Baby Food Management

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Juices and shakes
Coconut water
Carrot Juice
Grape Juice
Stewed Apple Punch
Muskmelon Juice
Watermelon Juice
Milkshakes
Fruit Lassi
Badaam (almond) Milk
Smoothies
Things to remember
Breastmilk or formula milk will meet your baby's needs for the first six months of her life. And you do not need to
offer fruit and vegetable juice after that, either, though you certainly can if you want to. If so, give it to your baby
in a beaker or cup at mealtimes only -- not in a bottle or before bedtime. When you do give your baby fruit and
vegetable juices, dilute them using at least one part to 10 parts of boiled cooled water. A maximum daily intake
of 120ml / four ounces would be plenty.
Highly sweetened squashes and cordials are not recommended for babies or very young toddlers due to their
high sugar and/or sweetener content, and their possible contribution to tooth decay. They are also of little
nutritional value. Milk (in the form of breastmilk or formula milk) or water should, if possible, account for most of
what your baby drinks during his first year.
Here are some healthy options you can offer your baby. Do not give juices if your baby has an upset tummy.
Coconut water
Coconut water is near to the perfect meal as it contains all the minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium,
magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus and vitamins B complex and C.
Start with 2-3 teaspoons and slowly increase the quantity. Make sure you use a tender green coconut, avoid
those in which the skin has turned brown.
Carrot Juice
Carrots are rich source of Vitamin A, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium and iron.
Put chopped carrots in a juicer. Strain the juice through a sieve. Dilute 1 part juice with 10 parts water.
You could also add the juice of half an apple or beetroot .
Grape Juice
Grapes are rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants and vitamins.
Crush a handful of grapes in a juicer or a blender along with a little water (boiled and cooled). Dilute 1 part juice
with10 parts water Strain through a sieve and serve in a cup. Dont add any sugar to the juice as grapes juice is
already sweetened.
DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)
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Stewed Apple Punch

Rich source of vitamin A, calcium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus
1 cup chopped apples
1 cup water
Boil the chopped apples in water for about two minutes. Strain through a sieve. Serve cooled in summer or
lukewarm in winter.
You can also add carrots to this recipe to get a delicious Carrot/Apple Punch .
Muskmelon Juice
Rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium
Put 1/2 cup chopped (deseeded) muskmelon in a blender or juicer. Strain through a sieve.
Start with a small quantity of this juice. Serve immediately .
Watermelon Juice
Rich in vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium
Put 1/2 cup chopped (deseeded) watermelon in a blender or juicer. Strain through a sieve.
Start with a small quantity of this juice. Serve immediately .
Note: Check with your doctor before giving this juice as it may not suit some children with a delicate digestive
system. Start at about 1 year.
Milkshakes
Once your doctor allows you to give full cream milk, you have a host of other options to offer .
Milkshakes provide all the goodness of milk and fruits in one serving. Milk is rich in calcium. Fruits are rich in
vitamins A and C, phosphorus, folic acid, iron, flavonoids, antioxidants and fibre.
1/2 cup chopped fruit of your choice
1 cup milk
Chop the peeled/washed/deseeded fruit and blend together with milk. You can easily make milkshakes with
fruits like banana, apples, mango, cheeku (sapotas) and strawberry. If you want a more free flowing shake, add
more milk. If you want, it thicker put less milk. Do not add any sugar -- the fruits have enough flavour and
natural sugar. Do not add ice either.
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Fruit Lassi
Yogurt/curd is rich in calcium.
Fruits are rich in vitamins A and C, phosphorus, folic acid, iron, flavonoids, antioxidants and fibre.
1 cup yogurt/curd
Chop the peeled/washed/deseeded fruit and blend together with curd. You can add fruits like banana, apples,
mango, cheeku (sapotas) and strawberry. If you want a more free flowing lassi add 1/4 cup water (boiled and
cooled).Do not add any sugar -- the fruits have enough flavour and natural sugar .
Badaam (almond) Milk

Good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, folate
4 almonds soaked overnight
1 cup milk
Many grandmothers make sure toddlers are given a daily glass of almond milk. Traditionally it's been given to
children in the hope of increasing "brain" power. Soak almonds overnight and peel. Put in a blender or liquidiser
with a cup of milk. Make sure the almonds are completely ground. Serve immediately.
Note:Serve when the baby is atleast a year old.
Smoothies
Banana Smoothie
Rich source of phosphorus, calcium, folate, magnesium

1 Banana chopped
1/4 cup curd/yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice (optional)
Mix the banana, curd and orange juice in a blender till it turns into a smooth creamy consistency. Serve
immediately.
Mango Smoothie
Rich source of Vitamin A, calcium, folate, magnesium

1/2 cup mango chopped
1/4 cup curd/yoghrt
Mix the mango and curd in a blender until it turns to a creamy consistency. Serve immediately .
Strawberry Smoothie
Rich source of Vitamin A, calcium, folate, vitamin C

1/2 cup strawberries cleaned and washed
1/4 cup curd/yogurt
Mix the strawberries and curd in a blender until it turns to a smooth consistency. Serve immediately.
Note : Make sure that the curd you use is not too sour. If you do not want to use curd, you can offer plain fruit
purees such as papaya, mango, banana, strawberry, cheeku or a combination of two or three fruits.
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Things to remember
Always pick fresh fruits and vegetables. Choose seasonal produce instead of the packaged cold storage
variety. Wash/clean/peel them well. Bacteria are killed by boiling and cooking -- but since juices and shakes do
not go through the process of excess heat and boiling, one needs to be extra cautious about hygiene, food
safety and freshness levels.
Offer one new food/fruit at a time. Gradually proceed to a combination of two fruits or three. Keep a track of
your baby's reaction to each vegetable/fruit juice. If your baby is allergic to any specific ingredient, remove it
from the recipe.
Many doctors say that its better to introduce vegetable juice first as fruit juices are sweeter and babies prefer
fruit juice over bland vegetable juices. Choose vegetables that can be blended with fruits such as carrot-apple,
tomato-carrot to add variety. You can even add a few drops of dhania (coriander), pudina (mint) or amla (Indian
gooseberry) juice to add a little tangy flavour.
As far as possible give your baby home made juices. Avoid commercial packaged juices, which have very high
sugar content.
Do not add any sugar, salt, honey or chaat masala to the juices, as your babys digestive system may not be
ready for these yet. Let her enjoy the natural taste of the food.
Never give your baby chilled juices and shakes. Always serve at room temperature immediately after you have
taken out the juice. Letting juices stand for more than twenty minutes may affect the flavour (they can turn bitter)
and also cause spoilage and bacterial formation.
Annaprashan (first rice-eating ceremony)
Written for BabyCenter India

What is annaprashan?
Why is the annaprashan done?
Where can I perform the annaprashan?
How is the annaprashan done?
What kind of foods are offered to the baby?
Tips for annaprashan
What is annaprashan?
Annaprashan literally means "feeding rice" in Sanskrit. It is also known as Bhaatkhulai in the Garhwal hills,
Mukhe Bhaat in Bengal or Choroonu in Kerala. Annaprashan is primarily a Hindu ceremony (though Parsis also
have a similar ritual) that symbolises the beginning of the weaning period in your babys life. The baby is
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gradually introduced to solid foods following this ceremony. It is followed in most parts of the country, and while
some rituals may differ slightly, it essentially celebrates the transition to solids.
Why is the annaprashan done?

Annaprashan is conducted when the baby is ready to make the transition from a liquid diet to solids. It is
performed after the baby has completed five months and before the first birthday. While annaprashan is
performed in the even months for boys -- generally the sixth or the eighth month - for girls, it is done in the odd
months, usually the fifth or the seventh month.
Where can I perform the annaprashan?

Annaprashan is done at home or at a temple. In Kerala, majority of parents prefer to perform the ceremony at
Guruvayoor, while in Bihar or in Bengal it is most often done at home. If you perform the ceremony at home you
may want to contact a priest to help you with the religious rituals .
How is the annaprashan done?

The annaprashan is performed on a specific day and time after consulting a priest. The baby is dressed in new
clothes, often traditional ones such as a baby dhoti kurta or a lehenga choli. Annaprashan begins with a puja or
a havan / homam for the babys health and happiness, followed by the symbolic feeding of the prasad or the
first bite of solid food. It is an occasion for celebration and family and friends are invited to attend.
The religious ceremony is often followed by a game where a number of symbolic objects are placed on a
banana leaf or a silver tray. Books (symbolising interest in learning), jewels (symbolising interest in
accumulating wealth), pen (symbolising wisdom), clay (symbolising property), or food items (symbolising love
for food) are all placed in the tray or leaf. The baby is allowed to pick an object and it is believed that whatever
the baby picks up symbolises his future.
What kind of foods are offered to the baby?

