About one month after starting juices and fruits, the pediatrician will allow savory purees, initially for lunch around 11 a.m. These purees should be made with vegetables like potato, sweet potato, carrot, yam, parsnip, pumpkin, and other vegetables of the season or usually eaten by the family. The baby's introduction to savory foods should be gradual, offering one food at a time. At first, the puree can only contain one of the mentioned vegetables. Over time, you will notice which food the baby likes most and gradually mix vegetables and cereals such as rice, beans, and also angel hair pasta.

Many pediatricians, when teaching baby puree recipes, recommend using a small amount of meat to add flavor to the dish. You should fry the meat in little fat using extra virgin olive oil and a seasoning like garlic or onion for a special touch. Salt must be extremely limited. You only need to add a pinch to enhance flavor, but not actually make the food salty.

The way you offer baby food is up to the mother and the pediatrician together. Some prefer to use a blender, others simply strain it the first time. By the time the baby is about 10 months old, they are already eating normally. If the food introduction was successful, the baby can even eat foods that are only mashed with a fork on the plate and can also have dinner around 5:30 p.m.

There is another option for introducing baby food - the BLW method, which teaches you to offer foods cut to a size the baby can grab and bring to the mouth by instinct and when they're ready. In the beginning, these are softer foods like fruit, and as chewing develops, other types of cooked vegetables are also offered. This type of food introduction might seem unusual at first but has been widely adopted by mothers around the world.

Sugar is a controversial topic when it comes to baby feeding. Some mothers choose not to offer any food sweetened with refined sugar for at least the first two years of life. Others prefer to introduce foods like yogurt as soon as the baby begins to eat solid foods. This choice should always be discussed with the pediatrician to weigh the pros and cons of each type of food.

When the baby turns one year old, their diet starts to match the rest of the family. With new teeth, they eat almost the same as parents and siblings, except for extremely seasoned and fatty dishes. Only restrict raw and very fibrous greens, as the baby cannot chew them well and it may cause vomiting. Shredded or ground meat can also be introduced at this stage. Babies follow the habits of their parents. The more healthy foods are offered, the more (and better) they will eat and grow up strong with healthy habits.

Photos: Owen and Aki, Scott Sherrill-Mix