Introducing Solid Foods

Is Baby Ready?

Baby is physically ready to take solid foods when:

• She no longer has the reflex that causes her to pushout with her tongue. Instead, she can take food from a spoonand swallow.
• She can sit with support.
• She holds her head straight up when sitting.
• She can turn her head toward or away from food.

Other signs of readiness:

• She appears interested in food when other people are eating.
• She opens her mouth when offered a spoonful of food.

For First-Timers—How to Start

Getting ready

How Much Will Baby Take

For the first few days, give Baby cereal once a day.
She will probably take less than 1 tablespoon at first, but soon she will be easily accepting cereal and will take up to 1-2 tablespoons per feeding. After a few days, add another meal and work up to approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup cereal each day, divided into two meals of 2 to 4 tablespoons each.>

Q: Why do we add probiotics to our HAPPYBELLIES cereals?

A: Probiotics are “friendly bacteria” that provide a boost to the immune system by discouraging the growth of disease-causing bacteria in the large intestine. These healthy bacteria have been shown to reduce colic and also to prevent eczema and all kinds of allergies. Probiotics may also help reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, help manage lactose intolerance, promote bowel regularity, and prevent infections in the intestines and elsewhere in the body including bronchitis and pneumonia.

Timing & Technique

For the first feedings, choose a time of day when Baby is alert, happy, and not too hungry. If she is too hungry
she may get frustrated and have no patience for this new experiment. It may work best to take the edge off of her hunger by giving half a bottle or breastfeeding for a few minutes before trying to feed her solids. Then, after the solids, Baby can finish her feeding of formula or breast milk.

During the feeding, offer her the spoon with a tiny amount of cereal on the tip. Let her open her mouth to accept the food instead of forcing it between her lips. Be enthusiastic with plenty of “Mmmm!” and “Yummy!” expressions.

Watch for Baby’s cues to help make feeding times a nice experience for both of you. “Yeah! Feed me!” signs include waving arms and legs excitedly when food is offered, smiling during the feeding, cooing, opening her mouth, and moving toward the spoon. “No more, please” signs include falling asleep, getting fussy, spitting out the food, pushing away the spoon, closing her mouth or turning her head when the spoon approaches.

Some babies enthusiastically take to solids, but others need more time. If Baby simply refuses to take any food the first time, don’t force the issue. Give her another week and then try again.

Moving Beyond Cereal: Introducing New Foods

Once Baby has mastered eating thickened infant cereal and is taking it twice a day—usually at 6 months old—you can start pureed fruits and vegetables. Then, a few weeks or months later Baby can start to eat protein foods. Before long she'll be feeding herself! For more information, refer to our Month-by-month Guide to New Foods, as well as our chart on Nutritional Needs: Ages & Stages.

Checking for allergies

Introduce foods one at a time, waiting 2 to 4 days before starting another new food. This will let you see how the baby reacts to each food, and will help identify any allergies or intolerances. Don't be concerned if the color and texture of your baby's stool changes during this time. These changes are normal and don't indicate a problem. Signs of allergy or intolerance to look for include a new skin rash, vomiting, or diarrhea. If you think Baby is allergic to a food, eliminate it from her diet and see if the symptoms also disappear. Ask your pediatrician about any new symptoms or if you suspect a food allergy.

Though the vast majority of babies will never develop a single food allergy, many pediatricians recommend delaying the introduction of certain foods just in case. These foods are the ones most likely to cause an allergic reaction, along with common guidance regarding when to introduce them:

• Wheat: Usually by 8 months.
• Milk: Milk products like yogurt and cheese are usually okay by 8 months.
  Wait until 1 year to give cow's milk for drinking.
• Soy: Most babies can tolerate soy by 8 to 9 months.
• Egg Whites: This is actually the most common food allergy. Wait until 1 year to introduce.
• Citrus Fruits: Usually best to wait until 1 year.
• Fish & Shellfish: Wait until 2 years old to introduce shellfish.
  Ask your pediatrician about when to introduce fish; most babies can tolerate mild fish after 9 months.
• Nuts & Peanuts
• Because these foods cause the most severe allergic reactions, wait until at least 2 years old to introduce. Other foods that may not be well tolerated by younger babies or that may cause allergic reactions include chocolate, strawberries or other berries, tomatoes, and any food that a baby's parent is allergic to.