Food for the prasad is usually rice pudding (kheer / payash) if you want to offer your baby something sweet. Or
it is plain mashed rice with ghee and a pinch of well-cooked dal although a variety of food is served in the
babys plate.
Elaborate dishes are cooked and may include a variety of rice, vegetables, meat, fish and kheer.
Tips for annaprashan

Ensure that your baby is well rested before the ceremony
The ceremony may be held just after the morning bath or before the mid-morning nap
It is best to limit the gathering to just a few close family members and friends as your baby may feel
overwhelmed
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Pay attention to your babys clothes as zari, mirror work, heavy embroidery, gota, embellishments or thread
work may irritate your babys tender skin
Wash hands well before feeding your baby
Ensure that your babys food is prepared fresh and hygienically
Keep a small towel handy to wipe the excess food around your babys mouth
Allow only a couple of close relatives to feed your baby and not each and every member of the family
During the havan, ensure that your baby is not too close to the fire and keep your babys face away from the
smoke. Open doors and windows to ensure proper ventilation
Keep small boxes of mithai as thank you gifts for the guests
Do not forget to record these memories!
Before you begin
Keeping the vitamins in

From pures to lumps
Which nutrients are important
Have fun making meals for your baby with our simple weaning recipes. The recipes contain a wide range of
foods, so your baby can learn about different flavours and textures. (Read our article on which foods are safe to
introduce when.)
Keeping the vitamins in

Some of the recipes make more than one portion, and you may like to freeze these in ice cube trays or small
dishes. This will help to preserve vitamins. Vitamin C and some B vitamins are gradually lost once food is cut,
cooked, exposed to the air and/or pured. The more processes fruit and vegetables undergo, the greater the
loss of nutrients, so prepare food just before you need it. If you are making enough for another meal, cool it
quickly and refrigerate or freeze in a sealed container. Don't use left-over vegetables from last night's supper, as
they will contain very little vitamin C by the time your baby eats them.
From pures to lumps

As a rough guide, prepare runny pures to begin with, then gradually thicken them. From six or seven months
old, the range of foods she can eat increases enormously, and texture becomes important. By now she is used
to eating solids and you can start to introduce a few lumps. Once she can hold things, the fun of finger foods
starts and she may like to try to feed herself -- having a spoon each is a good tactic at this time.
Mashed foods at seven to nine months are followed by minced foods from nine months onwards. However, if
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your baby happily gums on cooked carrots and beans at seven months, she may well be able to cope with soft
filled mini sandwiches at nine months. Each baby is different, but don't delay introducing lumps and thicker
foods, as babies who have sloppy pures for a long time can be remarkably resistant to eating even the
smallest lumps!
Which nutrients are important

In the early days of weaning, getting your baby used to eating 'solids' is key, but once she is coping, it's worth
focusing on the key nutrients she needs. From six months, as well as the energy supplied by the fat and sugars
in breastmilk and/or formula, babies need a host of vitamins and minerals. As the amount of milk they consume
decreases, these become increasingly important. Important nutrients for babies include iron, calcium, vitamin C,
vitamin A (this is called betacarotene in plant foods) and omega 3 fatty acids. Each recipe comes with guidance
on which nutrients it contains, so that you can ensure your baby is getting a well-balanced diet.
Eating with the family
Tomato rice
Minced chicken korma
Cauliflower and pasta cheese
Mixed vegetable mash (4-6 portions)
Chickpea and tomato raita with chapattis/paranthas
Moong dal chillas with shredded carrot
Pomfret paneer bhurji
Baby French toast or Eggy bread
Vegetable suji upma
Mixed vegetable and paneer fried rice
Stuffed paranthas, chapattis or puris
Recipes for toddlers and babies aged nine months plus

Tomato rice
Vegetarian
Good source of betacarotene, B vitamins and vitamin C
Ingredients
2 tbsp rice
2 tbsp carrot, grated
2 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp onion, grated
1 clove garlic finely minced
1 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp coriander leaves, washed and very finely chopped
1 tsp oil
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200 ml water
Method
Heat the oil over a low flame; add onions and garlic and saut for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the rice and water and allow it to cook covered on a medium flame till the rice is tender.
Add the tomatoes and grated carrots and cook till the vegetables are soft.
Add the cheese, coriander and salt and mix well till the cheese melts; remove from flame.
Mash it a bit and serve.
Cauliflower and pasta cheese

This can be enjoyed by all in the family, just remove a portion for your baby and blend.
Vegetarian
Good source of vitamin C, calcium and B vitamins
Ingredients
50g pasta shapes

2-3 florets of cauliflower
250ml full-fat cow's milk
1 tbsp butter
3 tsp flour
Method
Boil the pasta in unsalted water until tender.
Steam cook the cauliflower for a few minutes till just tender. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a non stick pan and
add the flour, fry on low till it changes colour.
Add the milk slowly constantly stirring to make sure there are no lumps.
When the mixture is well blended and, thickened, add the cheese. Stir and remove from the flame.
Drain the pasta and place along with the cauliflower in a plate.
Pour the white sauce over and serve.
You can blend the baby's portion to a suitable consistency
.
Mixed vegetable mash

(4-6 portions)
Vegetarian
Contains iron
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cabbage leaves, washed, and finely chopped
20g (a handful) fresh spinach, finely chopped
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Method
Boil the potatoes until tender.
Steam the cabbage and spinach for 5 minutes till tender.
Drain and mash the potatoes, and mash in the cabbage and spinach.
Mix in the grated cheese and serve at once.
Good source of vitamin C and calcium
Chickpea and tomato raita with chapattis/paranthas
Vegetarian
Contains iron
Ingredients
2 tbsps dried chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight and then cooked in a pressure cooker till very soft.
1 tbsp plain full-fat yogurt (preferably made at home)
Pinch of mint, washed and freshly chopped
Few slices of cucumber
1 medium tomato, washed and chopped
1 small chapatti/parantha, broken into small pieces
Method
Squeeze out the outer skin of the chickpeas.
Mash the chickpeas together with the yogurt and mint.
For babies who can manage to eat finger food, serve with the cucumber and tomato. For babies who prefer to
eat everything from a spoon, finely chop the tomato and cucumber and mash into the chick peas.
Serve with bite-sized pieces of chapatti/parantha.
Moong dal chillas with shredded carrot

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Good source of protein and betacarotene
Ingredients
Quarter cup green gram (moong dal) soaked in water for 2 hours
Half a tsp of cumin seeds
Quarter tsp chopped ginger
1 clove garlic
Salt to taste
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Oil for making the pancakes/chillas
2 tbsp grated/shredded carrot
Method
Drain the moong dal and grind to a thick paste along with cumin seeds, ginger, garlic and salt, using a little less
than quarter cup of water.
Add in the grated carrot, and stir well.
Heat half a tsp of oil on a griddle (tava), then pour half a ladle of batter and spread with the back of the ladle into
a thin round.
Cook on a medium flame, once browned, turn over and cook the other side.
Repeat with rest of the batter.
Serve with some soft cheese, mint chutney or sweet tomato chutney .
Pomfret paneer bhurji

Good source of omega 3 fatty acids and calcium
Ingredients
1 big pomfret fillet
1 tsp lemon juice
cup paneer, crumbled
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp oil
2 tbsp coconut
Pinch of turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander leaves
Method
Chop pomfret into cubes, rub with lemon juice and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan, saut garlic and onions on a low flame till the onions are browned.
Add the coconut and turmeric powder and cook for a minute, then add the cubed fish, mix gently; cover and
cook for 5-7 minutes till the fish is flaky.
Add crumbled paneer and coriander leaves and cook for another 3 minutes.
Remove from flame and mash well to the consistency required for your baby .
Baby French toast or Eggy bread

Contains iron
Good source of B vitamins
Ingredients
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1 slice of soft wholemeal bread
1 egg, well beaten
A little oil for frying (1-2 tbsp will do)
Method
Heat the oil in a frying pan.
Dip the bread in the egg, turning to coat both sides well.
Carefully place into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown on both sides.
Remove from the heat and place on a thick tissue/paper towel to absorb any surplus oil.
Cut into tiny fingers and serve along with some slices of tomato or sweet tomato chutney .
Vegetable suji upma

Vegetarian
Good source of protein, vitamins
Ingredients
15gm suji (semolina)
1-2 cups water
Finely chopped/diced vegetables
Method
Dry roast about 15 gm suji (without oil) in a clean dry pan till it turns golden brown.
Cook on low flame and keep stirring continuously otherwise the suji will burn. Keep aside.
In a separate pan add about 1 tsp of butter/ghee.
When the butter/ghee melts, add vegetable puree and fry.
Add water and suji.
Cook the mixture on a low flame till the time suji grains absorb water.
Keep stirring so that lumps do not form.
Serve to your baby after checking the temperature of the food.
Mixed vegetable and paneer fried rice

