Infants begin to be fed at age 4-6 months. First of all, babies usually try fruit juices and purees, but if your baby suffers from diathesis, the doctor may recommend that vegetable puree because vegetables are less likely to cause allergic reactions.

Vegetable puree can be given to a child from 4-6 months, but at the beginning of complementary foods, you should pay attention to the presence of allergens in them.

When and how to start giving your baby mashed vegetables

What is the best vegetable food to prepare? You can buy baby food for the little ones in the store, but since you are just starting to feed your baby, most of the contents of the jar will have to be thrown away. Indeed, in the first days of the introduction of complementary foods, the crumbs are given no more than half a teaspoon of mashed potatoes, and an open dish can only be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours. It's better to cook on your own.

Puree for the first feeding is best prepared from pumpkin or zucchini. These vegetables have a rich vitamin and mineral composition, are well absorbed, do not cause increased gas formation, and children eat them quite willingly when they get used to them. If it’s not in season, you can start feeding the baby with potatoes, but it contains much fewer nutrients and a lot of starch. giving little child boiled carrots and beets are also possible, but only with the permission of a doctor - although carrots are useful, the high content of carotene in it can provoke diathesis, and beets can cause diarrhea.

Later, if the baby does not suffer from colic, you can introduce cabbage into the diet - broccoli, cauliflower and white cabbage, as well as turnips and rutabaga. And, in order to diversify the children's menu, sometimes you can prepare mixtures of two or three types of vegetables, to which the baby has already become accustomed.

If you are making your own puree for your baby, choose the freshest vegetables grown in local gardens.

Let's start cooking

Choice of vegetables

Products for complementary foods for a child should be fresh and always of high quality. Vegetables with wormholes, foul rot, traces of mold, or damaged skin should not be given to infants, as they contain toxins in fairly high concentrations. So, sprouted or green potatoes can even cause poisoning in a small child, despite the fact that all inedible parts have been removed.

For nutrition baby Vegetables from a personal garden, if any, are the best fit, and from the store, try to choose what is grown in your region, as imported perishable products are often chemically treated to extend the shelf life.

Making baby puree

So, a suitable vegetable is selected, we begin to cook.

• First, the product must be thoroughly rinsed under running water using a brush. You can also use special baby detergents.
• Next, peel off the skin. From potatoes, zucchini or pumpkin, you need to remove the top layer with a thickness of about 0.8 mm - 1 cm, and then cut into small pieces.
• Scald the pieces with boiling water and transfer to a saucepan.
• Pour a little boiled water so that it completely covers the vegetables.
• We put the pan on the fire, cover it with a lid and wait for the water to boil.
• After boiling, reduce the heat, open the lid and simmer the vegetables until softened, not forgetting to stir and add water. It is important to ensure that the water does not completely evaporate and the dish does not burn.
• After the end of the stew, knead the vegetables with a fork, chop in a blender or rub through a sieve to the consistency of a gentle puree without fibers and other inclusions. Sugar and salt do not need to be added. To dilute the puree, use the broth in which the vegetables were cooked.
• After the vegetable puree has cooled to 35-40 degrees, you can start feeding.

If the little picky refuses to eat complementary foods, be patient and do not force feed him, then over time the baby will get used to new tastes and will eat without whims

How to properly feed your baby

For the first time, your baby will most likely not like vegetable complementary foods, because this dish, unlike mother's milk or a mixture, is not so tasty and not at all sweet. So that the baby does not refuse to eat vegetables, they should be given when he is really hungry - best before daytime feeding.

Solid foods should be given from a spoon to teach the baby to eat properly. And it’s okay if everything is spit out for the first time, the main thing is that the child has tasted a new dish. Try to give another spoonful, but if the baby starts to act up, do not insist - feed next time.

In no case should you force complementary foods - in this way you can form a negative attitude towards food intake in your son or daughter, and in the future it will be more and more difficult for you to force the baby to eat. Strive to ensure that the children's meal takes place in a supportive and calm environment.

