To not cook for just weaned baby?

[Heavyrainforecast]

DD is 7 months. She’s very slowly getting the hang of eating but isn’t eating anything really significant in the way of solids.

Monday, Tuesday and Friday (and weekends) I have her brother too so I make a child friendly meal and she can just have some of that. But on Wednesday and Thursday he is at nursery and eats there. AIBU not to make her a special meal and just give her a bit of toast or crumpet?

OP, how did you wean your other child? It can't have been that long ago.

Can you make a bit extra from the night before when you are making food for your other child and give it to her the next day?

I didn’t really @Floatlikeafeather2 , he went to nursery full time for a year so he was largely weaned there. It’s been easier this time, but I am noting reading this how you get different answers all the time.

Just give them what you eat - unless it’s bread or crumpets apparently! But then on another thread toast was suggested. It’s a shame as there’s a wealth of knowledge on here but the MN tendency to say whatever you’re doing is wrong does put me off asking.

Toast with a variety of toppings is fine but not everyday twice a day I think is what most are saying.

But it isn’t everyday!

I thought exactly the same thing about being brave lol. I too know someone who in the past has taken the moral high ground with all things child related, only for some time to pass and she/her kids are doing the same thing she judged. She’s harmless though and a very good friend, we tend to laugh about it.

OP, you’re doing fine, don’t worry. Just to add my contribution on some suggestions, my kids loved things like papaya, watermelon and very ripe mango fingers at that age. I also got one of those tops that attaches to their high chair so if something drops, the top tends to catch it. You’ll usually find throughout the weeks, when your little ones fine motor skills begin to improve, she’ll be able to hold on to food more and will get more confident with self-feeding (if baby-led is the route you’re taking).

Local family health centres tend to run weaning drop-in sessions too, which are very valuable and a great way to meet Mums with similar questions. Best of luck xx

Ok but toast twice a day Wednesday and Thursday would be a bit boring and not very nutritious for her too.

Can you not make extra on days you do cook and keep in fridge? Pasta/rice and chopped veg takes minutes in one pan. Add chopped ham, grated cheese, tuna, egg etc

My baby is similar age, at this stage they are still getting all their nutrients from their formula or bf. The idea of trying food is more to get them used to different tastes and textures. You won't do any harm feeding her crumpets or avocado on toast. Go for it. Honestly some of the holier than thou comments are ridiculous. Your baby is eating very healthily the rest of the week!

Baby’s fingers are learning to eat as much as her eyes and mouth are.

Buy a few cheap shower curtains for under the high chair, put a few different foods in her tray and sit with her and eat while she eats. This will encourage her in good habits, too.

Then it’s just a matter of shaking off the shower curtain and popping it in the washing machine.

I wouldn’t cook a proper meal for one weaning baby either. Mine had a combination of our meals, random easy food and baby food. On the days in question I would do the following:

Have a bit of leftover from dinner the night before - no need to freeze it. It’s not like babies each much anyway.

Have something very basic and absolutely no cook, like precooked chicken, cucumber, banana, avocado, cheese, bread like carb

Have something very simple such as scrambled egg, microwaved veg, cous cous etc

Use a pouch

Since it’s 2 days a week, I see no issue in using a pouch and giving very simple (but real) food alongside. My kids loved (still do) frozen veg that you just put in the microwave in some water.

At 7 months they won’t be eating much as you’ve found out, a lot of the food ends up on the floor! Are you unreasonable not to make a full meal just for a 7 month old? Absolutely not

Are you unreasonable to just give a bit of toast or crumpet? I would say yes. Steam a veg (like the broccoli in your pic) and give something else with it (that’s equally low maintenance). Some humous or similar on the crumpet with a side of cucumber would be fine. I would not advocate just beige food at a stage when they are exploring their taste buds.

This, if it's two days a week then do portions for just those days. A homemade tomato sauce can be used in SO many ways and packed with veg. - add it to pasta, pizza/ toast and cheese, even a curry base. You can also make the pasta portions and freeze.

No you can't just give her carbs.

She needs protein, even if she does throw it on the floor. If you really are unwilling to cook each day and unwilling to cook and freeze your other option is to get those baby food pouches.

Thanks @MummySam2017 . Was literally just getting a vague plan for the day in my head this morning! Trying her with egg in a bit and then shock crumpets for tea!

You need teeny tiny tupperware tubs with a good seal on and when you cook for your ds and her just save a little bit. Pop in fridge for next day or ram in freezer for another day.
Couple of decent pouches a week will be fine. I would stick to bready things just once a day.
Crumpets, something with toast is fab for lunch.
Frozen veg is fab for weaning because you can just get out what you need. You can also get plain pre cooked chicken strips that are ready to eat once thawed.
Takes 5 mins.

I just eat the same usually. When i make what i am eating, i add my "adult only bits" after. Eg whole nuts in a stirfry. If i have a salad, i give her deconstructed bits, the cucumber, tomatoe, parts of it separately.

But no problem to do what your suggesting.

7 months in the evening if i was knackered or we got home late i would give her a quick pouch/baby ready meal. Can't now though she refuses anything unless she can do it herself..ive had to work out how to do a bowl of porridge into a finger food 😂😂

(Also, we sometimes do toast/light meal in the evening..i have more time for lunch to be the main meal)

Uh oh prepare to be ridiculed 😵😵😵🤣

Sorry this is lame. I hate cooking but for a 7 month it's easy. Puree or mash veges and freeze. Then you just bring out as needed, or even mix them up, then just add some 'solid' veges or fruit too. Anything goes. Google ideas and look at the solid starts app. Its so easy at this age, you can't be this lazy you don't even do it every day as your kid is usually in nursery ffs.

Pre cut veg sticks and leave in fridge - last about 3 days. Microwave and there’s you veg bit of a meal. Team up with pre sliced chicken etc

Are pouches the done thing anymore? They seem such better quality than the luminous jars we used to feed small infants.

A meal is ideally some protein, some carbs and some veggies imho and the amount eaten per meal varies wildly. Cooking a little bit of something simple is ideal, though obviously toast is fine sometimes (not ideal for 2/3 meals a day imho).

I'd just make extra on the Tuesday to give her weds and Thursday for dinner and toast with egg/avocado for lunch

And stay away from insta and mn ! Back in the day it was make your own chicken strips and fish fingers from scratch , now its avoid bread and everything ultra processed

At that age mine were happy having a bit of scrambled egg, grated cheese and fruit/veg to throw on the floor at lunch maybe with a bit of ultra processed toast or pasta

I LOVE cooking. But I’m not a huge fan of waste, of time or money. I’m not anti pouches but I do prefer home made stuff and in any case she won’t let me feed her. Neither of mine have been the sort of babies who immediately took to food.

Do you realise how ridiculous you sound? she's not getting any nutrients from food on the floor.

You're fine OP. At 7 months her nutrients are from milk. Bringing her to the table and giving her a few bits is absolutely fine.

People on here are fucking ludicrous about weaning, I've never seen the like. We're vegan and bloody love good food, a lot of thought goes into it in this family, but I find people here dictatorial and obsessive about what little babies eat. You can relax a bit and they may well still grow up into healthy adventurous eaters who love food from across the world. My 8 yo has.

There is nutrition in bread, actually.

And of COURSE OP can "just give her carbs" a couple of meal times a week, she needs to learn to eat them as well as other things. Kids need carbs.

Some really finely chopped cucumber and tomato might interest her.

And no you don't need to freeze sad veg mushes into depressing little ice cubes either.