Vegetarian
Good source of protein, vitamins, calcium and starch
Ingredients
1 cup rice
2 cups water (use vegetable stock or chicken stock as a variation)
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon desi ghee (clarified butter)
1/4 cup diced paneer (cottage cheese)
1/4 cup mixed diced vegetables - carrots, potatoes, peas, beans or cauliflower
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2 tablespoons (split yellow or green moong dal) - optional
Method
Wash and soak the rice and dal for about half an hour.
Brown onions and add a few pieces of paneer and the diced vegetables.
Toss around for a couple of minutes and add water.
Pressure cook for about 2 whistles. Serve immediately.
Stuffed paranthas, chapattis or puris

You can add a variety of stuffings such as cauliflower, potatoes, fenugreek leaves, cottage cheese (paneer),
spinach, cooked dal, minced soya or chicken to make delicious and nutritious stuffed paranthas, chappatis and
puris. Remember to use 3/4 portion kneaded flour and 1/4 portion stuffing.
You can also knead flour for chappatis with cooked daal to make nutritious paranthas or puris.
Try out interesting variations to break the monotony of everyday meals. If you offer boiled veggies for a meal,
opt for a stuffed parantha in the next, and may be a mix of rice and curd for the third meal, and so on.
Feeding a sick child: Light and easy recipes
Steaming hot soups

Cool drinks
Filling foods
Other options
For toddlers and babies aged nine months plus

Here are a few recipes that are light and nutritious to help your child recover quickly .
Steaming hot soups

Dal soup
Ingredients
cup arhar dal, cleaned and soaked in 2 cup water
1 small potato, cleaned, peeled and chopped
3-4 table spoon of finely chopped vegetables such as pumpkin or kadhu
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
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Pressure cook the dal and vegetables with seasoning on high flame for 5-6 whistles.
Cool and mash all the vegetables and dal well. Strain and serve warm.
Tomato rasam
Ingredients
Tomatoes 3
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 black peppercorns
tsp of cumin seeds
Method
Crush half a teaspoon of cumin seeds, 3-4 black peppercorns and 2 cloves of garlic and boil along with 3
tomatoes, half a cup of water and a little salt for about 10 minutes.
Remove, mash well and strain tomato skins.
Feed as soup or mixed into well mashed plain rice.
Rice gruel or kanji
Ingredients
2 tablespoons raw or boiled rice
5-6 cups of water
Salt to taste
Method
Roast 2 tablespoons of raw rice or boiled rice lightly; cool and grind to a coarse powder.
Boil the powder in five to six cups of water till well cooked.
Add salt to it; it can be served as only gruel water after straining the rice, or along with the rice as a thin
porridge.
Paya or Aatu Kaal soup (Lamb trotter soup)
Ingredients
3-4 lamb trotter pieces
1 big onion
1 tsp fennel (saunf) or cumin (jeera) powder
2-3 peppercorns
2 cloves garlic (grated)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional)
1 whole cardamom (optional)
5 cups of water
Method
Pressure cook together the lamb trotter pieces along with 1 big onion, grated ginger and garlic, 1 tsp fennel
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(saunf) or cumin (jeera) powder, two to three peppercorns, and 5 cups of water for 35 minutes (20-30 minutes
on low after the first whistle).
Cool and strain, keep aside the meat and serve the soup warm.
Mixed Vegetable Soup

Ingredients
One chopped onion
One bay leaf
One grated carrot
One grated potato
One clove of garlic
1 tsp of oil
Method
Saute one chopped onion, one bay leaf, one grated carrot, one grated potato and a clove of garlic in one
teaspoon of oil.
Add five cups of water and cook till the vegetables are soft and well done.
Pick out the bay leaf and run them through the blender till smooth.
Put it back on the stove, add some salt and a pinch of pepper and serve warm with soft bread.
Clear Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
1 chopped onion
2 cups of chopped vegetables (cabbage, peas, beans, potato)
4-5 cups of water
Salt to taste
Method
Pressure cook 1 chopped onion, 2 cups of chopped vegetables (cabbage, peas, beans, potato) and 4-5 cups of
water.
Strain the vegetables and serve clear soup seasoned with salt.
Cool drinks
Fruit Lassi
Ingredients
1 cup yogurt/curd
Method
Chop the peeled, washed and deseeded fruit and blend together with curd. You can add fruits like ripe banana.
If you want a more free flowing lassi add 1/4 cup water (boiled and cooled).
Do not add any sugar -- the fruits have enough flavour and natural sugar.
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Nimbu paani
Ingredients
Juice of of a lemon
1 cup water
1 tsp sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of rock salt (optional)
Method
Stir in the sugar into the water along with the rest of the ingredient and serve at room temperature. Another
variation of this drink may include adding well crushed mint or pudina leaves that flavour the drink well and help
the body recover.
Watery lassi
Ingredients
5-6 tablespoon curd
cup water
Salt and sugar to taste
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a blender/mixer or stir well and serve.
Variation For a salty version add a pinch of ground cumin jeera and 1-2 crushed mint or pudina leaves
Filling foods
Moong dal khichdi
Ingredients
cup rice
cup moong dal
3 cups water
Salt to taste
tsp turmeric or haldi
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp oil
Method
Clean moong dal and rice together and soak in water for about 15-20 min.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and a tempering of fenugreek or methi seeds and chopped garlic.
Add the dal and rice with the salt and haldi and pressure cook with 3 cups water on high flame for the first 5-10
minutes and then on medium flame for another 10-15 minutes.
Cool khichdi and ensure that it is in pouring consistency before serving it with a bit of curd.
Note: If the khichdi is too thick, you can add a few teaspoons of water to make it semi-solid as it can be
comfortably swallowed even if you child has a sore throat.
Scrambled eggs
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Ingredients
1 egg (well beaten)
tsp oil or butter
2-3 tablespoons milk
Salt to taste
1 slice of soft bread
1 teaspoon grated cheese (optional)
Method
Heat half a teaspoon of oil/butter in a pan, pour in the well beaten egg, add milk and cook till soft and fluffy.
Sprinkle grated cheese over the eggs.
Season with salt and serve with soft bread.
Boiled potato salad
Ingredients
2 boiled potatoes chopped into small pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of a lemon
Method
Mix ingredients together to make a salad.
You may even want to roast the potatoes lightly in the oven or on the gas before making the salad.
Suji upma
Ingredients
15gm suji
1-2 cups water
Salt to taste
Method
Dry roast 1-2 tsp of suji in a clean pan till it turns brown.
Keep stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add water and bring to a boil.
To make upma of pouring consistency add more water.
Vegetable Suji Upma
Ingredients
15gm suji
1-2 cups water
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Pureed or steamed finely chopped/diced vegetables.
Salt to taste
Method
Dry roast about 15 gm suji (without oil) in a clean dry pan till it turns brown.
When the butter/ghee melts, add vegetable puree/boiled vegetables and fry.
Add water and suji.
Cook the mixture on a low flame till the time suji grains absorb water.
Serve after checking the temperature of the food.
Note: If you want suji upma to be of pouring consistency, then dont let the water dry completely. If you want suji
upma to be thicker and creamier, then let the water be absorbed completely.
Vegetable Sabudana Khichri
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Sabudana
1 cup water
Pureed vegetables or steamed finely chopped/diced vegetables.
Method
Wash and soak about 2 tbsp of sabudana in 1 cup of water till the time it doubles in size and grains become
soft.
Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add few cumin seeds.
When the seeds start crackling add the pureed/steamed vegetables and stir well. Now, add sabudana and mix
gently.
Sprinkle some lemon juice over it (optional) and serve.
Other options
Cornflakes with warm milk
Boiled potatoes mashed well with a little milk and salt.
Bread or biscuits dipped in warm milk
Mashed bananas
Oatmeal porridge
Dalia porridge without milk
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Stewed apples
First cereal recipes
Things to keep in mind

