Friday, June 12, 2009

Second Stage ~ Tasty Vegetables

As babies grow they prefer a chunkier textured baby food.
Cook a range of fresh seasonal vegetables with meat or chicken.

Babies also like fresh vegetables with pasta, in soups or simmered in a casserole until tender.

Add chopped fresh herbs like flat-leaf parsley or chives for additional flavour.
Fresh vegetables are colourful, packed with natural goodness and loaded with beneficial vitamins. In addition, they’re a good source of dietary fibre for your baby or toddler.

Easy Veggie Snacks And Meals
For breakfast or a snack, spread wholemeal toast or muffins with creamed cottage cheese and mashed avocado.
Offer lightly steamed vegetables like carrot sticks or broccoli florets as finger food.
They team well with ricotta cheese and/or hummus dip.
Bake or microwave jacket potatoes until very tender, allow to cool slightly, scoop out the flesh and serve with some mashed or whole baked beans or cottage cheese.
Steam a selection of chopped fresh vegetables and toss with cheese sauce.
Make a hearty vegetable soup like Minestrone, Chicken, Vegetable & Noodle or Corn Chowder for your toddler.

Home-made Soups freeze well so they’re ready for a quick meal.

Easy Fruits For Your Baby/Toddlers
Fruit is a great source of valuable vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fibre.
It’s a healthy, quick and easy finger food for your toddler.
Fresh fruit also makes the ideal dessert!

Please note, avoid offering Strawberries (Citric Fruits) until your baby is 12 months of age as some babies have a reaction to strawberries.
*Check it with the Doctor first.

Quick Fruit Serving Ideas For Baby/Toddlers…
Stir naturally sweet finely chopped Banana, Berries, Mango or Paw Paw or Strawberries (depending on age) through Yoghurt or Custard.
Puree Apple, Pear or Strawberries and swirl through Yoghurt or Drizzle over a diced fresh fruit salad.

Make a fresh fruit compote by simmering a range of fresh fruits like sliced Rhubarb, Blueberries, apple and Strawberries in water or juice until tender.

In summer, use Peaches, Apricots and Nectarines. Colourful and bursting with goodness, the fruit compote can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge ready to spoon over Cereal, Porridge or Yoghurt for breakfast or serve for Dessert with a drizzle of Custard or some Rice pudding.

Serve toddlers soft fresh fruit as finger food. Include peeled and deseeded Rock Melon, Honeydew Melon or Watermelon wedges, Kiwifruit and Mango.

Metric Conversions

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