Heading back to infant nutrition for this post. Here is a brief starting list of foods I find healthy for babies, kids, and adults alike. Included are some preparation tips and reasons to convince your loved ones to eat more of these healthy foods. This is by no means an all-inclusive guide to feeding your infant. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers great resources on starting solid foods here. Read information on feeding your children healthy fatty foods here.
Cauliflower and broccoli. I always tell patients that my favorite family of veggies is the cruciferous family, named for its four crossing leaves. Included in this family are Brussels sprouts, arugula, cabbage, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower. Everyone needs the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant power of cruciferous veggies at least once, if not a few times a week. Studies in animals and humans found cruciferous foods have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and even anti-microbial properties.
For babies, you can steam and puree your cauliflower and/or broccoli. Or, if you’re doing baby-led weaning, cook the food long enough that your baby’s gums and tongue can mash it when they break off a piece.
As kids get older, you can cook your veggies (I prefer roasted or sauteed) until they are well done and then cut them into finger food sizes.
Pureed cauliflower can be mixed in with other foods, like sweet potatoes or avocado. Older kids may love mashed potatoes with a secret ingredient of cauliflower. Sssh!
Sweet potatoes. This is a no-brainer. Steam up some sweet potatoes and then mash or blend to get a nice puree. As kids get older and can pick up finger foods, you can cube and steam them, and your child can pick up this sweet, yet healthy snack.
Health benefits: sweet potatoes and other yellow vegetables are full of carotenoids, which have antioxidant, immune and even fertility properties. Carotenoids are found in colostrum, early breast milk, and are thought to aid in brain and eye development. Sweet potatoes are second only to beef liver when it comes to carotenoid concentrations and they are much easier to find in the grocery store.
Berries. Many parents are hesitant to start berries with their children. Historically, pediatricians sometimes warned that berries could be allergenic. This is not the case and it turns out babies should be offered all kinds of food– especially highly allergenic foods like nuts– early and often. In fact, earlier introduction of peanuts to high risk infants reduced the incidence of peanut allergy.
Berries are rich in antioxidants, full of anti-inflammatory flavonoids, and a must-eat for all ages! A study in Circulation even showed cardio-protective effects (less heart attacks!) in women who consumed strawberries and blueberries.
Berries are easy to feed to babies because they are so soft. They can be mashed and mixed into food like yogurt or given as a finger food. You can cut the berries to a size your child can handle.
Tomatoes. Full of lycopene, another carotenoid, tomato consumption has been associated with reduced cancer risk. Tomatoes can easily be cooked into sauces or pureed and blended with other foods, like carrots or sweet potatoes. They can also be chopped and cooked with soups, stews, beans, and lentils.
As infants get older, tomatoes make a great finger food. If your child has trouble with the peel, peel the tomato first and then cut it into manageable pieces.
Final Thoughts:
- Foods that are healthy for adults are healthy for kids and vice versa. Unless it is a choking hazard, like popcorn, nuts, sticky or gummy foods—anything that cannot be easily mashed and swallowed in a mouth without teeth—babies can enjoy the food.
- Most parents start out fairly healthy with their babies, but as kids get older, faster, packaged, and pricessed foods become easier. Eating real foods will always be the better option. Try to maintain that goal in your home, even after your babies are beyond highchairs.
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