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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Cooking for a 7 month old baby?

20 replies

stumpsxo · 06/04/2014 10:59

My dd is 7 months old and she currently eats baby jars, as I didn't know she could eat the same as us. I've seen people say they cook spag bowl a d stick in a blender for their baby. I'm cooking roast dinner tonight, veg, potatoes, pork, Yorkie pud.. out of that what can I give my baby? (Obviously won't be adding salt or anything to them) and can I do this with all our meals (if it's fresh food)

This may sound terrible but can she have frozen veg as I'm the only veg eater in my house so buying fresh is a waste of time for just me but If my daughter will eat it puree too then I will buy fresh just tonight i'll be having frozen veg, just want to know if that's okay for tonight or to leave it?

I don't know much about cooking for a baby as it's my first child and I'm only 19, I learn to cook soon as I found out I was pregnant but still unsure about what foods to give to her. I give her lot of fruit atm but want to encourage veg too :)

Can't wait till she's older so I can teach her to cook good food so really wanna start by cooking her the meals we have too :)

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Original poster

stumpsxo · 06/04/2014 11:01

Also sorry if this is the wrong category to post this thread couldn't find where to post it x

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Xfirefly · 06/04/2014 11:23

You can mash up the veg and potatoes for her I'd cut up the pork for my DD who's also 7 months but if yours isn't that used to lumps yet then maybe wait and gradually introduce it. we eat a lot of veg so I cook extra and freeze portions for DD. she eats what we do mostly, spag bol, casserole, shepherds pie, roast dinner. we only use jars if we're out all day.

Mashed banana is a favourite and takes seconds to prepare.

DefiniteMaybe · 06/04/2014 11:25

At 7 months I'd just plate her up a dinner and put it on her tray.

ConcreteElephant · 06/04/2014 17:05

Agree with DefinitelyMaybe, she can eat pretty much what you eat. Don't bother pureeing - pop it on a plate and stand back! At 7 months your DD can really explore texture and taste and develop great motor skills with finger food. Frozen veg absolutely fine.

You might want to look at Baby led weaning for some guidance and ideas. It's not for everyone but suited my two fine and definitely worth exploring.

brettgirl2 · 06/04/2014 17:44

or you can whack the whole lot into the blender and puree if that's what you want and it works.

My babies loved roast dinners

Original poster

stumpsxo · 06/04/2014 18:09

Thank you everyone for your comments! And just out it in on a tray? Am I being a little protective the fact I'm so paranoid about her chocking? She eats baby food with lumps in like small bits of pasta etc but I haven't given her anything whole yet. I've got the baby biscuits but I'm terrified of her chocking. Am I being a bit silly? I didn't think she'd be able to eat anything larger then lumpy mushed up things until a good 3 months.. :/
Should I man up and try to give her something a bit more solid?

Thank you everyone, she'll deco be eating what we do from now on blended. Not sure about the solids though! :/

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Original poster

stumpsxo · 06/04/2014 18:10

Oh bow, she has 2 bottom teeth. Would she be actually be able to bite and chew anything?

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apermanentheadache · 06/04/2014 18:13

They chew with their gums, and suck to a pulp. Even meat. She prob will gag a few times just so's you're forewarned but she'll be fine.

Original poster

stumpsxo · 06/04/2014 18:18

Wow. I'll just to brave it haha, thank you! Tad bit protective, and she'll just pick it up and eat it? Should I do that with every meal just let do as she wants? :) I guess I'm still thinking of her as a little baby not 7 - almost 8 months haha!

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wheresthelight · 06/04/2014 18:35

My 7 month old loves picking stuff up and munching onit at the tea ttable. Like you I was paranoid about choking, but apparently according to my hv they are less likely to choke using this method. Nit sure how true it is but so far dd has ssurvived!! She loves bread sticks, chunks of apple, grapes to. If we are having something she can't have like a pie then I use the jars but otherwise she has similar to us.