The first complementary foods are given once a day - at lunchtime. The initial portion is only a quarter of a teaspoon of puree, the next day they give half, etc., gradually increasing the volume. Over the next two weeks, the child continues to be given the same dish, without adding anything else to it, in order to observe the reaction of the body and accustom the stomach to absorb new food. If all is well, in the third week you can slightly diversify the children's table - start adding a drop of vegetable oil to the puree, preferably olive oil, and try other vegetables.

If, with the start of giving complementary foods, the baby's health worsened: a rash, redness on the skin, anxiety or stool disorders appeared, the mother should stop giving this product to the child and contact the children's clinic for treatment and diet correction.

I found an article about complementary foods, I’ll leave it here for myself, maybe someone will also find it useful.

Baby's first food: vegetable puree

Timely introduction of complementary foods to the baby accustoms him to more dense food. If complementary foods are not introduced on time, then the child may have difficulty eating at an older age, he will refuse solid foods - cereals, meat and fish. In addition, with the late introduction of complementary foods, the baby may experience various deviations in the state of health and develop various diseases - anemia, rickets, malnutrition (lag in weight).

As the first complementary food, it is better for a child to introduce vegetable puree, it is rich in minerals, vitamins, fiber, which are necessary for a growing body. In addition, if the first complementary foods are given more than tasty dish- porridge, then the baby will be reluctant to try other foods - vegetables, soups and meat.

But there are situations when it is more important to introduce cereals to the baby than vegetables as the first feeding (for example, if the baby is not gaining weight well enough or has an unstable stool).

If the baby is exclusively breastfeeding, gains weight well and has no health problems, then you can introduce complementary foods to him from 6 months - it will be vegetable puree. In almost all other cases, vegetable puree is introduced after juice and fruit puree, that is, not earlier than 5 months.

In any case, your pediatrician will determine the optimal time to introduce complementary foods.

Rules for the introduction of vegetable puree

Start giving vegetable puree to the baby from 1 teaspoon on the first day, then watch the nature of the stool - if it is normal (yellow-brown, without mucus and greenery), then give 2-3 teaspoons the next day, within 10-12 days the volume of puree is increased to 100 - 150 g. The next 7 - 10 days are allotted for complete adaptation to the new product.

Offer vegetable puree to the baby before one of the next breastfeeding or artificial mixture. First time new food it is best to give during one of the morning feedings so that you can follow the reaction of the child. Follow the same tactic when introducing new ingredients into the puree. In this way, the tolerance of various vegetables is determined.

Vegetable puree is the main complementary food, which, as the volume increases, completely replaces one feeding. Nevertheless, breastfed babies after each meal, even if it is already of sufficient volume, be sure to apply to the breast - this contributes to the long-term preservation of lactation.

Begin the introduction of complementary foods with mashed potatoes made from any one type of vegetable. As a rule, this is mashed marrow - a vegetable with delicate fiber, which does not cause allergic reactions. When the baby gets used to this dish, his diet is expanded with cabbage (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, green beans. A variety of vegetables are included in the puree gradually, each type of vegetable for 5 to 7 days, adding them one at a time. In a multicomponent mashed potato, there can be no more than 1/3 of the total volume, since it contains a lot of starch.

From 7 - 7.5 months, you can give your child vegetable puree with the addition of green peas - it is very rich in vitamins and microelements.

From 8.5 - 9 months, vegetable purees are allowed to add vegetable greens in a small amount (dill, parsley, celery, onion), it is added at the end of cooking, which significantly enriches it with vitamins.

It is advisable to season vegetable puree with vegetable oil (olive, sunflower, corn), starting with 2-3 drops and increasing to 1 teaspoon within 7-10 days. Vegetable oil is a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids necessary for the baby.

Do not salt vegetable purees! The child has slightly different ideas about tastes than you and I, because he has not yet tried salty food, so vegetables cannot seem tasteless to the baby, and salt is too heavy a burden for a small body.

With the introduction of complementary foods, solid foods take longer to digest, so after the baby receives complementary foods in full, it is better to transfer him to 5 meals a day.

Cook at home

Vegetable puree can be prepared at home. To do this, take one type of vegetable (for example, zucchini), rinse, peel, cut into pieces, cover with water and cook in an enamel pan until tender. Drain the water, but not completely, mash well with a fork (or in a blender), add vegetable oil. You can add some breast milk or formula that you feed your baby. Never leave the leftover vegetable puree even in the refrigerator until the next feeding. Each time the puree should be freshly prepared.

