After 6 months your baby will be getting ready to start on a exciting journey of taste, texture with solid food.

Following on from When, What, How?  Below are a few first foods to offer to baby as a first taste.

In New Zealand some fabulous first foods on offer all year round are apple, banana, pear, avocado, pumpkin, kumara and carrot. You can use them as a mash or puree using seasonal fresh foods is an amazing and cheap way to keep baby fed and healthy.

Freezing baby food in cubes, ready for use at a later date can reduce your single use packaging each time you feed baby.

Apple 

Apple is a great first food. Apple is especially helpful if baby is constipated as apple is a natural laxative. Ingredients:

One apple

Method:

Peel and chop into small pieces, cook in a saucepan with a small amount of water for 3 minutes, drain and mash or puree.

Avocado

One of the best first foods! It is full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and good fats. It needs no cooking, can be easily mashed or pureed. It also mixes well with savoury and sweet foods.

Avocado also freezes well and has a fantastic creamy texture that baby is used to.

Ingredients:

One ripe avocado

Method:

Mash or puree.

Banana

It needs no cooking and can be easily mashed or pureed. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium and manganese, and a very good source of vitamin B6.

Banana freezes well and has a sweet taste that baby is used to.

Ingredients:

One ripe banana

Method:

Mash or puree.

Baby brown rice cereal

A great first food as it can transition babies easily from the all liquid diet to a more solid one.

Ingredients:

½ cup brown rice

1 cup water

Method:

Mill the brown rice in a food processor till it becomes a fine powder. Cook the rice powder with water on a low heat in a medium pot till the rice has become tender and the water has been absorbed. Add more water if needed.

Carrot

Carrots are an abundant root vegetable and are available all year round. They are a good source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate and manganese, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium. They are sweet to taste and easily digestible for baby’s little tummies.

Ingredients:

1 Carrot

Method:

Peel and chop into small pieces, cook in a saucepan with half a cup of water for 5 minutes, drain and mash or puree.

Kumara

Kumara has a sweet taste that babies love, they are packed full of antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D.

They mash easily and are a firm baby favourite.

Ingredients:

One kumara

Method:

Boil or bake kumara, then mash or puree.

Pear

Pear is a great first food as it has a sweet and tender texture. It can eaten raw or cooked. Pear is especially helpful if baby is constipated as pear is a natural laxative.

Ingredients:

One ripe pear

Method:

Peel and chop into small pieces, cook in a saucepan with half a cup of water for 3 minutes, drain and mash or puree.

Potato

Potatoes are cheap, available all year round and are a great base for adding other flavours.

Containing vitamin B6, copper, potassium and vitamin C they are a great all round first food.

Ingredients:

One potato

Method:

Boil or bake potato, then mash or puree.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a fantastic first food as it is sweet and has a great consistency when mashed or pureed. Pumpkin is nutrient dense, boasting high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C.

Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped pumpkin

Method:

Peel and chop pumpkin into small pieces, cook in a saucepan with half a cup of water for 10 minutes, drain and mash or puree.

Read more ‘First Food For Baby’ Blogs Below.

First Foods for Baby- When, What, How?

First Foods for Baby- Around the World

All content here, including quotes from health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding the health of your baby or toddler.