Mashed Rice
Khichri
Fried Rice
Suji upma
Vegetable Suji Upma
Malted cereals

Rice is the first cereal to be introduced, as it is not only nutritious but also the easiest to digest. Once your
baby adjusts to rice mixed with soups and purees, you can slowly start introducing other cereals and foods.
Start with a combination of rice and pulses (Khichri), rice and finely chopped/pureed vegetables (Vegetable
biryani or pulao). Once your baby adjusts to rice based foods slowly introduce other cereals like suji, ragi, bajra,
jowar, and sabudana.
Wheat and oats should be introduced later (after eight months) when your baby's digestive system is stronger.
You may add half a spoon of desi ghee or yellow butter to give a salty flavour and to increase the calorific
value. However, do check with your doctor before adding any extra fats to your baby's diet.
Remember to start one new food/cereal at a time. Keep a track of your baby's reaction to each cereal.
To add variety and to make rice more nutritious, substitute water with vegetable soup or vegetable stock.
Mashed Rice
Vegetarian
Ingredients
2 tablespoons rice
2 cups water (use vegetable stock as a variation)
Method
Cook the rice in pressure cooker and mash well to a smooth consistency.
Once your baby adjusts to this add some daal and vegetable stock to make it more interesting and tasty.
Quick tip: You can easily store powdered daal and rice (in equal ratio) in a clean dry jar. Before making this
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powder, wash the daal and rice properly and dry them thoroughly under the sun. Whenever you want 1-2 tsp of
powdered mixture in a bowl for sometime and cook it in the same water to make tasty gruel. To increase its
nutritive value, you can also add milk or curd or puree of boiled potatoes or blended vegetables.
Khichri
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 tablespoon (split yellow or green moong daal)
2 tablespoons rice
A pinch of turmeric
Start with khichri a week or two after your baby has adjusted to simple rice cereal and mashed rice.
Method
Wash and soak the rice and daal for about half an hour.
Add turmeric powder and cook in a pressure cooker for about 2-3 whistles.
Mash well and serve.
Quick tip: You can alter the consistency by increasing or reducing the water. More water will make the khichri
creamier and less water will make it grainy.
Once your baby adjust to this, change from 1 part daal, 2 part rice to a 1:1 ratio of daal and rice.
To add some variety make khichri like fried rice.
Fried Rice
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 tablespoon (split yellow or green moong daal)
2 tablespoons rice
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon desi ghee
Method
Wash and soak the rice and daal for about half an hour.
Brown onions and add a few cumin seeds.
When the seeds crackle add the rice and daal and pressure cooker for about 2-3 whistles.
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Mash well and serve. You can alter the consistency by increasing or reducing the water.
More water will make the khichri creamier and less water will make it grainy.
Quick tip: Once your baby adjusts to this, add grated cottage cheese (paneer) and vegetable puree to increase
the nutrients and flavour.
Suji upma
Vegetarian
Good source of protein
Ingredients
15gm suji
1-2 cups water
This is a highly nutritious breakfast meal.
Method
Dry roast 1-2 tsp of suji in a clean pan till it turns brown.
Keep stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add water and bring to a boil.
To make upma of pouring consistency add more water .
Vegetable Suji Upma

Vegetarian
Good source of protein, vitamins
Ingredients
15gm suji
1-2 cups water
Pureed vegetables
Method
Dry roast about 15 gm suji (without oil) in a clean dry pan till it turns brown.
When the butter/ghee melts, add vegetable puree and fry.
Add water and suji. Cook the mixture on a low flame till the time suji grains absorb water.
Serve checking the temperature of the food.
Quick tip: As your baby gets older substitute pureed vegetables with finely chopped/diced vegetables. If you
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want suji upma to be of pouring consistency, then dont let the water dry completely. If you want suji upma to be
thicker and creamier, then let the water be absorbed completely.

Vegetarian
Good source of protein and vitamins.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Sabudana
1 cup water
Pureed vegetables
Method
Wash and soak about 2 tbsp of sabudana in 1 cup of water till the time it doubles in size and grains become
soft.
Puree the vegetables and keep the mixture aside for few minutes.
Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add few cumin seeds.
When the seeds start crackling add the pureed vegetables and stir well.
Add sabudana and mix gently.
Sprinkle some lemon juice over it (optional) and serve.
Malted cereals
Vegetarian
Good source of protein, iron, calcium and folic acid.
Ingredients
1/2 cup each of washed rice, ragi, moong (green gram)
Malted cereals are a staple in many homes. Start with malted cereal once a day and then increase it to twice a
day.
Method
Soak the cereals overnight in separate containers.
Drain the water and tie the cereal in separate moist muslin cloths.
Keep in a warm place and allow to sprout -- remember to sprinkle water continuously so that they remain damp.
(The cereal will sprout in about 48 hours.)
Once the sprouts appear, dry roast in a pan to remove excess moisture.
Combine all the cereals and remove any burnt skins from the mixture by passing through a sieve.
Grind this mixture into a fine powder and store in an air tight container.
The next time you prepare your baby's meal, just add to 1 tsp of malted cereal to increase the energy content
of the weaning foods.
Quick tip:You can also add malted cereal to milk, fruit purees and vegetable soups.
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Malted cereals have a short life span. Store in a cool, moisture-free place. Discard any left over malted cereal
after two weeks and prepare a fresh batch.
First soups
Once your baby starts solids, you are always looking out for interesting options to make your babys meal
nutritious and tasty. Here are a few interesting tips as well as recipes to make meal times a joy!
Always introduce a new food in the late morning as you have a lot of time to watch out for any allergic
reactions.
Remember to start one new food at a time.
Try out a combination of just two vegetables as it will be easier to keep a track if your baby is allergic to some
vegetable.
You may want to add a bit of yellow butter or ghee to your babys food to increase the calorific value. However,
check with your doctor before doing so.
You can use these watery soups as a base for mixing the baby cereal mix as well.
Lentil soup (Daal ka paani)
This watery lentil soup is a good source of protein, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and zinc.
Ingredients: 1 cup filtered water, 2 tablespoons moong daal (split yellow gram) or split red lentils, a pinch of
turmeric, a pinch of salt (optional)
Boil the lentils in half a cup of water with a pinch of turmeric (haldi) until it is completely cooked and soft.
Turmeric powder is a staple in most Indian preparations as it is known to have antiseptic properties. Mash the
daal and add some more water. Boil again for a few minutes and strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a
clear daal soup. Salt is best avoided, but if you are very particular, you can add a tiny bit of salt to it.
You can gradually reduce the quantity of water to the mashed daal to make it thicker and a more wholesome
meal for your baby.
Watery rice gruel (Chaawal ka paani)
This traditional Indian recipe is a staple in many Indian homes.
The watery soup is a good source of protein, vitamins, calcium and starch.
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Ingredients: 3 cups of filtered water, 2 tablespoons rice
Boil rice in 3 cups water until it is completely cooked and soft. Mash it a bit and strain through a wire meshed
sieve to get a thin watery rice soup.
Initially offer your baby the water alone, gradually you could include the mashed rice as well. You could add
some mashed daal and vegetable stock for an interesting variation in taste.
Barley water
Barley water is a good source of iron, calcium, vitamin C and protein.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons barley (jau), 1 tablespoon jaggery (avoid jaggery from roadside vendors. Instead
use packaged jaggery), 3 cups of water, a slice of lemon.
Pressure cook the jaggery and barley in 3 cups of water. Strain the liquid and serve with a dash of lemon.
Carrot and beetroot soup
This vegetable soup is a good source of Vitamin A & C, calcium, iron, folic acid and protein.
Ingredients: of a beetroot, peeled and chopped; one carrot, peeled and chopped; a slice of lemon
Add two cups water to the chopped vegetables and pressure cook till the vegetables are completely cooked and
soft. Mash the mixture and strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a clear vegetable soup.
Initially offer your baby the water alone, gradually you could include the mashed vegetables as well. You can
also add potatoes for an interesting variation in taste as well as to make the soup thicker.
Note: Beetroot may stain babys clothing -- so ensure that your baby is wearing a bib.
Apple and carrot soup
This vegetable soup is a good source of Vitamin A & C, calcium, iron, folic acid and protein.
Ingredients: one apple, peeled and chopped; one carrot, peeled and chopped
Add two cups water to the chopped vegetable and fruit and pressure cook till it is completely cooked and soft.
Mash the mixture and strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a clear soup.
Mixed vegetable soup
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This vegetable soup can be included in your babys diet once youve introduced a couple of vegetables to your
baby. This soup can be made as a thick soup or can be used as a thin watery soup as well. It is a rich source of
vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and iron.
Ingredients: a small piece of carrot, potato, bottle gourd, tomato, cabbage (all peeled and chopped)
Cook in three cups of water till the vegetables are soft. Mash the mixture and strain through a wire-meshed
sieve to get a thick soup or strain only the water to get a clear soup.
You can use the clear soup as a base for the babys rice cereal mix as well.
Instant millet (raagi/nachni) mix
This nutritious instant mix can be stored in a jar and used as and when required.
Take two cups of raagi, wash it well and dry it thoroughly in the sun. Roast it a bit and cool it. Grind it to a flourlike consistency. Store this powder in a clean dry jar.
There are two methods to use this instant mix.
1. You can add warm water to 1-2 tablespoons of this powdered mix and soak it for a couple of minutes for it to
soften.
2. Alternatively you can cook it in water for a couple of minutes and let it cool before feeding your baby.
You could try interesting variations to this mixture by adding fruit and vegetable purees, curd, mashed boiled
potatoes, etc. This will increase the nutritive value and enhance the taste as well.
Instant rice/daal mix
Another nutritious instant mix that can be stored in a jar and used as and when required. Take equal quantities
of rice and split yellow gram (moong daal). Wash both and dry thoroughly. Roast this mixture and grind it to a
powdery (yet mildly granular) consistency. Store this powder in a clean dry jar.
This mix too can be either cooked in water for a couple of minutes or soaked for a few minutes to soften it. Here
too you can add fruit and vegetable purees, curd, mashed boiled potatoes, etc.
Running out of ideas on which purees to offer your baby? Maybe you could try our weaning recipes.
Want to talk with other parents about weaning and recipes? Visit our community.
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First tastes
Recipes for babies starting on solids
Banana pure
Vegetarian
Good source of potassium
1 small ripe banana
1-2 tsps of baby rice
2 tbsps of breastmilk or formula
Mash the banana well until smooth. Mix the rice and milk, and stir into the banana. Adjust the texture with milk
or rice to make a runnier or firmer pure.
Carrot pure
Vegetarian
Good source of betacarotene
1 carrot, peeled and diced
Steam the vegetable until tender. Pure in a blender and adjust the texture with boiled cooled water or baby's
usual milk.
Broccoli and cauliflower pure

