Weaning inspiration!

Miss_Kitty_Fantastico

thanks for the replies everyone

if we are discussing this further can we please put 'baby led weaning' in the title - otherwise we will get lost in the other discussion about ak and purees etc

thanks Nic

olliesmummy06

Hi all, I am currently weaning my dd and we are now on lumpy foods....just wondering if anyone had any recipes their little ones loved? I have in the fridge....spinach, green beans, mushrooms, peppers, onion, carrots, pots, sweet pots, peas, brocolli, pumpkin (tho i did make her some pumpkin up last night so have that frozen with other veg) and cabbage. I have also red lentils, chick beans and butter beans in the cupboard which i would like to use in some way or another for her. Thanks in advance.xx

valk_scot

The easiest way is to mash up some of your own food, before you add salt or strong spices like chilli. This also has the advantage of getting her used to the taste of the sort of foods you will all be eating for family meals in the future. My kids especially liked basmati rice mashed with a little mild daal, roast potato mashed with carrots and gravy and mashed up spaghetti bolognaise, though have to say this last looked pretty awful!

I did try making special baby recipes for my first baby, but by the time I was on my third child I wasn't beyond taking the crumbs off a fish finger and mashing it up with beans and mashed potato, if that was what the big ones were having. I don't think I made her a single special meal. Strangely enough she was the least fussy of the lot, though that might have been because her brothers would scoff her share if she didn't eat it sharpish!

Rikki

If I made a chilli for me I would add baked beans to the little ones instead of the kidney beans, it takes the heat out of the dish.
Shepherds pie always went down well, as did poached fish with mashed potato.
I used to feed mine smaller mashed versions of our dinners, never really cooked dedicated baby meals. Make up a few from one meal and freeze.

helyg

I'd second what Val said, best thing to do is give her some of what you are eating. That's what I did with all three of mine. Favourites with them when they were babies included mashed up roasted veg lasagne, mashed up sunday dinner and mashed up cottage pie. By the time I had my third I did baby-led-weaning, which was just starting to be the "in" thing, not because it was fashionable but because with three kids under 4 it saved time! :rotfl:

olliesmummy06

Thanks guys-i have been doing that but nights like tonight i am not sure it would be good for her (burgers and sweet pot wedges) so wanted some things for back up. I suppose it'll be much easier if she has whatever we are having-if she is still up when we eat she has been having little bits on her high chair tray-pasta, cheese etc but she is usually in bed by 6 so i save it for the following day. Thanks again for all your help.xx

Littlemiss-lotsofdebt

Please could you kind people give me some desperately needed advice? My LO is 6 months old but was weaned early and is now therefore at the mashed up food stage (stage 2 in jars). I am at a loss what to feed him now to be honest!! He is a good eater and so far has eaten butternut squash, sweet potato, potato, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, apple, pear and banana to name a few. This has all been made by me and pureed down with the blender. Don't get me wrong, I am far from being a saint and he has had some jar food at times.

I was thinking of giving him such things as:

* Weetabix/Ready Brek
* Mash (either potato or carrot/swede or sweet potato & squash) with maybe some skinless, boneless white fish

And that's about all I can think of!! I am currently on maternity leave so have some time in the day whilst he is napping late afternoon and at night to prepare food for him in advance. I am keen for it to be not only healthy but also as I am on very little pay now - moneysaving!!

rachbc

at this age I'd give what you are having - chopped if you want but also plenty of finger/ grabable stuff he can feed himself...

gailey_2

What you giving baby seems fine.

weaned my 1st at 5months hm purees froze into small pots and defrosted as I needed.

2nd was babyled so mostly finger foods at 6months.
used to steam broccoli florets intil soft-frozens fine as well.
roasted carrots and whole parnsips until very soft.

weetabix/readybrek fine if can abide the mess mines foodthrower and tends to have ricekrispies now like big sis but she is 14months now.

ricecakes and rusks very good finger foods as wasent worried about chocking.

fromage frais always a winner.
a little bit if icecream with mashed fruit maybe for dessert.

I would keep on with the squash family as seasonal and cheap morrsions had tonnes of different squashes the other day.

Do try and see what supermarket has in veg reduced section and puree accordingly maybe.

even pea makes a nice puree.Think annabel karmel suggested a pea and parsnip puree.

My 2nd loved roasted aubergine which is also a type of squash.

carrot,parsnip, and marrow plus sweet potato always a hit.

if baby can manage lumps make get a boneless fillet of fish and mash upunto very small flakes top with cheese sauce and mash in small pot and make mini cheese pie.

brocoli/cauli cheese.

Theres lots of recipies online.

Thers not much I not pureed and froze with my first been lucky with 2nd shes been less fussy and was eating what we were eating pretty much by 7months.

Lindy_-_Loo

I used to give my boys what we were having but blended it, pasta can be blended into tiny pieces so he will be able to chew it. Fromage frias are cheap and you can add banana etc to them.

Mash with the insides of fish or fish fingers and spaghetti or beans blended down or mashed up was always a winner here. shame they wont eat mash or fish now!
Choc mousse as a treat maybe?