Other foods that may not be well tolerated by younger babies or that may cause allergic reactions include chocolate, strawberries or other berries, tomatoes, and any food that a baby's parent is allergic to.

If your baby has a strong family history of allergies (i.e. she has a parent or sibling with food allergies), talk to your pediatrician about when to introduce potentially allergenic foods, as it may be best to wait longer than the guidelines stated above.

Fruits & Vegetables

Besides offering wonderful new tastes and exciting variety to Baby's diet, these foods provide many nutrients for your growing baby, including vitamins A and C. Orange and dark green vegetables like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and spinach will be the main sources of vitamin A. Apples, pears, potatoes and broccoli, among others, offer vitamin C. You may have heard that offering fruits before starting vegetables will encourage a sweet-tooth, but research doesn't support this theory. Introduce these foods in whichever order you prefer.Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a single fruit or vegetable and give it when Baby eats her cereal. Then, slowly work up to 2 to 4 tablespoons of fruits or vegetables per meal, given in 2 or 3 meals during the day.

Texture

Once Baby is used to taking pureed foods, around 7 to 8 months, she is probably ready for more variety of textures. Foods can be pureed or mashed with a few lumps. Giving Baby more texture will help her development of mouth skills like moving food around the mouth, chewing motions, and safely swallowing. By 8 or 9 months she will probably be ready for more new textures chopped soft foods and finger foods.

Protein foods

Between 7 and 9 months old, after exploring many new fruits and vegetables, Baby can try protein foods. These include pureed or finely ground meats and poultry, mashed beans, mashed tofu, plain whole milk yogurt, mashed egg yolk (wait until 1 year to offer the white), and mild cheeses.Start by offering 1 to 2 tablespoons of these foods. Then, work up to 4 to 6 tablespoons of these foods, given in either 1 or 2 meals per day.

Self-feeding & Finger Foods

When Baby can sit up without help and is good at eating varied textures from a spoon, you can start giving her finger foods so she can learn to feed herself. Finger foods may be soft cooked vegetables cut into bite-sized pieces or other foods that are soft and do not require any chewing. As teeth begin to come in she'll be able to handle even more finger foods. But be sure to note the list of potential choking hazards, below, for foods to avoid until Baby is 2 or older.This stage will probably be messy at first, but letting Baby learn to feed herself is important for her development. Until she is proficient at it, you may find that offering spoonfuls of food in between her self-fed bites works well.

** Foods to avoid: Choking Risks & Honey **

Foods that can cause choking are hard foods that require too much chewing for young babies, and small round foods that can lodge in the throat. Avoid these choking hazards until age 2 or older: nuts, seeds, popcorn, snack chips, pretzels, raw carrots, raisins, whole grapes, hot dogs or sausage links, hard candy, or large chunks of meat or other tough foods. Soft but sticky foods like chewing gum, marshmallows and jelly candies can also get lodged in the throat and should be avoided.

Honey may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism. Adults' immune systems can handle a small amount of these spores but babies under 1 year are susceptible to a life-threatening reaction to the toxins they produce. So, no honey for your honey until she's at least 12 months old.

What should Baby drink?

Most babies don't need extra fluids in addition to their breast milk or formula. However, around 7 or 8 months old it's a good time to introduce a cup (e.g. a sippy cup) so that Baby will begin to learn how to drink. Parents often find that Baby is skeptical about drinking her beloved breast milk or formula out of this new cup. If that's the case, offer water or diluted juice instead. Once she starts accepting the cup, offer a cup with water at mealtime. Baby can wash down her food and will hopefully develop a taste for the water.

Whether or not you want to serve fruit juice to Baby is up to you it's not nutritionally necessary. If you prefer, you may offer 100% fruit juice any time after she reaches 6 months old. Juice is a good source of vitamin C, but too much juice can cause a stomach ache, hyper behavior, and in the long run, it can contribute to weight problems.
If you choose to serve juice, give Baby 100% juice only (apple juice is a good choice) and dilute with a little water to make it less concentrated and sweet. Offer juice in a cup (not a bottle) and serve with a snack rather than a meal so it doesn't interfere with her appetite. Babies and young children should have no more than 4 ounces of juice per day.

