Baby Nutrition Made Easy (0 - 24 months)

Nutrition and Where Does It All Change????

 

 

We all have that moment when the health visitor asks us what we are feeding our little ones and how much and how often and how much milk they have and what do they drink and the look of judgement that creeps across their face and you go woops, am I doing something wrong? Then if you're like me you get in such a flap worrying about if you aren't doing the right thing you forget to ask while you are there.

So! I thought I would put together a little guide for everyone (especially me) on the nutritional needs of your baby by doing a bit of research here, a bit there and talking to the health visitors. Please only take this as a rough guide and not the ten commandments because as we all know parenting just does not have a rule book to follow, just a general idea we can work with to fit our own circumstances.

Trust me, I went through some of the information I have found and gone "Oh Dear" but hey, no one is perfect, especially me it would seem, although me ego would contradict.

I will do a bibliography at the bottom so you can read and interpret the information for your own needs, obviously I can't tag the health visitor, but ask your own, they are more than happy to advise and support you.
Try looking at the little pie chart below, I think it puts it in the basic of basic terms so you get the proportions right even if the 'measurements' that follow don't fit you and your baby.

 

 

 

Milk, The White Stuff

 

I feel as if I'm going to write what you already know here, but you never know, could help! And don't forget if your child is 1 year or over and not breastfeeding formula is non essential as they can drink whole cow's milk and they can get the recommended 16 - 24 floz of milk from other dairy sources such as cheese, custard and rice pudding (or so my health visitor tells me, in fact she said as long as he gets 500ml of milk, cheese, custard or rice pudding he will be fine but advice on a number of websites suggest otherwise, I'm sure every child's circumstance is different so just double check this one because I am convinced 16 - 24 floz is a hell of a lot!!!).

 

How much milk does that baby need a day on average then? According to www.babyzone.com , it is as follows:

 

• 0-4months 21 - 24 floz in roughly 6 - 12 feeds
• 4-6months 24 - 32 floz in roughly 4 - 6 feeds
• 6-8 months 24 - 32 floz in roughly 4 - 5 feeds
• 8-10 months 24 - 32 floz in roughly 3 - 4 feeds
• 10-12 months 20 - 32 floz in roughly 3 - 4 feeds

 

As I say, I read some of this information and thought "whattttt?!?!?!?!?". My son definitely did not follow this recommended amount of milk and has been having two bottles a day (approx. 16flox) since he was ten months old but because I make sure he eats plenty of cheese and custard it must have made up the rest. Remember, every baby is different, and there is not an average baby. 

 

An 8 week old Tyler who was having 4oz every feed and feeding every 3 hours. That's a whopping 32oz at only 2 and a bit months!

 



More Information on Cow's Milk

 

Let me break this down so it is not half as confusing as the NHS website has made it seem!

• Use whole (blue) cow's milk
• Only use full fat cheese and yogurt (but if your little one wants to try the fat free yogurt you are eating, what is the harm in one spoonful?)
• Do not give any cow's milk before 10 months
• Between 10 & 12 months only give 1 serving a day (1 serving is half a cup of milk or 3/4 of an ounce of cheese)
• Between 12 & 24 months it is recommended that your little munchkin has 2 -3 servings a day (one serving can now include half a yogurt, little fromaige frais are the perfect size for this)

 

Much easier to understand now. See this was a section I was struggling with and now I know that I'm doing something right.... party for me right now. The other half thinks I'm a right nutter smiling away to myself!

 

 

Mr Messy's first ever yogurt... I started him young... naughty mummy (told you no one is perfect).

 



 

Cereals

 

Cereals and other types of grains such as wheat are a great source of carbohydrates for keeping your baby or toddler's energy levels up. But remember before 1 year of age, avoid wholemeal foods as they will rest too heavy on that little belly and take far too long to digest.

 

Other key vitamins provided in this category:

• vitamin B complex
• zinc
• magnesium
• fibre

 

So, how much does that mess maker need?

• 0 - 4 months none
• 4 - 6 months you can offer fortified baby cereals such as baby rice or porridge but it is recommended that babies only need milk up until the age of 6 months old.
• 6 - 8 months offer your baby approximately 4 tbsp. of iron fortified cereals, iron is key at this development stage.
• 8 - 10 months your baby will be needed more carbohydrates due to more activity, so offering cereals, pasta, finger foods and teething biscuits is a great way to include the extra energy they need. 4 tbsp. + is recommended at this stage.
• 10 - 12 months 4 tbsp. or more (especially in my son's case, the more bit was definitely appropriate!) Try introducing crackers too, as well as anything mentioned in the previous stages.
• 12 - 24 months 6 servings or more of cereals and grains is recommended at this stage due to the amount of activity that not - so little one will be doing. 1 serving is classed as half a slice of bread, a quarter of a cup of dry cereal, 1/2 a bagel or muffin (breakfast muffin) or a 1/3 of a cup of cooked rice or pasta.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

 

ps. stay tuned cause next week I have some ideas for bagels.

