Dairy free spreads/ dips - 8mo baby

[duende]

Hi, my DS is 8 months old and has cow milk protein allergy/ intolerance.
We have been weaning him, a mixture of purees and finger foods but it's going v.v.slowly.

Anyway, he likes toast and rice cakes, and I was wondering what I could put on them/ dip them in. I have been using Pure spread, Pure soft "cheese" and houmous. Could you inspire me please..?

Mashed avocado? Whizz up some cooked lentils? Some fruit purees?

Hi Igglybuff. I tried avocado but he wasn't keen. We use fruit purees but I really want him to have some veggies/ something savoury as all he seems to accept in terms of solids is fruit and yoghurts, rice cakes and bread. Will give it another go. Cooked lentils is a goood idea. Can you tell me what herbs and spices are OK to use with a baby this young...?

Maybe a bit of a pain to bake but what about that baked aubergine dip? (poor man's caviar I think - it's a Jamie Oliver recipe I think). I really like it and if you do too you could incorporate it into the family meal.

Hi duende. I have no idea re herbs and spices... I think you can give pretty much anything apart from chilli and salt?
We've tried lentils with DS (6 months) - he wasn't keen either but mixed with butternut squash (which is quite sweet), he seemed to take it okay.

this recipe looks nice and has some spices to try

DS loved a vegtable and red lntil mush, with carrots, butter nut squash some veg stock etc. Herbs anything.

Silly question duende but how do you know he doesn't like stuff? My DS makes a funny face at everything so far - he's not stopped eating it though which confuses me!!!

thanks for your ideas everyone!
igglybuff, I think he doesn't like something when after trying it, he clamps his mouth and refuses to open it again! If he makes a funny face, but continues to eat, I think he loves the stuff I have tried jars and I have cooked things for him at home, so far I am yet to find a savoury dish he likes

Ah ok!

I've read gina ford's book on weaning and she says that try sweet veg like carrots, squash and pumpkin to get them used to veggies if baby has developed a sweet tooth?

I'm finding this weaning thing hard I have to say as it demonstrates that my own diet is quite boring!

Duende, my 9 mo is a bit like that too. However today she ate a chicken, parsnip, green bean and small amount of red onion puree.
Was shocked as she is not a fan of savoury. The parsip sweetens it up but it's not sweet, iyswim.

All 3DCs have same + other food allergies. Have you tried Nutramigen formula as milk substitue? very nutritious and we use even for 10 year old

TDiddy, DS is on Nutramigen. God, I hope he grows out of it and doesn't need Nutramigen when he's 10! How do you get your 10 year old to drink it? It tastes foul!

Wukter, DS will sometimes have parsnip or sweet potato, but only as finger foods so very little goes in, iyswim. How does your DD have chicken? in trips or blended?

Iggly, to me weaning has demonstrated that my own diet is not that healthy and not very child friendly. Most of what we eat is packed with chilli and garlic and some of it is half-prepared so not suitable because of salt/ dairy, etc.
Plus, during the day I'm on my own with DS so only have a sandwich for lunch, DP and I eat dinner when he's already in bed.

In purees mostly. I was surprised tbh so thought it may help to mention to you.

I wonder could you use a sweetish but savoury puree like that as a topping for toast? He could feed himself as well as getting a taste for various veg/meat.

duende - It is such a good supplement, the consultant was thrilled that we kept DS10 on it. We had to let DS10 hide and drink it out of baby bottle as he said it tastes fould from a cup! DD7 and DS5 just switched to drinking from a straw last week and this weekend, just straight from a cup. We have had to tell friends and relatives to lay-off teasing them about bottle as their nutrition is prioroity given their allegies. There is Nutramigen2 for slightly older children. I think children acquire and keep the taste and it is an excellent supplement for children who have mutiple allergies.