Health & Fitness

8 Fruits and Vegetables to Include in Your Baby’s First Solid Foods

Fruits and Vegetables

With dozens of ready-to-eat and easy-to-prepare baby food products you can buy at the supermarket and online, introducing solids to your infant is certainly easier. However, when you only feed your baby store-bought foods, you won’t be able to diversify his or her diet.

Additionally, feeding your baby foods that have the same textures and flavors repeatedly will make it harder for you to introduce new ones in the future.

When you always give your baby ready-to-eat foods, he or she may not get other nutrients essential for his or her health, growth, and development as well. Certain products may not contain these nutrients and, even if they do, the amount may not meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for babies.

Because of these, it is important that you make the majority of your baby’s food at home. By following nutritionist-approved baby food recipes, you will help your infant have well-balanced meals — ones that will contribute to his or her healthy growth and development. By introducing a varied diet early, you will also have a higher chance of raising a smart, adventurous healthy eater.

Fruits and Vegetables

But which fruits and vegetables should you include in your baby’s first solid foods?

Below are the eight most important ones:

Table of Contents

Avocado

Avocado is considered one of the few superfruits. This is because avocado contains a lot of nutrients including:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamins B5 and B6
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin K
  • Folate
  • Potassium

In addition, avocados are rich in soluble fiber.  This type of fiber feeds the good bacteria in the intestines, which in turn, support the optimal functioning of the body.

Avocados are easy to prepare as well. Just buy ripe avocados, simply mash or puree them and feed it to your baby.

Read Also:-  Natural Supplements To Keep Healthy Vitamin D Levels In Body

Avocado

Banana

This fruit is one of the classic favorites of babies since they taste great.

Bananas should be included in your baby’s first solid foods since they are packed with:

  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin C
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Fiber
  • Potassium
  • Protein

Make sure you choose ripe bananas (but not overripe ones since they are too sweet) because they have the right taste and level of sweetness. They are soft as well so they are easier to mash and for your infant to swallow.

Mango

One of the most delicious fruits around, a serving of mashed mango will certainly delight your baby’s taste buds.

It is also one of the most nutritious fruits around since it contains essential nutrients such as:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B5
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin K
  • Manganese
  • Niacin
  • Potassium
  • Thiamin
  • Protein

These nutrients help support various activities in your baby’s body to keep him or her healthy. They also play important roles in keeping his or her growth and development on the right track.

Papaya

Papaya is another fruit that is loaded with various nutrients guaranteed to nourish and support your baby’s growth and development.

These include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B9
  • Fiber
  • Protein
  • Potassium

In addition, ripe papayas are soft and, hence, easy to mash as well. Once you’ve mashed it to the right consistency, you can feed it to your baby. It is naturally sweet so you won’t have a hard time getting your infant to eat it.

Carrot

Carrots are one of the vegetables that should be included in your baby’s first solid foods. This is because this veggie is rich in:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin K1
  • Biotin
  • Potassium
  • Fiber

Boil carrots first to soften them then puree them until you get a soft, easy-to-swallow consistency.

Butternut squash

Feeding your baby pureed baked or boiled butternut squash will ensure he or she gets these essential nutrients:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Iron
  • Potassium
  • Zinc
  • Fiber

Butternut squash has a natural sweetness as well. As such, there is a high chance your baby will love eating this veggie.

Green beans

This vegetable may not be a crowd-pleaser among the majority of babies but when prepared well, your child may just like it.

Green beans are loaded with a lot of nutrients crucial to your baby’s growth and development which include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B5, and B6
  • Vitamin E
  • Calcium
  • Iron
  • Fiber
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium
  • Manganese
  • Phosphorus

To make a green bean puree, boil, steam or bake them first. Make sure you choose fresh green beans — ones that have a bright green color and free from holes and blemishes. Once cooked, chopped them into smaller pieces and blend them with distilled water.

Sweet potato

Lastly, due to its naturally sweet flavor, your baby will love this healthy root crop.

Sweet potatoes are rich in a variety of nutrients such as the following:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamins B5 and B6
  • Vitamin E
  • Manganese
  • Potassium
  • Fiber
  • Protein

Boil, bake or steam the sweet potatoes before mashing or blending them to make a delicious puree for your baby.

These fruits and vegetables can also be combined to make more delicious and healthier foods for your baby. However, make sure you consult your baby’s pediatrician first before mixing them and introducing new foods to ensure your child won’t encounter any health issues.

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