 

 

Little Tyler needed lots of energy for his walker.

 



 

Vegetables

 

 

I hated vegetables as a child and I only really got interested in them when I got pregnant and after my research, I wish I had started eating them younger, I might not have ended up at 5'2"!!! The key I have found with Tyler is to use them in different ways so he doesn't get bored, and as he gets older I plan to get him to cook with me and prepare the vegetables so he is more interested. I have no idea if that theory works yet, so bare with me!

 

Vegetables provide the following things that our children really need right now:

• fibre, to keep them mess making.
• trace minerals
• vitamin A
• vitamin B
• vitamin C
• and certain types of protein

 

SO, how many vegetables does that little one need?

• 0 - 6 months none, your baby is getting all the vitamins they need from their milk.
• 6 - 8 months start off by offering 1 tbsp. of vegetables a meal and eventually increase to 4 - 5 tbsp.
• 8 - 10 months 4 tbsp. or more! And keep it a variety of colours different to keep the munchkin interested.
• 10 - 12 months offer 4 - 8 tbsp. preferably nearer the 8 tbsp. mark.
• 12 - 24 months these tikes need around 3 servings of veg a day! One serving is classed between a quarter and a half of a cup of cooked OR raw veggies.

Try these veggies raw:

• carrots
• celery

Roast parsnips have always been a favourite for Ty Ty!

 

 

Fruit

 

 

Fruits are absolutely jam-packed with nutrients and are a key part of anybody's diet, not just your child's. Eating fruit is also key to overall good health as they also have tons and tons of antioxidants.

 



So how much fruit does your baby need everyday?

• 0 - 6 months none what so ever
• 6 - 8 months start with small amounts such as 1tbsp a day and work up to 4 or 5 tbsp. a day
• 8 - 10 months 4 plus tbsp. a day Your little one may still need softened fruit at this stage. To soften fruit boil it such as apples, pear etc.
• 10 - 12 months 8 - 10 tbsp. of any fruit. Try different types of fruit at this stage, like introducing citrus fruits such as oranges and clementine.
• 12 - 24 months 2 - 4 servings a day is recommended. One serving is classed as 4oz of 100% fruit juice, half a cup of fresh fruit or a quarter of a cup of canned fruit.

I started off with banana for Tyler then moved to pineapple then pears then apples then raisins. It's about working as your child develops. No one can rush your child's development so go with the flow at their pace. You will get there soon enough.

 

Tyler eating blueberries and puffits at the soft play centre.

 

 

Meat OR Protein (if bringing up vegetarian)

 

 

Protein is very important in your child's diet as it's main function is to enable muscle to grow and repair themselves. And we all want big, strong children. Protein also provides these very valuable nutrients:

• iron
• vitamin B
• zinc

 

So they need how much, exactly?

 

• 0 - 8 months none
• 8 - 10 months 1 tbsp. you could try pureeing minced meat and allowing it to stick to easier to eat foods such as pasta and potatoes. If you are dead set on baby led weaning try hard boiled eggs or cubes of cheese as cheese also provides protein as well as calcium and other vitamins associated with dairy products
• 10 - 12 months 2 - 4 tbsp. is recommended, try offering more solid meats now such as chunks of chicken breast, great with pasta.
• 12 - 24 months 2 -3 servings a day is recommended. One serving can be classed as 2 tbsp. of cooked meat, fish or poultry, 1 egg or a quarter of a cup of beans.

 

These are my top foods that are high in protein:

 

1. chicken
2. fish
3. turkey
4. beef
5. lamb
6. pork
7. egg
8. baked beans
9. tofu
10. quorn
11. broad beans

 



Ty's all day breakfast and he got the protein from the egg and sausage.
 
 

Water

 

 This is always a tricky subject as they don't recommend giving babies aged between 0 - 4 months any water at all, but my son had really bad constipation in his early months and doctors AND the health visitors recommended me giving it him a couple of sips at a time. I suppose it is another one that varies on individual circumstances.

