Mashed potatoes for infants are one of the first dishes that babies try, so you need to approach its preparation with all responsibility. All purees for infants can be divided into several types: fruit and vegetable, single-component and multi-component. It is best to start complementary feeding with one-component purees, gradually introducing new fruits and vegetables and their combinations into the diet. It is believed that applesauce is best suited for the youngest children - it begins to be given from four to six months.

Mashed potatoes for infants are prepared from a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and dried fruits: cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, apples, pears, peaches, apricots, prunes, etc. To give the puree the desired consistency, add boiled water to the vegetable or fruit mixture water or milk. More complex purees for infants involve the use of rice and other cereals.

General principle preparation consists of carefully processing the products, further boiling them (steamed or in a slow cooker) and grinding. To ensure that the mixture is homogeneous and free of lumps, it is best to use a blender.

Puree for babies - preparing food and utensils

Preparing puree for infants requires particularly careful preparation of food and utensils. Dishes and kitchen utensils you will need: a saucepan, a grater, a knife, cutting board, bowl and blender. You may also need a steamer or slow cooker. All dishes and utensils must be thoroughly washed (preferably boiled) and wiped dry.

Vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed in hot water, dry, peel and remove seeds (if any). The green parts must be cut off. The pulp needs to be chopped and steamed, in a slow cooker or boiled in water. After this, you can prepare the puree itself for babies.

Puree recipes for babies:

Recipe 1: Mashed potatoes for babies

Broccoli puree for infants is the optimal complementary food for babies. Broccoli contains many vitamins and other beneficial substances necessary for a growing body. Vegetable puree from broccoli is perfectly absorbed by the body and improves digestion.

Required ingredients:

• 100 g broccoli;
• 5 ml linseed or olive oil.

Cooking method:

Cut the broccoli into pieces and rinse thoroughly in hot water. You can boil the cabbage in water, but it is better to steam it or cook it in a slow cooker. Broccoli is boiled in boiling water for 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the inflorescences. Steamed for 10 to 13-15 minutes. Place the finished cabbage in a colander and cool. Place in a deep bowl and grind with a blender. Add 5 ml of oil (about 1 teaspoon) to the mixture and mix thoroughly. If the child is overweight, it is better not to add oil. On the contrary, if you notice a lack of weight, the oil will only be beneficial.

Recipe 2: Turkey Baby Puree

Meat puree for infants is important element nutrition, as it provides the body with essential vitamins and microelements. Turkey puree can be given to children from eight months.

Required ingredients:

• 100 g turkey fillet;
• 90-100 ml of clean filtered water.

Cooking method:

Turkey meat puree is best prepared using a steamer or slow cooker. If meat is cooked in a double boiler, then place it in a bowl and set the cooking mode for 35-40 minutes (depending on the size of the piece). Cool the finished meat a little and cut into pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl or bowl and puree with a blender until smooth, adding a little while grinding. warm water. Turkey puree for infants can be made thicker or thinner depending on the amount of water added.

Recipe 3: Apple and pumpkin puree for babies

The first food for infants is usually applesauce. If the baby accepts this food normally, you can move on to more varied “dishes.” Pumpkin-apple puree for babies is best prepared in a double boiler, but you can boil the ingredients in a regular saucepan. You can use any pumpkin, but it is better to take apples of the Simirenko variety, which contains the least sugar.

Required ingredients:

1. 140-150 g pumpkin;

2. 1 small apple;

3. Some raisins (for older children).

Cooking method:

Wash the pumpkin, peel off the skin, cut the pulp into pieces, after removing the seeds. Place the pumpkin in a steamer. Wash, peel and core the apple. Also cut into pieces and place in a steamer with the pumpkin. We wash the raisins in hot water, cut off the stems and put them in a double boiler. If the child can already chew, then it is better to prepare puree with raisins. After 20 minutes, the apple and pumpkin should be ready. Place the prepared ingredients in a bowl and puree with a blender until smooth.

Recipe 4: Mango puree for babies

After your baby reaches six months of age, you can diversify the menu with more exotic “dishes.” Mango puree for babies is very tasty, so children eat it with great pleasure. In addition, it is very healthy and is perfectly absorbed by the body.

