Baby jars are among the first foods to give to babies. When to introduce him to their new flavors?
What is the importance of small pots in food diversification?
Food diversification is an important step that allows babies to discover new flavors and textures. At a certain stage, the milk no longer satisfies its needs, hence the interest in finding other sources of nutrients. Food diversification is done gradually until the age of one year so that baby becomes familiar with the different tastes that you offer him.
Baby jars are among the first foods to enter the diversification process. These are vegetables, fruits, meats and other ingredients mixed together, cooked, and then blended to a smooth texture suitable for baby. They are a good transition between milk and solid formula. As foods for infants and young children, they are strictly regulated and trusted. The small jars meet baby’s nutritional needs, while respecting his still fragile digestive system. The use of additives, preservatives, colorings and sweeteners is therefore strictly supervised, or even prohibited. In addition, the small pots make it possible to have truly diversified menus thanks to the many varieties offered by producers such as Babybio. They are particularly interesting for having a balanced meal when you lack the time to prepare them yourself.
When to start baby jars?
The food diversification process starts from four or six months old, depending on the rhythm of the child. As baby’s first foods, small pots are therefore integrated from this period. Each of them is also accompanied by an indication of the right time to offer it to baby. In fact, the ingredients and consistency are designed to match your child’s developmental stage. There are different types of small jars to allow baby to discover all the flavors and take advantage of the nutrients of each product. Those offered from four months are generally based on single products. From six months, you can find more diversified preparations containing several ingredients.
small jars of vegetables
They are among the first that you can offer to baby. Small jars of easily digestible vegetables (usually high in fiber) can be eaten from four months, while others should wait six months. For the first spoonfuls, choose small pots of green beans, squash and zucchini, carrots, spinach, white leeks, potatoes, etc.
Around the sixth month, turn to preparations based on peas, cauliflower and combinations such as green beans-potatoes or even carrots and butternut. In addition to potatoes and parsnips, other starchy foods such as rice, semolina and pasta are added to the ingredients of small pots for babies aged six to eight months.
Small fruit jars
The small pots of fruit are cooked like compotes. They are often without added sugar, those of the fruit being sufficient. They are incorporated into the diet at the same time or after the small pots of vegetables. If baby can enjoy fruit quite early, there are some that are better offered later, such as kiwi and strawberries. As for vegetables, small jars based on a single fruit are the first to be offered to babies from four months. Start with the small jars of apple, pear, peach and banana.
If food diversification is going well, you can turn to more complex preparations, such as the mango-apple or banana-apple pot during this same period. From six months, discover the flavors of pineapple, coconut, red fruits (strawberries, mirabelle plums, etc.) as well as combinations of apple and clementine and many others.
Small protein jars
The small jars containing proteins enter the baby’s diet from the sixth month. Vegetables are therefore mixed with red or white meat such as beef, lamb and poultry (chicken and duck) as well as eggs. Fish being a good source of nutrients, find small pots with cod, sea bream, etc. In addition, dairy products are added to fruit compotes. Baby can also enjoy their first stirred yogurt. If the small jar does not contain any, you can add fat (a teaspoon of vegetable oil or a knob of butter/cream), essential for his brain development.
How to choose a baby potty?
Between the many brands and different recipes on the market, hard to make a choice? Rest assured, all the preparations are healthy and contain the essentials to ensure baby’s growth. As mentioned earlier, be aware that infant nutrition is subject to strict regulations.
However, pay attention to the ingredients used to make the small pot, favoring those based on fruits and vegetables from organic farming. If you can’t find one that’s certified organic, go for one made with natural, non-reconstituted products. Also favor recipes that contain good sources of fat, provided through rapeseed oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, etc. On the other hand, palm oils are to be avoided. On the meat side, stay away from preparations that replace it with ham, which contains potentially carcinogenic nitrite.
As you should know, the raw materials used influence the nutritional qualities of the product. In this context, be aware that a short ingredient list is often an indicator of quality, as it means that the product contains only the essential elements. Note that the composition on the label is written in descending order. If you’re buying a small jar of carrots, make sure it’s the first ingredient listed. Also, avoid recipes with added sugar and salt, as well as those with many additives. For information, E400 refers to thickeners, which remain tolerable in the composition of your small pots, knowing that they bring their consistency.
How to give a baby potty?
Baby jars are given gradually from the fourth month. At the beginning of food diversification, baby only consumes a small quantity. To introduce him to new flavors, give him one to two spoonfuls or dilute this same portion in the bottle. Find the right time for him to be ready to eat, ideally after a nap as a snack or during lunch. Be sure to give the potty before breastfeeding or bottle-feeding.
If baby started food diversification at four months, he will be willing to eat more food around the sixth month. So you can offer him half a jar of fruit and a jar of vegetables. As baby does not eat in one go, keep the small jar in the refrigerator (up to 48 hours) and heat it in a bain-marie or in the microwave before offering it to him again. If baby refuses food, there is no need to force him, knowing that each child follows his own rhythm.
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