 After 4 months they recommend your baby need 4oz or more of water a day up until 24 months when it all changes again. I am sure I will cover this nearer the time, well as my son approaches 2 years old, he has always been advanced in his diet, probably my fault but at least he's happy and healthy.

 



 

 

The first time Tyler ever used his cup!

 

 

Useful Websites

 

www.babyzone.com

www.nhs.uk

www.babycenter.com

www.webmd.com

 



Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Tea? You decide!

A Meal For All Suitable at Any Meal Time

 

Are you stuck for ideas again? Breakfast getting boring? The little one got up too late for breakfast but needs something before lunch? Need a light lunch or a top up tea? No problem. I have this meal that I pull out of the bag every time I have no time to cook for either me or Ty! Lazy I know but sometimes, we don't fancy being super mum and this meal takes 2 minutes to prepare and cook, if you will call it cook, and it will provide your bundle of love calcium, vitamin c, protein, fibre, carbohydrate and of course good fats, among other nutrients.

 

 

Well mum, let me watch telly while I eat, I don't need you right this second!

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 1/3 can of baked beans (17p, Aldi)
• 1 slice of white bread (55p, Lidl)
• 1 large free range egg (89p, Lidl)
• 10-20 ml whole milk (£1, Asda)

 

This will literally not cost more than 35p per portion. Mummys and Daddys I recommend you have and extra egg each so 5 eggs in total, 5 slices of bread, 50 - 60 ml of milk and a whole can of baked beans.

 

The REALLY not-so Nitty Gritty Bit

 

1. Beat the egg with the milk. Put in the microwave for approx. 1 and half minutes, to be safe and stop the egg getting too dry, check every 30 seconds and mix with a fork to keep it nice and fluffy.
2. Once the egg is done, heat the beans in a plastic container, covered in cling film for 2 minutes, check every 30 seconds to stop the beans exploding. Yes, that does happen, well only to numptys like myself, but it can happen.
3. Toast your toast last minute and spread with  butter.
4. Serve

 

Little Monster's Opinion

 

   Little Monster loves egg, loves beans and loves toast. Was like feeding strawberries to a donkey. He only used his fork for his beans, and even then it didn't last long. Thank god for wet wipes, great for cleaning everything, including the mucky pup sat in front of you!

 

Basic, quick, cheap, filling, comforting, what is not to love? Yeah you read my blog for recipes, I'm giving you an idea, add what you want, it is a good base for your nutrients.

 

Photos are always appreciated!

 

 





Jean Slater can have a sausage surprise.... then Hollie Hughes can have a ....

Chicken Surprise

 

Pardon the beyond lame name of this dish but what else can you call chicken, rice, pasata and mixed veg? Nothing, that's what. But, I can assure you that this is lovely and tasty so there is no reason to be apprehensive just because of my rubbish way with words.... ironic since I'm writing a blog, yeah?

Anyway, here we go!

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 30g chopped pre-cooked chicken breast (£1, Iceland)
• 1 heaped tbsp. basmati rice (£1, Iceland)
• 3 heaped tbsp. frozen mixed veg (£1, Iceland)
• 7 tbsp. pasata (29p, Lidl)

 

 

The Not-so Nitty Gritty Bit

 

1. Boil a pan of water on the hob and add the basmati rice and mixed veg. Leave on the boil for five to eight minutes. Stir occasionally to stop the rice sticking to the pan.
2. Drained the rice and veg and put back in the pan, add the chicken and mix through.
3. Then, add the pasata and mix through again.

Yeah, this was so hard. I'm joking, but it is another one of Ty's favourites so I thought I'd share it with you.

 

What Little Monster Made of It

 

   Little monster's opinion is as important as ever. He dug straight in, at first with his fork, and then gave up and used his hands, it was too tasty. Mummy had some too so it was nice to sit and eat together before having a custard each. I will be doing a recipe for homemade banana custard soon so start saving used yogurt pots :)

 



THE Lunch Box Alternative

Cheese Scones

 

Yes, sandwiches get boring in those lunchboxes and there are only so many different sandwich fillers about. I got stuck in the rut of ham then marmalade then cheese then chicken then cheese with spinach then jam then back again... and bread just isn't very exciting for our little one's is it?

So, I took a simply sweet scone recipe and modified it to be baby friendly and savoury. Simples, and it is going to be simple for you too. The recipe should take 10 mins prep time, 10 mins cooking time and 10 mins cool down time plus it should cost no more than £2.80 to produce roughly 8-10 of these little munches.

 

Mine turned out a wee bit smaller because I used a small pastry cutter.