Required ingredients:

• 30-35 ml warm boiled water;
• 1 mango.

Cooking method:

Wash the mango, peel it, cut it in half and remove the pit. Cut the pulp into pieces and place in a bowl. Add a little warm water and puree with a blender until smooth. Transfer the puree into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for a few minutes. Cool the finished puree and give it to the baby immediately.

Recipe 5: Cauliflower and carrot puree for babies

Cauliflower is perfectly absorbed by the child's body, so this vegetable is one of the first to be introduced into children's complementary foods. To make the puree even tastier and healthier, you can add carrots to it.

Required ingredients:

• 145-150 g cauliflower;
• 1 small carrot;
• 1.5-2 cups of water;
• 5 ml sunflower or olive oil;
• Salt - 1-2 g (but it is better not to add).

Cooking method:

Pour filtered water into a saucepan and put on fire. We clean the carrots, rinse them thoroughly, cut them into slices and throw them into boiling water. We separate the cabbage into inflorescences, wash them and add them to the almost cooked carrots. Cook the vegetables for another 10-12 minutes. As soon as the vegetables are cooked, remove the pan from the stove and let cool slightly. The water should barely cover the vegetables. Grind the contents with a blender until pureed. Add a little oil to the puree and mix thoroughly.

— You need to prepare the puree in small portions, immediately before feeding, since it is not recommended to store puree for infants;

— Ideally, vegetables should be pre-soaked in water (potatoes for about half to a whole day, other vegetables - from one to several hours);

if the child has:

excess body weight,

anemia, rickets,

• intestinal colic.

  But vegetable complementary foods are quite suitable if the child does not have these problems.

Vegetable complementary foods.

To reduce the risk of allergies, complementary feeding begins with foods with low allergenicity. Among the vegetables are: zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin. In addition to these vegetables, it is recommended to use potatoes, carrots, onion, beets, white cabbage. It is recommended to add to vegetable puree vegetable oil(5 ml per 100 g of product), and adding sugar and salt is not recommended.

What vegetables are suitable as the first vegetable complementary food product?

Zucchini.

If you prefer to prepare puree yourself at home, zucchini is most suitable as a first course of complementary feeding in this case. Zucchini is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium and magnesium; it does not irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates the secretion of gastric juice and intestinal motility, and is well digested and absorbed. Zucchini refers to hypoallergenic products , retains vitamins and others well beneficial features for long-term storage, so it can be used not only in summer and autumn, but also in winter. This vegetable is very convenient for making baby puree. It cooks quickly and strains well through a sieve, so you can prepare any (small) portion of puree. Young zucchini, without seeds, are more suitable for baby food.

Cauliflower.

Cauliflower and its variety broccoli also belong to foods with low degree of allergenicity , contains many vitamins and minerals. Compared with white cabbage it contains significantly less coarse fiber, so it does not cause increased gas formation, and has the same beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract as zucchini. But it is much more difficult to wash and clean, does not store for long, takes longer to cook and is more difficult to pass through a sieve. All this makes it inconvenient if you want to cook it yourself as a first course of complementary feeding at home. It is better to introduce it later, as an additive to the main product (vegetables), when the portion of vegetable puree for your child is already 150 ml - the vegetables will be easy and convenient to grind in a blender.

Potato.

Potatoes are a very convenient product for homemade puree, can be stored for a long time, does not spoil. It does not irritate the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract), contains many vitamins, potassium and phosphorus and starch, which helps remove toxins from the body. Potatoes are allowed in the diet of children with gastrointestinal disorders accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. It can be introduced as the first complementary food product, but with caution, it may cause allergies . It is also not recommended to make potatoes the main component of vegetable puree. After switching to purees from different vegetables, you need to ensure that the proportion of potatoes in the puree does not exceed 50%.

Other vegetables in baby food.

Carrot.