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Good source of vitamin C
1 large floret broccoli
1 large floret cauliflower
Steam the vegetables until they are tender. Pure in a blender or mouli and adjust the texture with boiled cooled
water or baby's usual milk.
Papaya pure
Vegetarian
Good source of betacarotene and vitamin C
1 ripe papaya
Peel and seed the papaya, and mash to a pure with a fork. To vary add baby rice or mix with mashed banana.
Sweet potato mash

Vegetarian
1 sweet potato
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Steam or boil the sweet potato until it is tender. Drain and mash well, adding baby's usual milk to make a
suitable consistency.
Potato and spinach pure

Vegetarian
Contains iron
1 medium potato, peeled and quartered
20g (a handful) spinach
Boil the potato in unsalted water until tender. Steam the spinach over the potato in a sieve for the last few
minutes of cooking. Drain and mash the potato with a little of baby's usual milk. Pure the spinach and add to
the potato. Adjust the texture with boiled cooled water or breastmilk or formula .
Pear and apple pure

Vegetarian
Contains vitamin C
1 ripe pear, peeled and sliced
1 apple, peeled and sliced
Place the pear and apple in a small saucepan with one tablespoon of water and cook over a low heat, stirring
occasionally, until the fruit is tender. Pure in a blender or mouli.
Lentils with pumpkin

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Good source of betacarotene and B vitamins
50g split red lentils
120g pumpkin, peeled and diced
Boil the lentils in water until soft. Steam or microwave the pumpkin until tender. Drain the lentils in a sieve. Add
the pumpkin to the sieve and place the sieve over a bowl. Using a wooden spoon press through the mixture, stir
and serve.
Avocado and kiwi pure

Vegetarian
Good source of vitamin E and vitamin C
Half a ripe avocado
1 ripe kiwi fruit
Mash the avocado well. Peel and mash the kiwi. Push the kiwi through a sieve to remove the pips, then mix with
the avocado.
Musk melon pure

Vegetarian
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Large slice of musk or other melon, seeded
Pure the melon and, if desired, add a little baby rice to thicken up.
Just desserts

Fruit kheer
Pear dessert
Chocolate banana custard
Strawberry crumble
Fruit shrikhand
Peach and grape jelly
Fruity almond crunch layer
Coconut egg custard
Apple and apricot dessert
Grape, paneer and banana dessert
Sabudana kheer
Sooji ka halwa or rawa kesari
Carrot halwa
Moong dal halwa
Bottle gourd kheer
Bread pudding
Vermicelli pudding
Yummy puddings for older babies (suitable from nine months onwards unless recipe says
otherwise)
You can replace whole milk with unsweetened soya milk for most recipes -- however some brands of soya milk
may curdle on boiling due to reactions with acidic ingredients.

Artificial sweeteners are not suitable for babies and young children -- do not use them for any preparations.
Avoid using honey to sweeten preparations for babies less than a year of age. Find out why?
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Fruit kheer
Vegetarian
Good source of calcium and B vitamins
Ingredients
2 tbsp rice soaked in water for half an hour
250ml full-fat milk
2 tbsp fresh fruit pure (mango/peach/strawberry)
1/2 to 1 tsp sugar
Pinch of cardamom powder
Method
Drain the soaked rice and grind to a coarse paste in the blender.
Add 1-2 tbsp of cool milk and dissolve the paste in it, then add to the remaining milk and mix well.
Heat the rice and milk in a heavy bottomed pan; simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure
there are no lumps.
Once the rice is cooked well, add the sugar and cardamom powder and cook for a minute.
Remove from flame, cool and add the fresh fruit pure and serve.
Variations:
To make plain kheer, just skip the fruits.
You can add a few strands of saffron to add a distinct flavour and a yellow colour.
Saffron kheer is often served as an 'Annaprashan' first food or on special festivals like 'Vasant Panchmi' (festival
of spring) when people wear yellow clothing and eat yellow coloured foods and delicacies.
Pear dessert
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 ripe pear, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp apple juice
1 tbsp fresh cream
Pinch of cinnamon powder (optional)
Method
Poach the pear in apple juice for 5 minutes until soft.
Cool, press through a sieve and add the fresh cream.
Sprinkle a pinch of the cinnamon powder and serve.
Chocolate banana custard

Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 tsp corn flour
1 tsp drinking chocolate powder
100ml full-fat milk
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1 small banana
Method
Mix together corn flour, chocolate powder and milk, and place in microwave for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
Chop or mash banana and serve with the custard.
Alternatively, dissolve the corn flour and the drinking chocolate in 1 tbsp milk and then add to the rest of the
milk.
Heat the milk gently for about 5 minutes stirring constantly till the corn flour is cooked and the milk thickens.
Remove from flame, cool and add chopped or mashed banana and serve with the custard.
Strawberry crumble
Vegetarian
Ingredients
200g strawberries (hulled)
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp whole wheat flour (atta)
1 tbsp rolled oats
3 tsp butter
1 tbsp soft brown sugar or jaggery (gur)
1 tbsp fresh cream or plain yogurt (for topping)
Method
Mix the strawberry with the sugar and place in a small, greased oven dish. Rub the butter into the flour, stir in
the oats and brown sugar and sprinkle over the strawberry. Bake for 30 mins at 180 degrees C. Cool a little
before serving with plain yogurt or fresh cream.
Fruit shrikhand
Vegetarian
Good source of calcium and betacarotene
Ingredients
1/2 cup hung curd or cream cheese
3 tbsp fresh fruit (mango/apricot/peach) pure
1 tsp powdered sugar
Pinch of cardamom powder (optional)
Method
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To prepare hung curd or cream cheese:
Tie 2 cups of yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang for about 2-3 hours till the water drains out and you are left with
thick shrikhand or hung curd.
Mix the hung curd along with the sugar and cardamom powder. Swirl in the fruit pure and serve .
Peach and grape jelly

Ingredients
1 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp hot water
150ml grape juice
1/2 a ripe peach, peeled and diced
Method
Place the hot water in a bowl and add the gelatine.
Once the gelatine has dissolved, pour in the grape juice and stir well.
Place the diced peach in the base of a bowl, pour over the jelly and chill until set .
Fruity almond crunch layer

Vegetarian
Good source of vitamin C and betacarotene
Ingredients
20g finely ground almonds
1 slice white bread, made into breadcrumbs or 2 small digestive biscuits crushed
10g butter
Diced soft fruit, such as peach, kiwi, mango, papaya
Method
Fry the almonds and breadcrumbs in the butter until lightly browned.
Place on a tissue/paper towel to soak the excess butter.
Place a layer of fruit in a glass bowl, cover with a layer of the almond mixture, and repeat till the almond mixture
and the fruits are used up.
Chill before serving.
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Coconut egg custard

Contains iron
Ingredients
1 egg
100ml coconut milk (if coconut milk is not available, substitute with full fat milk)
One drop of vanilla essence
1 tbsp apricot pure
Method
Blend all the ingredients together.
Pour into two teacups or prepared moulds and steam for 10 minutes until set.
You can steam this in a microwave steamer or in a double boiler on the stove.
Chill before serving.
Apple and apricot dessert

Vegetarian
Contains betacarotene
Ingredients
50g soft dried apricots, roughly chopped
100ml water
1 apple, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cream crackers or plain butter cookies
Method
Place the apricots in a small saucepan along with the water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the apple and cook gently until soft.
Cool and pure the mixture.
Serve with cream crackers or plain butter cookies.
Variation: You can also warm the pureed mixture and pour it over a slice of sponge cake. Serve at room
temperature.
Grape, paneer and banana dessert

Vegetarian
Ingredients
50g grapes
50g cottage cheese (paneer)
50g fresh cream
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1/2 a banana
Method
Place all the ingredients in a blender and pure until smooth.
Cool and serve at chilled or at room temperature.
Sabudana kheer
Vegetarian
Contains and calcium and carbohydrates
Ingredients
1/4 cup sago (sabudana) soaked in water for ten minutes
250ml full-fat milk
1/2 to 1 tsp sugar
1tsp pured raisins (optional)
Method
Soak the sago in water for ten minutes, wash and drain.
Heat milk in a separate pan, add the sago and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
Add the sugar and continue to cook until the milk thickens.
Cool and serve.
For a slight variation, top it up with pured raisins.