 

Ingredients

 

• 8oz sifted plain flour (99p, Lidl)
• 1 tsp cream of tartar (£2.80, Asda)
• Half tsp bicarbonate of soda (£1, Lidl)
• 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese (the powder type) (£3.50ish, Asda)
• 2oz diced, unsalted butter (£1, Iceland)
• Approximately 4floz whole milk (£1, Asda)
• 2 slices mild cheddar cheese (£1.38, Lidl)
• 2 triangles of spread cheese (£1.64 for 18, Lidl)

 

The Not-So Nitty Gritty

 

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees and grease a baking tray and put to one side.
2. Sift the plain flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cream of tartar (this can be left out if preferred).
3. Add the bicarbonate of soda and parmesan powder.
4.  Rub in the diced butter until a breadcrumb texture is achieved.
5.  Add enough milk (by eye and hand) to make a soft dough, this is usually around 4floz, maybe more.
6. Place the dough on a floured surface and kneed lightly as if doing bread. Then roll the dough until its is approximately thumb thick. Use a medium size cutter to make the dough circles and put onto the baking tray.
7. Add small squares of mild cheddar cheese to the tops of the rounds and glaze with milk.
8. Put into the oven for roughly 10 mins or until a golden colour, but not too golden because they get tough. leave to cool for about 15 mins and slice in halves and add spread cheese.
9. Ready to eat, now get stuck in!

 

 

What Little Monster Thought

 

   Well there are no pictures to this one, simply due to the fact that LO ate them so quick. He was intrigued when we opened his lunch box. There were no sandwiches in his foil and when I offered him the scones he was very cautious but once he tried it, he loved it! I couldn't keep up with him crawling around with his scone showing nanny and granddad the new golden food he had discovered!

  All in all? Fabulous! Definitely trying again soon but maybe cheese and spinach or cheese and ham? I found them quite tasty too. But I doubt very much they did my waistline any good at all.

 

 

 

  Well, there you have it , nice and simple and a bit different. Please let me know how you get on with this one and pictures are always, always loved! By the way, you may have seen this before if you have been reading Jessica Veltman's blog, Mom's the Word. If you haven't you should give her mommy blog a check, she covers all manner of mommy-related things and I enjoy reading it, so the chances are you might too!

 

http://momstheword2012.blogspot.co.uk/

 

and don't forget to give us a like on facebook!

 

http://www.facebook.com/feedingforthefuture

 

 

Til Next time mummy and daddy's :)

Sweet Chicken, Rice & Peas

Sweet Chicken, Rice & Peas

 

A twist on a traditional Caribbean recipe going back generations of families. This version is not spicy in the slightest and it is very, very tasty! It is also low in fat so perfect for mummy getting that pre-baby figure back, in a filling and tasty way!

 

You Will Need

• 3 tbsp Tinned pineapple inc. 3 tbsp. juice (79p, Lidl)
• 3 heaped tbsp. of white rice (£1, Iceland)
• 3 tbsp. frozen petit pois (£1.50, Iceland)
• Chicken Breast (£3.99, Lidl)

For mummy and daddy portions increase the pineapple to half a can, white rice to two and a half handfuls, 3 chicken breasts and 10 tbsp. of petit pois. Brilliant family meal.

The Not-so Nitty Gritty Bit

1. I used frozen chicken so put the chicken in a roasting tin and cover with foil and put in the oven at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
2. In the mean time, boil a pan of water and add the rice and peas. Simmer for 5 - 9 minutes.
3. When the chicken is cooked, uncover and add the pineapple and juice. Slice the chicken and stir the pineapple in, make sure the juice covers the chicken and leave for five minutes.
4. Drain the rice and peas. Stir in to the chicken and pineapple.
5. Serve and enjoy.

Little Monster's Opinion

 

Who needs a fork?

 

As you can guess from the caption, Tyler found it easier to use his hands not his fork which isn't really a bad thing at his age. My sons loves pineapple so this went down quicker than air! The pineapple makes the chicken really sweet and with the different textures, little ones won't get bored. Mummy and daddy love this one two and we have always eaten this pre-baby so it was an absolute joy to be able to include Tyler in yet another one of our favourites.

 

Also, try adding sweet corn or peppers for even more texture.

 

Happy eating :)



Crispy Bacon Noodles

Crispy Bacon Noodles

 

Well, what can I say? Quick and easy tasty food, which is you use bacon medallions instead of streaky bacon, is syn free on the slimming world extra easy plan! Result! This meal will cost 70p for a baby portion or £2.30 (approx.) for a baby portion and a mummy and daddy portion. Increases for mummy and daddy portions will be stated at the end of the initial ingredient layout.