Vegetables will keep their beneficial features and winter, if properly stored. Place the fruits in a wooden box so that they do not touch each other, and store them at a temperature of +5 - 15 degrees in a dry, dark place.

You can use frozen vegetables. The fast freezing technology does not use preservatives, therefore vitamins and minerals are preserved in them, but on condition that the storage temperature in freezers is not higher than minus 19 degrees. But you should not defrost vegetables before cooking, since most of the vitamins are destroyed precisely in the process of slow defrosting.

Currently, a wide range of "canned" vegetable purees of industrial production is offered - use them in the winter-spring period, when there are few vegetables.

T. CARIKH, pediatrician, SCMP.

Useful properties of vegetables

Zucchini, in addition to tender fiber, contains a significant amount of potassium, which makes it a valuable product for cardiovascular diseases, and copper, which prevents the development of anemia. Zucchini puree is a low-calorie dish (unlike mashed potatoes), which is indicated for overweight children.

WHITE CABBAGE. Its most valuable property is the high content of sulfur and chlorine compounds, which are a natural disinfectant and antiseptic and gently cleanse the gastrointestinal tract in case of intestinal disorders.

BROCCOLI CABBAGE and other green vegetables are a rich source of calcium and other minerals, as well as a powerful antioxidant - vitamin E.

BEANS GRAIN - source great content vegetable protein, which in terms of amino acid composition is only slightly inferior to meat.

GREEN BEANS contains a full range of mineral elements. Pods are exceptionally rich in B and PP vitamins, which improve skin condition and improve appetite in babies. And there is twice as much vitamin C in green beans as in apricots and plums.

PUMPKIN is a unique vegetable that contains a lot of useful substances: it is delicate fiber, which does not irritate the gastric mucosa, but nevertheless contributes to the normalization of stool, and iron, which prevents the development of anemia, and carotene (there is more of it than in carrots), which strengthens vascular wall. The mineral salts of potassium and phosphorus are necessary for the normal functioning of the baby's cardiovascular system. The B vitamins contained in pumpkin stimulate physical and neuropsychic development. Vitamin K is important for normal blood clotting. Pectin promotes digestion and improves appetite.

CARROT is a storehouse of vitamins, it has a high content of carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. Carrots are rich in B vitamins, potassium salts, and in terms of the content of phytoncides, they are almost as good as garlic and onions. But carrots and pumpkin, due to the content of carotene, which gives the orange color to these vegetables, can cause an allergic reaction. Be careful when introducing them into your baby's diet!

GREENS - dill, parsley, green onions - the leader in magnesium content. Magnesium, like other trace elements, is not synthesized in the body, but comes with food, it contributes to normal metabolism in the brain tissue, improves cerebral circulation and transmission of nerve impulses, and stimulates memory.

BEET contains a fairly large amount of vitamins B, C, PP, it is rich in folic acid and iron, which stimulate the formation of red blood cells and improve oxygen supply to the muscles.

So, you have introduced the first complementary foods - vegetable puree. In general, vegetables are a unique product, they contain a lot of fiber, vegetable fibers and pectin, which improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, vegetables contain enough vitamins and minerals.

If the baby completely refuses vegetable puree (for example, from zucchini), do not worry, offer another vegetable puree (from cauliflower) in a day or two. Do not worry if the crumbs did not like the taste of some vegetable - the order of introducing vegetables can be changed. In addition, the baby develops certain addictions to a particular taste, he will like some product more, some less. In a word, let him try!

Vegetable puree is one of the three mandatory complementary foods that must be introduced into the baby's diet even before the year. Often it is with him that the baby begins to get acquainted with “adult” food. How to prepare and give vegetable complementary foods to a child? Why are vegetables so important for a baby?

What are the benefits of vegetables for children, and why vegetable purees are needed

From whatever vegetables the puree for the baby is prepared, it should be:

1. Thicker consistency than milk or formula.

How to introduce vegetable purees into baby food

There are no differences from others. Puree should be made from one vegetable, in water, without any other additives. It is allowed to dilute it with breast milk or an adapted mixture familiar to the baby.