It stores well and for a long time, is easy to use... Contains carotene (vitamin A), very useful for growth and vision, contains phytoncides (natural antibiotics) and many trace elements. When boiled, it is easily digestible and does not irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa. Sweet, children really like this taste. But may cause allergies , so it must be used with caution. When eating carrot puree daily, carotene accumulates in the body, as a result of which the child’s sclera and skin, especially on the palms and soles, acquire a yellowish (carrot) tint. It is called carotene jaundice , this does not cause harm to the child’s body; carotene is eliminated from the body in a few days after eliminating carrots from the diet. In addition, carrots are much healthier in the form of fresh juices and raw carrot purees. Therefore, it is recommended only to add carrots to other vegetable dishes, and not to use them separately and daily as vegetable puree. But for the first time, it is best to let your child try carrots in boiled form, as part of vegetable puree, and only, if there is no allergy, switch to fresh juices and purees. Carrots are allowed from 5 months.

Pumpkin.

A very healthy vegetable, rich in vitamin D and carotene, stores well, has a sweet taste, is easily digestible, without causing digestive disorders. Refers to low-allergenic products . But pumpkin, just like carrots, can cause carotene jaundice , therefore, it is not recommended for daily use as the main component of vegetable puree. Including pumpkin puree in your child’s diet 2-3 times a week is very beneficial. Or add small amounts to other vegetables daily. Allowed from 5 months.

White cabbage.

It contains many vitamins and microelements, including the unique vitamin U, but when cooked, a significant part of the vitamins is destroyed, as in other vegetables. Stimulates gastric secretion and intestinal motility, but contains a lot of coarse fiber, which irritates the gastrointestinal mucosa and can cause increased gas formation and stool upset. Enough often causes allergies . Since variety in children's nutrition is encouraged, white cabbage is also recommended to be included in the diet of children under 1 year of age, but later (from 7-8 months) and not as the basis of vegetable puree, but as an additive.

Onion.

It is recommended to add it to vegetable purees in small quantities from 8-9 months; it is used in baby food up to one year only in boiled form. Onions have an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa, may cause allergic reactions.

Beet.

Beets are also recommended as an integral part of vegetable puree, only in boiled form from 9 months. It has a sweet taste, has a normalizing effect on the child’s stool with constipation, but may cause allergies and increased gas formation.

Addition to baby food boiled tomatoes, garlic, as well as spices (dill, parsley, fennel) are allowed from 10 months, but there is no particular need for this.

How to make vegetable puree at home.

The puree should be prepared immediately before use.

It is best to allocate a separate small enamel saucepan with a lid for the child.

Select only the best, fresh vegetables for your child.

Wash vegetables thoroughly with running water.

Peel potatoes, carrots, onions, beets; zucchini, pumpkin – peel, remove seeds; Separate cauliflower and broccoli into florets.

Wash thoroughly again and rinse with boiling water.

Chop coarsely, place in a saucepan, add a small amount of water, bring to a boil and cook over low heat, covered, until soft (20-30 minutes).

Do not add salt.

Rub the vegetables through a sieve or blend in a blender. (At the beginning of introducing complementary foods, when there is only one vegetable and the portions are small, a sieve is more convenient; when the portion increases, use a blender).

Add the broth in which the vegetables were cooked to the puree, bringing it to a semi-liquid consistency if this is the beginning of complementary feeding; later you can make a thicker puree, and by 8-9 months chop it with a fork.

In the first week, do not add anything; from the second week from the start of complementary feeding, add vegetable (sunflower) oil 5 ml (1 tsp/l) per 100 g of puree.

Bring to a boil again.

• Place on a plate, cool and give to child.

Canned baby food as vegetable complementary foods.

Currently, most experts recommend canned baby food as vegetable complementary foods. According to GOSTs, they must be made only from high-quality, environmentally friendly raw materials, using vitamin-saving technology, the degree of grinding of the product must correspond to the child’s age indicated on the label, and do not contain preservatives, sugar and salt.

Safety precautions when using ready-made purees:

Be sure to check the expiration date on the cap,

make sure that the lid on the jar is not swollen,

Before feeding, store the unopened jar at room temperature or in the refrigerator (not in the sun or in the freezer),

before opening and giving the puree to the child, you need to warm it slightly in hot water,

when opening the jar there should be a characteristic pop,

do not feed the baby directly from the jar if he does not eat the entire portion at once, but put some of the puree in a cup or plate, otherwise it will not be possible to give the child puree from this jar again,

Immediately after you have put part of the puree from the jar into another container, the remaining part should be tightly closed with a lid and stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day.