 

Yes it does taste as good as it looks!

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 piece of smoked streaky bacon
• 1 slice of dairy lee 'plastic' cheese
• 3 level tbsp. of frozen sweetcorn
• Half a nest of medium dried egg noodles
• 1/6 of a grated onion

 

To make mummy and daddy portions increase the amount of bacon to 5 pieces, the amount of dairy lee to 4 slices, the sweetcorn to 6 heaped table spoons, use two and a half noodle nests and half an onion.

 

The Not-so Nitty Gritty

 

1. Cut the bacon into chunky squares and fry with no oil or fat for 5 - 10 minutes. 3 minutes into this, add the grated onion and stir in.
2. Add the egg noodles and sweetcorn to boiling water and leave on the boil for roughly 7/8 minutes.
3. Cut the 'plastic' cheese into squares and leave to one side.
4. Put the bacon and onion onto kitchen paper and fold in two to absorb excess fat and grease that has come out of the bacon during the cooking process.
5. Drain the noodles and sweetcorn but put back in the pot.
6. Stir the bacon and onion into the noodles.
7. Serve onto plates (the bowl did not go down well... see below) and add the squares of cheese on the tops of the noodles.

 

What Little Monster made of it

 

 

Well after playing with the noodles... stretching, throwing and of course twirling..... Tyler realised he loved it! I would not serve in a bowl as they slip out rather too easy as I have found on previous noodle ventures with the LO. He gobbled up most and mummy polished off the crumbs he left, such a considerate child thinking of mummy's tummy too! I would not used smoked meat in a baby's diet too much as they are naturally higher in salt, and streaky bacon is higher in fat. For a low fat option use bacon medallions, as stated in the intro. If your LO likes spices try adding some to the noodles once cooked, rather yummy! Definitely hand eating task though, the fork was not much use to be quite honest with you.

 

 

Let me know how you all get on, as always I love feedback, it helps me improve!

Happy cooking ladies and gentlemen.

 

 

What Can You Expect Next Time?

 

Well, in the next two blog posts I am covering Sweet Chicken, Rice and Peas as well as looking into what nutrients babies need at different stages. We get such a lot pushed on us in the first two years, don't do this, make sure you do that... it gets so confusing. I am going to try make things as basic as possible (it has to be basic otherwise I won't be able to understand!).





Catering with those little mouths with GOR & GORD

GOR & GORD

 

   GOR and GORD are the two types of acid reflux that people can suffer with, and it is a lot more common in babies and children than I initially thought. So, here's where I find myself, I'm putting together a couple of recipes that rule out all the 'forbidden' food that could trigger reflux. Everyone's reflux has different triggers so to do something ruling out each one would have took forever! And as a busy mummy, I do not have forever, as I'm sure none of you lot do either! GOR is more common than GORD and can go on it's own. However, GORD is more serious and often needs monitoring and medication, even in babies. GORD is when the stomach acid leaks out of the stomach and into the oesophagus (the long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the stomach).

   What I have picked up on my personal research into GORD is that most sufferers should avoid a high fat diet, avoid fizzy drinks, citrus fruits and choose white lean meat such as chicken, fish and turkey over red meat such as pork, beef and lamb.

 



Picture taken from a post on the living with reflux facebook page.

 

Farmhouse Pasta

 

Tyler is chowing down.

Ingredients:

• 30g turkey breast (£1 per pack, Iceland)
• 50g frozen baby carrots (carrot batons may be better) (£1 per pack, Iceland)
• 4 baby spinach leaves (£1 large pack, Asda)
• 20g dried penne pasta (69p, Asda)





The Not So Nitty Gritty Bit

 

1. Add the carrots and pasta to a pan of boiling water and leave for approximately 8 minutes.
2. I used pre-cooked turkey breast (lazy mummy day) so I sliced the chunks and cut the spinach and added to Tyler's favourite bowl (the pink one of course).
3. Drain pasta and carrots and add to the bowl.
4. Mix the bowl round a bit so your little one can't just see one block colour, they need stimulation to keep them interested.
5. Serve, too easy? Yeah I agree but Tyler liked it.

 

 

And what little monster thought.....

 



Yes mummy very nice but I personally would much prefer eating it off my legs right now.