On the first day, preferably before lunch, give one teaspoon. Watch for problems: regurgitation, bloating and pain in the tummy, frequent stools or pathological impurities in it (foam, water, greenery, blood streaks). If everything is in order, give 2 spoons the next day (if complementary foods are not the first, you can 3) and watch again. Continue in this manner until you have replaced the entire feeding with vegetable puree. Approximate amount of food in different ages you can look here. The portion size will also depend on the baby's appetite, mood and what and how he ate in the past feeding.

After the baby has got used to the full volume of his first vegetable puree in about a week, you can add a small amount of a new vegetable to it. At least a week is allotted for its introduction, after which the third component can be included in complementary foods, and so on.

How to make vegetable puree for your child

It's easy if you follow the rules:

1. Vegetables are thoroughly washed, peeled and washed again under running water. If they were stored in a room accessible to mice, it is advisable to pour boiling water over them.
2. Cut into small pieces and thrown into a saucepan of boiling water (on the stove or in the microwave). So useful substances are stored in the pulp, and are not washed out into the broth. A more successful cooking option is steamed: in a slow cooker, double boiler.
3. Ready vegetables are rubbed through a plastic sieve or whipped in a blender, achieving the desired consistency. If the puree is too thick, dilute it with boiled water. You can also use a decoction, if you are sure that there are no nitrates washed out by boiling into the water.
4. To increase the calorie content of the dish good to use instead of water breast milk or an adapted mixture familiar to the child. For the same purpose, vegetable (45 kcal in 1 teaspoon!) And butter (in a teaspoon - about 30 kcal, depending on fat content) oil are used, and after a year - cream or meat broth.
5. Spicy herbs and onion feathers can be finely chopped and rubbed with a knife, added to the finished puree, or beaten together with vegetables in a blender.
6. It is highly desirable to do without table salt at least until the child is one year old.

If you are not sure about the safety of the available vegetables or do not have the opportunity (time or kitchen equipment) to cook baby puree desired consistency, we recommend giving vegetable complementary foods (at least at first) in the form of canned baby food.

By four to six months of a child's life, breast milk or its artificial substitutes becomes insufficient. Your baby is growing, developing and his need for essential nutrients, trace elements, vitamins and energy increases with age. It is vegetable puree that in most cases becomes the first complementary food for babies. For a breastfed child, the optimal time for introducing complementary foods is 5-6 months, for children artificial feeding- starting from 4.5 months
As the first complementary foods, you can use vegetable puree or porridge. However, most pediatricians prefer vegetable puree, as vegetables are a valuable source of vitamins, organic acids and trace elements, and also contain vegetable fibers and pectins, which normalize the intestinal microflora and prevent constipation. It is also more expedient to start complementary foods with vegetable puree because later, with the introduction of sweeter foods, such as cereals, babies no longer refuse puree. At the same time, with insufficient weight gain, unstable stool, porridge is first introduced. Thus, the decision on which complementary foods is better to introduce to the baby first must be agreed with the pediatrician.
The order of introduction of vegetables

It is advisable to start the introduction of vegetable complementary foods with those vegetables that most rarely cause allergies and are better digested. An approximate sequence of vegetables might be as follows:

Older than 4.5 months

vegetable marrow

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Potato

Sweet potato

Carrot

Older than 5 months – expansion of the range of vegetables due to:

pumpkins

white cabbage, etc.

You can start combining the above vegetables if you are convinced that all components are well tolerated by the child.

After 6 months of life. You can use multi-component purees with the addition of tomatoes.

It should be borne in mind that carrots and tomatoes can cause allergies in predisposed children, so these vegetables must be introduced with caution.

After 7 months of life. Polycomponent purees with green peas.

After 8 months of life. Polycomponent purees with the addition of:

Spinach
thermally processed garlic and onions
After 9 months, you can use herbs in the preparation of mashed potatoes: parsley, dill, celery.