When choosing canned food for children as vegetable complementary foods, you first need to choose a puree from one vegetable, most often zucchini, cauliflower or broccoli are recommended, and then, as you get used to this product and bring the volume of puree to the age norm, you can try another vegetable puree of this same companies, for example, potatoes with broccoli.

Vegetable purees for infants are one of the first complementary foods for babies. But it is not recommended to start giving it before the child reaches 6 months. By this age, the maturation of enzyme systems begins, which are fully formed by about 12 years. That is, from the age of 6 months, the child is already able to completely digest simple foods. Pediatricians recommend prescribing complementary foods from single-component purees so that the child’s body does not encounter several unfamiliar substances at once. What can cause an allergic reaction in a baby. Gradually you can make more complex vegetable purees, which will include 2 or more products. You can buy vegetable purees for babies in the store or prepare them yourself at home. If you want to feed your baby homemade puree, then chop the vegetables well, bringing them into a soft, homogenized state.

The first vegetables that need to be included in a child's diet are potatoes, cauliflower and zucchini. Vegetable purees for infants should be started with half a teaspoon. Gradually the serving size increases. But you shouldn’t rush to accustom your child to large portions of a new product in a short time. Another question arises: how long does it take for a baby to get used to new complementary foods? The interval between the introduction of different products cannot be less than 5 days. Later, you can start adding vegetable oil, cream or lean meat to the vegetable puree. Here are recipes for vegetable purees for infants.

Carrot puree. Take medium carrot, peel it and chop it into small cubes. Pour about 1.5 cups of water into an enamel pan and place the carrots there. Cook it covered until the water has completely evaporated and the carrots are soft. While the carrots are hot, they must be rubbed through a sieve. This is an option for preparing purees at the initial stage of introducing complementary foods. Later, you can add milk (2 tbsp) and butter (a quarter tsp) to this recipe. In this case, it is necessary to boil all the components of the puree, after mixing them in homogeneous mass. Cool afterwards.

Take 130 grams of broccoli, wash the florets and separate them. It is also better to finely chop the thick leg of the vegetable. Boil water and put broccoli in it. Rub the hot vegetable through a sieve, and then beat in a mixer with a few spoons of broth. Finally, add half a teaspoon of vegetable oil.

Combined vegetable purees for infants. You will need zucchini (50 g), potatoes (1 pc.), cauliflower (50 g), carrots (half medium). Peel the vegetables and rinse running water. Pour water into an enamel pan, place all the vegetables there and leave them to soak for 2 hours. Then pour into another pan clean water and start boiling it. When the water starts to bubble, add each vegetable one at a time, every 5 minutes. Start with carrots, then potatoes, then cabbage and zucchini. After the zucchini, cook the mixture for another 5 minutes, then turn off. Pour the broth into the glass, you will need it to give the mixture consistency. You can pour out the rest of the liquid. Beat the cooked vegetables with a blender, gradually pouring in the broth. The mixture should eventually have a consistency similar to liquid sour cream.

The recipes for vegetable puree for babies given above help prepare dishes that are easily digestible by the child’s body. They are very useful for any age, and they provide a small body with all the nutrients necessary for growth and development. In addition, vegetable purees are absolutely non-allergenic, which makes it possible to give them to children who often suffer from diathesis. When preparing vegetable puree for a baby under 12 months, try to avoid adding salt to the dish.

Your baby is already quite an adult and you think it’s time for him to start feeding? Then you came across our article at the right time. Mashed potatoes for babies - the most best option, which is easily digested by a child’s stomach; moreover, almost all children love this particular consistency of food. It is also good that pediatricians recommend starting the transition to “adult” food with various purees. To choose the right one or prepare the most delicious and healthy puree for the first feeding yourself, just follow our advice.

Purees for babies are adored not only by children, but also by their parents for their ease of preparation. The process consists of only a few simple steps, so it is remarkable for the everyday life of mother and baby: the daily bustle of the first year of life simply does not allow spending a lot of time on preparing extremely complex dishes. But in order for the introduction to a new type of food to go off with a bang, you need to offer it correctly. We'll look at another one important aspect: which puree for feeding your baby will be the best - purchased or made at home.