What is Baby Eating Now? Typical daily diet at different ages & stages.

The “How many times per day” column explains during how many meals or feedings to include that food. Please note that breast milk (or infant formula) is the main source of nutrition for babies under age 1 so don't worry if your baby doesn't take the amounts suggested here. These are guidelines so you can decide how much to offer your baby, not required amounts that she needs for good nutrition.6 months old: Depending on when you started solid food, Baby may be eating one, two, or three solid meals per day at this age. All food is pureed and strained. Start slowly and work up to the approximate amounts given here. A typical serving size for a baby this age is 1 to 2 tablespoons of a food, or about 1 cube of HAPPYBABY foods. Remember, though, that all babies are different and some will take more, while others will take less.
7–9 months old: Now Baby is ready for more variety and different textures. Around 8 months, you can also add
protein-rich foods like finely ground or pureed meats and poultry, mashed beans,mashed tofu, and plain whole milk yogurt.
A typical serving size for a baby this age is 2 to 4 tablespoons of a food or 1 to 2 cubes of HAPPYBABY foods.


8-12 months old: When Baby can sit up without help, you can start giving her finger foods so she can learn to feed herself. Finger foods may be soft cooked vegetables cut into bite-sized pieces or other foods that are soft and do not require any chewing. As teeth begin to come in, you can give foods with more texture, including soft chopped meats, well-cooked vegetables, pasta, and pieces of soft fruit. A typical serving for a baby this age is 2 to 4 tablespoons of a mashed or chopped food. By age 1 Baby should be eating 3 meals per day, and possibly one snack. It’s also best to serve Baby her meals with other members of the family present, so she gets accustomed to the social aspects of mealtime.

Month-by-Month Guide to New Foods

Use this guide to see which foods to add at every age.

Avoid these choking hazards until age 2 or older: nuts, seeds, popcorn, snack chips, pretzels, raw carrots, raisins, whole grapes, hot dogs or sausage links, hard candy, chewing gum, marshmallows, jelly candies, large chunks of meat or other tough foods. Also note that certain finger foods like teething biscuits and crackers may break off into large pieces in Baby’s mouth, making them a choking risk. Always closely supervise Baby when eating any food, whether it is a known choking risk or not.

* If you have strong family history of food allergies, ask your pediatrician when to introduce the following foods: Wheat, milk, eggs, soy, fish, shellfish, nuts, peanuts

Toddler Nutrition Guide

Good Nutrition & Special Nutrients

As most parents can attest, toddlers are full of boundless energy. To fuel all of their running, laughing and learning toddlers actually need more nutrients per pound of their body weight than they will when they’re older. There’s not a lot of room in their small tummies, though. So that means all the foods they eat need to be packed with good nutrition.

Good Nutrition for Toddlers Aged 1 to 3

picky eating 101

Toddlers can be picky when it comes to food. It’s common for toddlers to refuse to eat new foods or foods that they once enjoyed. Some are very particular about which plate they use at mealtime. Others dissolve into a weepy mess

if their foods touch each other on the plate. It can be frustrating for parents, especially if you feel like your child isn’t eating enough. It may help to understand what’s going on behind the scenes at this age:

• Toddlers may require a lot of nutrients but they may not feel so hungry. Their growth significantly slows down in
  the second and third year. Consider this: Your baby’s weight tripled in the first year but in the second she’ll
  only gain about 5 pounds.
• The toddler years are a time when kids are becoming more independent. (Does “I do it myself!” sound familiar?)
  Some picky eating is just the child exerting this independence.
• Toddlers tend to fear new things. If they are given a food that looks unfamiliar it can be scary to them. This is on
  reason toddlers like to eat the same foods over and over.
• Sometimes teething can make a toddler’s mouth feel sore and can make food seem unappealing.
• Most toddlers are easily distractible and may not have the attention span to last through a long meal.
• Toddlers like to test limits in order to understand them better. They want to see what happens, for example,
• if they refuse to eat their meal or if they throw their food on the floor.
  