After 1 year, legumes (peas and beans), turnips, radishes, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes are introduced into the child's diet. In children under this age, the gastrointestinal tract is not yet ready to digest foods that contain coarse fiber. This can cause gas, bloating and abdominal pain.

With the introduction of the first complementary foods, free-breastfed babies are encouraged to offer water (unlike formula-fed babies who are given water earlier). This is because complementary foods contain less water than breast milk and fluid requirements increase. It is better to use bottled water; if it is not intended specifically for baby food, then it must be boiled. First, water is given from a teaspoon, starting with 10-20 ml, and the volume is gradually increased. You should be guided by the needs of the child, as he will not drink more water than necessary. Offer water between feedings. If you give it before the next meal, when the child is hungry, then there is a risk of "killing" the appetite.

Modern approach

A few years ago, the baby's acquaintance with new food began with the introduction of juices and fruit puree. These positions are currently being revised. Modern pediatricians advise the first to introduce vegetable puree, sometimes porridge, as studies show that early introduction juices and fruit purees often cause the development of adverse reactions in the form of allergies and digestive disorders, and also contributes to the development of caries, moreover, after the introduction of sweet foods, children often refuse unleavened vegetables.

It is important to know

Potatoes contain starch, which in large quantities can provoke bloating and abdominal pain, frequent stools, so the proportion of potatoes should not exceed 20-30% of the total mashed potatoes. In addition, before cooking, it is good to soak the potatoes cut in half in water for 1-2 hours to remove starch and nitrates from it.

Any New Product do not introduce into the child's diet when he is unwell, when changing his usual way of life (for example, moving), during preventive vaccinations, in hot weather.

In order for the child not to refuse complementary foods, it should be given before breastfeeding (when the child is hungry), from a spoon.

The first complementary foods are introduced in one of the daily feedings, the most convenient is the introduction of complementary foods at 10 or 14 o'clock in order to monitor the baby's condition during the day, his reaction to the introduction of a new dish. In the event of the appearance of alarming signs (disturbances in well-being, the appearance of rashes on the skin, changes in the stool - its increase and liquefaction), it is necessary to stop the introduction of the product and consult a pediatrician.

You should start introducing complementary foods with one type of the least allergenic vegetables, this will allow you to track the baby's reaction to this particular product. Since the child is only getting used to new tastes, he has a gradual formation of taste sensations, perhaps he will refuse a product unfamiliar to him. In this case, you should try to offer this product after a few days or switch to another type of vegetable (but by no means to sweet porridge!).

It is necessary to start the introduction of new products with a small amount (1 teaspoon), gradually increasing over 7-10 days to the full volume of one feeding (150 g).

Introduction example vegetable complementary foods:

1st day -1 tsp. (5 g)

2nd day - 2 tsp. (10 g)

3rd day-3 tsp (15 g)

4th day-4 tsp (20 g)

5th day - 10 tsp. (50 g)

6th day-20 tsp (100 g)

Day 7-30 tsp (150 g)

The second week falls on the child getting used to a new dish. The daily volume of vegetable complementary foods at the age of 9-12 months reaches 200 g.

According to their consistency at the initial stage of the introduction of complementary foods should be homogenized (homogeneous, semi-liquid) and not cause difficulty in swallowing.

In the future, they gradually move to a thicker consistency - mashed vegetable puree.

The temperature of the dishes should be 37 ° C, which corresponds to the temperature of the received mother's milk.

After a portion of complementary foods, the child should be offered a breast. With artificial feeding, the volume of the mixture after a serving of puree should be such that, together with vegetables, this is 200 ml.

Vegetable puree must be prepared every day, immediately before use. Cooking for several days for children under one year is not recommended. Reheating reduces the amount of vitamins and other nutrients, and even when stored in the refrigerator, microbes can multiply in the finished products. For mashing, you should choose fresh, if possible, “homemade” vegetables that have not been grown with chemical fertilizers. Wash them thoroughly, clean, rinse again with water. To save maximum amount mineral salts and vitamins, vegetables should preferably be steamed or stewed with a small amount of water (you can use a double boiler or pressure cooker). Vegetables should be thrown into boiling water, then the fire should be reduced. If several types of vegetables are cooked in one dish, they are placed gradually, depending on the speed of softening. The first, trial portions of vegetable puree should not be salted. Boiled vegetables must be rubbed through a sieve or chopped with a blender and diluted with vegetable broth in the amount of a third or fourth part of the total number of vegetables. Vegetable oil (preferably extra virgin olive oil) can be added to the finished vegetable puree, starting with 1 drop and gradually increasing the volume to 3 ml over the course of a week (at the age of 4.5 to 6 months) - and 5 ml (with 6 months). Vegetable oil is a valuable source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E) and phosphatides, which are necessary for the further growth and development of the baby.