Why puree?

Puree is an ideal food for feeding infants, and there are several reasons for this:

• Soft food is best absorbed by children's digestion.
• So that getting to know new food is not stressful for your baby, you can add a few drops of the usual food to the puree. breast milk or mixtures: yes taste qualities the dish will not be lost, and for the child it will not be so alien.
• The puree-like consistency allows the baby not to make any serious effort in order to get his portion of food: he practically does not have to chew (and, perhaps, there is nothing else to eat).
• You can simply prepare the dish yourself or buy a ready-made product: the quality of modern baby food from well-known brands is beyond doubt.
• If you decide to make baby puree at home with your own hands, you can make it for future use. This luxury of saving time and effort is not available with all types of children's dishes, because most of them need to be eaten only freshly prepared.

When the time comes

In the first six months to a year of life, a baby can easily receive all the necessary substances from breast milk, and the inclusion of other products will be more of an addition than a replacement.

If grandmothers used to introduce a child to new tastes already at the age of 3 months, today pediatricians strongly recommend starting the first complementary foods no earlier than six months.

Until reaching this age, the baby does not need any other food except his favorite sweet milk. As a rule, his immature digestion is not ready for gastronomic experiments. Another argument against early complementary feeding is that the sooner you offer your baby a new product, the more likely he is to react to it with an allergy.

For babies fed with artificial formula, the timing for the first complementary feeding is usually earlier.

Probably every mother wonders at what age it is possible to give her baby new food, and almost always doubts whether her child is really ripe for such a “revolution” in his diet. Often worries are in vain: the baby himself will begin to hint to her that he is ready for innovations. You will understand his signs by the following signs:

• the baby will begin to observe with interest what and how you eat;
• will ask for food more often;
• will try to eat on his own;
• if you give him something to try, he won't protest.

But when it is possible to give a child this or that food for complementary feeding is an individual question for each new item on the baby’s menu. Types of foods are differently suited to children's digestion and are characterized by varying degrees of allergenicity.

Fortunately, basic rules from pediatricians still exist and have been successfully tested for personal experience many mothers.

Memo for mom

Making puree for babies is quite simple. This dish usually quickly becomes a child's favorite. And if you decide that the time has come for your child to eat “adult” food, remember some important rules:

• The ideal option for complementary feeding at the age of 6 months is a one-component vegetable puree, consisting of one ingredient. A little later, when the baby’s menu includes 1 introduced vegetable or more, you can mix the acquired ingredients and prepare a monocomponent puree.
• It is recommended to start getting acquainted with new products in the form of purees according to the following scheme: the baby is first offered a teaspoon of the treat, then gradually, by slowly increasing the portion, the dosage is increased to 50 grams.
• The first step on the path to adult food often causes bewilderment in the baby, and more often - whims and protests. In this case, the mother needs to be patient and not give up her attempts to introduce the stubborn little one to new food. Offer one type of food at least 10 times, and if the reaction to the product is equally negative, try using another vegetable to make puree for the baby.
• No matter how bland and tasteless baby puree for complementary feeding may taste to you, it is forbidden to dilute it with salt, oil and spices. Your child is not yet familiar with other tastes, so the product will seem very edible and incomparable to anything, in the literal sense.
• Even if you tried baby puree and wanted to spit it out, the baby should not suspect this. Here you need the opposite approach: share a new dish with your baby and eat it with great pleasure: this way you will arouse his curiosity about the product.

Cooked on our own It is better to offer puree to the baby immediately after cooling: the benefits and taste of a fresh dish are always higher.

We carefully select ingredients

In such an important issue as the introduction of complementary feeding to infants, it is useful for every mother to know which products are optimal for child's body at about 6 months of age.

The first dish for a baby is usually vegetable purees and sometimes porridge. Today we are talking about puree. The main criteria when choosing a product for its preparation are hypoallergenicity, benefits, safety and ease of absorption by children's digestion.

Universal components for complementary feeding include zucchini and broccoli: it is from them that most parents prepare the first puree in their baby’s life. When will he learn these simple vegetables, it will be the turn of pumpkin, potatoes, green peas, carrots, spinach and kohlrabi.

