Stage 1 Baby Food List
Always consult your physician before following the food list below. The content in this article does not replace any sort of medical advice.
So, you have a baby, and you’re wondering what to feed her. It’s time for solids, but you’re unsure where to start. This stage 1 baby food list will help.
Stage 1 baby foods are the first foods your little one will try after transitioning from breast milk or formula to solid foods.
The goal of these first foods is to introduce your baby to the concept of eating table food — picking it up with their fingers and putting it in their mouth.
Stage 1 foods are very soft and have no lumps, so they don’t need to be chewed.
Your little one shouldn’t need more than a bite or two of each food you offer because his tummy is small! (And if he doesn’t swallow it all, he may spit out some food).
If he’s still hungry, offer small amounts of breast milk or formula.
But how do you get started? Make sure that your baby is ready for solids by looking for these signs:
- Sitting up with little or no support
- Good head control
- Showing interest in food by trying to grab it or put it in their mouth
- Opening the mouth when food comes near
How Does the Stage 1 Baby Food Diet Work?
Stage 1 Baby Food List – How Does the Stage 1 Baby Food Diet Work?
There are three different stages of infant formula. The first is stage one, which means that it is for babies 0 to 4 months old.
The next stage is stage two, which is for babies 4 to 6 months old, and the last stage is stage three, which is for babies six months and older.
Stage one baby foods include strained or mashed fruits and vegetables without additives or sweeteners.
This can include common applesauce, pears, bananas and carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes. The purees must be smooth with no lumps or other solids in them.
It’s important to remember that while feeding your child baby food, they should not have additional food sources like cereal or water until they are at least six months old.
Babies need the nutrition from breast milk to grow properly during their first year of life.
Some parents will choose to make their baby food at home rather than buy it premade from a store.
You can avoid potentially harmful chemicals like BPA (bisphenol A) that may leach out of some plastic packaging into your baby’s food by making your own.
If you decide to make your own, it’s important only to use fresh fruits, and vegetables washed thoroughly.
How Do you Make Stage 1 Baby Food?
Stage 1 Baby Food List – How Do you Make Stage 1 Baby Food?
Making stage 1 baby food is super easy. The only tricky thing about making stage 1 baby food is choosing which foods to use.
Benefits of Stage 1 Baby Food
Some of the benefits of Stage 1 baby food include:
You can make it yourself
You can buy as much or as little stage 1 baby food as you won’t—don’t feel like you need to stock up on jars of freshly pureed peas and sweet potatoes.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make your own.
You don’t have to give up breastfeeding.
You heard right, mama: there’s no need to choose between nursing and introducing solids—you can do both!
Stick with breastfeeding until your little one is at least six months old, and then start slowly introducing stage 1 baby foods into her diet.
It’s easy to digest
Stage 1 foods are so smooth and watery that they’re easily digestible for babies who aren’t quite ready for solids just yet.
The first time you offer your little one some sweet potato puree, she might spit it out (she’ll need time to adjust), but watch her dig in once she does!
It is nutritious and has the right consistency
Stage 1 baby food is an easy way to introduce your baby to the nutrition they need. Some are even fortified with iron, which can help prevent anemia in your child.
Stage 1 baby foods have just the right consistency for babies who haven’t developed chewing skills yet.
They’re also easy to swallow, as they don’t have chunks or lumps that could get caught in a young infant’s throat.
Variety of flavors and textures
As your baby gets used to stage 1 baby food, you can start introducing them to different flavors and textures by feeding them different varieties of stage 1 food.
This will help them develop a taste for different flavor profiles as they grow and learn about different types of foods.
Tips for Introducing your Baby to Stage 1 Baby Food
Stage 1 Baby Food List – Tips for Introducing your Baby to Stage 1 Baby Food
Introducing your baby to solid foods is a big step, so you probably have many questions. One of the most common concerns among parents is what foods to feed their baby first.
It’s best to start with a single-grain, iron-fortified baby cereal. Rice cereal has traditionally been the first food for babies, but you can start with any you prefer.
Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal mixed with breast milk, formula, or water. Another good first option is an iron-rich puréed meat.
When introducing solids, remember:
- Start slowly with one new food at a time. This makes it easier to identify potential allergies or sensitivities.
- Wait three to five days between each new food. Some foods may cause an allergic reaction (even if your child isn’t allergic), so you will want to introduce them one at a time.
- Don’t add cereal to the bottle unless directed by your doctor. Doing so can cause your baby to fill up on formula or breast milk and not eat as much solid food.
Final Thoughts
Feeding an infant can be a daunting responsibility. What is the best way to feed your baby?
When should you introduce solid foods? What foods should you introduce first? There are many questions and opinions on how to best approach the task of infant feeding.
With a Stage 1 baby food list, however, you should have an easier time transitioning your baby to solid foods.
Stage 1 Baby Food List Table
| Day | Breakfast | Snack | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice cereal with formula or breast milk | 1/4 cup of plain yogurt | Rice cereal with formula or breast milk, pureed sweet potatoes | Rice cereal with formula or breast milk, pureed peas |
| 2 | Rice cereal with formula or breast milk, pureed butternut squash | Mashed banana | Rice cereal with formula or breast milk, pureed peaches | Pureed bananas (no spices or seasonings) with rice cereal and formula/breastmilk/water |
| 3 | 1/2 cup of rice cereal mixed with breastmilk or formula | 3 teaspoons of sweet potato puree | 1/4 cup of mashed bananas | 1/4 cup of mashed sweet potatoes |
| 4 | 1/4 cup of cooked carrots, green beans or squash, pureed or mashed | 2 teaspoons of yellow squash puree | 1/4 cup of avocado, pureed or mashed | 1/4 cup of applesauce, pureed or mashed |
| 5 | 1/2 cup of rice cereal mixed with breastmilk or formula | 2 teaspoons of banana | A few spoonfuls (3-5) of mixed veggies | A few spoonfuls (3-5) of mixed fruit (pear sauce and applesauce) pureed |
| 6 | A few spoonfuls (3-5) of well-cooked peas, pureed or mashed | 3 teaspoons of avocado | Apple and Pear Puree | Mashed potatoes mixed with breast milk |
| 7 | 1 teaspoon pear puree | 2 teaspoons of strained blueberries | 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice | 1 teaspoon pear puree |
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