A Baby-Friendly Family Meal Adapted by Age, Stage, and Method

Recipe Adapted From: Baby Foode

Introducing solids to your baby as they grow can be a time-consuming task when preparing family meals. You want to ensure babies get the essential nutrients needed to support their growth while making the food age-appropriate and safe.

Fortunately, you don't need to cook a separate dish - you can easily adjust your recipes so everyone can enjoy the same meal!

We have given an example of a nutritious family meal with broccoli, sweet potatoes, and chicken tailored to different stages of development and feeding preferences.

You can apply these adjustments to any combination of safe, healthy ingredients to create a balanced meal for your baby. 

Purees 

At around six months, you can introduce your little one to pureed foods. The puree pictured is technically Stage 2, meaning that it contains multiple ingredients with a thick and lumpy texture. This is a great time to introduce your baby to preloaded spoons and allow them to explore self-feeding.

The First Feeding Set pictured is ideal for this stage, featuring a bowl with a curved handle for parents to hold and a soft silicone spoon with two easy-to-grip ends designed to grow with your baby - one end dips into purees, and the other scoops solid food.

Baby Led Weaning 

The Baby Led Weaning (BLW) approach usually starts at around six months as well. This involves cooking or steaming foods until soft and slicing them into thin strips, helping babies develop their palmar grasp.  

Silicone Grip Dishes work great here. Divided just right for toddler-sized portions, the strong suction base keeps the dish in place and a straight side makes it easier for kids to belly up to the plate.

Combination 

At 9 months of age and above, a combination of both techniques is a great option. Parents should still cook foods until softened but can cut them into smaller, pea-sized pieces to encourage the development of the pincer grasp.

With an array of stimulating textured designs, Silicone Sensory Placemats are great for exploring both methods, helping littles develop pincer and palmar grasps. Plus, the inside edge catches spills, and the outside edge slopes to stick to surfaces -- more room to explore and less mess! 

Want more tips on starting solids? Pegah Jalali of @pediatric.dietitian answers some common questions. 

For more insight on feeding gear, check out infant feeding specialist, Katie Ferraro's top 3 tips.