Part 2 of introducing solids to your baby.

Let me start by keeping your baby safe and growing well. Avoid nuts and other hard foods to reduce risk of choking, and keep the texture developmentally appropriate. Now here’s for some ideas:

#Store bought #Portable #Storable.

Every single one of these foods were store bought i.e. no fancy recipes required, and yet provide a healthy spread of flavours and textures.

The vegetables can be whatever you are planning for your own dinner, cut and cooked to a soft texture, then used as finger foods. This may be at dinner time too, or may be put into a container and saved as a snack for the next day. Providing it’s a safe texture, let your baby experience the range of different vegetables that you do.

The pasta world provides plenty of opportunity for self-feeding different textures. From penne as a great finger food starter to the more complicated spaghetti and small risoni when your baby’s skills are developing.

The rice I have pictured is in a lump that a baby can easily hold. It is regular rice, simply cooked, cooled and then a spoonful has been squished together to form a lump perfect for little fingers.

And don’t forget the vegetarian range for perfect little pieces – here I have egg and butter beans. I would have put in a falafel ball, had I thought of it yesterday!

Kid-friendly meat ideas are chop bones, soft fish chunks, meatballs and sliced cold turkey or chicken.

Finally, here is some inspiration for variety to the good old sandwich. While the main ingredients are the same, the subtle changes in texture within this picture will keep challenging your baby’s feeding skills. Including some crusts or spread on top is a perfect way to develop tongue and mouth muscles.

Menu Planning

There are sooooo many different ways to eat and feed your baby, which is why I usually hate prescribing a meal plan. But if you would like some inspiration on structure then feel free to use the parts of this that you like.

Mornings

A good time for an iron-rich cereal such as Weet-Bix/Farax or some cooked oats.

Finger fed babies may like some toast with avocado or cottage cheese.

Middle of the Day

Different types of bread products (see picture above) or some cooked rice or pasta.

Finger-food vegetables.

Egg or smooth peanut butter or hommus.

Evenings

Rice, couscous or pasta with fish or meat and cooked vegetables.

Snacks

Snacks usually come in only when breastmilk or formula is going out so it’s a good time to have a dairy option such as yoghurt, custard or cheese sticks.

Fruit makes a convenient snack too. No need for commercial products at this age.

Kids don’t care what time of day it is so if your baby is more inclined to eat snacks than a meal try cold chicken, cold cooked vegetables, sushi or a hard boiled egg at this time.

Whenever I see an article on bone health, I find it reasonably unglamorous. There are much brighter and shinier things to be reading. But the reality is that looking after bones is at some of its most important times while we are kids, while we are breastfeeding, and while we are pregnant. And yet, an estimated 90% of adult females and 70% of kids are not getting enough calcium, the ingredient our body uses to make strong bones. Which means if you are reading this, you yourself, or someone you care for is probably in need of a calcium check. So let’s make it easy and quick.

• What do we need to do? 

An adult body contains around 2% calcium, mostly in our bones! That is 1.4kg calcium in a 70kg body. We get that calcium by eating it. The best way to eat calcium is through foods, rather than through a supplement. High calcium foods are dairy products such as yoghurt, milk, cheese, ice cream and calcium-fortified products such as soy drink. There are small amounts in some other foods, but really, not enough to be considered good sources. I’d recommend using those sources as “bonus” supplies of calcium and focussing on enough of the main ones.

• How much do we need to eat?

2-3 year old kids need 1 ½ serves per day. That may look like a small tub of yoghurt and a slice of cheese.9-11 year old kids need roughly 3 serves per day. That typically means having a serve at a meal plus a serve at two snacks each day. For example, 2 slices cheese on toast at breakfast, a small tub of yoghurt as a snack and a fruit smoothie after school.

Older kids need 3 ½ serves per day. I’m sensing why it’s so hard to fit it all in. It can be done by appearing in 2 meals and 2 snacks each day.

4-8 year old kids need roughly 2 serves per day. Something like milk on cereal at breakfast and a small tub of yoghurt as a snack.

I’ll go through serve requirements using dairy products but these can be substituted for a calcium fortified product such as soy drink, or even a small tin (100g) of canned pink salmon with bones or 60g sardines.

Adult men, women, breastfeeding and pregnant women are best to get 2  1/2 serves daily. Something like milk on oats for breakfast, a snack on yoghurt, and feta cheese added to salad for lunch or dinner.

• Is there any way I can get my levels checked?

The short answer is no. Calcium levels in our blood are not reflective of bone health. There are ways to check your bone density but these are time consuming, expensive and not standard practice. Talk to your GP if you feel this is important to you.

• What about supplements?

A supplement is useful if you can’t manage the food strategies above. It’s a backup option as it won’t be used by your body well as a food source. Like trying to get the pleasure of chocolate from cacao beans…similar but oh so different.