Getting Your Baby To Eat Vegetables
When you speak to friends and family as also health experts
on what would be some of the best baby foods you would have
heard them say unequivocally – fresh fruits and vegetables.
These contain all the essential nutrients, minerals and
vitamins necessary for proper growth of babies and it is never
too early to start them on a healthy diet of fruits and
vegetables.
When you first start giving your babies solid foods, you may
have been advised to start with vegetables at the beginning and
introduce fruits once a few vegetables have been introduced.
This is because babies really enjoy the sweet taste of fruit
after which they may refuse to eat vegetables. There are many
such tips that may help you get your baby to start eating
vegetables.
· Many babies may find the taste of
vegetables especially the boiled ones fairly bland. Instead of
cooking the vegetables in water, try using some chicken stock
or beef stock – the vegetables will immediately acquire a very
different taste. Do not try commercial stock, as they will have
salt added to them.
· Some suggest mixing pureed vegetables with
pureed fruits to give it a different taste. Try stirring some
pureed veggies into pureed fish for some extra nutrients.
· Another excellent idea is to prepare a dish
of vegetables and then top it up using grated cheddar cheese.
You could also serve some nice finger food vegetables with a
cheese dip.
· If your baby loves soup or even any pasta
sauce, just add some extra vegetables to them. Your baby will
enjoy the soup or pasta without even noticing the vegetables in
them.
· Older babies may enjoy some grated pumpkin
or carrots being added to home made baked stuff like
muffins.
· The best time to offer vegetables is when
you know your baby is really hungry. If your baby is not
hungry, then she may tend to be fussy about food. On the other
hand, if you give her some nice finger foods when she is
hungry, she will not only eat it up but enjoy its taste as
well.
· Mashed potatoes is another great dish –
easy to make and great to eat for little babies. By using sweet
potatoes instead of regular white ones, you are adding extra
nutrients and source of beta-carotene to your baby’s diet.
· Take care and see that you do not overcook
the vegetables. When the vegetables are overcooked, not only do
they look weird in texture, lose most of their nutrients but
also lose their taste. For your baby to start liking
vegetables, they have to taste well as look good.
· Finally, the most important step. As
parents you can set a very good example to your baby by eating
plenty of vegetables yourself. Whenever you serve some
vegetables to your baby, take some yourself and show your baby
how much you are enjoying it. Your baby will naturally want to
emulate you and will start eating the veggies.
Thus by showing great patience and using some innovative
methods, you can get your baby to start eating her vegetables
today.
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