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If your child has turned/ is turning one year old, congratulations are in order! This is the time when your child is developing, growing, and exploring at a rapid speed, so making sure they have enough nourishment may be a concern. At this age, inconsistent eating habits and a fickle appetite are to be expected. As annoying as it may be, this is perfectly typical as your toddler gains independence and learns to recognize their body’s fullness and hunger cues. This is a time for many changes in the child’s eating habits. The child can now chew food, and solid foods are increasingly becoming the child’s mainstay. You can now feed the child the same food as the rest of the family.

It is important to cook food well and chop or mash it so the child can eat it easily. Some of the foods to include in the child’s diet now include:

11-month-old baby food/ food for 1-year-old

• Fresh fruits
• Vegetables
• Grains and cereals
• Pulses
• Milk and other dairy products

At one year, children also take to walking and, therefore, need that extra energy. Adding a little oil or fat to their food will also ensure they remain energetic. Offering them four to five meals a day, plus two healthy snacks, is imperative.

If you are looking for some healthy food ideas along with their recipes, here is help. Remember that this is when the child begins to form his relationship with food. Offering Nutritious food is therefore key.

Indian Recipes for 11-month-olds

1. Ragi Uthappam

Ingredients

• ½ cup ragi flour
• 2 tbsp curd
• 2 tbsp grated carrot
• 2 tbsp grated cabbage
• Salt to taste

Method

Mix the curd with water and keep it aside. Now add the ragi flour, carrot, cabbage, and salt. Heat a pan and grease it with oil. Pour the mixture into batches and make delicious uthappams.

2. Vegetable Idlis

Ingredients

• ½ cup grated carrot
• ¼ cup grated cabbage
• 1 cup rice
• 2 tbsp urad daal
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• Pinch of salt

Method

Soak the rice and daal and keep it for 2 hours. Drain it. Now add coconut milk, water and blend it in a mixer. Add carrots, cabbage, and salt to this. Leave it to ferment for 8 hours. Steam delicious idlis with this batter.

3. Quinoa Upma (Fusion recipe)

Ingredients

• ½ cup Quinoa
• ½ cup chopped vegetables
• ¼ tbsp turmeric powder
• Cumin seeds
• Oil
• Salt to taste

Method

Wash the quinoa thoroughly. Soak it in water and set it aside. Wash and chop vegetables. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Add the chopped vegetables, turmeric powder, and salt and toss it. Add water and bring it to a boil. Add the soaked quinoa. Bring it to a porridge-like consistency. Cook until soft.

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4. Multi Grain Palak Paneer Roti

Parathas/Roti makes for a good choice both for their nutritional value and because eating it does not need too much parental supervision.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Jowar
• 2 tbsp bajra
• 4 tbsp chopped spinach
• 2 tbsp crumbled paneer
• Oil
• Salt to taste

Method

Knead the ingredients into a soft dough. Make rotis as you would, usually.

Pro tip: Be cautious of allergic reactions and do not introduce too many new foods at the same time. It is always advisable to wait 3-5 days before introducing a new food.

Foods to avoid

It is important to avoid junk food and aerated drinks. Foods that contain high amounts of sugar, salt, fat, and chemicals are best avoided in an 11-month-old baby’s diet.

Mealtime Tips

Please instill a sense of independence in the child early. Therefore, allow the child to feed themselves. While there will likely be some mess, and the child could take time to eat, it is worth all the effort. The love and encouragement you offer them to eat at this stage will go a long way. Interacting with them and reinforcing their efforts are key.

Do not feel disheartened if the child does not take to food that you have cooked. It will not help to force-feed the child. Instead, the child will eat better when they are hungry. Try different food combinations. The presentation of the food can also impact the child’s perception of it.

Above everything, be calm. Positive attention when they are eating works well; however, ensure that mealtimes do not turn out to be times of power struggle. If they are not eating, put the food away and offer it at a time when they are hungry.

It is also important that the child sees mealtimes as family times from the very beginning. The foundation laid early will help you tremendously as you navigate the various stages of child development, including the tricky teens. It is also important that mealtimes be happy times.

Keep watching this space for more such tips. At Footprints, a preferred chain of play schools and creches, we offer our students nutritious food on a menu prepared by a qualified nutritionist. Our menu does not include junk food.

Bon Appetit!