Vegetarian
Contains and calcium, protein and carbohydrates
Ingredients
1/4 cup semolina (sooji)
250ml full-fat milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp pured raisins
1/2 tsp finely grated almonds
A few strands of saffron (optional)
Method
Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan.
Add the sooji and fry on low flame.
Keep stirring constantly to ensure an even brown colour.
Add milk, water, and sugar and stir it constantly to prevent lumps. (You can add a few strands of saffron to add
a distinct flavour and a yellow colour).
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Garnish with chopped raisins and grated almonds.
Cook on low flame.
You can change the consistency from semi-solid to pouring consistency by increasing/decreasing the quantity of
milk and water.
Carrot halwa
Vegetarian
Contains calcium and betacarotene
Ingredients
1 medium sized carrot
250ml full-fat milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp pured raisins and finely grated almonds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom powder (optional)
Method
Wash and grate the carrot.
Boil water in a pan or cooker and add the grated carrot.
Cook for about 5 minutes or for two whistles if using a cooker.
Add milk and let it cook on a low flame for about fifteen minutes -- stirring from time to time.
Add sugar and cook till the milk is completely absorbed.
Top with ghee, cardamom powder, pured raisins and almonds.
Serve at room temperature.
Moong dal halwa

Vegetarian
Contains and carbohydrates, proteins and calcium
Ingredients
1/4 cup split yellow moong dal (soaked overnight)
250ml full-fat milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp pured raisins and finely grated almonds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom powder (optional)
Method
Soak moong dal in water overnight.
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Wash and drain the dal. Using a little water grind the dal to a textured paste (should be coarse and not very
smooth).
Heat ghee in a non-stick pan or kadhai and add the dal. Keep stirring constantly till the dal turns golden brown.
Add milk, sugar and some water and cook on a low flame till it blends well.
Top with pured raisins and almonds.
Serve at room temperature.
Bottle gourd kheer

Vegetarian
Contains and calcium and vitamin C
Ingredients
1/2 cup peeled, deseeded and grated bottle gourd (doodhi, lauki)
250ml full-fat milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar or powdered sugar
1 tsp ghee
1 tbs blanched finely grated almonds
1/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom powder (optional)
Method
In a non-stick pan heat the ghee and fry the lauki till it turns transparent and separates from the ghee.
Add milk and sugar, and bring to a boil.
Cook for five minutes till the mixture is of thick consistency -- keep stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Cool, garnish with cardamom powder and almonds and serve at room temperature.
Bread pudding
Contains carbohydrates, protein and calcium
Ingredients
2 slices bread
1 cup milk - for soaking bread slices
1 cup milk for cooking
1 tsp sugar or powdered sugar
1 egg
Few drops of vanilla essence (optional)
A pinch of powdered cardamom (optional)
Method
Trim the edges from the slices of bread and soak in milk.
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In a separate pan boil the second cup of milk along with sugar for about 5 minutes.
Beat the egg well and add it to the boiling milk.
Add a pinch of cardamom powder or a couple of drops of vanilla essence if needed.
Keep stirring constantly and add the soaked bread slices to the mixture.
On a low flame, stir the mixture well till it becomes thick (similar to the consistency of porridge).
Transfer this mixture into a separate mould/dish for steaming. Ensure that the dish you choose does not allow
any steam in. (You can use a lidded steel container if you are steaming the mixture in a pan or pressure cooker
or use a covered microwave proof dish if steaming in the microwave.)
Place the container in a pan, cooker or steamer for about 15 minutes.
Remove and cool.
Turn the container upside down and gently transfer the steamed pudding into a serving dish. Serve warm, cold
or at room temperature.
Vermicelli pudding
Vegetarian
Contains calcium, protein and carbohydrates
Ingredients
1/2 cup vermicelli or seviyan (broken into 2cm long bits)
250ml full-fat milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ghee
1 tbsp finely grated almonds
1/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom powder (optional)
1/4 tsp rose water (optional)
Method
In a non-stick pan heat the ghee and fry the seviyan till they are golden brown.
Add milk, sugar, grated almonds and bring to a boil.
Cook for ten minutes till the milk thickens.
Cool and serve with a sprinkling of rose water and a pinch of cardamom powder.
Variation: This versatile dessert can be served warm in winter and chilled during the summers. You can change
the consistency from solid to pouring consistency by increasing/decreasing the quantity of milk and water.
Mango recipes for toddlers
Mango Shrikhand
Ambe Saasam (Mango in coconut mustard gravy)
Mango Popsicles
Mango Phirni
Papaya Mango Smoothie
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With its high beta carotene content, surfeit of vitamins, fibre and essential minerals, the mango is very nutritious
for your toddler and also provides him with the energy he needs. Though many toddlers like the sweet taste of
mangoes, some might not take to its soft, pulpy consistency. Here are a few recipes to include mango in your
toddlers diet.
Mango Shrikhand
This creamy Indian dessert is rich in calcium and vitamin C.
Ingredients
500ml yoghurt
Pulp from 1 mango
Sugar 2 tbsp
Cardamom powder (elaichi) 1 tsp
Method
Tie up yoghurt tightly in a thin, clean cloth and hang for 2-3 hours (or overnight in a refrigerator) till all the whey
(liquid) drains out. You will be left with about 350-400ml of thick hung curd
Gently mix the mango pulp, sugar and cardamom powder with the hung curd and chill.
Serve with puris/chapattis or by itself.
Ambe Saasam (Mango in coconut mustard gravy)

A traditional Konkani dish made at weddings (pineapple is also used when mango is out of season), this dish is
a welcome change from the usual sweet mango treats. The coconut gives a delicious creamy consistency and
the red chillies are omitted to make this a child friendly recipe.
Vegetarian
Rich in fibre, vitamins, folates, magnesium, beta carotene and iron
Ingredients
cup ripe mango pieces
1 cup fresh grated coconut
tsp mustard seeds
tsp tamarind paste (imli)
1 tsp grated jaggery (gur)
Salt to taste
Method
Grind the coconut, mustard, tamarind and jaggery to a paste using about 4-5 tbsp of filtered water.
Remove from the mixer and mix in the mango pieces and salt.
Serve with steamed rice.
Mango Popsicles
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These home made ice lollies are refreshing on a hot summer day. They keep your active toddler well hydrated
and give him energy.
Vegetarian
Contains vitamins A & C and calcium
Ingredients
Pulp of 2 mangoes
2 tbsp cream or thick fresh yoghurt
Sugar 1 tbsp (optional)
Method
Blend the ingredient together in a mixer and pour into kulfi moulds or into ice cube trays.
Freeze for about half an hour, then insert ice cream sticks or bamboo skewers into the individual moulds.
Freeze for 3 hours; to serve, remove from freezer and unmould after a few minutes .
Mango Phirni
Vegetarian
This recipe is a good source of vitamins, dietary fibre, calcium, folate, carbohydrates and magnesium
Ingredients
litre milk
Basmati rice 1 heaped tbsp
One fourth cup of sugar
cup mango pulp
1 tsp cardamom powder
Handful of raisins and cashewnuts
Method
Soak basmati rice in just enough water for half an hour
Blend 3 tbsp of the milk with the soaked basmati rice in a mixer till you get a smooth paste
Heat the rest of the milk in a heavy bottomed pan till just warm, remove about a cup of the warm milk and
dissolve the rice paste in it.
Now mix the cup of milk with the remaining warmed milk till it combines completely and then continue heating
the milk.
Stir constantly to make sure the rice paste does not become lumpy or stick to the bottom. Cook uncovered for
about fifteen minutes till the rice paste is cooked and the milk thickens.
Add the sugar, cardamom powder, raisins and nuts and simmer for another five minutes. Remove from flame,
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pour into a serving bowl and let cool.
Once cool, mix in the mango pulp well and chill till ready to serve.
Papaya Mango Smoothie