Assortment of ready-made vegetable purees for children early age extremely varied. They guarantee the composition that meets the needs of children, the necessary degree of grinding, safety and the absence of harmful impurities. However, it should be borne in mind that foreign manufacturers often use legumes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices (for example, pepper) to improve the taste of mashed potatoes and recommend introducing these mashed potatoes from 5-6 months (according to the recommendations of domestic pediatricians and nutritionists, these products should be entered later). Ready meals do not need additional salt, and there is no need to add vegetable oil (canned vegetables for children, as a rule, contain a small amount of salt and the required amount of vegetable oil). To preserve vitamins, jars should be heated by placing them in hot water and stirring occasionally. You can also use a special baby food warmer. The reheated puree cannot be reused.

FrutoNyanya produces monocomponent vegetable purees and purees from mixed vegetables. Puree "FrutoNyanya" "broccoli" and "cauliflower" are suitable for the first acquaintance of a child with vegetables. Cauliflower and broccoli are hypoallergenic vegetables that may be recommended for children with food allergies. Vegetables from which mashed potatoes are made are an excellent source of a number of vitamins (C, PP, K, E) and minerals: (iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus). Vegetable puree for children contains delicate vegetable fiber, so it is easy to digest and assimilate. "Vegetable platter" FrutoNyanya "from cauliflower, corn and carrots is a source of dietary fiber necessary for normal bowel function.

Magazine “9 Months“

Vegetables are an essential part of a child's diet. What vegetables can be introduced to a baby in the first year of life and how to correctly enter them into the baby's menu?

The baby grows and develops rapidly and gradually needs more and more energy and nutrients. The child's need for vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, copper, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, also increases. Their quantity, supplied with breast milk or formula, becomes insufficient. Therefore, approximately age 4-6 months, the diet of the crumbs should be replenished with new healthy food that can meet the increased needs of the child's body. Healthy children with normal body weight and sufficient weight gain, as well as babies prone to constipation and having overweight, it is recommended to introduce vegetables as the first complementary foods. Vegetables are a source of a number of useful substances necessary for a growing organism. They contain a huge set of vitamins and minerals, as well as vegetable protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and other important compounds. It is plant food that is the main source of carotene (provitamin A), which is necessary for the normal formation of vision and healthy skin of the baby, as well as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which is involved in the formation of the child's immunity and helps to increase the resistance of a small organism to various infections. Vegetable fibers (fiber, pectins) contained in vegetables gently stimulate the development digestive system child, they increase the secretion of the digestive glands and enzymatic activity of the intestine, normalize the composition of the microflora, and also contribute to the elimination of toxins. Unlike fruits, which used to be traditionally used to start complementary foods, vegetables are less likely to cause allergies and contain significantly less sugars and organic acids that irritate the baby's immature digestive system.

Where do we start?

Acquaintance of the baby with new foods should begin with low-allergenic vegetables, such as zucchini, cauliflower, squash, broccoli, pumpkin of light varieties. A little later (from about 7-8 months), you can add potatoes, carrots, white cabbage, green peas, bell peppers, beets. After 8-9 months, the baby's menu can be diversified by thermally processed tomatoes, onions and garlic. And for a child older than 10 months, you can add finely chopped fresh herbs (dill, parsley, celery) to ready-made dishes. Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as legumes (beans, peas), eggplant, turnips, radishes can appear in the diet of crumbs only after a year.

