7 Super Foods for Babies

We endured all sorts of old fashioned criticisms while we waited out the 6 months before putting Aaron on solids. Once started, we've just had so much fun introducing new foods. Aaron LOVES to eat. Here is a list of some of the main foods we feed Aaron. The ones with asterisks (*) are also mentioned in the Super Baby Food Book by Ruth Yaron.

1) Rolled Oats - We started out pressing this through a sieve but now that he's nearly 1, we just cook it longer and feed it to him whole.

2) Yoghurt* - Plain ones of course. This will help the baby get the fats he/she needs. We mix this in with the rolled oats.

3) Quinoa - This is an unlikely first food for babies but I replaced cereals or rice with this because it is so nutritious. Once again, we started out pressing it through a sieve but now feed it whole. Quinoa is extremely high in protein, calcium and iron.

4) Banana* - Not only is this great for soothing teething gums, it also helps with the babies motor skills when offered as a finger food. They are also extremely nutritious.

4) Sweet Potato* - There is an abundance of this in Palembang so Aaron has them several times a week. It is highly nutritious and rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A).

5) Avocados* - These were also in season when we first arrived here. Avocados provide good unsaturated fatty acids that are needed for brain development.

6) Tofu* - The soft silky variety. No need to mash these, just need to break it up and mix in with the Quinoa.

7) Barley - I just boil these for a couple of hours and then feed it to Aaron a few grains at a time. Its fun for him because they are like little balls that roll around his mouth. Good for when he's having a bad teething day too. Barley is high in fiber.

Other than these, we give Aaron an assortment of vegetables and fruits. So far, we have not started him on meats yet. When we do, I think his first taste will be of frogs. With the Bird Flu in this region, we no longer eat chicken. Pork is hard to come by and beef here is just too tough. So, frog it will be. It sounds gross and initially, I didn't eat it either but its a white meat and extremely low in fat.