She is very partial to toast and dairylea sandwiches!! Ohh and the dog loves it cos she gets to hoover up all the bits dd chucks on the floor

ConcreteElephant · 06/04/2014 18:45

Why not try a mixture of blended food and some fruit/ veg sticks or pasta that she can pick up and perhaps dip in the puree? Keep the blended food quite thick, perhaps mashed rather than blitzed, to help her. You can give her a spoon and see how she gets on too. It is messy, there's no denying it, but if you have a bit of time for the meal it's a joy to behold ;) I loved watching the DC exploring the food, picking it up, tasting it, giving it a good go!

With regards to choking, as apermanentheadache says, she may gag a bit but a baby's gag reflex is much further forward in their mouths than an adult's and when a baby gags they are nowhere near the food going down the windpipe and choking them. It's an in-built safeguard, though obviously you would always supervise their eating. As baby is in control of putting the food in, it's a learning curve for them - how do I get this in? how far in does it go? where do I place it to eat it? etc etc. I don't recall mine gagging at all, certainly no more than they do now at ages 4 and 2 anyway, when they get a bit carried away with their meal.

Your DD is still very little so don't be disheartened if she doesn't seem to be getting much in - you'll still be carrying on with milk and at 7 months she'll be getting the bulk of her nutrients from that. They say that 'food is for fun, until they are one' or something. She'll have a great time exploring and you may in fact be surprised by how much goes in - I know I was when I saw how much was coming out! By the time they were around 9 months mine were really quite proficient at feeding themselves.

ConcreteElephant · 06/04/2014 18:49

You really can give them what you're eating (salt etc. considerations taken into account) - they'll get it in somehow :) and they'll have a blast doing it.

Lots of people prefer to stick to purees, feeding their babies themselves. Others quite literally dish up what they are having and let baby at it. Most people are probably somewhere in the middle. Go with what works for you and yours.

Artandco · 06/04/2014 18:56

Yes anything except honey and too much salt

For tonight for first go I would cut pork into a strip so she can hold. Smaller pieces are easier to gag as can fit whole piece in mouth. Large strip they can gum off bits
Same ideally with veggies etc

Honestly just try and see

I remember going to Barcelona with ds2 at 7months and the waiter wanted to take a picture of him eating bolgnaise!

Offer a spoon and fork also so they get practice, even if most is with hands. By 12 months he will have had months to practice and probably able to spoon in easy things like porridge/ risotto etc alone

apermanentheadache · 06/04/2014 20:58

I am sure you don't need anyone to tell you this but.... only things to really avoid (apart from salt) are things like wholr grapes/cherries etc, peanut butter, and hotdog-type sausages because of the high choking risk.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 06/04/2014 21:11

many of us don't even go through the puree stage. I did Baby led weaning with my babies, they had no puree at all, just straight on to family food.

littleducks · 06/04/2014 21:23

I choose blw but if you want to do purees and/then finger foods I wouldn't bothered blending just mash with a fork especially if you would need to buy a blender. A fork I'd a lot less washing up.

If you are out and about take a banana and/or an avocado. They can be eaten mashged or as finger food.

Frozen veg is fine. I would try and include some fresh as you introduce more textures but frozen is nutritionally fine. In fact lots of people make and freeze purees.

Original poster

stumpsxo · 06/04/2014 21:35

Thank you so much everyone! Cleared up a lot of questions! Will start some finger food with making her some purees then see what I can get her introduced too. Any tips of bed starter off foods?

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wheresthelight · 06/04/2014 21:55

Toast is good, part boiled carrots, sweet potato all goes down well with my dd. She also loves the organix rice cakes, ella's foods cheesy puff things and heinz biscottibiscuits! The cchocolate ones in particular!!

atthestrokeoftwelve · 06/04/2014 21:58

Heinz biscotti biscuits are 30% sugar- not sure that's an ideal food for a baby.

CheeseTMouse · 06/04/2014 22:16

My daughter is about the same age. She likes toast, cucumber and breadsticks to hold and munch on. And I also do the trick of pureeing what we have provided it is not salty or sugary. She also has things like cooked pea and courgette whizzed up on pasta which goes down well.

Breadsticks in particular are really handy as they keep her occupied as I make her dinner. She likes waving them about most of all...

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