MENU IDEAS
HOW TO START WEANING
I offered both my sons baby rice for the first couple of weeks (age about 5 months 2 weeks) to get them used to eating from a spoon before I started cooking meals for them. They ate just 2 or maybe 3 spoonfuls a day at the beginning in between all their milk feeds. All the meals listed below are perfect for the whole family, there is no need to cook separate meals, just one meal for all of you.
Note: all the recipes on lydiagerratt.com can be used for weaning apart from chicken with soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic. This recipe uses a lot of soya sauce, which is high in natural salt and not suitable for a baby under 1 year old, but great for your toddlers.
6 to 7.5 months
Semi liquid purees. Make your weaning baby's first food very sloppy as it will be easier for them to make the transition from milk.
In addition to your baby's milk (either breast or formula) you can try;
Breakfast
Porridge
Lunch/Dinner
Pasta with baby plum tomatoes, with ricotta or mascarpone
Pasta with chestnut mushrooms, garlic, parsley and cream
Pasta with courgettes, mint, garlic and butter
Pasta with fresh baby plum tomatoes, sausage and fennel
Tea time
Peeled peaches, nectarines, mangoes and bananas to chew
Yoghurt
Fromage frais
7.5 to 8 months
Start building on your 6 month meals to include more;
Breakfast
Toast and unsalted butter
Lunch/Dinner
Roast salmon fillets, asparagus, potatoes, with a tarragon,parsley and butter
Roast chicken, lemon, potatoes, olive, shallots, garlic and thyme
Roast potatoes, butternut squash, peppers, tomatoes, rosemary, olive oil and garlic
Tea time
Pieces of cheese, emmental, jarlsberg, gruyere
8 to 9 months
The biggest change for both my sons at this age was how well they were able to pick up food with their hands and get it smartly into their mouths.
I started adding these additional recipes;
Breakfast
Fried eggs with toast and unsalted butter
Bacon
Lunch/Dinner
Chestnut and Porcini mushroom risotto
Pilaf rice made with cardamom, cinnamon and chicken stock
Carrots with parsley and unsalted butter
Creamed spinach
Crushed new potatoes with spring cabbage
Tea time
Bread, butter and blackcurrant jam
9 to 11 months
Both my sons gained their first 2 teeth at this time and were desperate to chew anything.
With this in mind, I started cooking more meat for them;
Breakfast
Croissant
Lunch/Dinner
Flattened pork with garlic & lemon
Faširane šnicle (pork meatballs)
Rib eye steak with a tarragon, parsley, garlic and butter
Grilled pork sausages
Minced pork or lamb burgers
More pasta sauces made with Orzo pasta (small pieces)
Tea time
Hard fruit to chew; apple and pear pieces
11 to 12 months
Almost there! By this stage, both my sons were anticipating and thoroughly enjoying their meals as a family. The array of foods and recipes I gave them were only limited by my imagination and knowledge.
Some of the meals I started cooking during this time;
Breakfast
Pancakes (at weekends when I had time in the morning)
Lunch/Dinner
Salmon fillets with leeks, capers and lemon
Ray wings with capers and butter
Roast whole sea bass with potatoes, capers, olives & thyme
Spaghetti alle cozze (mussels)
Pasta with prawns, chorizo, fresh peas and tomatoes
Tea time
More fruit; plums, figs, grapes
