At the age of around 7 – 9 months, your little one has started growing and you have already discovered your baby’s likes, dislikes, appetite, what suits him and what does not suit him. As he grows, his appetite increases because he requires more food to sustain his body’s growth and development. So in process of weaning , from liquid diet now it progresses to semi-solid diet and the quantity also increases.

Mommies continue to worry and the list goes on and on what new to give, in what form to give etc. etc.

Here goes the list for the traditional weaning formulas and recipes.

What to give?

All fruits and vegetables in thick puree form. Cereals and dals: all cereals and dals in ratio 3:1 these can be soaked, sprouted, sun dried and powdered. We can make a supply for 4 days at a time can be fed as a porridge with formula milk, jaggery is a sweetener and has iron.

Vegetables – non gas forming vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, well boiled green peas, French beans in a thin puree.

What not to give?

Cow’s milk, nuts, eggs, fish, honey, salt, sugar, masala like haldi and other spices, cheese.

How much to eat?

APPROXIMATELY 8 to 12 spoons, 500 – 600 ml breast milk or diluted cow’s milk or formula feed.

It is best to give your 7-8 months baby pureed + mashed foods and when your baby is 9 months old he is ready to have only mashed foods. The consistency of each meal depends upon your baby, if he is able to have thick or thin porridge and so on.

 SAMPLE MENU PLANNING- (7 months old)

SAMPLE MENU PLANNING-(8 months old)

SAMPLE MENU PLANNING (9 months old)

More Yummy Options:

Different cereal pulse combinations- rice-yellow/green moong dal/ masoor dal, wheat cracks-yellow/green moong dal/masoor dal, ragi-yellow/ green moong dal/ masoor dal.

Mashed fruits and vegetables- mashed banana with milk, mashed chikoo with milk, pureed pumpkin with milk, papaya puree, mango puree, stewed apple, stewed pear, mashed potato, sweet potato.

Method of Preparation

Porridge

1. Take 3 parts of cereal and 1 part of pulse. Soak it for 4-6 hours.

2. This can now be sun dried or roasted (with 1 teaspoon ghee). Powder it and store it in a container.

3. In a pan add milk, powered cereal and pulse mixture (1 teaspoon) and powered almonds (1 teaspoon sugar can be added for taste.) and cook for few minutes till thick.

(The cereal pulse mixture can be powdered and stored for 7 days/1 week and while making porridge 1 teaspoon should be added to 150 ml milk.)

 Stewed apple/pear

1. Peel and grate the apple/pear

2. In a pan add the grated apple/pear and add water.

3. Cook till the fruit is completely cooked.

4. Strain it and serve.

  Vegetable Soup

1. Pressure cook the carrot and blanch the tomatoes (add tomatoes to boiling water for 1 minute).

2. Add water and blend all the ingredients into a puree to make soup.

3. Strain and serve.

    Khichdi

1. Take 3 parts of cereal and 1 part of pulses. Soak it for 4-6 hours.

2. This can now be sun dried or roasted (with 1 teaspoon ghee). Powder it and store it in a container.

3. In a vessel add water (as given above) and add the cereal pulse mixture and cook. Your pureed khichdi is ready.

Milk should be diluted with boiled cool water in ratio 2:1.The amount of water gradually reduced so that in the course of few weeks the baby receives undiluted animal milk

Food Refused?

If your baby isn’t keen on any of the new tastes you offer – simply give another go at a later date. It can sometimes take up to 10-15 attempts for your baby to accept a new food, so keep persevering! As your little one grows and changes, so will their taste in food.