself.
I mean, no thank you?
Instead it’s full of simple, healthy and flavorful baby food ideas, recipes, how to introduce allergen foods and how to set up your baby to eat a variety of healthy foods from day 1, so you can eventually all enjoy the same meals together. Learn more here!
The recommended age to start solids is 6 months old, or whenever your baby can sit up unassisted and is showing signs of wanting to eat food (tugging for your spoon, trying to swipe food from your hands as you eat, etc.) but of course, always speak with your medical care team if you have questions about your own little one.
For Noah, that time came when he was around 7 months old. We started slow, and introduced soft solid foods one at a time so he could gradually get accustomed to new flavors and textures, and so I could watch for any kind of reaction.
Once they practice and get the hang of getting food to their mouths, feeding your little one and watching them enjoy different foods is SO much fun. Truly one of my most rewarding parts of being a mama. And I want to share the best way and foods to get started.
The 6 best foods to feed your baby first
Here are the foods we started with that are safe and nutrient rich for your babe, aka the top 6 best foods to feed your baby first!
- Avocado— healthy fats and good fiber for baby’s growth and development, plus it’s soft and easy for babes to mash with their hands/gums. Cut the avo into spears so baby can easily hold with their hand and bring a piece to their mouth. (You can also mash it and put some on a spoon!)
- Sweet potato— roast a sweet potato coated in olive oil and poked with holes from a fork at 400 degrees F. for 50 min. to an hour, until it’s really soft. Then you can remove the flesh and mash it up with a little breastmilk/formula (or nothing for a thicker texture) and serve to baby on a spoon! Sweet potatoes have tons of nutrients that help with brain development and digestive health.
- Egg yolks— eggs are such a good source of protein for little ones, and the yolks have a super high amount of vitamin D for good bone health. I like making little omelettes and serving in strips for baby or just hard boil an egg and serve the yolk cut in half.
- Grass-fed butter— grass-fed is best for the purest, most nutritionally dense version. Butter is a great source of healthy fats for babes! Put it on their sweet potatoes or mixed into any other foods for a kick of flavor and good fats.
- Banana— bananas are the GOAT of fruits for babies in so many ways…. did you know they help with baby’s nervous system, skin health, iron absorption and blood pressure?! Serve in spears the size of an adult pinky finger.
- Blueberries— Noah has been blueberry obsessed since day 1 and they have so many amazing vitamins and nutrients to help baby’s blood, immune system and liver function. These can be a choking hazard, so serve them smashed to your little ones (or cooked into baked things like my blueberry baby cake here).
The Simply Real Baby Food Files Are HERE!
Help your baby learn to love healthy real foods, develop advanced taste-buds, reduce any food allergies down the road and help build their immune system and gut in such a strong way for the rest of their life…..all made EASY (yes, truly). This guide walks you through exactly what to feed your baby (and when and why), from 4 months onward! Download your copy here and save yourself a year’s worth of research and time. I’ve got you mama!