Feeding a baby is not easy. First, children are very fussy, and their food addictions are selective. Secondly, in a child under one year old, the digestive system is very sensitive to any irritants, since some enzymes that break down food are still missing in the stomach. In this regard, parents should pay great attention to the selection of dishes for baby food.
Parents are always worried about children's nutrition.
Features of the digestive system of children under one year old
When developing a children's diet, it is necessary to take into account the following features of the digestive system of babies up to a year:
- at this age, the children's stomach is not adapted to smoked and fried foods;
- if the baby eats meat every day, this can provoke constipation;
- in addition to "adult" food, an infant under one year old must necessarily receive a formula or breast milk;
- any unfamiliar food at this age can provoke an upset stomach with symptoms close to poisoning.
It is advisable to start the introduction to the "adult" table as early as 5-6 months. At this time, some children already have their first milk teeth. The child begins to sit, actively learns the world and is interested in the food that adults eat.
Basic principles of natural nutrition
Not all parents know what to cook for their child's breakfast. It is necessary from an early age to include in the child's diet as many natural products as possible. Any preservatives, including ready-made industrial baby food, can cause allergies, so feeding your baby such food every day is not the best option.
When planning a child's diet, keep in mind the following:
- The longer the heat treatment of products (cooking, frying), the less vitamins and nutrients remain in them;
- If the baby does not want to have lunch or breakfast, do not force him. It is better to put food in the refrigerator and feed the baby after a while, when he gets hungry;
- As a snack between main meals, you can use dried fruits, slices of fresh apples or pears. Sweets are not suitable for this purpose because they can drastically reduce appetite;
- In no case should a baby be given industrial sweets until one year old, because they contain palm oil, artificial colors and flavors.
Attention! It is strictly forbidden to give small children any instant meals, including cereals. They are high in sugar, and a long shelf life is achieved through the addition of preservatives.
The importance of breakfast for full development
Breakfast is the most important meal for a child. Parents often think about what to cook for a young gourmet. A full breakfast is essential because:
- the activity of the baby during the day depends on the morning meal;
- a high-quality breakfast helps the baby wake up faster;
- proper nutrition in the morning promotes good digestion;
- developing a breakfast habit is an important component of teaching a child to a healthy lifestyle.
The age from one to three is the time when the child intensively develops physically and learns the world, seeks and finds answers to his questions. A hearty and delicious breakfast will help your baby stay awake until the evening.
Breakfast energizes and guarantees well-being throughout the day
What is included in the diet of a one-year-old child
Preparing breakfast for a child is a difficult task. Doctors say that the following foods must be introduced into the baby's diet by one year:
- porridge (especially buckwheat, it does not contain gluten and does not cause allergic reactions);
- fruits and vegetables;
- fish and meat;
- dairy and fermented milk products.
It is necessary to get acquainted with new dishes by gradually increasing the portion. Even if the baby really liked the food, he should not eat the whole plate. Two to three teaspoons are enough for the first time.
Porridge
The most useful cereals are oatmeal and buckwheat. Rice contains a lot of starch, so it is better to cook it less often. Millet and barley porridge are hard to digest, so they are suitable for feeding children from three years old.
Vegetables
It happens that the kid is capricious and does not want to eat traditional porridge. If parents do not know what to cook for a one-year-old child for breakfast, you can simply make a salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, cut into small pieces. Also, not a single child will refuse grated carrots or industrial vegetable (fruit) puree.
Fruit
Babies under one year old, if they already have teeth, can be given any fruit, except for allergens - citrus fruits. The introduction to strawberries should also be postponed until three years. The same goes for raspberries. Apples and pears, bananas, gooseberries and currants never cause allergies.
The most useful are seasonal fruits growing in the baby's homeland
Meat
All children willingly eat steamed cutlets and meatballs. Doctors recommend using rabbit and chicken for baby food. Red meat (pork, beef) is difficult to digest and can cause constipation.
A fish
- If a child is boiled fish soup, be sure to strain the broth so that there are no bones in it. For baby food, cod, hake and pollock are recommended. River fish should not be eaten by babies up to a year, because it is often infected with parasites.
For breakfast, you can give your child a hard-boiled egg (soft-boiled) or an omelet. Be sure to wash the eggs before cooking, because there may be bacteria on the shell. Duck and goose eggs should not be included in the children's diet, they are often infected with infections.
Attention! Eggs cannot be given to children every day. This product often provokes allergies and puts a lot of stress on the liver. You can cook an omelet or boil eggs for a child no more than 2-3 times a week.
Dairy products
Starting from eight months, the baby can be given baby kefir, yogurt and fermented baked milk. These foods improve digestion and stimulate bowel function. On the other hand, whole milk often causes stomach upset. Usually fermented milk products are given in the evening or at night, as a light addition to dinner.
Fermented milk products have a beneficial effect on digestion
Cooking recipes
When parents prepare breakfasts for babies, they should make the food healthy, tasty and beautiful. There are many interesting and quick recipes. Any dish can be decorated in an original way using the available means. Children especially like it when an omelet or porridge looks like a funny animal or little man. To do this, just put a funny face on a plate.
Delicious and healthy breakfast
A versatile tasty and healthy breakfast, which is also easy to prepare - oatmeal, seasoned with pieces of fruit and dried fruits. You can add a little honey to the porridge. The kid will be happy to eat a beautifully decorated dish. In summer, you can use fresh seasonal berries to decorate your dish: strawberries, raspberries or blueberries.
Another versatile option loved by children of all ages is ready-made quick breakfast cornflakes drenched in milk. You should choose only a quality product, without palm oil in the composition. Such food tastes good and energizes. However, there is no need to eat cereal every day in the morning - they are very high in calories. They can be given to the child 2 times a week.
Diet breakfast
As a dietary option, buckwheat porridge with milk can be recommended. Buckwheat, unlike rice, does not contain starch, so you can eat it every day. It is convenient to cook crumbly porridge in a slow cooker, the recipe is simple and quick. If the baby likes to eat tightly in the morning, you can cook buckwheat without milk, and give a steam cutlet as a side dish.
Beautiful breakfast
Even someone who does not know how to cook can make such a breakfast. It is enough to fry an omelet or pancakes in silicone molds in the form of hearts (other figures) and decorate the finished dish with herbs (peas). You can also decorate traditional sandwiches beautifully, for example, lay on them a funny "face" made from slices of fresh vegetables. Children will also love mini-tartins on plastic skewers or wooden toothpicks.
Baby breakfasts should look attractive. You don't have to be an artist to decorate a dish beautifully. The main thing is to show your imagination. Then even the most capricious baby will eat with pleasure.
Most doctors claim that the disposition to healthy and proper nutrition arises precisely in early childhood, even at the stage of introducing complementary foods. Therefore, parents should carefully plan their child's diet. In the future, the habit of healthy food will help the child avoid diabetes and obesity - the most common diseases caused by improper eating habits.