But the question arises: which puree is better, homemade or store-bought?

From mom with love

Many mothers with the best intentions prefer to prepare baby puree at home in order to provide the baby with the most natural food. This solution has both pros and cons.

Advantages

• you cannot be deceived in the naturalness of the process: after all, you do everything yourself;
• in this case, the mother is the main expert on storage conditions and compliance with expiration dates;
• baby purees prepared at home are always the freshest and healthiest;
• guaranteed absence of preservatives, dyes and other harmful additives;
• You can prepare the treat “in bulk” and store it in the freezer;
• confidence in sanitary cooking conditions;
• saving money, because it’s easier to buy the necessary products for future use rather than spending money on a jar of puree every time;
• you determine the portion yourself and, depending on it, select the right amount of ingredients;

Flaws

Making puree at home also has its disadvantages:

• the complexity of the process is familiar to every mother of a baby who has chosen homemade complementary foods;
• making puree yourself takes a long time, and this time could be spent on more enjoyable activities: for example, playing with the baby;
• the quality of purchased vegetables and fruits is often questionable, especially if you purchase them out of season;
• shelf life fresh product limited to a day in the refrigerator, and even this is undesirable;
• puree own production more difficult to take with you;
• It is problematic to prepare small portions: especially in a blender, when the minimum amount has to be literally scraped off the walls.

Feeding from a jar

Often, due to lack of time or the presence of any convictions, parents of infants decide that making purees at home is not practical. Then store-bought products come to their aid.

Advantages

Puree bought in a store is often also a good option, because it has significant advantages:

• its quality is subject to strict government control;
• manufacturers have thought through everything for convenience: sealed packaging, and long term storage;
• the main advantage for many women is that they do not have to waste time on cooking;
• the food is completely ready to eat;
• Manufacturers take into account the characteristics of the baby’s age and make the product in accordance with them;
• In many purees, several ingredients are mixed at once: for example, vegetables and cereals;
• often children's products contain additional vitamins;
• You can read the entire composition on the jar to be sure of your purchase.

Flaws

Unfortunately, store-bought purees for babies also have some disadvantages:

• the nutritional value of store-bought treats is often lower compared to home-prepared treats due to the high water content;
• the taste is sometimes less intense;
• sometimes quality control is not the strictest and you can lose sight of the freshness of the ingredients and the correctness of the cooking technology;
• the high price for one jar is also not encouraging;
• Many store-bought purees contain unwanted salt and sugar.

Parental control

To make buying baby puree for complementary feeding a joy, you should know what to look for in the store.

How to choose

In fact, everything is very simple and, taking these points into account, any mother will choose the best quality product:

• Evaluate the tightness of the packaging: the lid should be tightly closed, and the entire jar should be wrapped in film.
• Don't forget to check the expiration date.
• Special attention The composition deserves: there should be no unnecessary components.
• The color of the puree should be the same as that of the main product in the composition.

Rating of the best manufacturing companies

Many mothers of infants are interested in which brand of baby purees for complementary feeding is the best. Parents make their ratings empirically and then share their observations. Among the most popular and high-quality ones are:

• "Gerber";
• “Grandma’s Basket”;
• "FrutoNyanya";
• "Subject";
• "Agusha";
• "Hipp";
• "Semper";
• "Humana";
• "Haines"
• "Nutrition".

Easy preparation

Don't know how to make baby puree at home? Basic recipes for a delicious children's dish will help you navigate the technology:

• The first puree for a baby is often made from zucchini. How to do? Very simple! Cook several rings of peeled vegetables for 10 minutes in a double boiler. Then grind the vegetable in a blender and rub through a sieve: the dish is ready.
• Making broccoli puree is just as easy. Boil the washed inflorescences in a double boiler for 20 minutes. In a saucepan, frozen broccoli will cook for 15 minutes after boiling, while fresh broccoli will take only 5-7 minutes. Please note that the water should only slightly cover the vegetable. After this, puree the broccoli using a blender or strainer.

Preparing complementary foods at home: video

It is enough to learn how to prepare one puree for a baby, and the rest of the recipes will already seem simple.

We wish your baby delicious and easy complementary foods made from purees!

