It’s incredible how time flies by and now your baby is already 6 months old. As parents, you brace yourself for the new phase to come, especially to provide proper nourishment. Once your child is 6 months old, it is time to introduce diet changes. Now is the time to introduce them, slowly, to solid foods. Wholesome nutrition is essential for the overall growth and development of the baby, and solid foods will provide it. Solid foods such as porridge, fruit or vegetable purees are advised to be included as complimentary meals along with breast milk and formula.
Confused? Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! This blog will provide you with a simple 6 months baby food chart for indian diet that is easy to follow. As a bonus, you’ll also get access to some child favourite healthy recipes! Read on to learn more about these topics.
How Do You Know When Your Baby Is Ready To Start Eating Solids?
Multiple expert recommendations state that 6 months is an ideal age to introduce solid foods to your baby. But this depends by far on one’s individual development, and thus the best time to start solid foods will vary.
If you start feeding solids prematurely, the child will not be able to swallow or digest them. However, they’ll develop a natural repulsive mechanism with regard to solid foods. Thereby disrupting future eating practices. On the other hand, starting late will tend to resist trying new foods. Particularly since solid food necessitates swallowing and chewing. Thus, it’s best to consult a paediatrician for determining the best course.
However, as parents, there are a few signs that you must look out for that will hint that your child is ready for a solid food diet. The signs are as follows:
- Your child is able to sit upright with some support.
- Your kid is able to control their head and neck movements.
- There is a newfound interest in table foods. This can be displayed through grabbing food or cutlery. Or the child might become hungry in the presence of solid food.
- Pay close attention to the tongue movements. If there is an up-and-down or back-and-forth movement, your child may be ready for solid food.
- If your child is putting objects into their mouth.
- Your child is opening their mouth wide open, wide enough to put a spoon through it.
6 Month Baby Food Chart Week 1
BM/F- Breast milk/ Formula
6 Month Baby Food Chart Week 2
BM/F- Breast milk/ Formula
6 Month Baby Food Chart Week 3
BM/F- Breast milk/ Formula
6 Month Baby Food Chart Week 4
BM/F- Breast milk/ Formula
What Are Some Best Food For 6 Month Old Baby?
In this section, we’ve listed out the recipes for some of the best food for 6 months baby. You can refer to the above 6 month baby food chart to decide on the meal plan.
Fruit Puree
Directions to make:
- Take a fruit of your choice and wash it.
- Peel off the skin and cut them into thin slices or small pieces.
- Put these slices or pieces into a blender.
- Blend it into a smooth paste. Add a small amount of water if needed to get the desired consistency.
- Pour it in a bowl and garnish it with chopped fruits of your choice. You may choose to serve it immediately.
Cereal Porridge
Directions to make:
Rice Cereal:
- Take ½ cup rice and wash it thoroughly.
- Once the rice is clean, put it on a dry cotton cloth and allow it to dry for 2 to 3 hours.
- Dry roast the rice on a medium flame. This should take about 3-5 minutes.
- Place the rice in a separate plate and allow it to cool down.
- Grind the rice using a blender to get a fine powder.
To Prepare Porridge:
- Take 2 tablespoons of the prepared rice powder and add it to a pan.
- Add a cup of water to it and mix it.
- Now put it on a gas stove and allow it to heat for some time. It usually takes about 7 minutes before the mixture starts to thicken.
- Ensure to stir it properly to avoid any lumps and food sticking at the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the porridge to a bowl and you may garnish it with fruits. Serve.
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Rice Porridge
Directions to make:
- Take 2-3 spoons of home made rice powder and add it to a pan.
- Add 1 cup of water.
- Heat the mixture till it simmers. Usually it takes about 6-7 minutes before it is ready.
- Keep stirring to avoid formation of lumps.
- Allow it to cool down a little and serve in a bowl.
If you don't have time to make homemade rice porridge, you can choose from Bebe Burp's wide range of porridge mixes to feed your child.
Carrot Puree
Directions to make:
- Take a carrot and wash it with water. Peel the skin and cut the carrot in pieces.