First, a one-component puree is given, consisting of one type of vegetable. This will allow you to track the reaction of the baby to this particular product. After the child adapts to the first vegetables and in the absence of intolerance reactions (appearance of skin rashes, bloating, change in stool), more complex dishes can be introduced into the baby’s diet from a combination of two to three types of vegetables (for example, zucchini, potatoes and carrots) . The first acquaintance of a child with a new product begins with a small volume - 0.5-1 teaspoon in the morning. In the absence of negative reactions, the volume of the dish is gradually increased over 7-10 days to the norm corresponding to the age of the child (approximately 100-150 g per feeding).

Pantry of vitamins

vegetable marrow most suitable for the first acquaintance with a new food. Due to its non-coarse fiber and high content of pectins, it has a mild and delicate taste and is easily digestible. This vegetable is rich in mineral salts of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, which have importance for the metabolism of a growing organism. It practically does not cause allergies, has a tonic and choleretic effect. There is a lot of folic acid, iron and copper in the zucchini, which play important role in the process of hematopoiesis. In its composition, it also contains carotene, vitamins C, B2 and B1. A close brother of zucchini, zucchini is also very useful and widely used in baby food. This zucchini contains easily digestible carbohydrates, ascorbic acid, carotene and vitamin PP, which is involved in the regulation of the function of the thyroid, pancreas and adrenal glands.

Cauliflower, due to its composition, it is also the optimal product for the first complementary foods. It contains a small amount of fiber, so it is easy to digest and does not cause bloating and colic in babies. The vegetable protein contained in cabbage is a source of essential amino acids (lysine, threonine and methionine), which contribute to blood formation, tissue growth and repair, the functioning of the kidneys and adrenal glands, and the thyroid gland. Cauliflower contains a lot of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), carotene, potassium, vitamins B1, B2, E, PP, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and iodine, which are necessary for the full growth and development of the child. The closest relative of cauliflower, broccoli, is far superior in nutritional value. Broccoli is much richer in vitamin C than oranges. The vegetable protein contained in this cabbage, in its amino acid composition, is not inferior to the protein of animal origin. In addition, broccoli is an excellent source of B vitamins and calcium.

Pumpkin one of the record holders vitamin composition. It contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, carotene, vitamin D, which promotes the growth and strengthening of bones, as well as iron, copper, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. The pulp of pumpkin fruits is rich in pectin, sugars, vegetable proteins and fats, B vitamins, and even rare vitamin T, which is involved in blood clotting processes and prevents the development of anemia. Pumpkin contains a large amount of dietary fiber, which normalizes the baby's intestines (especially if the baby suffers from constipation), and also promotes the absorption of nutrients and the removal of toxins from the body.

Potato it is very rich in potassium, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the kidneys and the cardiovascular system of the child, as well as vitamin C. There is especially a lot of vitamin C in young potatoes, but during long-term storage and during cooking, most of it is destroyed. This vegetable also contains B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus. Due to their high starch content, low fiber and protein content, potatoes are fairly easy to digest, especially when mashed. However, it should be remembered that it is precisely because of the large amount of starch that the calorie content of potatoes is almost twice as high as that of other vegetables, so the use of this vegetable should be limited to overweight children. In addition, high starch content can cause food allergies in a child, provoke constipation, bloating and abdominal pain. For these reasons, potatoes are not suitable for first feeding. It is better to cook it in combination with other vegetables and no more than 1/3 of the total volume of vegetable puree. To reduce the amount of starch, peeled potatoes can be soaked in water for 1-1.5 hours before cooking. cold water. Sprouted and green potatoes should not be used in baby food, as it accumulates a toxic substance - solanine, which can cause poisoning.

Carrot sweet and tasty, so kids like it very much. Carrots are a major source of carotene and are also relatively rich in vitamin C, potassium, and iron. Due to the high content of fiber and pectins, carrots have a laxative effect, so it is very useful for babies prone to constipation. However, when introducing this vegetable into the diet of crumbs, one should be aware of its high allergenicity, and with great care offer it to babies who are prone to allergic reactions.

Beet rich in carbohydrates, fiber, organic acids, contains a sufficient amount of salts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, cobalt and iron. It is important to consider that beets, like carrots, have pronounced allergenic properties, so it should be introduced after the baby's body adapts to other vegetables and taking into account individual tolerance.

