5 EASY-TO-MAKE STAGE 2 BABY FOOD RECIPES
After 6 months, your baby is already used to solids and is now ready for the next stage of baby foods – Stage 2!
This group of baby foods is a little thicker in texture, is made from more than one ingredient or a combo of single-ingredient purees and has more complex flavours. They are also made from the usual food groups as Stage 1 Baby Food recipes – cereals, fruits, veggies and meat or poultry. See our baby food chart for more on that.
Typically, your baby may take time to adjust to these, but that's because they are so different from the Stage 1 baby foods they've been eating for some months now. Give it time but do not be afraid to experiment with different flavours. Mind you, the many different flavours you try him or her on, the more he or she will get used to them. And the less picky he or she will become with food as they grow older.
Here are five (5) Stage 2 Baby Food Recipes you can try at home:
RECIPE #1: BUTTERNUT SQAUSH + PEAR PUREE
Your baby will love this meal since it's made from two sweet ingredients. The butternut squash veggie is rich in potassium, Vitamin A and fibre. It is also non-allergenic, which is safe for babies. Buy a squash whose size is proportionate to its weight. One with a fat neck and small bulb is likely to have a small seed cavity and will be meatier. Check to see that the skin is hard and without bruises or moulds. Learn what to look for when buying pears.
RECIPE #2: VEGGIES + SOLE PUREE
This recipe is a rich, delicious combination of veggies like potatoes, peas, carrots and fish. It is very nutritious as it contains vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein. It's also a great way to get your baby started on fish. Here's what to look out for when buying whole fresh fish:
- The skin should be shiny
- Eyes should be bright and clear
- Gills should be bright red and not brown
- Scales should be intact
- The flesh should be firm
- The tail should be moist and firm
- It must have a fishy fresh smell (marine fish must smell of brine while freshwater must have a fishpond smell)
Also buy potatoes that have smooth skins, are firm and don't have any blemishes or sprouts on them.
Read about how to buy peas and carrots.
RECIPE #3: THAI CHICKEN BABY FOOD PUREE + MANGO
You will make your baby's day with this recipe, which promises to be a mix of tropical and oriental flavours. Plus, your baby will be getting a healthy dose of protein. The ingredients are chicken, carrots, curry and mango. Make sure you buy your chicken with its flesh having a pinkish colour. Check the best buy date too. Read about how to buy mangoes.
RECIPE #4: ROASTED STRAWBERRY + SALMON
The roasted strawberry and salmon baby food is a healthy blend of nutrients such as omega- 3 fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants and potassium. Besides, the recipe, a combo of fruit and fish is sure to bring a new twist to your cooking. Make the most of this recipe by buying the right kind of ingredients. Buy strawberries that are bright red in colour with fresh green leaves. Berries should also be plump and have no moulds on them. Fresh salmon, however, must look moist and shiny. It should also have a seaweedy smell. Watch out for salmon that has brown spots on the belly and around the edges of the fillet or have started browning or curling up.
RECIPE #5: BEEF + SWEET POTATO (WITH THYME)
Tease your baby's taste buds with this recipe, which is velvety, spicy and soft. Also, beef offers a healthy source of protein and other nutrients – iron, zinc, vitamins D, B6, B12, potassium and magnesium. The best beef to buy is grass-finished (made from cattle that forage on grass and legumes), which is lower in calories, cholesterol and saturated fat. Do also make sure that the chunks of beef you buy have a lot of flecks of fat; this shows they are moist and tender. Be careful as well of the smell. Read about how to buy sweet potatoes.
Happy cooking!
By Nana Ama Afoa Osae I Writer I GreatWonderful Team
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