 

Loved it, ate a bit of everything but had a lot left over, but this unfortunately is due to his health at the moment not the poor cooking standard, however, let me know how you get on with your little ones. No pasatta was included in this recipe as it's for GORD sufferers and tomato can aggravate reflux sometimes, so feel free to add it if your child is happy with the tomatoes.

 

Against the Grain Chicken and Roast Veg

 

 

It looks like a hot salad!

 

What You Will Need

 

• Quarter of a red pepper (on offer at 29p each, Lidl)
• Quarter of an aubergine (89p, Lidl)
• Quarter of a courgette (49p, Lidl)
• 5 green beans (99p for a large net bag, Lidl)
• 20g (can use less or non if vegetarian) of sliced chicken breast (£1 per pack, Iceland)

 

 

The Not-So Nitty Gritty Bit

 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees, add a 1 calorie oil spray (as little fat as possible used for GORD sufferers) to a roasting tin or add oil if your baby is okay with it. Place the roasting tin in the oven to heat through. This allows the veg to cook quicker.
2. Wash all your vegetables thoroughly. Slice the pepper into thin strips, leave the green beans as they are and slice the courgette and aubergine into rounds.
3. Add to the roasting tin and leave in the oven for five to ten minutes, do not leave any longer as they can go very dry and if you wouldn't eat dry and hard veg, why give it to the little ones?
4. Make sure the chicken is not in pieces that are over-sized, adjust to your baby's stage of eating.
5. Add all to a plate and serve!

 

 

And What Did The Little Monster Think?

 

 

Well, as you can see from the pictures, orange squash was added to the recipe by Master Blakemore himself! I would not recommend.

 

Well, he liked what he actually ate but he is even more off his food today then he was yesterday. Although, he was not keen on green beans but he eats them in a stir fry? I don't understand my sons logic very much.





 

Other Recipe Ideas:

 

No pictures available for these, but when they are they will be on the feeding for the future facebook page.

www.facebook.com/feedingforthefuture

 

• Little Hands Stir Fry: 20g chicken breast, 1 nest of plain dried noodles, 5 green beans, 2 tbsp. of peas, 2 tbsp. chopped carrots and 10g of chopped red pepper. All in one big wok. Takes 5 minutes to cook. Shouldn't cost more than £1 per portion!
• Moroccan Style Chicken: 40g chicken breast, 15g roasted courgette, 5g Red Pepper and 3 tbsp. sweetcorn. Chicken should be cooked at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes and always cover in foil to stop it going dry. This should cost no more than £1.50 per portion.
• Bread & Fish Dippers: white bread soldiers, white fish (cod, haddock, Pollock) steak cut into chunky strips (cooked according to instructions on packet or from fish monger) and a blended avocado dip (blend half an avocado with 1 tbsp. of butter).

 

Let me know how you get on with your little ones and send in the pictures, I like to know how you do yours differently too :)

Making Breakfast More Interesting

Alternative Breakfasts

 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if your little one just does not like breakfast? Well I've got some handy tips and two meals to try.

 

The Keys To Successful Breakfasts:

1. Try giving breakfast an hour or two after their first milk. If they are too hungry they are likely to be more fussy with their foods and if they are too full from milk they aren't going to be interested in what you offer them.
2. Try different things everyday, eating the same things gets way too boring for adults so imagine how boring it would be for little ones who need their attention captivating all the time.
3. If there are a couple of different foods on your babies' breakfast plate, try mixed them up so it looks different and a combination of textures... see the second meal for an idea of what I'm on about.
4. If breakfast doesn't work, try a light brunch instead, some people just aren't morning people.

 

Crumpets

 

We eat crumpets so why shouldn't babies? They are a bread product so are naturally full of carbohydrates to keep those little ones active and on the go providing all the energy they need.

Try using a variety of toppers to mix things up but always apply butter to soften the crumpets once toasted of course!

Tyler's personal favourites are marmalade (see picture below), chocolate spread, mixed fruit jam and crunchy peanut butter!

 

Crumpet with marmalade.

 

The All Day Baby Builders Breakfast

 

Well, well, well, builders have a big breakfast to keep them going? So why not feed your baby to keep them building sandcastles and stacking towers galore. Here is what to do....

 

1. Boil an egg until it is hard boiled (approximately 5 minutes)
2. Heat 3 table spoons of chopped tomatoes in the microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Shallow fry or grill 1 sausage. If shallow frying, dry on kitchen towel afterwards to remove excess fat and grease.
4. Toast  one slice of toast (wholemeal if your LO is over one).
5. Slice egg into sections, cut toast into squares, chop sausage into small chunks.
6. Arrange like a kebab, for example... egg, toast, sausage, tomatoes, egg, toast, sausage, tomatoes etc.
7. Serve.

