This is the time for experimentation and do not worry about calories or if your baby is actually eating the food.  His/her nutrition comes from the breast or bottle still.  There is not an exact age when your baby is ready to start eating, some are ready at 6 months, others at 8 months.  When she is sitting up unassisted and shows interest in what you are eating, then give it a try but keep expectations low and simply enjoy watching the discovery.  

Think long and rectangular and soft enough to pinch between your finger and thumb

Season season season that food! The more that your baby is exposed to flavors now, the *fingers crossed* more open they will be later in life to different foods.  Experiment with ginger, garlic, smoked paprika, coconut, curry, lemon grass, rosemary, peppers, cinnamon, etc with your cooking.  

I always advocate organic and local whenever possible! 

 

Fruits- While these are easy to do, I caution over doing the fruits and would focus on savory items first simply to allow your baby a chance to develop a love for less sugary items.  Fruits can be hard to pick up, so rolling the items in oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour, etc can be helpful. 

~Bananas- large chunks

~Avocado- fantastic choice for babies

~Apples- cooked until soft

~Pear- make sure they are soft

~Mangos

~Melon

~Papaya 

 

Vegetables- roasting vegetables is a great way to bring out their natural delicious flavors.  Don’t hesitate to season the heck out of them with fresh and dried herbs and spices.  Curried butternut squash, cinnamon buttered sweet potato, garlic thyme broccoli, moroccan carrots, lemon pepper asparagus…

~Sweet potatoes-add butter

~Broccoli and cauliflower- keep in florets 

~Roasted carrots-add butter

~zucchini 

~pumpkin

~winter squash-add butter

~green beans

 

Meats and dairy- Be really picky about your meats and dairy. Choose beef that was not fed hormones or antibiotics, chicken and pork that is antibiotic free and dairy that is at least hormone free if not also organic. Organ meat is great and egg yolk and liver makes for a highly nutritious and easy to digest meal.  Remember- just because the thought of liver makes you gag, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t allow your baby to discover it.  Again, cook meat until soft and don’t be afraid to season it with herbs and spices.  Cheese should ideally be from grass fed cows as should the butter. Yogurt, you can freeze yogurt and allow your little one to chew on frozen yogurt “bars” or “drops”.

 

Nuts, recent studies show that avoid nuts or peanut butter increases likelihood of allergies instead of decrease.  Make sure you make your own nut butters to avoid excess salt. 

 

Grains, you’ll find mixed opinions on these.  If you want to introduce grains consider going with breads that are from sprouted grains, or flours such as spelt and einkorn.  Buckwheat is not a grain but makes fantastic pancakes and crepes and would work as a wonderful substitute in baking.