7 FIRST DISHES FOR STARTING SOLIDS

 A big step in a baby’s life is making the transition from breast milk to solid foods. Many mothers worry on how to do the transition and whether their baby will happily accept it or not. The ideal approach is to take it slow, and your baby will adapt soon to the changes. 

Try to Keep it flexible - let the baby stick their fingers in the curry sauce and lick their fingers, pick up tender pieces of meat, fish or vegetables and enjoy munching them on their own. You can even offer a spoon if  your little one is comfortable with it. Just be sure to supervise your baby at all times. 

Offer these tasty recipes to your little ray of sunshine because they’re not only easy for new noshers to handle but are packed with the nutrients your growing baby needs. 

1. Apple Cinnamon Wedges

• Peel and cut apples in slices.
• Steam for 4-5 minutes. (Steam helps in preserving nutrients)
• Make sure to check it’s tender.
• Sprinkle cinnamon powder and mix.

1. Apple Suji Porridge

• Heat 1/2 tbsp ghee in a pot and add suji once hot.
• Roast the suji till it’s aromatic and before it turns brown.
• Add 1/2 cup of hot water and stir till the consistency you want. 
• Sprinkle some cardamom powder. Once thickened, add the grated apple and cook for 3-4 mins.
•  Lastly, sprinkle a dash of cinnamon powder.

1. South Indian Pancakes

• Steam and blend vegetables of your choice like carrots, peas or beans.
• Add 1 tablespoon of rice flour and yogurt each in 2 tablespoons of sooji.
• Add a little water and mix the batter.
• Sprinkle some ajwain, jeera and hing powder and mix the blended vegetables.
• Heat the pan with ghee and make perfect round pancakes.
• Cover and cook for a minute.
• Drizzle some ghee and flip. Cook for another minute and serve!

1. Corn and Spinach Pancake

• Mix ½ cup boiled sweet corn, ½ cup blanched spinach leaves, ½ cup flour, 1 chopped onion, ¼ cup milk, 1 tablespoon oil for frying, 1 egg and salt for taste.
• Churn them into a fine batter.
• Heat a non-stick pan and pour the batter.
• Cook well from both sides.
• Serve hot

1. Vegetable Idli

• Mix all the vegetables of your choice and salt in the idli batter.
• Grease the idli utensil and pour the batter.
• Steam the idlis.
• Cut the idlis into bite-sized pieces and serve to your baby.

1. Custard (no sugar)

• Add ½  of an apple (finely chopped) and ⅓ cup of water and 1 tablespoon cooked rice.
• Cook for 8 minutes on medium flame.
• Add 2 tablespoons of milk of your choice, preferably coconut milk for it’s taste.
• Cook till it gets a little thick and grind it.
• Garnish it with some finely chopped fruits or you can also make it in a paste and top it on custard for baby’s ease.

1. Potato and Spinach Patty

• Mash the boiled potato nicely.
• Add spinach leaves, cumin powder, black pepper powder and salt and mix well.
• Shred the bread and add to the potato mixture. Mix well.
• Heat oil in a shallow pan.
• Make small patties with the potato mix and cook well on both sides.
• You may cut the patties into smaller pieces.