How do I increase variety?

[AllesAusLiebe]

Hello folks, just looking for some advice.

DS will be 6 months at the weekend and I’ve been giving him puréed parsnips, carrots and sweet potatoes for the last couple of weeks.

He’s just starting to get the idea and seems to be really enjoying his food.

I’m not sure what, if anything, to do next? Should I be trying some different things? Maybe a mixture of vegetables to keep things interesting for him?

Any help would be nice!

Honestly anything that’s low salt/sugar. (No honey till 12 months). Once they get the hang of food then softish textures are fine - even without teeth they’ll gum things up. Avocado is a good one.
If you’re doing purées then blend a bit of whatever you’re having for tea (as long as it’s healthy - DD used to love a roast dinner, I didn’t give her any gravy to avoid salt but blended the rest, gradually increasing the amount of lumps so she got used to them).
Red lentils cooked until they’re mush was another favourite.

Yes, definitely increase the variety of fruit and veg.
Pear, banana, tinned peaches, tinned apricots, blueberries, mango and kiwi are all soft and blend nicely into a purée.
Avocado, cooked carrot, butternut, sweetcorn, cauliflower and broccoli are all suitable veg.
You can feed nut butters from 6 months, provided that there is no family history of an allergy. Banana mashed with a little peanut butter is good.
You can feed cooked eggs from 6 months, but for the first time, just give him a mouthful or two to be on the safe side. Give it separately to other foods that can cause allergies, such as nut butters and fish. That way you will be able to tell if the egg causes a reaction. Egg is easy to mash in with veg purée.
Beans, lentils and chickpeas are also suitable and can easily be mashed in with veg. Butterbeans make great finger foods.
Babies can eat pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months old. This includes hard cheeses, such as mild cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese. Add a spoon of cheese to your veg purée.
Most fish is suitable from 6 months, and it’s so easy to open a tin of tuna (try and get one in oil rather than brine) and add a few flakes to some puréed veg. Minced beef and chicken can also be added.
You could feed rice or other cereal mixed with baby milk.

Have you tried any finger foods yet OP? Maybe offer some grated cheese or a wedge of peeled pear along with lunch. As for the purées, there are lots of recipes on MN.

There's no need to introduce foods slowly, unless you've been advised to by a Consultant..

Like other have said as long as you avoid these foods baby can have anything. If you are having cheese on toast for lunch, baby can have cheese on toast, if you are having fish pie for tea, baby dan have fish pie

The Caroline Walker Trust has produced an excellent guide called Eating Well in the First Year. You'll probably need from page 13

Thanks so much for the replies! I’ll definitely increase the amount of different things DS has. I was just a bit anxious that I didn’t want to do too much too soon.

At which point did you all start with breakfast? Maybe after 3 weeks or so?

God, I’m clueless with all of this stuff and the nhs guidance is good with telling you what to avoid, but I was still totally confused as to how to make progress.

@JiltedJohnsJulie I haven’t yet, but that’s a great idea. I’ll give the pear a try.

You can add another meal whenever you want to. Some babies are really interested in food and want what you are eating and others can take forever to eat a tiny amount. There’s no rush to get to 3 meals a day just yet though

Try some more savoury flavours to encourage a wide palate.. broccoli, peas etc.