When should I begin feeding my baby solid foods?
Which solid food should I introduce first?
How much should I introduce?
How do I recognize a food allergy?
Introducing Jarred Foods
When is it alright to give fruit juice?
How will I know when my baby is hungry?
Is my baby receiving adequate calories?
Should I begin meals with solids or a bottle?
Are there starches, food colorings or preservatives in Nature’s Goodness® baby foods?
What is the shelf life of unopened baby food?
Why do leftover baby foods sometimes become watery?
How long is it safe to keep an opened jar of baby food in the refrigerator?
When should I introduce toddler foods?
What foods can I give my toddler to prevent constipation?
How can I increase the variety of food in my toddler’s diet?
My toddler does not like fruit. May I substitute juice?
Do I need to be concerned about fat and cholesterol in my toddler’s diet?
Is my toddler receiving enough calcium?
Is my toddler receiving enough iron?
When should I begin feeding my baby solid foods?
Formula or breast milk is the main source of nutrition during your baby’s first year of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends to exclusively breastfeed until 6 months of age. However, your baby may be ready to begin solid foods at 4-6 months of age when she is able to:
- sit upright with support.
- hold her head up with good head and neck control.
- show she is curious and opens her mouth when you are eating.
- accept food from a spoon and learns to swallow.
- turn her head when full.
Other indicators are when baby doubles her birth weight or when breast milk / formula alone no longer seem to satisfy her.
Before 4-6 months of age, your baby’s digestive system is immature and not ready for solids. She also may not have good control over her tongue and mouth muscles. She may push her tongue against the bottle or breast when taking formula or breast milk. This is called the extrusion reflex. Your baby will gradually begin to lose this reflex around 4-6 months of age as her mouth and tongue muscles begin to mature. Also, the early introduction of solids may increase her risk of food allergies.
Which solid food should I introduce first?
Rice cereal is recommended as the first solid food to introduce to your baby because it is easy to digest, and is less likely to trigger an allergic reaction. When mixed with formula or breast milk, it provides a good balance of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It provides a good source of iron. This is important since baby’s iron stores from birth are beginning to become depleted between 4-6 months of age. Iron is an important nutrient during this rapid growth phase, and the introduction of rice cereal is a great supplement to formula and breast milk. Remember; do not feed your baby cereal from a bottle unless directed by a pediatrician. Bottle feeding of solids increases the risks of gagging and choking.
How much should I introduce?
Your baby’s first feeding may be messy – but it can also be fun! Choose a less stressful time of the day so you can both enjoy the experience! It is not necessary to begin in the morning – especially if it is hectic.
You may want to offer her a small amount of breast milk or formula first to curb hunger. Begin with 1 Tablespoon of rice cereal and add 4 to 5 Tablespoons of formula or breast milk. During the first few feedings, she may respond better to a thinner consistency of cereal.
Feed your baby in an upright position with a rubber coated spoon. Have patience! She may push her tongue against the spoon, and the cereal may come out! Pay attention to her signals. If she acts eager, excited and/or follows the spoon, then continue feeding. However, if she cries, refuses to open her mouth or turns her head away, then do not continue.
Gradually increase the thickness of the rice cereal and the frequency of the feedings to 2-3 times per day. After your baby is comfortable with rice cereal, you can progress to oatmeal and other varieties.
How do I recognize a food allergy?
Common food allergens in a baby’s diet are: milk and dairy products, wheat, corn, egg whites, citrus and soy. Other common food allergens such as fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts are not found in infant diets. If you have a positive family history of a food allergy, it is important to tell your pediatrician.
Allergic reactions may vary greatly and include (but are not limited to): difficulty breathing, diarrhea, vomiting and skin rash. Symptoms may occur immediately, or may be delayed.
It is best to introduce a new food to your baby every 3 to 5 days. Nature’s Goodness® Beginner baby foods are single source products. They will provide new taste sensations for your baby while making it easier to detect if a certain food is causing an allergic reaction.
Introducing Jarred Foods
Once your baby is accustomed to the single grain cereals, introduce Nature’s Goodness® Beginner vegetables, which are single ingredient foods. Feed each variety for 3-5 days, monitoring for allergic reactions, before moving to the next variety. After all vegetable varieties have been introduced; begin the same process with Nature’s Goodness® Step 1 fruits. Remember not to feed your baby from the jar if you are going to use the jar for two feedings. This can cause bacterial growth and contamination. In addition, your baby’s saliva contains enzymes which will begin to digest the food in the jar and make it watery. Remember to have patience while introducing new foods. Your baby may refuse the new food several times before accepting it. Continue to reintroduce it, don’t give up easily.