For the first months of their lives, babies drink only mother's milk or formula, so introducing new foods to their diet is a big step in a child's life.

When introducing complementary foods, it is important to offer the child a large amount of vegetables in order to obtain useful vitamins and micronutrients. This is also necessary for the baby to develop a habit of new tastes.

Early introduction of complementary foods will prevent the child from being too selective in food in the future and will give parents the opportunity to monitor food allergies.

It is better to introduce vegetables first. They contain most of the beneficial minerals and vitamins that a growing body needs. Only when the child’s body gets used to vegetables can you offer the baby fruit. Vegetables have a neutral taste, they do not affect metabolism, and do not have a destructive effect on tooth enamel.

When can you give your child vegetable puree?

Experts recommend starting to introduce baby vegetable purees into a child’s daily diet at the age of six months. By this time, the children's digestive tract is able to effectively absorb the ingredients of the puree without causing flatulence.

Before introducing your baby's first vegetable food, make sure it is ready. The young digestive system needs time to develop before it can digest adult food.

• your baby should be able to hold his head up on his own, open his mouth for a spoon, chew food in his mouth and then swallow it;
• Another indicator that the child is ready for the first complementary feeding is a doubling of the body weight that was at birth.

Carefully monitor your baby's stool after eating new foods. Refrain from introducing complementary foods if you notice watery stools. Perhaps the digestive tract is not mature enough for vegetable purees.

If the baby does not want to try an unfamiliar product, postpone its introduction until later. Try again after a few weeks.

The initial portion of the introduced product should be no more than a teaspoon. If the baby does not have any problems with digestion, the dose of complementary foods must be increased every day by a teaspoon until the portion is equal to the age norm.

For children 4 to 6 months old, monocomponent purees made from hypoallergenic steamed vegetables are suitable.

First, give your child a small amount of puree from a soft spoon. Do this for several weeks. Start with small portions of food, half a teaspoon. Puree for infants should be given after.

Don't worry if your baby doesn't swallow the entire amount of food. Babies often refuse food or spit it out. Don't forget, every child develops at his own pace. Some will learn to spoon-feed quickly, others will have very little interest. Don't give up, try again.

Pediatricians usually recommend starting with green vegetables because they are less sweet than yellow vegetables.

Instead of buying puree for children in the store, you can prepare vegetable puree for your child at home using complementary feeding recipes. If you do this, you will know exactly what is in your baby's food. In addition, this can save money, since store-bought baby vegetable purees for a child are usually more expensive than those made at home.

The best vegetable purees for first feeding

Zucchini puree for first feeding is best choice. It is perfect for children from 4 months. It has a soft and delicate taste due to fiber and high pectin content. This vegetable contains a lot of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, which are of decisive importance for the metabolism of a growing child.

Zucchini is one of the few vegetables that has hypoallergenic properties. Folic acid, iron, copper, contained in large quantities in zucchini, play a significant role in hematopoiesis.

Squash puree

Very nutritious puree for babies. Squash is rich in calcium, fiber and vitamins and can be given to children from 4 to 6 months. This is another sweet tasting food that is very soft and easy to swallow.

Pumpkin puree

Rich in ascorbic acid, iron and many nutrients. Pumpkin is a great addition to a child's diet, an ideal companion to less sweet vegetables such as squash and green beans. It also goes well with fruits and meat. In addition, pumpkin is high in fiber, low in fat and has very few calories.

Cauliflower puree

From about six months you can give your baby cauliflower. This is a vegetable high in vitamins C and K.

Green bean puree

If you think your baby is ready to try green vegetables, baby green bean purees are good option for the first feeding 4 - 5 one month old baby.

Beans are rich in vitamins A and K, which helps build the baby’s immunity. Using it as the first green vegetable in complementary foods will help the child get used to vegetables of this color.

Pea mash

Even if the parents don't like peas, the child is more likely to eat them. Peas are another favorite among young children because they have a slightly sweet taste. This food is high in protein, contains a lot of fiber and improves digestion. Peas are also rich in vitamins A and C.

Broccoli puree

Broccoli is one of the most advanced green vegetables. Typically administered over 8 to 10 months. This vegetable contains a lot of fiber and ascorbic acid. Useful for constipation.