Rich in antioxidants, beta carotene, fibre, calcium and folate
Ingredients
1/4th cup papaya cubes
1/4th cup mango cubes
cup yoghurt
Method
Blend all the ingredients to a smooth consistency and serve slightly chilled.
For a mango milkshake, substitute the papaya with more mangoes and replace the yoghurt with half a cup of
milk
Meals for seven months onwards
Chickpeas, spinach and paneer dip

Sweet potato, carrot and cheese mash
Cottage cheese and pea mash
Lentil (dal) soup
Baby ratatouille
Broccoli/cauliflower with tomatoes and almonds
Kheema matar (mince with peas)
Savoury chicken casserole
Recipes for babies aged seven to twelve months who are eating a variety of foods
Chickpeas, spinach and paneer dip
Vegetarian
Good source of vitamin E, folate and calcium
Ingredients
4-5 spinach leaves, washed well
2 tbsp chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked in water overnight and then pressure cooked till very soft.
2 tbsp soft paneer, crumbled
2-3 cashewnuts (kaju) or almonds (badam) soaked in 4 tbsp of warm water (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
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Pinch of salt
Pinch of cumin (jeera) powder
Method
Bring 300 ml water to boil and immerse the washed spinach leaves into it for about 2-3 minutes. Drain and cool
slightly.
Drain the cashewnuts or almonds and blend with all the ingredients.
Use as a dip with baby breadsticks and cooked carrot slices. Once your baby is older, you can also serve this
with paranthas or chapattis.
Sweet potato, carrot and cheese mash

Vegetarian
Good source of betacarotene, calcium and vitamin C
Ingredients
120g sweet potato (shakkarkand or chakkaraivellikizhangu), peeled and diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
25g hard cheese, such as cheddar, grated
Method
Boil the vegetables together until just tender, then mash or puree along with the cheese.
Tip: For older babies, serve as a side dish, with soup or use as a filling for grilled sandwiches, paranthas and
cutlets.
Cottage cheese and pea mash

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Ingredients
50g fresh or frozen peas
50g cottage cheese (paneer)
Salt to taste
Method
Cook the peas until just tender.
Mash together with the cottage cheese and serve with fingers of bread or crispy rice sticks (arisi vadaam).
Tip: For older babies, this can also be used to make cutlets and fillings for grilled sandwiches or paranthas .
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Lentil (dal) soup

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Ingredients
100g lentils (moong dal or masur dal)
300ml water
1 medium tomato chopped fine
1 clove garlic chopped fine
Pinch of cinnamon powder (optional)
or
Pinch of cumin (jeera)powder
Method
Pour water over the lentils; add the tomato, turmeric and garlic.
Cover and cook gently for 20 minutes or pressure cook until the lentils are soft and mushy.
Drain off a little fluid using a sieve, reserve the fluid and mash or whisk the lentil tomato mixture till smooth.
Add the reserved fluid, a pinch of salt (if you are very particular) and return the soup to the pan.
Stir in the cinnamon powder or cumin powder and return briefly to the heat.
Serve warm with rice.
For older babies, serve with soft pieces of chapatti.
Tip: Use this soup to knead flour for nutritious paranthas and puris .
Baby ratatouille
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 tsp oil
Half a small onion, finely chopped
Quarter cup bottlegourd (lauki) or courgette (torai), diced
1 small capsicum, yellow or red, seeded and diced
Few slices of aubergine ((brinjal(), diced
4 tomatoes, skinned and seeded
Method
Lightly fry the onion in the oil, and add all the other vegetables.
Stir, cover and turn down the heat, allow the vegetables to cook until they are tender. This should take about 30
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minutes.
Puree or mash to an appropriate consistency for your baby.
Broccoli/cauliflower with tomatoes and almonds

Vegetarian
Good source betacarotene, vitamin E, calcium and vitamin C
Ingredients
2 florets broccoli or cauliflower
1/2 tbsp flaked almonds (badaam), lightly toasted and ground finely
2 tbsp chopped tomatoes
Method
Steam the florets until tender and blend with the tomatoes.
Stir in the ground almonds, and serve .
Vegetarian meal plan by age: 12 months

It is important that you start introducing a variety of food in your toddler's diet gradually. These will provide the
calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals that are essential for her growth. The amount of food eaten would vary
from child to child and would also depend on when you introduce a particular food to your toddler. Talk to your
doctor as well about the serving size that would suit your child.
Here we have planned a week's sample menu for your toddler. She may or may not eat the exact amounts
given here. You may even need to skip an option initially till she gets used to eating right. See how it works for
you.
A week's sample vegetarian meal plan for a one year old
MEAL
Early
Morning
Breakfast
MONDAY
Breastfeed or
1 cup full
cream milk
cup cereal
such as ragi
(nachni) or
dalia cooked
in whole
cream milk
Add -1 tsp
of powdered
or finely
TUESDAY
Breastfeed
or 1 cup full
cream milk
-1 small
parantha
with a
stuffing of
mashed
paneer and
cooked
vegetables
WEDNESDAY
Breastfeed or 1
cup full cream
milk
1 small idli with
coconut or
tomato chutney
THURSDAY FRIDAY
Breastfeed or Breastfeed
1 cup full
or 1 cup full
cream milk cream milk
Cheese toast 1 small
made with a moong dal
slice of
cheela
cheese and a (dosa) with
layer of
coriander or
coriander
tomato
chutney with chutney
a 1 slice of
wheat bread
SATURDAY SUNDAY
Breastfeed or Breastfeed
1 cup full
or 1 cup full
cream milk
cream milk
- cup suji cup mashed

upma with
potato
vegetables
gravy with 2
such as finely baby puris
chopped
beans and
carrots
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Mid
morning
chopped dry
fruits to
increase the
nutritive value.
1 fresh fruit
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
cubed into
small pieces small pieces
or 1 cup of
or 1 cup of
fruit or
fruit or
vegetable
vegetable
juice or 1 cup juice or 1
of tomato or cup of
vegetable
tomato or
soup
vegetable
soup
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small pieces or
1 cup of fruit or
vegetable juice
or 1 cup of
tomato or
vegetable soup
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small pieces
or 1 cup of
fruit or
vegetable
juice or 1 cup
of tomato or
vegetable
soup
1 fresh fruit 1 fresh fruit

cubed into cubed into
small pieces small pieces
or 1 cup of or 1 cup of
fruit or
fruit or
vegetable vegetable
juice or 1
juice or 1 cup
cup of
of tomato or
tomato or
vegetable
vegetable soup
soup
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small
pieces or 1
cup of fruit
or
vegetable
juice or 1
cup of
tomato or
vegetable
soup
Lunch(Curd
5-6
Baby vegetable cup
cup
cup
optional)
cup dal, 1-2 tablespoons pizza with
vegetable
baked
cup kadhi or moong dal
tsp of
rajma or
paneer,
biryani and vegetables rasam in khichri with
seasonal
chholey with tomatoes,
grated
such as
cup rice
a couple of
veggies, such cup rice capsicum and cucumber or cauliflower,
teaspoons
as lauki,
cheese topping carrots
beans and
of seasonal
methi, etc.
peas,
vegetables
with 1 chapatti
mashed
such as
or cup rice
potatoes
aloo methi
with soup
or gajar
aloo and
matar.
Evening
1 cup
to 1 cup banana
Fruit
One small - 1 slice
1 whole
snack
milkshake
mixed fruit muffin with smoothie
paneer or fruit/walnut
wheat
with a fruit of chaat with
cup milk
made with 1 tofu cutlet bread with bread roll
your choice
chopped
cup whole
with cup cup milk
(bananas,
apples,
cream milk milk
mangoes or pineapples,
and a
strawberries) grapes and
seasonal fruit
bananas
Dinner
cup
- 1 cup
cup dal, a 1 slice whole