When is it alright to give fruit juice?
It is not necessary to introduce fruit juice to your baby prior to 6 months unless prescribed by your pediatrician. Fruit juice is sweet, and she will probably prefer it to formula or breast milk. Excessive fruit juice may also lead to malnutrition and growth failure. Juice should not be offered to infants until they are ready to drink from a cup as drinking juice from a bottle can promote tooth decay.
Pasteurized 100% fruit juice from concentrate should only be consumed as a snack and should not exceed four to six ounces per day up to the first birthday.
How will I know when my baby is hungry?
Babies have numerous ways of showing they are hungry. Some of the more common cues are:
- fussiness and crying.
- finger sucking.
- following the spoon or moving her head forward in an attempt to reach for the spoon.
- becoming excited or fussy when she smells food cooking.
When she is full she may:
- turn her head away.
- become easily distracted by her surroundings.
Pay attention to these cues. Babies have an innate ability to eat when hungry and stop when full.
Is my baby receiving adequate calories?
Check-ups at the pediatrician’s office will help you to know if your baby is getting enough to eat. Pay attention to your baby’s cues. She will alert you when it is time to eat. She will also let you know when she is full.
Never compare your baby to others. Each child is an individual and will establish her own eating habits. Sometimes it is difficult for parents to understand how such small amounts of food can satisfy their child. If your pediatrician says your baby is growing well, then she is getting an adequate amount of food.
Should I begin meals with solids or a bottle?
If your baby is just being introduced to solids, you may want to give her a small amount of breast milk or formula to take the hunger edge away. A ravenous baby may not have the patience to practice with a new solid food. Then while your baby is still hungry, you can offer the solid.
After solids are established, then you may start with them at mealtimes and finish with formula or breast milk. Snack time or bedtime are great opportunities to provide her with additional nourishment from formula or breast milk.
Are there starches, food colorings or preservatives in Nature’s Goodness® baby foods?
Nature’s Goodness® baby food is made with the best nature has to offer and is prepared without modified food starches, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives*.
*This applies to all Nature’s Goodness® varieties except those with DHA, in which a small amount of preservative is required.
What is the shelf life of unopened baby food?
Nature’s Goodness® jars are vacuum-sealed and sterilized, so they will not spoil provided the vacuum seal is intact. When you open the jar at home, you should hear the familiar “pfft pop” sound. If you don’t hear the pop, or the button is up, do not feed the contents to your baby. Take the jar back to the store for a replacement.
While vacuum-sealed food won’t spoil, for optimal taste and complete vitamin retention, the product should be consumed prior to the "best before" date printed on top of the jar.
Why do leftover baby foods sometimes become watery?
If you’re feeding your baby directly from the jar, chances are you’ve transferred her saliva to the jar. Saliva contains an enzyme, which breaks down carbohydrates, creating a watery consistency.
To keep this from happening and to ensure the most sanitary conditions, use a clean spoon to remove each portion from the jar. Feed from the bowl, not the jar.
How long is it safe to keep an opened jar of baby food in the refrigerator?
Jars of Nature’s Goodness® fruit, vegetables, desserts and vegetable/meat combinations that are covered and refrigerated should be used within three days after opening. Meats and poultry with broth should be used within two days.
When should I introduce toddler foods?
Every soon-to-be toddler follows a different schedule. Usually between 8 and 12 months of age, your baby will be ready to experiment with textures and more complex tastes. There are several developmental signs your baby will show when she is ready:
- wants to feed herself or puts objects in her mouth.
- can mash foods between her gums or teeth.
- holds a cup – not perfectly!
- can stand with support.
This is a great time to begin introducing new tastes and textures. Don’t let your preferences interfere! Offer a variety of Nature’s Goodness® Step 3 foods at mealtimes. These will introduce chunkier textures and a variety of flavors to your baby without artificial colors, preservatives or modified food starch.
As your baby continues to develop, she will progress to finger foods. Remember to continue to modify textures as needed, and offer finger foods in very small bite-size pieces. For example: soft, cooked vegetables cut into bite-size pieces, dry unsweetened cereal, globs of mashed potatoes, crackers and Zwieback. As she continues to learn to feed herself, you may try strips of tender lean meat and cheese or peeled soft ripe fresh or canned fruit.
Avoid foods that may cause your toddler to choke. Slippery foods, small hard foods such as nuts, popcorn, hot dogs, raisins, grapes, larger chunks of apple or other foods which are the right size to block your baby’s air passage should all be avoided.
