S.L.O.W – KEEPING BABY’S FIRST FOODS SIMPLE

Has your gorgeous little one started to show signs of being ready to begin the wonderful journey into food? Early signs include being able to sit without support, showing an interest in what you are eating by trying to grab at your food & watching carefully when you eat. According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) these signs will occur between 4 – 6 months of age. These are by no means the only signs, every precious little one is different and they each develop at their own pace. It can be hard to know when to begin to introduce first foods especially when you are a first time parent. Trust your instincts, you know your baby better than anyone.

There is a lot of conflicting information on what first foods to feed your baby, often this advice is different for different cultures and traditions. Georgia Harding from Well Nourished speaks to the concept of introducing SLOW foods first. (Seasonal, Local, Organic, Whole).

• Seasonal – ensuring they are eating the freshest, most nutritious produce possible.

• Local – will also ensure optimal nutrition and less chemical exposure.

• Organic – food is critical for babies and toddlers as there is evidence that exposure to many pesticides and toxins found in foods, increases the risk of children developing many common and devastating health conditions.’

• Whole – real foods, carefully prepared to retain their nutrition, are a very nourishing choice.  Packaged and process foods, even when ‘organic’, have lost a large amount of the nutrition found in freshly prepared foods.

A great tip is to head to the green grocer when first feeding your baby, not the supermarket.

Begin simply with these ideas:

avocado – mash and serve sweet potato – bake, remove skins, mash and serve banana – mash and serve

Enjoy these special times.

Sarah

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