What not to feed a one year old baby?
Congratulations! You are now the proud parent of a one year old-human tornado. The milestones have been met, sleepless nights endured and you’ve finally introduced solids into your little munchkin’s diet.
But before you start preparing gourmet meals that would make even top chefs jealous, it’s essential to know what not to feed your one-year-old because as we all know prevention is better than cure.
So, let’s jump right in (pun intended) and learn what foods should be avoided so that your child can grow up healthy and happy!
Fatty Foods – Bye-Bye Burger!
One thing you absolutely don’t want to be feeding your one-year-old baby is any food item which contains unhealthy fats. This includes fastfood burgers, cheese pizzas or fried chicken nuggets. While these may excite their taste buds – this type of food can increase cholesterol levels in infants causing obesity at an early age (Nope no Kardashian kids yet).
It goes without saying but homemade fresh blended vegetables / soups followed by milk will undoubtedly do wonders for their nutrition intake rather than presenting them with greasy fingers aka “I’m lovin’ it!”
Say ‘Cheese!’ But Not Aged Cheese
Cute pictures of toddlers nibbling on wedges of cheese look adorable online but think twice about giving aged cheesy products such as Roquefort or camembert cheeses for this could upset delicate tummies who don’t appreciate its strong flavoring.
While there are several varieties from mild cheddar cubes loved by every other toddler instead consider cottage cheese known for its flavor supplementing qualities along with providing much-needed calcium elements during growth spurts!!
Hold off on Honey
It’s difficult to resist those chubby arms when they reach out ever so gently asking “pleeease” give me some honey… but sorry my munchkins; honey shouldn’t be fed to children under 12 months. Honey may contain spores of bacteria that can cause botulism or food poisoning in infants; so let’s keep it safe and avoid honey all together (cue Beyonce doing “hands up” motion).
Keep a Check on Citrus Fruits
Our tiny tots, despite their size pack quite the punch when it comes to taste buds! This penchant for energetic flavors should give way to caution when feeding citrus fruits as these can be upsetting even for some grownups’ stomachs.
Even if little Mia loved lime wedges at birth say high chock-full Vitamin C blood levels within the first year weight heavily against it. To prevent any digestive issues consider sweet potatoes or green beans during mealtime instead (yum!).
Say ‘No’ to Whole Nuts
The joy of eating peanuts, almonds or cashews is something every child must experience. While there’s no harm in introducing children aged six to twelve months mashed portions you have ever so carefully made another consideration shall also come into place unsupervised snacking!
Kid-sized apple slices are great substitutes but err… don’t carelessly toss em’ into your bag right next time chocolates we don’t want those munchkins learning about dietary vices too soon now do we?
Keep Spices Minimalistic
As adult palates relish cilantro curries foreign ingredients not partaking in our daily intake routine might seem cute yet adding unnecessary spice quantities causes more upset than delight (less Adventure Murray more like settle down Sue here). A plateful of well-cooked pasta mixed along with carrots and broccoli will suffice light seasoning enough for kid approved tasty servings that won’t burn tiny tongues with excess heat!
Don’t Reach For Additives /Preservatives
While parents sometimes forget reading labels scrutinizing ingredient lists will go a long way towards safeguarding the family from unwanted additives found on supermarket shelves.
Opt for natural organic and homegrown foods over pre-packaged ones loaded with additives /preservatives like MSG that sound more like DJ names than food ingredients! Kids should be taught the value of holistic living, starting by feeding well during early growth stages
Skip on Sugars – Ahem Chocolate Fountains!
Say it louder for those in don’t have ears (skip on sugars)! Can we ever resist our favorite dessert or put down a lollipop? As tempting as it may seem these sugary treats are harmful to infant body structures leading to fatty storing capacities at such an early age.
Instead indulging in wholesome jaggery sweetened oatmeal cookies and fresh fruit shakes will not only provide needed tastes but also will spark imaginations towards healthier alternatives eventually. Wink wink aren’t we glad THAT tooth fairy visits us much later (pun intended).
Easing Into Seafood
Fish is good for you kids somehow know that too (maybe cartoon fish are cool)! Omega-3 and -6 acids within seafood certainly benefits adult brains along with sharper vision; however raw sushi platters turn pale somewhat considering young digestive systems still adjusting into this new world order (no Jiro Dreams he ain’t building no plates himself now)!
Stay safe with grilled whitefish meaty chunks offering enough protein supplements while acquiring healthy eating habits before anything flashier comes calling later on!
Conclusion
Feeding your one-year-old baby can be exciting yet daunting simultaneously. Remembering what NOT to feed is just as important as making delicious meals they’ll enjoy (cue romantic montage domestic goddess soaring high apres souffles successively flowing through windows masquerade catering personas taking shape).
There’s no need to go all Gordon Ramsey here keeping portions small yet nutritious packed with vitamins works wonders over excessive spices & sugar/cheese/fatty foods high school crushes that can wait right until chaperoned meals ! (no? just me?)
Use the above tips as a guide towards providing your little one with amazing healthy food options that they’ll love; after all, they have the whole culinary world to explore (even if five more years are added until we start those baking lessons).