 

The final product.

 

You could also try using baked beans or mushrooms too! However, my LO does not like the texture of mushrooms one bit, but I'm working on a plan!

 

Tyler absolutely loved this and didn't use his fork much, he enjoyed using his hands to pick out the different colours and textures. He had been crying all day due to his teeth but this cheered him right up. Or it could of been his new Alan Sugar bib.

 

Mummy was not fired as head chef on this occasion.

 

Which would be most beneficial for your baby? The second meal idea of course! There is more energy provided to keep your little one going for longer, it has protein, vitamin c, vitamin e, carbohydrate, fibre and good fats. And babies require a slightly higher fat diet than adults because they need it to develop muscle quicker as the burn off their food quicker.

 

Let me know how you get on with these, and send in those all important pictures! 







Ham & Mixed Veg Omelette

Ham & Mixed Veg Omelette

 

Well, there is a story behind this recipe! My little monkey had refused to eat fruit and veg for approximately 3 days and I was not impressed. So this was one of those I threw together out of pure desperation, but it worked and Tyler hasn't had a problem with his 5 a day since! This recipe will take 15 minutes to prepare, cook & serve - great for you busy parents AND will not cost more than 50p! What is not to love?

 

The final product.

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 medium size egg (pack of 6 free range, 89p Lidl)
• 3 heaped table spoons of frozen mixed veg (£1 a bag, Iceland)
• 1 slice of wafer thin breaded ham (£1 per pack, Iceland)
• 2 chopped up baby spinach leaves (£1, Lidl)
• 50ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon of butter

 

The Not-so Nitty Gritty

 

1. Beat the egg until a smooth consistency is achieved.
2. Add the milk and butter and whisk by hand.
3. Add the veg, spinach and chopped up ham to the mixture.
4. Add the mixture to a very hot frying pan with just a drizzle of olive oil in.
5. Cook for five minutes, until the bottom appears to solidify.
6. Place under the grill on a high heat for 7 minutes or until the top is no longer runny.

 

Now serve, how easy was that?

 

What Little Monster Made of It.....

 

Tyler was thoroughly impressed as per usual, he loves this recipe, one of his favourite meals and he gobbled it all up. This is how he started learning how to use his fork. Mummy had one too and loved it. Perfect all round for our lunch.

 

Munchkin enjoying his dinner!

 

IMPORTANT NOTE

Do not give your child ham until they are at least one year old. And do not use much in your child's diet as ham is a processed meat and as it will contain a high amount of salt. Using ham in my son's diet is a personal choice, I'm not saying it is right or wrong but my son eats what I eat but in smaller doses. It is important your child has a balanced diet with calcium being key at 1 year or over.





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Little Sailor's Supper

Little Sailor's Supper

 

Mum and Dads who are out at work all day need a filling meal to round off their days. Your little man or lady has been out playing all day too don't forget and they need refuelling just as much as you do! This recipe is a little more expensive than the others I have written but it is well worth it for the portion sizes and quality food. The taste is amazing and will intrigue those little taste buds. I recon this should cost around £4 odd to make and will take about 45 minutes to prepare, cook and serve.

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 fillet of fresh salmon (£3.29 for a pack of two, Lidl)
• 1 fillet of unsmoked mackerel (£2.23 on offer for a medium pack, Lidl)
• 1 tin of tuna chunks (£1.19, Lidl)
• 5 medium white potatoes (£3 for a 4kg bag, Iceland)
• 50g  plain flour
• 25g unsalted butter
• half a pint of whole milk

 

 

The not-so Nitty Gritty

 

