Eating and Solid Foods: From First Bites to Joining the Family Table

Great to have you reading along! With my blogs, I aim to support parents in their journey through parenthood and child-rearing. Parenthood is wonderful but also intense. Remember to truly enjoy it – even when it gets challenging. Don't see these challenges as problems, but as normal parts of the process. Enjoy reading!

The First Months: 

Milk is Enough In the first months, your baby's nutritional needs are fully met with milk, whether you choose breastfeeding or formula. Milk is the primary source of nutrition at this stage. Around four months, you can carefully start introducing solid foods. 

Keep in mind: these first bites are meant for your baby to get used to new flavors and textures, not as a replacement for milk. 

Your baby is usually ready when they show interest in food, such as making smacking sounds, watching your food with their eyes, or reaching for your plate. 

Getting Used to Flavors and Textures 

Start with small amounts of soft foods, for example:
* Vegetables: cauliflower, carrot, green beans, broccoli
* Fruit: banana, pear, apple, kiwi

Use a soft plastic spoon or a special baby spoon.

• Banana with a little orange juice
• Pear with apple
• Kiwi with banana
• Cauliflower or broccoli with potato and a splash of infant formula
• Carrot with potato and some cooking water
• Green beans with potato

Puree the foods using a hand blender or mash them finely.

Gradually Increasing Amounts and Texture

Around six months, your baby can eat a bit more: four to five tablespoons per serving.You can use a baby spoon if needed.

You can also offer a dessert, such as: 

* Yogurt or quark with a little milk

* Special baby desserts (from 6 months)

* A boiled egg (start with half an egg yolk)

From seven months: bread, spreads, and self-feeding

From seven months onward, you can start introducing bread. Begin with a small crust and gradually build up to half or a whole slice of bread cut into small pieces. For example, you can spread it with:

• Peanut butter
• Jam
• Cream cheese
• Liver sausage

Fold the slice of bread in half before cutting it into pieces. This helps prevent the bread from sticking to the roof of your baby's mouth.

At this stage, your baby will also begin to eat more independently. This often comes with a lot of mess — be sure to give your baby plenty of space to practice!

From eight months: meat, fish, and variety

Your baby may now also eat meat or fish, combined with vegetables, potatoes, rice, or pasta. Think of foods such as spinach, tofu, or beans. Purée the meals again using a hand blender or mash them finely. Ready-made jars are also available again, with portions adjusted to your child's age and needs. You can also expand the choice of bread toppings, for example with cheese or chicken breast.

From one year: eating family meals

Around your child's first birthday, they may eat almost everything. Examples include:

• Cabbage vegetables such as kale, endive, and sauerkraut
• Fried foods such as egg or meat
• Fish
• Whole-grain products such as whole-grain bread and whole-grain pasta

You may now carefully add a little salt to meals, but use it sparingly — young children's kidneys are not yet able to process large amounts of salt.

Less appetite after the first year? That's normal

After the first birthday, it may sometimes seem as if your child suddenly eats less. That's true: while children grow an average of 8 to 10 kilos in their first year, growth in the second year is often only 2 to 3 kilos. As a result, their need for food decreases. In addition, children are now more focused on playing and exploring, making food seem less important.

Don't worry too quickly. Offer healthy snacks such as:

• Raw vegetables (for example cucumber, tomato, or carrot)
• A small soup or broth to stimulate appetite

Prefer offering water over sweet drinks, so your child doesn't feel full before mealtime.

Forcing food is counterproductive

Never force your child to eat. There are always phases when children eat less or refuse certain flavors. Stay patient. What is rejected today may become a favorite tomorrow. Simply try again later, and feel free to eat together — eating together is motivating!

From my own experience

My children started their first solid foods around four months of age. That went well. But after their first birthday, things became more difficult, especially with vegetables. Sometimes, out of concern, I would give them a sandwich if they refused vegetables. The result: for days, they mainly ate bread.

With my youngest, I handled it differently. I let him choose between two types of vegetables. That worked much better — he had a say, and therefore ate with less resistance.

Many parents I work with notice that their children eat fruit more easily than vegetables. That makes sense: fruit is often sweeter. My advice? Start with vegetables. If you introduce fruit first, the transition to vegetables is often more difficult.

Finally

Do you have questions about nutrition or need a feeding schedule? Then read this book or ask your question below.

Bedankt voor het lezen. Zorg goed voor jezelf, wees lief voor jezelf – en daarmee ook voor je kind. Tot de volgende blog!

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