This post is all about spicing up your baby's food. Why would you want to do that?!
To develop in your child what is known as a refined palate of course! Additionally, one day you'll be able to say, "I have rarely needed to use sugar and sweets to entice my child to eat!" Mealtime doesn't have to be a battleground and you definitely should NOT have to put dessert on a pedestal just to get your kid to eat some vegetables or 3 more bites of chicken.
When you start flavoring baby food with herbs and spices and other aromatics like garlic and ginger, you will be opening their little taste buds to a whole new world of flavor profiles and instilling in them a propensity to try new foods. This may even deter you from having to flavor foods with sugar and salt down the road.
Store-bought baby food is convenient but you have to admit it's incredibly bland. If you wouldn't eat it, why would you feed it to your baby? Many other cultures around the world spice up baby food such as curry in India, chili and cumin in Latin America, and lemongrass in Thailand.
Here are some fun food-herb/spice combinations you can try at home:
- Applesauce with cinnamon or ginger
- Cooked carrots with ginger or garlic
- Green beans with garlic powder
- Mashed potatoes with garlic and rosemary or dill
- Oatmeal blended with allspice and applesauce or cinnamon and yogurt
- Pasta with oregano, garlic and basil
- Plain yogurt with nutmeg, vanilla bean or cinnamon
- Pureed pumpkin with cinnamon or ginger
- Pureed sweet potatoes with orange zest or cinnamon
- Quinoa with garlic and onion powder
- Rice with cilantro or coriander
So many options! Flavors and textures add joy to eating so relax and have fun with the process:)
**Safety Tips: Avoid giving a young baby herbs and spices before age 4 to 6 months, a child's digestive system isn't ready for anything other than breast milk or formula. If you are unsure, speak with your health care provider. When introducing new foods, wait 2 to 3 days before staring another in case of potential food allergies.**