1. Peel and chops potatoes into thin strips (this allows them to cook through faster) and allow to boil for approximately 15-20 minutes. DO NOT add salt. My Nan will go mad for me saying this but you simply do not need to add salt to enjoy the taste of potato, especially when it is mashed for a lovely pie.
2. Empty the tin of tuna into the dish you will be doing your pie in and leave to one side, do not include the brine.
3. Fresh salmon can be cooked in the microwave to same time (and money of energy bills). Place the fillet on a microwavable plate and cover with cling film. Ensure to pierce the cling film with a fork to allow air to flow. Cook the salmon for 2 minutes on medium high then again for another 30 seconds and again for another 30 seconds. Salmon is easily overcooked so it is important to keep a close check in the last minute or so!
4. Cook the mackerel in a roasting tin, covered in foil, for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees.
5. When the salmon and mackerel are both cooked, flake both fillets to check for bones BEFORE adding to the tuna.
6. The next key part of this recipe is the white sauce. Add the flour to a new saucepan followed by the diced unsalted butter and the milk. Stir regularly as white sauces burn easily.
7. Keep stirring the white sauce until it is a heated through gently.
8. Add the sauce to the fish and stir round gently, this will ensure no clumping of the fish and and even spread of flavour and texture.
9. Drain the potatoes and add a level tbsp. of butter and a splash (literally what it says) of whole milk, stir in and then mash until the desired consistency is achieved.
10. Spoon and smooth the mash over the fish and sauce and place under the grill (on full power) for approximately 5 minutes.

And serve :D

 

Little monster tucking in with coli flour and broccoli.

 

What the Boss thought...

 

   Well it's safe to say Tyler loves salmon! He picked out all the pink bits first and then his favourite, coliflour and continued to devour the rest until he had enough and threw it at me. At least I had a filled up little monkey!

 

 

Happy eating readers, hope to hear some feedback.







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Chilli-less Chilli Con Carne

Chilli-less Chilli Con Carne

 

A classic made baby friendly! Mum and Dad can eat this one too or you can freeze the rest as this recipe provides a total of 10 baby portions and only costs around £3 to make and about 20 minutes to make and serve!

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 small pack of extra lean Scottish beef mince (£1.79, Lidl)
• 1 tin of chopped plum tomatoes (19p, Aldi)
• 1 tin of red kidney beans (19p, Aldi)
• 1 tbsp. of tomato passata (29p, Lidl)
• 1 tsp of bisto beef gravy granules (£1, £land)
• 1 finely chopped white onion (20p, Lidl)
• 1 tin of reduced sugar and salt baked beans (17p, Aldi)
• 1 tbsp. of Basmati Rice (£1.29, Asda)

The Not-So Nitty Gritty

 

1. It is best to use a wok for this recipe and it heats up quickly and cooks all round ensuring the mince gets 100% cooked. Separate the mince and add to the wok. Do not add any extra fat.
2. Add the gravy granules and the chopped onion and mix together.
3. Once the meat has just started to brown add 1 tbsp. of passata. Make sure you drizzle it in the middle before stirring in.
4. Drained and add the kidney beans and add the entire tin of baked beans.
5. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes but stirring every few to stop any burning and clumping of meet.
6. In a separate pan boil some water and add one heaped tbsp. of basmati rice.
7. Once the rice has cooked drain it off and add to a small bowl.
8. Divide the chilli-less chilli into ten portions (one going with the rice). Once cooled the chilli can have lids put on it and put in the freezer.
9. The portion of chilli you added to the rice, mix well and leave to stand for a minute or two because your little ones mouths are sensitive!

What Tyler's tea looked like.

 

And what the little monster made of it.....

 

Loved it, wolfed it down in fact! Loved all the different textures and colour. He couldn't get enough and thinking of doing him a bigger portion next time.

 

Little man and his first few spoonfuls... not that impressed here but I can assure you that soon changed!

 

Remember: if you have any comments feel free to let me know how you and your little angels got on and maybe send it some pictures to feature in future posts!

 

Happy eating bloggers.





 





Let me Introduce myself...

   Well, my name is Hollie and I have a one year old son. Just prior to his first birthday he started getting picky and rather fussy with his food but then I realised only I could change that... and wa-la! I have managed to get him into absolutely everything again.

  There is far too much information thrown at you when you have a baby and when you are heading back to work and you are on a budget it is tough knowing what to make your child to keep them interested in healthy food. As I have a qualification in special dietary needs and a health and social BTEC diploma level 1 I though why can't I pass what I know on to everyone else and lend a hand?

 Well here we are. I will write simple recipes for those short of time and short of money. I will tell you exactly what you need and where is best to get it. As well as reviews on feeding equipment. I wouldn't say its essential for you mummy and daddies but if you just extract the information you need, it'll be worth while.

  Most of the recipes I will put together can be eaten  by mum and dad too and most are suitable for Slimming World and Rosemary Conelley diet plans believe it or not. Good food is not hard to afford and not hard to cook. Hope you enjoy the recipes, if you have any photos of your little ones trying the foods send them to me if you don't mind them being shared on here and any criticism is welcomed as I am a bit new to all of this :)

Blog soon Mummies and Daddies!

Me and Little Man wishing you happy future reading.