Meal Planning for Infants Below 1 Year of Age

Question 1

what are some general information to take note of when planning meals for infants?

Answer 1

• period of rapid growth

- diet should supply good sources of protein, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins in easily digestible form

Question 2

how to plan meals for infants in the first 6 months?

Answer 2

• diet consists mainly of milk
• from 4 months -> may start to introduce other foods such as orange juice for vitamin C
• semi-solid foods may be introduced from 4 months: rice porridge, fine grained cereals, puréed vegetables, puréed fruits, homemade blended soups
• when introducing new foods, introduce one item at a time -> after a few days, another new food may be introduced -> this is to check for allergies
• when introducing new foods, give only a small amount -> amount given may be increased as baby gets used to the new food

Question 3

how to plan meals for infants 6 to 12 months?

Answer 3

• more solid foods may be given from 8 to 9 months -> for example, mashed potatoes may be served with minced liver and finely chopped vegetables
• encourage eating of essential foods -> discourage formation of a taste for sweet foods
• fish and meat may be cut into small pieces -> so that the child can chew and digest them more easily
• remove bones and gristle -> to prevent the child from choking on food

Question 4

what are some examples of dishes suitable for infants?

Answer 4

• cream soups
• stewed fruits
• steamed puddings