Baby Led Weaning Recipes

Baby Led Weaning has become the food introduction method par excellence. Therefore, we encourage you to try these Baby Led Weaning recipes that we propose.

The introduction of food starts from the first 6 months of having received exclusive breastfeeding. Traditionally, baby food was the method par excellence, but since 2003 more and more families are opting for Baby Led Weaning . Next, you will be able to know what it consists of and discover various Baby Led Weaning recipes .

Baby Led Weaning : another way to introduce food

It consists of offering the baby food in small pieces so that he can take it with his hands. Although the advice is to start just after 6 months, you have to assess whether you can do it taking into account the following premises:

• He sits down with his head upright.
• Coordinate your hands, eyes, and mouth so you can see, grasp, and eat food.
• You can swallow solid food without spitting it out.

It has the advantage that they will eat the same as the rest of the family, avoiding products designed exclusively for babies that usually have added sugars. In addition, it is the way you make your diet healthy, varied and complete in terms of nutrients. You can even regulate your intake by stopping when you feel full and at the speed that you consider appropriate.

Can you eat any food?

In principle, yes, except those advised against due to the risk of choking. They are usually foods that cannot be grasped well with their hands until they are 9 months old because of the way they are, since they do not have the ability to pinch with their fingers. But before knowing which foods to avoid, it is important to follow safety rules, such as:

1. An adult must always be present to monitor and act as quickly as possible before any sign of alarm.
2. Avoid any type of distraction, such as television, games, etc.
3. The baby must be well seated, without leaning or lying down.
4. No one has to put any food in his mouth, he has to do it himself.
   

All followed, the foods that should not be offered are:

• Whole nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, Brazilian coquitos…), seeds and peanuts before 3 years of age. Meanwhile, you can eat them ground or crushed, as if they were a cream (spread on bread or as part of a recipe).
• Candies and sweets up to 5 years old, since because they are swallowed in a single bite and swallowing and chewing skills are poorly developed, the risk of aspiration increases.
• Whole round foods, such as chickpeas, peas, cherries, berries, olives, and grapes. In addition, some have bone, which must be removed previously, and crushed or cut into small pieces.
• Sausages and frankfurts, since their size is similar to their airways.
• Hard foods. like raw carrot and apple, or popcorn.
• The toast type biscotes or crackers, and the breadsticks.
• Raw vegetables, such as bell pepper, onion, celery, etc.

Baby Led Weaning Recipes

Having seen all of the above, we are going to put it into practice with healthy recipes loaded with nutrients.

Vegetable recipes

• Spiced zucchini cubes

Ingredients

• Zucchini.
• Rosemary.
• Pepper.
• Virgin olive oil.

Preparation 

First, wash the zucchini and dice it. Put them in a baking dish with oil and spices. Bake at 180ºC for 40-45 minutes until soft.

• Pumpkin bites with olive leaf

Ingredients

• Pumpkin.
• 250g of black olives.
• 40ml of virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic.
• Parsley.

Preparation 

Peel and seed the pumpkin. Cut it into thin slices and cook it on both sides in a skillet. Meanwhile, mash the black olives with the oil and the rest of the ingredients. Once you have everything ready, spread the pumpkin with the pate.

Recipes with legumes

They are the main source of vegetable proteins, especially in vegetarian and vegan children. They are also a source of iron although their absorption is lower due to the presence of phytates.

However, they can be inactivated and improve the degree of absorption by soaking, cooking or germinating them. Even accompany them with peppers or a citrus (orange, tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple and kiwi), since they are rich in vitamin C.

• Carrot hummus 

Ingredients

• 200g of chickpeas or any cooked legume.
• 150g of carrot.
• 1 tablespoon of tahini (sesame cream).
• Oil.
• Cumin (optional).
• Salt.
• Peppers.

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients adding the oil little by little until you get a creamy texture.

• Pea cream and yogurt

Ingredients

• 300g of peas.
• 600ml of vegetable broth.
• 1 natural yogurt.
• Mint leaves to taste
• Oil.

Preparation 

Cook the peas in a pot. Blend them with the rest of the ingredients in the blender. You can decorate it with a drizzle of virgin olive oil and some ham shavings.

Don’t miss the fish!

• Hake and sweet potato meatballs

Ingredients

• 200g of hake.
• 1 medium sweet potato.
• Virgin olive oil.

Preparation

First of all, bake the sweet potato at 180ºC for 35-40 minutes. Check that it is well cooked by pricking with the tip of the knife. Reserve it. Next, boil the hake for 5 minutes. Place the sweet potato in a bowl and mash it with a fork.

Remove the bones and skin from the fish and mix it with the sweet potato until well integrated. Add a little oil to it. Take handfuls of dough and shape it into balls. Brown them in the pan with oil so they don’t stick.

B aby Led Weaning recipes from fruits and nuts

• Banana Peanut Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
• 1-2 medium bananas.
• 1 glass of milk or vegetable drink, except rice.
• Cinnamon powder.

Preparation

Add all the ingredients in a jug except the cinnamon and mix them with the blender. Give it the final touch by decorating it with cinnamon.

• Energy balls

To give you enough energy to keep playing.

Ingredients

• 6 dates.
• 1 tablespoon of cashew or peanut butter.
• 100g of chopped walnuts.
• Cocoa powder without added sugar.
• Liquid coconut oil (optional).

Preparation

First, put the dates to soak. Then remove the bone from them. Add all the ingredients in a bowl and crush them. If you find it difficult, add a little coconut oil. Finally, take chunks, shape them into balls, and coat them with cocoa.

As you can see, the Baby Led Weaning is totally safe and only requires a little imagination to present the dishes. He thinks that they will not only learn to eat healthy but they will develop their motor skills and discover the importance of eating as a family.