Buy or cook?

When it comes time to feed the baby, every mother thinks - what kind of complementary foods to choose canned or cooked on their own? The answer to this question cannot be unambiguous, and here the mother must make her own right decision. The feeding period is a transitional stage in a child's life. At this time, the child's body is being rebuilt to a qualitatively perfect level. the new kind food and the baby becomes especially vulnerable to any violations and errors in nutrition. In this regard, the requirements for the quality and safety of products for the first complementary foods are very high.

Of course, the most useful for the crumbs will be dishes prepared from fresh vegetables grown in their own garden without the use of harmful substances and fertilizers. But not all parents have such an opportunity, in addition, seasonality is typical for homemade vegetables. While vegetables purchased in a store or market do not always meet the strict safety requirements for baby food. In this regard, WHO experts and domestic experts in the field of baby food recommend using canned food for complementary foods. The fact is that baby food industrial production is made from high-quality and environmentally friendly raw materials, with guaranteed chemical and microbiological safety. "Jared" purees have a strictly balanced composition and are enriched with all the vitamins and microelements necessary for the baby, regardless of the season. In addition, the degree of processing and grinding of vegetables into ready-made purees is made in strict accordance with age characteristics chewing apparatus and digestive system of the child.

When buying canned vegetables of industrial production, it is advisable to choose products only from well-known manufacturers, be sure to pay attention to the composition of the product (the puree for the first feeding should include only vegetables and water, while the content of salt, milk, thickeners (starch) and any spices is unacceptable) . It is also necessary to check the expiration date and tightness of the packaging. It is important to remember that after opening the jar with ready meals puree remains cannot be stored and reused, since food remains are an excellent breeding ground for the development of pathogens, in addition, when reheated, all the useful properties of the product die.

You can cook delicious and healthy vegetables for your baby yourself. In order for vegetable puree prepared at home to be as healthy and safe as possible for a child, the following rules must be observed:

- Before cooking, vegetables should be thoroughly washed under running warm water with a brush. Heavily soiled vegetables can be pre-soaked in warm water to soak the dirt and settle to the bottom. After washing, the vegetables must be peeled and chopped for cooking. Purchased vegetables, especially early greenhouse vegetables, may contain a significant amount of nitrates (nitric acid salts), which have a strong toxic effect on the child's body. It is possible to reduce their content in vegetables by removing, when cleaning, those parts of plants in which nitrates are especially accumulated. So, for example, you need to remove the top leaves from cabbage and remove the stalk, zucchini and squash potatoes have the most nitrates in the peel, carrots have the most nitrates in the core and top, beets, which are the champion in nitrate content, most of them are in the root and top . Choosing vegetables in the market or in the store for children's menu, it should be remembered that nitrates are contained much less in more mature fruits of medium size, not damaged by pests and diseases.

- For the preparation of vegetable puree, the baby can use frozen vegetables. Such vegetables should be subjected to rapid defrosting immediately before eating or cooking, since, when thawed, they quickly lose vitamins, fresh appearance and inherent taste. You can defrost them by placing them in a package in hot water, or you can start boiling or stewing them by removing them directly from the freezer. Water dissolves most of the vitamins and nutrients found in frozen foods, so you should not wash frozen vegetables or thaw them in water.

- in order to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins and mineral salts, it is advisable to steam the vegetables or stew them with a small amount of water. When cooking, vegetables should be thrown into boiling water, and then cooked over low heat under a tightly closed opaque lid. If several types of vegetables are cooked in one dish, they are placed gradually, depending on the speed of softening. For babies up to a year, vegetable puree is prepared without the addition of salt and spices.

- the first complementary foods should be homogeneous (without lumps) of a delicate texture, therefore, after the vegetables are cooked, they must be rubbed through a sieve or chopped with a blender. In order to dilute the consistency of the dish, you can add expressed breast milk or vegetable broth. Vegetable oil can be added to the finished vegetable puree (preferably unrefined "first cold pressed"), starting with 1 drop and gradually increasing the volume to 5-6 ml by the year.

- Vegetable puree for each meal must be freshly prepared. Due to the high risk of food poisoning, the finished dish should not be stored and reused.