Weaning - when did you introduce spices??

[mumtosp]

Hi all,

Just wondering when you started introducing herbs and spices for your LOs. DS is 7 mo and is on 3 meals a day - he takes purees and is not that interested in BLW.

I have read that I can puree whatever food we're having and give it to DS. But the food that we cook contains quite a few spices - turmeric, cumin, corriander etc (we are Indians).
Because of the way our curries are cooked, the spices need to be added at the beginning - so I can never give DS what we are having.
I usually batch cook his food separately, but it would be so much easier when he can start eating what we eat....

So just wondering when your LOs started on spices....

Thanks !! :)

[EntWife]

the earlier the better in my experience.

[Geeklover]

They started on spices basically when they started weaning.
Dd especially loved curry very young. I would add cream to a dish when I gave it to her if it was something a bit too spicy for her.
She loved chilli and curry as a weaning baby.

[lurcherlover]

From 6 months I gave everything except salt and honey. If you eat a lot of spice your baby had a taste in the womb (and your milk if you bf) so is probably predisposed to like them anyway. DS has always loved garlic and strong flavours.

[alienbanana]

Yep, straight from the start. Add yoghurt or cream, or a bit of plain potato if its too spicy.

[mumtosp]

Thanks for the quick responses !! Will start introducing spices this week :)

[PeazlyPops]

From the beginning! We just added yoghurt or creme fraiche if it was very spicy and needed toning down!

[Vividmemories]

Day 1 here too!

[mumtosp]

Another question - you use nor cooking oil right? Nothing special for LOs..? (I came across some special cooking oil for babies )

[mumtosp]

*normal

[heidihole]

6 months here. garlic is his favourite!

yes normal oil

[DoTheBestThingsInLifeHaveFleas]

Normal oil here. I have done BLW and introduced spices from word go. Always have water for DD to help herself to. She has had Korma, Chilli, stirfry and had chicken fajitas today!!! Good luck with it x

[Neverending2012]

Anyone got experience of weaning a reflux baby?

[Crunchymunchyhoneycakes]

I've used spices from the start (BLW) he loves them! I just make things a wee bit milder than before.

[JollyOrangeGiant]

Normal olive oil, sunflower oil or ghee in my curries.

I add all spices except chilli at the right point and then remove DS's before adding spices. He's 25mo now but has been eating less 'hot' versions of what we eat since 6mo. I'd add pretty much everything except chillis and cayenne pepper to his.

[Cocothecat]

We eat a lot of curries etc. I started by adding tiny bits of one or two spices (think a tiny shake of cumin or cinnamon, or a sliver of ginger) to a plain purée at about 7 months. From there we quickly moved to basically adult food blended or mashed. The only things I don't give are chilli / added salt - basically I just scoop the babies bits out of the pot before adding extra seasoning for us.

[BaronessBomburst]

The first food DS ever tried was a piece of potato which had been fried with chili, garlic and onions. He sat and licked the coating off, and then licked his way through a whole handful more.

I did pretty much the same as Cocothecat - dished up food for DS (and let it cool) and then added salt to the rest. I've never needed to adjust the chili as DH won't eat 'hot' food.

[MoelFammau]

Day one. Though I breastfed while eating all kinds of chilli / curry dishes so DD has always had a fair dose of flavour.

Her first taste of proper food was garlic pesto tortellini aged 5.5mo. She stole it and gobbled it then wanted more. She's been a garlic nut ever since and it actually took us a long time to get her to like blander food.

[Jayne266]

After my DS had tried all the fruit and veg I introduced spices and my first was a chicken and mango curry.

[whatsoever]

I'm BLW but I've included all spices and seasoning except salt since the start. He's never rejected anything due to spice, however he has rejected bland stuff!

I think I'd have done the same if I was spoon feeding - certainly worth a go anyway?

[mumtosp]

Thanks again :)
Just tried some cumin powder for DS yesterday - he didn't complain...
I have to introduce one spice at a time as DS has eczema and we have to be careful in case he has an allergic reaction. I doubt spices would make a difference, but GP's instructions are to introduce one new food item every 2 days... weaning has been very slow for us !

[mumtosp]

wanted to add - it was cumin powder mixed into potato and broccoli mash :)

[Vividmemories]

We've done dhal without chilli or salt, but with cumin seeds and lots of garam massala - it went down really well!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Weaned DS in the bad old days at 16 weeks. Gave him the purees plain a couple of times and then started adding things like cardamom. Now at 9 he will eat virtually anything. If he's been bf he will be used to the taste anyway . We have friends from another culture who start adding spice to the formula before they start even offering the solids.

Dd did blw so she got spices the first week too

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

I doubt whether the spices would cause a problem with eczema. I'd just be tempted to go for it. If the GP is worried that his food might be causing it, has he done ant allergy testing? Might be something to ask for

Like others have said, no special foods here either, we just watched the salt levels.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

never if you start a new thread in the weaning section, I'm sure you'll get some responses