The first year of introducing foods to your baby is mostly experimenting and tasting different foods. Most calories and nutrients can be obtained from breastmilk or quality formula.

When it comes to first foods, think nutrient-dense real foods. If you are eating these kinds of foods while breastfeeding, your baby is already exposed to the taste of them. This is because breastmilk taste changes based on what you are eating!

Nutritional considerations

Children are not simply small adults. They do have specific nutritional needs.

Calcium for baby

Calcium is particularly important for children, especially girls (who are more likely to develop osteoporosis or other bone problems later in life). Dairy is a gray area as some children do tolerate it well but there are many calcium-rich food sources including bones (bone-in salmon and sardines) and leafy green vegetables. Both of these have more absorbable calcium than what is obtained from dairy.

Vitamin D for babies

Low Vitamin D status is a problem for anyone who spends most of their time indoors. The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight: send your children outdoors to play!

Iron sources for babies

Iron deficiency is particularly common in children with weight concerns.  These children eat as much iron as anyone else, but the low-grade inflammation in their body prevents them from absorbing and using the iron. The solution is healing the inflammation rather than supplementing.

The most common recommended first food in North America is iron-fortified rice cereal. Initially this may seem logical. Babies naturally need more iron than they receive from breast milk at around age six months. However, iron-fortified processed foods are a relatively modern invention and begs the question of giving your child a fortified food rather than a food that naturally contains iron and other nutrients.

Best first foods for babies

You can absolutely start your baby off right by feeding them foods similar to what you may be eating, properly cooked (when necessary) and mashed or pureed.

Avocados

Depending on your baby’s ability to chew and swallow, you can puree, mash, or give soft chunks. Avocados are nutrient dense and loaded with good fats. Infants need a high fat diet for their developing brain, eyes, and neurological system.

Egg Yolk

Many pediatricians might warn you about starting eggs early because of possible allergies. The egg white does contain many different proteins that pose a risk to an immature gut. However, the yolk is gentle on the gut and loaded with healthy saturated fat and nutrients. Of course, choose only the best quality eggs.

Liver from grass-fed or pasture raised animals

Depending on your baby’s ability to chew or swallow, you would give small pieces or a puree. Liver from pasture raised animals is extremely rich sources of B vitamins, vitamin A, and iron. The iron in liver is bioavailable-meaning it will be digested and assimilated by baby’s body, unlike the iron fortified cereals and baby foods.

Sweet potato

Loaded with vitamin A and good carbohydrates these often taste good and work well when mixed with stronger meats like liver and fish.

Grass-fed beef 

Niacin, iron, choline, high in good omega 3 fats, nutrient rich, grass fed beef can be slow simmered or pureed as well as mixed with other vegetables.

Bone broth or bone marrow

Teething babies love to suck/chew on bones! As long as the bone does not have pieces sticking out that they can choke on, it can help with their teething and they may even suck nutrients from it.  Of course, quality is key, ensure the bone is from a grass-fed or pastured animal. You can scoop out the nutrient dense marrow from roasted marrow bones and serve it mixed with a little avocado or sweet potato. You can also add bone broth to your baby’s food.

Wild-caught salmon

These fish are an excellent source of the fatty acids essential for brain development. Wild salmon is also rich in Vitamin D.

Sticks of cooked vegetables

As long as the tongue thrust mechanism is gone (usually after 6 months), babies can chew on cooked vegetable sticks. Steam until tender and give them the little sticks to hold.

Mashed roasted squash or pumpkin 

High in vitamin A, pumpkins and squash (both w inter and summer) are great for mixing with grass-fed beef or liver.

Seasoning and spices

Get your baby used to different flavors! Play around with cinnamon, cumin, garlic, ginger, curry, dill, oregano, sage, thyme, basil, mint, lemongrass, pepper, etc. You want them to enjoy flavorful food just as you do. Baby food need not be bland. Babies of different ethnicities can enjoy the flavor of ethnic foods just as adults do.

Fats

And lots of them. Babies brains need fat, especially healthy, stable saturated fats. Fat insulates the brain, helps develop good eyesight, and satiates baby. You can also cook baby’s veggies and meats in pastured lard and tallow or try some duck fat or chicken schmaltz. You can use coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil in their food.

Once tolerance is established you can feed your baby raw full fat grass-fed milk (after 1 year), full fat yogurt or kefir (after 1 year), as well as a spoonful of ghee. With ghee, the milk proteins have been removed, leaving a fat rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), and fat-soluble vitamins, great for a growing brain. Raw cheese and goat cheese are a good option here too. Beware of giving your baby, toddler, or child anything labeled low-fat or fat free.

Babies have their own taste preferences, opinions, and growing levels of independence. Not every baby will tolerate the same tastes and textures, and even if they do, they may do it at different paces. The key to introducing new flavors or textures is to repeatedly try, and to try differently. There are, of course, many ideas of what makes a correct ‘first food’ as there are so many options. A good place to start is with nutrient-dense and non-starchy whole foods that have a low chance of causing an allergic response and let your baby be as independent as possible when eating.

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