Complementary Foods:

Complementary Foods are started in age above 6 months along with breastfeeding or formula milk. Complementary Foods are essential for infants. Complementary foods should start from 6th month. Because in this age infant nutritional needs and demands not fulfil by just breastfeed or formula milk. So, to fulfil the nutritional demands of infants, there is needed to add some complementary foods. Complementary foods are full of nutrients and proteins. 

Complementary foods in starting should be liquid in consistency, gradually we can change its consistency from liquid to soft or semi solid to make easy eating for infants because they are not able to chew solid food. Complementary foods can be prepared by using fruits, vegetables, rice and sweet potatoes. Complementary foods should be made of organic and natural foods. Packaged foods or canned fruits should be avoided. 

Infants have high metabolic rates and they needed high nutrients especially proteins and fats. Choose complementary foods of different variety. Avoid to feed babies forcefully. Feed babies many times a day by different smoothies or recipes. 2-3 servings of fruits should be added in diet in form of pureed. But it is also important to feed babies with human milk till 2 years of age. 

There are lot of Complementary Food Recipes but I will share 10 healthy Recipes;

1. Porridge:

Ingredients:Minced Chicken, Rice, Tomato, Ginger, Onion and Garlic. 

Method:Boil chicken enough to soft, fry it in oil. Fry onion, ginger, garlic and add some water in it. Then boil rice and add in it. Then cook it on low flame for 5 minutes. 

Benefits:Rice considered soft diet for babies. Rice are good source of carbohydrates that provide good amount of energy. Chicken have lean protein that is important to provide strength to muscles and developments. It can be introduced to 8 months baby.

Calories:1 cup of chicken rice contains 80 calories. 

2. Oats and Fruits Porridge: 

Ingredients:Oats, milk and banana.

Method:Roast 2 spoons of oats. Boil 1 cup milk and cool it. Blend 1 banana in milk and add roasted oats in it. And blend it well. 

Benefits:Oats prevents babies from digestion issues especially like constipation. Oats provide zinc, selenium, iron and other macronutrients that provide good amount of energy. Banana are good source of energy for babies, and provide them important nutrients like folate, vitamin B6 that are good for their nervous system development. It can be given to 8 months baby.

Calories:1 Cup contains 180 calories.

3. Apple Pureed:

Ingredients:Apple and water.

Method:Boil 1 apple in 1 glass of water. Then peel out apple and blend it 1/2 cup of water. Now apple pureed is ready. It can be given to 6-month baby.

Benefits:Apple have antioxidant properties that can make strong immune system. Apples have good amount of vitamin A which is necessary for eyes development and prepares body to fight against infections.

Calories:It contains 60 calories in it.

4. Apple, Banana and Avocado Pureed:

Ingredients:Apple, banana, avocado and milk. 

Method:Boil apple and peel it. Peel out banana and avocado. Mash banana and avocado. Then add boiled apple in it and blend these 1 teacup of milk. This recipe can be given to babies in 6-month of age

Benefits:Avocado is full of nutrients like vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and calcium, iron in small amounts. 

Calories:It contains 220 calories in it. 

5. Mango Pureed:

Ingredients:Mango and yoghurt.

Method:Peel out 1mango and blend in 1/2 cup of yoghurt. Now pureed is ready.

Benefits:Yoghurt has strong probiotic properties which is too much beneficial for babies in digestion. Yoghurt also provide good proteins and fiber. Yoghurt improve muscle growth and developments. You can feed this pureed in 6-month of age.

Calories:It contains 140 calories in it.