Ten Healthy Infant Breakfast (6-18 months) Easy and Healthy Morning Meals.
Breakfast is a very significant meal to babies. Babies require nutrients and energy to begin their day after spending a long time in sleep. Healthy breakfast helps to build the brain, digestive system and the general growth.
Most parents always have a question of what to give their baby in the morning. The positive thing is that it is possible to prepare baby breakfast in a simple way, homemade and healthy. You do not have to make complicated recipes. Healthy meals can be made in a few minutes using simple materials such as rice, fruits, vegetables and grains.
Some of the simple but healthy breakfast tips to be adopted by babies between the age of 6 to 18 months.
The importance of Breakfast to Babies.
Infants develop rapidly in the age of the first two years. To ensure this high growth, their bodies require proper nutrition. Breakfast helps in many ways:
- Provides energy for the day
- Supports brain development
- Improves digestion
- Helps have the proper weight.
- Develops healthy eating patterns at an early age.
Missing breakfast can make infants angry and irritated. Delicate breakfast makes them energetic and cheerful.
The following are some easy and simple breakfast meal ideas that are healthy and not complex to make.
1.Rice Porridge (Rice Kanji)
One of the initial foods administered to babies is rice porridge. It is not hard to digest and it is soft to the stomach of a baby.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons rice powder
- 1 cup water
Preparation
On low heats, cook the rice powder using water until it gets smooth and soft. Keep on stirring to prevent any lumps.
Mashed vegetables such as pumpkin or carrot are also good to add in order to increase the nutritional value.
2.Mashed Banana
Banana is considered to be among the best breakfast food to babies. It is sweet in nature and high in potassium.
How to prepare
You will need a ripe banana which you mash either with a spoon till it is smooth. In the case of younger babies, it can be softened by adding a small amount of breast milk or the warm water.
Banana is a quick energy source and it prolongs the satisfaction of babies.
3.Oatmeal Porridge
Oats contain a lot of fiber, iron and valuable vitamins. They also are delicate to the digestion.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oats powder
- 1 cup water or milk (when the babies are over 1 year old)
Beat the water on the oats until they soften. To make it tastier, one can add mashed apple or banana.
Oatmeal has been found out to be an excellent breakfast food that keeps babies full long.
4.Idli with Dal Water
Babies like soft idli as a breakfast. It is prepared using fermented lentils and rice hence it is nutritious and not difficult to digest.
How to serve
Mash a bit of idli using warm water of dal or a soup of vegetables. Ensure that the texture is not hard in order to be easily swallowed by the baby.
Healthy development is achieved through this meal with protein and carbohydrates.
5.Apple Puree
Another simple and healthy breakfast is Apple puree.
Preparation
Prepare pieces of an apple cutting it into small pieces. Steam or boil it until soft. Puree it, mash or blend it.
Apples are a good source of fiber and vitamins which facilitate digestion.
6.Vegetable Upma
Vegetable upma is a healthy breakfast among babies that are at the age of 8 months or older.
Ingredients
- Semolina (rava)
- Carrot
- Beans
- Water
Boil semolina until soft in chopped vegetables. Make sure that the texture is soft and babies can eat.
This food is energy giving and contains important vitamins.
7.Dal Porridge
Dal porridge contains high amounts of protein and facilitates good development of the muscles.
Preparation
Prepare yellow moongdal till very soft. Blend it thoroughly and blend it with some rice or warm water.
Dal porridge is not much to the stomach and is highly nutritious to babies.
8.Sweet Potato Mash
The sweet potatoes contain high amounts of vitamin A and fiber.
Preparation
Sweet potatoes are cooked by streaming or boiling. Mash them well with a fork.
It also goes well with rice porridge which makes it a hearty breakfast meal.
9.Multigrain Baby Cereal
Produced multigrain cereal is a good breakfast. It is a combination of grains and pulses which are balanced in nutrition.
Common ingredients include:
- Rice
- Ragi
- Wheat
- Green gram
- Almonds (infants above 1 year of age)
It is a healthy cereal that helps to gain weight and to have good immunity.
10.Yogurt with Mashed Fruit
Yogurt and fruit make a refreshing breakfast to babies over the age of 9-10 months.
Combine plain yogurt with banana, apple or pear, mashed.
Yogurt is rich in probiotics which aid in increased gut health and digestion.
Baby Breakfast Preparation Tips.
It does not need to be difficult to prepare baby food. Here are some helpful tips:
1.Choose fresh ingredients
Fresh fruits, vegetables and grains should be used at all times.
2.Avoid sugar and salt
Babies do not require the addition of sugar or salt.
3.Keep the texture soft
Food must be soft and not hard to swallow.
4.Introduce new foods slowly
Add a single new ingredient to eliminate allergies.
5.Maintain hygiene
Be careful to wash hands, cutlery and ingredients before cooking.
Foods to Avoid for Baby Breakfast
There are certain foods that cannot be given to babies and usually not before they attain the age of one year.
Avoid:
- Honey (before 1 year)
- Processed sugar
- Fried foods
- Packaged baby snacks
- Very spicy foods
Home meals are the healthiest to have.
Final Thoughts
You do not necessarily have to be a cook to prepare a healthy breakfast to your baby. This is because simple home-cooked dishes such as rice porridge, mashed fruit, oats and dal supply all the nutrients that babies require to grow.
The trick is to make meals fresh, healthy and digestible. Introducing new food and textures may be done gradually, as a baby develops.
Having a good breakfast does not only aid in the growth of your baby, but also aids in the establishment of life long healthy eating behaviors.



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