What foods can I give my toddler to prevent constipation?
Adequate fiber and fluids in your toddler’s diet will help to prevent constipation. Fiber is found only in plant foods and not in animal foods. There is water soluble fiber and water insoluble fiber. Water soluble fiber is found in beans, oats, fruits and vegetables. It helps to lower blood cholesterol levels. Water insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, whole grains and vegetables. This type of fiber helps to prevent constipation. Many foods contain both types of fibers. For children over the age of 1 year, it is helpful to follow a simple rule: your child’s age + 5 = the number of grams of dietary fiber she should eat daily. For example, if your child is 3 years old, she should eat 3 years + 5 = 8 grams of fiber per day. The amount of fiber in your child’s diet will gradually increase with each birthday! It is important to also increase your child’s fluid intake from water, milk, fruit and vegetable juices when you increase the fiber in her diet.
Good food sources of fiber for toddlers include: oatmeal, whole grain cereals and waffles, whole wheat crackers, breads and pasta, brown rice, broccoli, carrots, green beans and fresh fruit.
How can I increase the variety of food in my toddler’s diet?
It is common for a toddler to prefer the same few foods at mealtimes. Continue to offer other food choices at each meal and snack time. After a few attempts, your toddler will eventually try a new food. Remember it is your responsibility to provide a variety of healthy choices at meals and snack times. It is up to her how much and whether she chooses to eat. Don’t be concerned if she refuses to eat what is prepared. However, try to have other choices available at mealtime (whole grain bread, rolls, fruit) that she will enjoy. Whatever you do, don’t become a short-order cook! This is a hard habit to break! An occasional missed meal is not a concern.
Continue to reintroduce new foods at mealtime. Encourage your toddler to try a new food, but avoid unnecessary pressure and battles. Set a good example yourself by eating a variety of healthful foods. Children often learn by imitation.
There is more to mealtime than eating – it is family time. A relaxed atmosphere with pleasant social interaction will help to develop good eating habits.
My toddler does not like fruit. May I substitute juice?
One hundred percent fruit juice is a healthy beverage alternative for your toddler at mealtimes. However, the general rule of thumb is 4 to 6 ounces of juice and 16 to 24 ounces of milk per day at mealtimes. Do not offer fruit juice in a bottle, as this can promote tooth decay. Diluting the 4 oz of fruit juice with water and offering it in a sippy cup or regular cup is an alternative. Water should be offered between meals. Other beverages offered between meals may affect her appetite at mealtimes.
Do I need to be concerned about fat and cholesterol in my toddler’s diet?
A low fat, low cholesterol diet is not advised for children less than 2 years of age unless advised by your pediatrician. These nutrients provide calories necessary for growth. Low fat and cholesterol diets may lead to restriction of growth and development. However, it is never too early to introduce a variety of healthy foods at mealtimes and snacks. Be sure not to overly restrict certain foods due to their nutrient or calorie content. Do not become obsessed with the perfect diet. This can lead to distorted eating behaviors. All foods have a place in the diet. Remember, moderation and flexibility are key.
Is my toddler receiving enough calcium?
Your toddler may be a picky eater which can be frustrating. Good sources of calcium which she may enjoy are cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and whole milk. She should receive at least 4 servings of these foods each day. A typical serving is ½ cup whole milk or yogurt; ¼ cup cottage cheese; ½ oz cheese. You may include foods which contain these items. For example, ½ cup macaroni and cheese and ½ cup of pudding are toddler favorites and good sources of calcium.
Snacks are important for your toddler, especially if she eats very little at mealtime. She should be offered 3 regular meals and 2 to 3 snacks per day. It is a great opportunity to offer a source of calcium. Examples such as cereal with milk, cheese and crackers, pudding, string cheese or yogurt with her favorite cereal mixed-in all contain a source of calcium. Offer small portions so she is not overwhelmed. Set a good example for your toddler by enjoying a glass of milk and a graham cracker at snack time!
Is my toddler receiving enough iron?
We tend to become concerned when our toddlers do not care for meat, because we know it is a good source of iron. However, there are other food sources of iron which your toddler may accept. Unsweetened, ready to eat cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals including iron. These make great snacks or mix-ins with yogurt. Beans and lentils are also good iron sources such as refried beans and chili con carne. All of these products may be offered as meals and snacks. Remember to offer your toddler a source of vitamin C with her iron-enriched food such as small fruit slices. The vitamin C will increase your toddler’s ability to absorb the iron. |
