Is your baby already nine months old? How fast time flies by!
It seems like it was only yesterday that you were struggling with all the challenges of your new motherhood, staying up all night, constantly feeding, and dealing with your continuously developing baby.
Well, it has been quite a ride. So what’s in wait for you now?
By the time your infant is nine months old, they have probably moved on from breastfeeding and have tried several different foods. In fact, this is one of the most significant periods in your baby’s taste development. They will most readily try and accept all sorts of foods at this age, so it is vital to offer a variety of diverse flavours from meal to meal.
While your nine-month-old baby is still too immature for some food, there are still a lot of options they can try now. In this article, you will learn more about the best foods for nine-month-old babies.
So without further delay, let’s get this show on the road!
What Are The Healthiest Foods for a 9-Month-Old Baby?
As soon as your baby turns nine months old, they start developing their preferences and temperament.
Usually, the process of stopping breastfeeding begins when a baby is about six months old. As they get older, you can add new foods to their diet. Your baby might try these foods which you put on their plate, but they will instantly form an opinion and determine which food they like, and which they don’t.
From 9 to 12 months old, your baby requires almost 750 to 900 calories each day. And between 400 and 500 of those calories must come from breast milk or formula. The remaining calories will come from food.
Most importantly, do not introduce cow milk until your baby is at least one year old. Before that, their digestive systems are not ready to digest cow milk properly.
Now:
Here are some of the most beneficial foods for 9-month-old babies:
1. Oatmeal
Oats are packed with fibre and minerals, which can do marvels for your baby’s digestion.
2. Beans And Lentils
Beans and lentils provide lots of nutrition, such as iron, protein, and minerals. You can mash or mix them with rice to create a balanced meal for your baby.
3. Non-Citrus Fruits
Fruits are the best way to provide a fresh and sweet snack for your baby, without any added sugar. Fruits like bananas are mushy, sweet and easy to digest, so they make one of the perfect first foods for your baby.
However, for now, stay away from citrus fruits and stick to papaya, apples, mango, pears, and peaches.
4. Bread
You can introduce bread as long as your baby does not have any food allergies. Try to provide them with whole-grain bread. It is more healthy than white bread and is packed with many nutrients, i.e. protein, fibre, antioxidants, B vitamins, and trace minerals.
5. Tofu
Since tofu has such a mild flavour, lots of babies tend to like it. Plus, it is loaded with protein, iron, healthy fats, and zinc.
6. Vegetables
Your 9-month-old baby can eat vegetables prepared in numerous ways. From roasted cauliflower or pureed carrots to fresh leafy greens, try to provide your baby with different vegetables and observe what they like best.
7. Egg Whites
Egg yolks are probably allergenic, that is why many health care providers recommend waiting until your baby is a year old to introduce them. However, after your baby turns nine months old, they can have egg whites. Just make sure to cook the yolks thoroughly.
8. Cheese And Yoghurt
Since they are packed with calcium, cheese and yoghurt are great foods for 9-month-olds, and most babies love them. But just ensure sticking to soft, pasteurized cheeses like cottage cheese and natural yoghurt with no artificial flavourings.
9. Lean Meats
Although your baby gets iron and protein from breastmilk or formula, you can still include some other sources of protein into their diet.
Best of all, fish, lean red meat, and chicken breasts are some really great options to try. However, keep in mind to cook any meat thoroughly and cut them into little pieces so that your baby can easily digest it.
10. Nut Butter
Nut butter is packed with protein, vitamins, healthy fats, and minerals. Health care providers used to suggest avoiding nuts during babyhood because they were considered to be allergenic.
However, they now declare that nuts are safe for babies older than six months old. Just ensure that once you start, they don’t get any allergic reaction.
Feeding Your Baby: 9-Months-Old’s Food Menu
When offering food to your 9-month-old baby, make sure that the pieces are cut in small sizes so that your baby won’t choke.
However, you must also remember that your baby still needs breast milk or formula. If you want your baby to get used to an eating schedule, store your breastmilk and feed it to them, between meals or right before bed.
Here are some healthy menu options for your 9-month-old baby:
Breakfast:
- Scrambled egg whites with bread
- Oats with fruit and yoghurt
- Cheese sandwich
Lunch:
- Meat and vegetables
- Beans and rice
- Soft-cooked whole grain pasta with parmesan cheese and olive oil
- Creamy chicken soup
Snacks:
- Fruit and yoghurt parfait
- Peanut butter and fruits
Dinner:
- Macaroni and cheese
- Noodles, pasta, rice, or potato
- Tofu and vegetables
Quick Food Ideas For 9-Month-Old Babies
- Noodles Or Pasta
Initially, try small pasta shapes like mini shells, orzo, cut up fusilli, or penne.
- Sandwiches
Sandwiches are quick and easy meals for your baby and an ideal way to pack in nutrition as most little ones will happily munch on bread. You can try all kinds of ingredients like chicken, cottage cheese, avocado, peanut butter, vegetables, and fruits.
- Fruit Smoothies
Your 9-month-old can get lots of nutrition like vitamins, minerals, protein, and fibre from a smoothie. You can mix some yoghurt with some fruits and vegetables for an easy and delicious snack! But ensure the yoghurt is low on sugar and artificial sweeteners.
What To Avoid?
Try to avoid sugary drinks, fried foods, and processed foods, which should be offered very moderately because of their low nutritional value.
Scientific studies have revealed that babies can become habitual to unhealthy foods like salty snacks, sugary sweets, and french fries from a very young age.
Conclusion
As you introduce your baby to new foods, be patient and provide a lot of options to them. Once your baby realises there’s a whole new world of tasty new foods waiting for them, they will love trying all the flavours and textures that are out there!