- Put 2-3 tablespoons of water in a pressure cooker. Add carrot pieces to it.
- Cook it for 2 whistles and check to see if the carrot pieces are soft and mushy.
- Alternatively, you can steam the carrot in a pan. This helps to retain the nutritional value of the food.
- Put the carrot pieces in the blender and blend it into a thin and smooth paste. Add a little more water if needed.
- Serve in a bowl.
Khichdi Cereal
Directions to make:
- Take 1/4th cup of rice and mix it with 2 tablespoons of moong dal.
- Put this mixture in a pressure cooker.
- Add a pinch of haldi, salt and cumin powder.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of home made ghee and pour 2 cups of water.
- Cook the mixture on medium flame for at least 6 whistles.
- Open the lid and check if the ingredients are cooked properly.
- You can now mash the ingredients to make a smooth paste like a puree. Alternatively, you can blend it.
- You can opt to garnish it with ghee and serve.
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Barley Banana Porridge
Directions to make:
- Take a medium sized banana and cut it into slices.
- Put the slices in a blender and make a smooth paste. Keep this puree aside for now.
- In a pan add 2 tablespoons of barley powder.
- Pour 1 cup of water to the barley powder.
- Cook the mixture at a medium flame. Keep stirring to avoid any lumps and to prevent mixture from sticking to the pan.
- This usually takes about 6-7 minutes.
- Once the barley is cooked, add the banana puree to it. Mix well.
- Cook the mixture for another 2-3 minutes and your porridge is ready.
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Some Tips On How To Start Solid Foods For Your Baby
While you research on which is the best food for 6 month toddlers, you’ll come across various options. Choose a diet that provides the necessary combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for your baby’s overall development.
You can also follow a few tips when starting solid foods for your baby to ease the transition in diet. Here are a few of them -
- Always blend or mash the cooked ingredients such as fruits, cereals, or vegetables to make a smooth paste. This will make it easier for your baby to swallow.
- Avoid serving any choking hazards such as pieces of fruits, raw vegetable pieces, nuts, raisins, grapes, to name a few.
- If you are serving fruits that have seeds, like guava, ensure to remove them before you serve your toddler.
- Create a meal-chart for your baby and follow it. This will ensure that a routine is created for your baby and the body will also slowly adapt to it. You can refer to the prepared 6 months baby food chart for indian diet given above and follow it to introduce solid food to your baby.
- Introduce a variety of food to enhance the taste buds of your kid and also to prevent them from getting bored of the same taste.
- Most importantly, keep a lookout for allergic reactions like rashes, vomiting, hives, wheezing, nausea, diarrhoea and acidity. Call your paediatrician immediately if any of these signs surface.
Conclusion:
Preparing for your baby’s solid food journey is an exciting phase in the lives of parents as well as the baby. With so many options to choose from, you can curate a diet using the best food for 6 month old baby. You can make the recipes at home or buy ready-made mixes in the market, depending on your situation and lifestyle. The end goal is to ensure that your baby gets the nutrition needed for the development of their bones, brain, and a healthy lifestyle.
FAQS
- How many times a day should I feed solids to my 6 month old?
The best way to feed solids is to start with one meal a day. Slowly, you can increase the number to two meals a day. This will provide sufficient time for your baby’s body to adjust to the new diet. You can then introduce three meals, combined with breast milk or formula, and snacks.
2.Can my 6 month old eat eggs?
Yes, you can feed your 6-month-old eggs when you introduce solid foods to their diet.
3.When can a baby eat yoghurt?
Your baby can start eating yoghurt when they’ve reached the age of 6 months. This is the age when you introduce other solid foods to their diet too.
4.When should a baby start drinking water?
When your baby is 6 months old, you can start giving them small amounts of water along with solid foods.
5.Can I give the chicken to my 6 month old?
Yes, you can feed chicken to your 6-month-old. Begin by introducing a small amount of chicken into their diet and allowing the body to adjust to the new diet.