Mashed potatoes

This is one of best first puree for babies. The potatoes are very soft and pleasant to taste. It contains a lot of beta-carotene and ascorbic acid, which helps strengthen the child’s immune system. Due to its high coarse fiber content, this vegetable will help with digestion.

Carrots are another favorite vegetable for babies. This is because carrots also have a sweet taste. Rich in beta-carotene, carrots are a nutritious addition to a child's diet.

High vitamin A content helps preserve healthy vision and helps the body resist infection. In addition, carrots are versatile - they can be mixed with various fruits, meats and other vegetables.

Turnip puree

As soon as your baby crosses the 6-8 month mark, try giving him a turnip. It is rich in ascorbic acid and calcium, and has a high content of coarse fiber and protein. Turnips have a sweet taste and are easily digestible.

Eggplant puree

Eating eggplants saturates the body with vitamins A, B6 and folic acid. This vegetable also contains minerals such as potassium and calcium. The high fiber content will help the child improve bowel movements with constipation.

Spinach puree

Rich in calcium and loaded with antioxidants, spinach is ideal for older children. This leafy green vegetable contains many nutrients, including vitamin A, selenium and iron.

Spinach has high levels of nitrates, so it should be consumed in moderation.

Beetroot puree

You can add variety to your baby's diet with antioxidant-rich beets. Once the child has tried various yellow and green vegetables, it is time to taste this wonderful root vegetable. Beets contain a lot of calcium, potassium, vitamin A and coarse fiber. This vegetable is nutritious and will delight the baby with its colorfulness.

Asparagus puree

Vibrant and delicious, asparagus is loaded with vitamins and nutrients, including iron, calcium and vitamin A. But like cauliflower and broccoli, this fiber-rich vegetable can be difficult to digest.

Wait until your baby is a little older (10 months or older) before offering this puree. Asparagus can be eaten as an independent dish or mixed with other vegetables.

To prepare puree for the first feeding, follow these steps:

1. For your baby's first feeding, choose fresh, ripe vegetables. The most delicious and nutritious baby vegetable puree for complementary feeding is obtained from the most fresh vegetables which are at the peak of ripeness.

   Choose vegetables with firm flesh and bright color. Avoid bruised or blemished vegetables.

2. Frozen or canned vegetables can be used to puree baby foods, but they will not have the same nutritional value or taste as purees made from fresh vegetables.
3. Any type of vegetable should be pureed, although it is more difficult to puree green vegetables into a smoother puree. Carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, zucchini and any other vegetables with pulp become softer when cooked.
4. Wash the vegetables. By manipulating them under flow cold water, make sure that all traces of dirt are removed.

   You can use a herbal cleanser if you are cleaning vegetables that have been treated with pesticides.

5. If necessary, peel the vegetables. Cut off the top and bottom ends of the vegetables with a knife and remove any bruised areas.
6. Cut the vegetables into thin slices. Cutting vegetables into slices rather than cubes will reduce their cooking time, and the baby puree will have a more uniform consistency.
7. Boil some water in a deep bowl. There is no need to fill it completely, you just need some water to steam the vegetables. Two to four glasses of water are enough, it all depends on the size of the dishes used.
8. Steaming vegetables - The best way save nutrients. Boiling vegetables is another option for preparing them, but cooking has been shown to destroy some beneficial vitamins.
9. Steam vegetables for 15 - 20 minutes. Fill a special basket with vegetable slices and place it in the pan. Cover the pan to allow the vegetables to begin cooking.

   Avoid large quantity vegetables in a cooking container. You may have to do this in batches.

   After 15 - 20 minutes, the vegetables should be quite soft.

10. If you don't have a special basket, place the vegetable slices in boiling water. Cook for a quarter of an hour or until soft.
11. Use a blender. Place 1 cup of cooked vegetables in a blender, adding a little water if necessary to achieve a smoother texture.
12. Transfer the puree from the blender into a container used for feeding the baby.

The beginning of complementary feeding plays a decisive role both in the functioning of the digestive system and for the healthy condition of the child as a whole. Parents should be very careful about the nutrition of their babies to avoid further problems.