  

The Don’t’s:

• Don’t punish your child if he doesn’t eat something that you serve him.
• Don’t reward him if he finishes a food or a meal.
• Try not to become your child’s short-order cook.
• Avoid bribes at the dinner table. (For example, “If you finish your vegetables you can ride your tricycle after dinner!”)

The Do’s:

• Offer your child foods that are healthy and tasty. Then allow him to decide how much of the food he wants to eat (if at all).
• Make (healthy) food fun.
• Try cutting foods into differentshapes – use cookie cutters for sandwiches, tofu slices… even chicken breasts!
  Find foods that are your child’s favorite color (like blue potatoes and blueberries).
  Arrange the meal on the plate in the shape of a smiley face or other shape.
• Have realistic expectations.
  For example, toddlers can’t sit still for very long so don’t call your child to the table until his meal is at
  his place and ready to go.
• Give your toddler reasonable choices at mealtime.
  For example, let him pick the pasta shape or ask if he would like broccoli or green beans with dinner.
• Have a routine. Try to serve your toddler’s 3 meals and 2 snacks at the table and at around the same
  time every day. When they know what to expect, they feel more secure.
• Offer a “sure thing” food with each meal. This is something you know your child will eat, even if he
  refuses everything else. For example, put some bread on the table or serve a favorite fruit as a side dish.

Get Snack Savvy

Toddlers are on the go from sun up to sun down. To help them make it through, they need one to three healthy snacks in addition to their meals. Serve your child her snacks at around the same time each day, at the table whenever possible. Snack time is a prime opportunity for getting some of the vitamins and minerals that your child needs, so try to think of snacks as mini-meals instead of as “treats.”

Here are some Ideas:

• Fruit, cut into bite-sized pieces: apple, pear, plum, apricot, peach, nectarine, kiwi, pineapple, berries, banana, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew melon, papaya, mango, applesauce, grapes**
• Grain snacks: whole grain crackers, toasted bread with fruit preserves, pretzels, oatmeal, cold cereal (dry or with milk)
• Veggie snacks: choose Baby’s favorite vegetable and let him dip in hummus, salsa, or guacamole. Try carrot sticks, red or yellow bell pepper strips, jicama slices, broccoli florets (call them “trees”)
• Dairy snacks: yogurt, yogurt and fruit smoothie, cheese and crackers, cheese with apple slices (Choose low fat or nonfat dairy products for toddlers aged 2 and up)
• Protein-packed snacks: hummus or black bean dip with pita triangles, crackers, or sliced veggies; a peanut butter* sandwich

*Potential allergen. See page 4 for details. ** Choking hazard. See page 5 for details.

Serving Suggestions & Recipes

An ever-expanding palate

Your baby may need time to get used to new tastes, flavors, and textures. Experts say a baby needs
to be introduced to a new food up to 10 different times before she decides whether she likes it.

Mix & Match Cubes

If your baby does not like a particular taste, consider mixing it with a cube of
a different variety. Make sure you introduce each new variety separately to test for allergies (that's why we kept them in separate cubes) and check with your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

Yummy Meals

• Mix a cube of squash with a cube of apple
• Mix a cube of green beans with two cubes of spinach/mango/pear
• Mix a cube of peas with 2 cubes of carrots
• Mix baby dhal with brown rice, barley, or couscous for more texture
• Mash fresh organic avocado with a cube of apple, pear, or serve avocado alone Avocado
• is a great food for 6+ months as it is very high in the right kind of fats which baby needs for growth.
• Mash a fresh organic banana with a cube of green beans, peas, or spinach/mango/pear or serve alone.
• Buy plain, whole milk organic yogurt and mix with a few cubes of pears or apples
• Mash a fresh organic banana with a cube of Mama Grain for added sweetness
• Buy plain, whole milk organic yogurt and mix with a cube of Mama Grain.Very yummy!
• Mash ripe bananas and add to a serving of HAPPYBELLIES Brown Rice cereal
• Mix a cube of Wiser Apple with a serving of HAPPYBELLIESBrown Rice cereal
• Mix a cube of Paradise Puree with a serving of HAPPYBELLIES Oat cereal

A recipe idea for babies

Grrreat Greens – A delicious and nutritious way to get baby to eat greens.
9+ MONTHS - Babies under 7 months should not be fed spinach, as they do not
have a high enough stomach acidity to handle the nitrates in greens.
50% pear, 25% spinach, and 25% mango

Step 1: Pear

• Peel, core, and chop 3 medium pears.
• Steam for 4 minutes, or until tender; should make 2 cups cooked pear.

