Article courtesy of Dorimar Siverio-Minardi, MPH, MBA, Director, Healthcare Relations & Initiatives, Women’s Care Florida & Mom extraordinaire
In Part 2, I am moving on to tips and recipes for feeding your baby at 6-8 months.
6 to 8 Months Recommendations (Source: Florida WIC.com)
Amount of Food per Day
Baby Cereal
- 4 to 8 tablespoons or more per day of prepared cereal
Pureed Vegetables
- 4 to 8 tablespoons or more per day
Pureed Fruits
- 4 to 8 tablespoons or more per day
Protein Foods
- 1 to 6 tablespoons per day of pureed lean meat, chicken or turkey
Pureed Legumes
- Like black beans, chickpeas, fava beans, black-eyed peas, lentils and kidney beans
Water
- Babies over 6 months old who are eating a variety of foods may need to be given about 4 to 8 oz of plain water per day. There may be times when your baby needs to be given more water. Check with your baby’s health care provider for more information.
Fruit Juice
- Fruit Juice is not recommended for babies under 12 months of age.
Recipes (6 to 8 Months)
Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Puree
- Preheat the oven to 375 deg F
- Cut the squash or Pumpkin in half and remove the seeds
- Place the squash in a baking tray, face down in about one inch of water
- Bake for about 45 minutes. The squash and pumpkin are done when they feel soft.
- Remove the flesh from the skin and either puree it, or mash it lightly with a fork. Add breast milk or formula as necessary for puree consistency
Sweet Potato Puree (Also applicable to white potato on later stages)
- Preheat the oven to 375 deg F
- Scrub sweet potato and pick it with a fork
- Place sweet potato in a baking tray and bake for about 45 minutes until soft
- Or, for an alternative method of cooking, peel potato and place on a steaming basket for 20 minutes
- If baked, remove the flesh from the skin
- With either cooking method, puree the sweet potato or mash it lightly with a fork. Add breast milk or formula as necessary for puree consistency
Carrot Puree (Fresh or Frozen)
- Peel carrots if fresh and cut
- Place carrots on steaming basket for 20 minutes.
- Puree the carrots
- Add breast milk or formula as necessary for puree consistency
Green Pea Puree (Frozen)
- Place frozen green peas on steaming basket for 20 minutes
- Puree peas on a blender
Green Bean Puree (Fresh or Frozen)
- Boil green beans in stock/broth. If fresh, boil for longer time until soft
- For better taste, toss cooked green beans with a simple, homemade herb butter
- Puree green beans on a blender
Avocado Puree
- Peel avocado
- Puree avocado or mash it lightly with a fork
Zucchini
- Simply wash thoroughly under running water, cut off both ends, then slice or dice
- Boil (in very little water), sauted or steam
- Puree zucchini or mash it with a fork
Apple, Pear or Peach Puree
- Peel apples, pears or peaches
- Place them on a steaming basket for 10-15 minutes
- Puree or mash them lightly with a fork
Banana Puree
- Peel banana
- Puree banana or mash it lightly with a fork
Papaya Puree
- Peel papaya
- Puree papaya or mash it lightly with a fork
