Why do babies add complementary foods? How to make complementary foods for babies

The baby's body is growing every day. As the baby grows up, the baby's activity increases and the body begins to develop. Breast milk or formula alone can no longer meet the baby's nutritional needs, so we have to add complementary foods. What complementary foods are suitable for babies at the beginning? Let's take a look!

Contents of this article

1. Why do babies add complementary foods?

2. How to make baby food

3. How many times a day should the baby eat complementary food?

Why add complementary food to babies

In order to meet the nutritional needs of the baby, we will use complementary foods to assist. As the baby's activities increase and the body begins to develop, breast milk or dairy products alone are not enough to promote the nutritional needs of the baby's body, so other rich nutrients must be introduced at this time. The second function is to develop eating habits that are beneficial to the baby's gastrointestinal development and are very helpful for training chewing and swallowing functions.

How to make baby food

1. Vegetable puree

Method: Prepare some fresh vegetables, wash and chop the fresh leaves, put them in a pot with a small amount of water and cook them. You can eat them after they are soft.

2. Banana potato paste

Method: prepare half a banana, an egg, 1/4 potato, and a little milk; first peel the potato, cut it into cubes, steam it for 20 minutes and mash it into a puree; then boil the eggs, peel them, take out 1/4 of the egg yolk and mash it; then peel the banana and mash it, finally mix the egg yolk puree, potato puree and banana puree, then add some milk and mix well before serving.

3. Minced meat porridge

Preparation method: Wash the lean pork, chop it with a knife or put it into a meat grinder and grind it twice and then fry it; finally put it into the thick porridge, add a little salt to taste and it is ready to eat.

How many times a day should baby eat complementary food

When the baby is 6-7 months old, if dinner can be completely replaced by complementary foods, you can start with lunch and gradually add complementary foods. Generally, by September, both lunch and dinner can be replaced by complementary foods. At this time, complementary foods can also be added to breakfast, and the baby's 5 feedings are changed to 3 feedings, once at 5-6 in the morning, once at 1-2 in the afternoon, and once at 9-10 in the evening.

By the time the baby is one year old, he or she will have basically completely transitioned to a mixed diet consisting mainly of grains, beans, meat, eggs, vegetables and fruits, replacing breast milk.