• Peel, pit, and chop 1 large mango; should make 1 cup chopped mango.

• Discard hard stems from 3 cups spinach.  Rinse VERY WELL in cold water.  Chop.
• Steam for 3 minutes, until wilted and bright green.  (Over cooking causes spinach to brown.)
• Gently press out excess water; should make 1 cup cooked spinach.

A Recipe Idea for BABIES

Mama Grain
9+ Months
50% banana, 25% black beans, and 25% quinoa

• Pick through 1/4 lb. dry black beans and remove any discolored or malformed beans and any
• debris.  Place in colander, and rinse well with cold water.  Drain.  Place in bowl with 3 times
  the amount of cold water, and cover. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Using the same water you used to soak the beans, simmer (don’t boil) in a covered pot for
• 1 hour, or until tender. NOTE:  If you use canned beans, rinse several times to remove all salt.
• Makes 1 - 1/2 cup cooked black beans

• Rinse 1/2 c. quinoa thoroughly to remove any powdery residue.  Place in colander, and rise
  well with cold water & drain.
• Place 1 c. cold water and rinsed quinoa in covered pot and simmer 20 minutes, or
  until translucent.
• Makes 1 - 1/2 cup cooked quinoa

• Steam 4 large bananas until tender.  This intensifies the flavor of the banana which your little one will love.
• Should make 3 cups cooked banana

• For Toddlers: Make with less liquid and form into patties. saute or bake until lightly browned.
• For ADULTS: Mix 1 cube with organic whole milk yogurt.

A Recipe Idea for Toddlers

Orange Veggies Vegetarian Tacos

• Mix puree with taco seasoning.

• Heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the tofu “ground meat” and seasoning mix.

• Stir until heated through.  Remove from heat.

• Place meat in taco shells and top with cheese.  Let your toddler add the rest of the toppings
  gently promoting the Guerilla-Greens guacamole.

Guerilla-Greens Guacamole

• Please lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, onion, garlic, greens, salt and pepper in a food processor and chop very finely.
• Halve and pit the avocados, then scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the onion mixture along with the tomatoes and mash
  with a potato masher until almost smooth.
• Correct seasoning with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Healthy Mama, Happy Baby

• all natural granola or cereal bars
• fig bars, graham cracker squares
• peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread
• lowfat cheese and whole grain crackers
• baked tortilla chips with salsa or bean dip
• hummus with whole wheat pita and sliced vegetables
• whole fruit like apples, pears, bananas, etc.
• lowfat yogurt, bottled yogurt drinks, plain or flavored lowfat milk
• homemade snack mix—make up little snack bags of mixed nuts and add a few raisins
  or chocolate chips if you like
• homemade smoothie—combine your favorite flavor yogurt with frozen or fresh fruit in a blender.

• For most meals aim for the following proportion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates: Your plate should be half
  vegetables, one quarter protein (lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu), and one quarter starch.
• Accept help! If friends or family offer to prepare meals for you, let them. It's a nice (and usually healthier) alternative
  to take-out or restaurant food.
• When you do have the time (and energy) to cook, make 2 batches and freeze one for a later time.
• Try not to skip meals. If you do, you're likely to become too hungry later and overeat or choose less healthy foods.
• Before you go food shopping make a shopping list so that you don't forget anything and to avoid impulse purchases of
  not-so-good-for-you foods like junky snacks, desserts, etc. When making your list plan each meal and also include a
  variety of fruits and other healthy snacks.
• Stock your kitchen with healthy grab-and-go snacks. See above for ideas. These can be good for taking with you on an
  outing with Baby, or grabbing from the pantry to eat while breastfeeding or cuddling with your little one.

Why Organic?

What is “organic”?

Organic benefits

All “natural” foods aren’t created equal

Go organic And go fresh. (And bring your kids!)