A child’s nutrition is the most important thing a doting parent must be aware of. Parents are especially particular about their child’s nutrition while he or she is still an infant.
It’s crucial for any baby to receive the proper nutrition at an early age, since this is the period when he or she grows the most. Usually, breast milk or milk formulas are the first food given to babies. After several months, parents then slowly shift their babies to eating solid baby food.
The most common types of baby food are soft, easy-to-digest and made from healthy, organic ingredients. These nutritious infant foods help prepare a baby’s digestion system for real solid food.
There are different kinds of baby foods that vary according to composition, texture and taste. Often, these foods are mashed, creating a sticky, liquid-like consistency that infants can easily chew and swallow.
Baby food is usually given to infants who are between four months and two years old. These foods are available in different flavors and often contain fruits, vegetables, oats and cereals. Popular examples of infant food include mashed potatoes, mashed carrots, spinach, rice cereals, tofu and oatmeal.
Many parents prefer making homemade baby food for their infant, but there are also numerous food manufacturers today that sell a variety of pre-packed, frozen and canned baby food that is ready-to-eat. Major manufacturers include Gerber, H.J. Heinz Company, Earth’s Best and Beech-Nut.
Feeding baby food to infants should be done in a slow and gradual manner. You can give small amounts of food to the infant and as a sample. A teaspoon or two for every eating session will suffice. This allows your baby to slowly get used to the new food’s taste and texture. If he or she doesn’t like the food, try mixing a small amount of formula milk with it so that he or she will find a familiar taste.