Recipes For Success
Why not try some of these recipes to introduce a mix of flavours and increase texture as your baby’s ability to chew develops?

  • From 7 months – Froaty Purée
  • From 8 months – Brainy Mash
  • From 10 months – Grown-up Rice
  • Food Tips
  • Word of warning

From 7 months:


Froaty Purée
(makes enough to freeze three extra portions)

Why? An oat based fruity puree that provides slow release energy while bursting with vitamins and fibre – great for easing constipation

What you’ll need:

  • 4tbsp unsalted porridge oats
  • 8tbsp pure unsweetened apple juice
  • 4tbsp water
  • 2 small apples peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2 small ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 4 stoned ready to eat dried chopped prunes

1. Bring the oats, water and apple juice to the boil in a pan and then allow to simmer for two minutes.

2. Add the chopped apples, pears and prunes. Simmer for three more minutes and stir.

3. Purée in a blender.

From 8 months:

Brainy Mash
(makes enough for 4 or 5 portions – you can freeze the rest)

Why? Oily fish contains omega-3 which can help brain development – salmon is a good oily fish to introduce early on. Needless to say, make sure you take out the bones!

What you’ll need:

  • 1 salmon steak (de-boned)
  • 300g potatoes peeled and chopped
  • 1 small carrot peeled and sliced
  • 80g broccoli florets
  • 15g butter
  • 2tbsp milk
  • 50g grated mild Cheddar cheese

1. Boil the potatoes and carrot in a pan with unsalted boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile poach the salmon steak in unsalted water until it is thoroughly cooked and falls apart to the touch.

3. Steam the broccoli for about eight minutes or until tender.

4. Drain all of the ingredients cooked so far and mash them together with the butter milk and cheese.

From 10 months:

Grown Up Rice

(makes 4 portions – freeze the rest, or try it for yourself!)

Why? Babies like the texture of cooked rice and it helps them to get used to different feelings and flavours.

What you’ll need:

  • 25g butter
  • 50g finely chopped onion
  • 100g basmati rice
  • 150g chopped and peeled butternut squash
  • 3 ripe tomatoes
  • 50g grated mild Cheddar cheese

1. Sauté the onions in half of the butter until they are soft.

2. Stir in the rice ensuring it is well coated .

3. Carefully pour 450ml of boiling water on top, watching out for any spitting. Cover and cook for eight minutes on a high heat.

4. Stir in the butternut squash, cover and cook for about 12 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally until all of the water has been absorbed.

5. While that is cooking, melt the remaining butter in another pan and sauté the chopped tomatoes for two minutes. Stir in the cheese.

6. Finally combine the two mixtures, stirring well..

Top Tips

  • Offer a varied selection of foods. Don’t dismiss a food just because your baby pushes it away. Try it again a few days later presented in a different form – he / she may simply have been full and it is important to have as varied a diet as possible.
  • Don’t try to feed your baby too much – they may be put off trying other foods.
  • Give your baby a variety of protein and carbohydrate food, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Avoid sugar, salt and very fatty foods or hot, spicy foods.
  • Don’t bribe or reward your baby with food. This creates negative associations with certain foods.

Word of warning!

Some foods are harder to digest than others and should not be given too early while others can cause allergies in babies who are sensitive if they are given too soon. These include:

  • Cereals containing gluten such as wheat. Remember that bread, biscuits, pasta and many breakfast cereals and baby rusks are made from wheat. Look for oat based cereals instead;
  • Citrus fruit such as oranges;
  • Eggs;
  • Dairy products, including cheese, fromage frais and yoghurt;
  • Fried food with a lot of fat, which is hard to digest;
  • Nuts – whole nuts should be avoided until about five years old because of the danger of choking. Avoid peanuts – and peanut-based foods such as peanut butter – for babies under three years if there are any allergies, asthma, or eczema in the family.

Salt or sugar should never be added to your baby’s food. If you are cooking for the family, take out your baby’s portion to be mashed before adding any seasoning and don’t share your food if it has been seasoned.