5 Things to Know When Looking for the Best Baby Food

1. 5 Things to Know When Looking for the Best Baby Food Starting your baby on solids is a big deal for both the mother and child. As a parent, you want to feed your child the best and may be worried about foods that could impact your child’s health. If you are a first-time parent and don’t know much about weaning, here’s how to look for the best baby food. When Should Your Baby Start Solids? Pediatricians and nutritionists recommend starting solids when the child is around six months old. Your child also gives cues for when he or she is ready to start solids. These signs could include no longer thrusting out the tongue and being able to hold the head steady when sitting. Sometimes, children eye your food or even reach out to eat yours, showing clear interest in solid food. Some children open their mouths wide when you bring a spoon towards them. These are all signs that indicate your child is ready to start eating solid foods. The Essential Elements of Your Baby’s Diet Among the essential nutrition that must be included in your diet, fat is probably the most important. Around 30% to 40% of a child’s diet should constitute fats. Iron, proteins, vitamins, and minerals are other essential components of a balanced baby fooddiet. Some of the recommended first foods include iron-fortified cereals, pureed and mashed foods, and pureed meats. What Should Not Be Included in Your Child’s Diet There are also some foods you should not include in your baby’s diet. For example, premade juices and baby food pouches are not recommended. The American Academy of Pediatrics dissuades parents from feeding their children these juices because it leads to poor nutrition and increases the risk of tooth decay, diarrhea, and exposure to bacteria. If you are buying readymade baby food, pick brands that use natural products. Also, don’t feed solids from a bottle as they can be a choking hazard. Instead, use a spoon. Some children could be allergic to certain foods like soy, peanuts, and shellfish, so speak to your pediatrician before allowing your child to try these foods. Tips for Jarred Baby Food When looking for readymade baby food, make sure it uses wholesome ingredients and does not include preservatives, additives, artificial colors, or unnatural baby food flavors. For example, at Little Spoon, we use high-quality, natural ingredients and believe baby food should not be older than your baby. Read labels carefully to make sure that the baby food does not include extra sugar, salt, or other thickening agents. 1

2. Say No to Food Pouches Baby food pouches may seem convenient, but they’re not ideal for your child. Pouches could hamper oral development because they do not encourage children to chew or swallow. With pouches, children do not know to differentiate between different textures and are not encouraged to self-feed. Author Bio: The author writes about child nutrition and helps first-time parents choose the best baby food. 2