Baby led weaning recipes
Baby led weaning (BLW) is a popular approach to introducing solid foods to babies. With BLW, babies are given finger foods that they can eat themselves, rather than being spoon-fed purees. This approach has been shown to have a number of benefits, including helping babies to develop self-feeding skills, promoting healthy eating habits, and reducing the risk of choking.
If you're interested in trying BLW with your baby, there are a few things you'll need to do to get started. First, you'll need to make sure that your baby is ready for solid foods. This usually means that they are around 6 months old and have good head control. You'll also need to choose a variety of safe, finger-sized foods for your baby to eat. Some good options include:
* Soft fruits: Avocado, banana, cooked fruit
* Soft vegetables: Cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, squash
* Meat: Cooked chicken, fish, tofu
* Scrambled eggs
* Oatmeal
* Yogurt
Once you've chosen some foods, you'll need to prepare them in a way that is safe for your baby. This means cutting them into small pieces and removing any choking hazards, such as pits or bones. You can also puree some foods if your baby has difficulty chewing them.
Once the food is prepared, simply place it in front of your baby and let them go to town! It's important to supervise your baby closely at all times, but most babies are able to eat finger foods safely and independently.
Here are a few recipes that are perfect for baby led weaning:
**Sweet Potato Pancakes**
Ingredients:
* 1 sweet potato, mashed
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup flour
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a bowl, combine sweet potato, egg, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix well until batter is smooth.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Serve hot.
**Banana Oatmeal Muffins**
Ingredients:
* 1 ripe banana
* 1/2 cup oatmeal
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 cup mashed avocado
* 1 egg
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- In a bowl, mash the banana.
- Add the oatmeal, milk, avocado, egg, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix well until batter is smooth.
- Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Serve hot.
**Applesauce**
Ingredients:
* 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
* 1/2 cup water
Instructions:
- Place the apple and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is soft and the water has evaporated.
- Mash the apple with a fork or potato masher.
- Serve warm.
**Sweet Potato Fries**
Ingredients:
* 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into thin fries
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- In a bowl, toss the sweet potato fries with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve hot.
These are just a few of the many recipes that you can use to introduce your baby to solid foods with baby led weaning. With a little creativity, you can come up with endless possibilities!