vegetable
macaroni in cup soya
cup matar
small
wheat bread cup paneer
khichri with
cheese and granules and paneer and 1 portion of
pizza topped kofta curry
vegetables
tomato
aloo curry with chapatti or
seasonal
with finely
with -1
such as peas, sauce
cup rice or 1 parantha
vegetables chopped
small
carrots, and
chapatti
such as
vegetables
parantha
potatoes
carrot,
such as
cauliflower, tomatoes,
beans and onions,
ladyfinger or beans,
bhindi,
capsicum and
chapatti or cottage
cup rice cheese.
Occasionally, you may want to serve desserts. Do remember to keep your toddler's daily sugar intake to about
1-2 tsp, and use honey or jaggery (gur) to sweeten the dessert instead of sugar.
More sample meal plans:
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By now, your toddler may be eating a variety of foods in her diet. Here are a few ideas to help you plan a
nutritious and balanced diet meal for your toddler.
Remember that your child may not eat everything you serve, and she may not even like some of the
preparations. What is important is that you start introducing a variety of flavours in her diet. Select one option
per meal or snack time.
A week's sample vegetarian meal plan for a two year old
MEAL
Early
Morning
MONDAY
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
1 cup milk
1 cup milk
1 cup milk and 2
and 2
almonds soaked
almonds
overnight and
soaked
peeled
overnight and
peeled
Breakfast 1 gobhi or
cup cereal 1-2 idlis with
matar
such as ragi sambhar or
parantha with (nachni) or coconut chutney
cup curd dalia cooked
in whole
cream milk
with chopped
nuts such as
almonds,
walnuts,
raisins or
pistachios
Mid
1 fresh fruit 1 fresh fruit 1 fresh fruit
morning cubed into
cubed into
cubed into small
small pieces small pieces pieces or 1 cup
or 1 cup of
or 1 cup of
of fruit or
fruit or
fruit or
vegetable juice
vegetable
vegetable
or 1 cup of
juice or 1 cup juice or 1 cup tomato or
of tomato or of tomato or vegetable soup
vegetable
vegetable
soup
soup
THURSDAY FRIDAY
1 cup milk
1 cup milk
and 2
almonds
soaked
overnight
and peeled
Grilled
1-2 moong
sandwich (1 dal cheela
slice whole
or a plain
wheat bread dosa with
with paneer, coriander
onion and
chutney
tomato)
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
1 cup milk
1 cup milk
cup suji
upma with
vegetables
such as
beans, peas,
carrots and
coconut
1 bajra roti
with cup of
cooked
vegetables
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small pieces
or 1 cup of
fruit or
vegetable
juice or 1 cup
of tomato or
vegetable
soup
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small pieces
or 1 cup of
fruit or
vegetable
juice or 1 cup
of tomato or
vegetable
soup
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small pieces
or 1 cup of
fruit or
vegetable
juice or 1
cup of
tomato or
vegetable
soup
Lunch
cup moong cup palak
(Curd
dal khichri
paneer, 1
optional) and a helping chapatti or
of seasonal cup rice
vegetables
like methi,
palak, or
lauki
Evening 1-2 pcs
1 whole
snack
whole wheat wheat bread
bread roll
toast and
cup whole
cream milk
cup rajma
with cup
rice
cup baked
vegetables
with cheese
and 1 slice
whole wheat
bread
cup
paneer
makhni,
cup rice or 1
chapatti
cup aloo
gobhi or aloo
matar with
chapatti
1 fresh fruit
cubed into
small
pieces or 1
cup of fruit
or
vegetable
juice or 1
cup of
tomato or
vegetable
soup
cup
arhar
(tuvar) dal,
cup soya
granules
and aloo
and 1 roti
1 bread pakora Corn chaat or 1 small rice Fruit

fruit chaat
flour
milkshake
vegetable
pancake
with
shredded
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1 slice
fruit/walnut
bread with
cup milk
Dinner
cup fried 1 cup pasta

rice with
in a tomato
vegetables, sauce with
such as
vegetables
beans,
such as
carrot, peas, cabbage,
potatoes, etc. peas and
cauliflower
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cabbage
and beans
1 cup daliya
1 parantha
cup
cup moong
upma and a
and cup
kadhi,
dal, cup
helping of sweet matar paneer cup rice
seasonal
and sour
bhurji or palak
vegetables
vegetables
paneer
like arbi or
gajar methi, 1
chapatti or
cup rice
Baby
vegetable
pizza with
paneer,
tomatoes,
capsicum
and cheese
topping
1-2 tsp, and use honey or jaggery (gur) to sweeten the dessert instead of sugar.

At this age, most toddlers are already attending playschool or are getting ready to move to proper schooling at
four years of age. Combination meals work well while packing lunch boxes and will provide the required
nutrition for your growing child. Here's a sample meal plan spread over a week. Choose options that work for
you to plan a meal for your toddler.
A week's sample vegetarian meal plan for a three year old
MEAL
Early
Morning
MONDAY
1 cup milk
and 2
almonds
soaked
overnight
and peeled
Breakfast Tomato and
cheese
sandwich
with 2 slices
of whole
wheat bread
Mid
morning
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

1 cup milk
1 cup milk and 1 cup milk
2 almonds
soaked
overnight and
peeled
1 cup cereal cup bhaji with 1 stuffed

such as ragi 1-2 pavs
parantha
(nachni) or
(potato,
dalia cooked
cauliflower,
in whole
spinach,
cream milk
fenugreek)
with chopped
almonds,
raisins,
walnuts or
pistachios
1 fresh fruit 1 fresh fruit or 1 fresh fruit or 1 1 fresh fruit or
or 1 cup of 1 cup of fruit cup of fruit or
1 cup of fruit
fruit or
or vegetable vegetable juice or vegetable
vegetable
juice or 1 cup or 1 cup of
juice or 1 cup
juice or 1
of tomato or tomato or
of tomato or
cup of
vegetable
vegetable soup vegetable
tomato or
soup
soup
FRIDAY
1 cup milk
and 2
almonds
soaked
overnight
and peeled.
- 1 cup
suji upma
with
vegetables
such as
beans,
peans,
carrots and
coconut
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
1 cup milk
1 cup milk
1-1 moong
dal cheela
(Moong dal
dosa) or plain
ghee dosa
with coriander
chutney
Bread
pizza/open
toast with 2
slices whole
wheat bread
with paneer,
onion and
tomato
topping
1 fresh fruit
or 1 cup of
fruit or
vegetable
juice or 1
cup of
tomato or
1 fresh fruit or
1 cup of fruit
or vegetable
juice or 1 cup
of tomato or
vegetable
soup
1 fresh fruit
or 1 cup of
fruit or
vegetable
juice or 1
cup of
tomato or
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vegetable
vegetable
soup
soup
1 cup
cup rajma cup choley 1 cup whole
vegetable
with 1 cup and 1 bhatura, wheat
biryani, cup rice
cup finely noodles and
curd, tomato
chopped salad cup sweet
chutney
with
and sour
cucumber,
vegetables
tomatoes, and
carrots and
lemon juice
Fruit
1 cup mixed 1 banana muffin cup
1 slice
Corn chaat
2 Aloo tikkis
smoothie
fruit chaat
with cup milk steamed
fruit/walnut
(home
with 1 cup with apples,
peanut salad bread with
made)
whole cream pineapples,
with
cup milk
milk
grapes and
tomatoes,
bananas
onions,
coriander and
lemon juice
cup baked 1 cup moong cup baked
cup arhaar 1 vegetable 1 cheese
1 cup pasta
vegetables dal khichri
vegetables with dal, cup
pizza with parantha or
in tomato
such as
with
cheese and 2 seasonal
paneer,
chapatti
sauce with
cauliflower, vegetables
slices whole
vegetables
tomatoes, stuffed with
beans,
beans and such as
wheat bread
like arbi or
capsicum
paneer and
cauliflower
peas, cup beans,
gajar methi, 1 and cheese mix
and carrots
mashed
pumpkin and
chapatti or 1 topping
vegetables
potatoes
brinjal and
cup rice
tomato or
coriander or
dhaniya
chutney
vegetable
soup
Lunch
cup dal, or 1 vegetable cup kadhi, 1
(Curd
cup palak burger with cup rice, cup
optional) paneer, with soya granules aloo gobhi or
1-2 chapatti and potato, aloo matar
or 1 cup rice carrot and
bean patty,
tomato
chutney
Evening
snack
Dinner
1-2 tsp, and use honey or jaggery (gur) to sweeten the dessert instead of sugar .
How can I improve my child's vegetarian diet?

A vegetarian diet can be just as nutritious as a non-vegetarian one, as long as it is well planned. You may want
to provide your child all the required nutrition by carefully selecting the foods that you serve him.
To make sure that your child gets adequate protein and iron in his diet you may want to include healthy doses of
a variety of pulses such as arhar, moong, rajma, chana and lobia and cheese, paneer or tofu.
Try offering a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables to take care of some of the vitamins and minerals that he
needs to grow. A mixed diet that includes all the food groups eaten in a variety of combinations may make a
vegetarian diet more nutritious. The variation may also interest a fussy eater. It is best to offer a variety of foods
and maintain a food dairy to ensure that your child is getting adequate nutrition and calories from the right
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sources.
Here are some interesting tips that would be useful in improving your childs vegetarian diet:
Offer dry fruits such as almonds, raisins and cashew nuts; these are great sources of nutrition. You may want
to soak almonds overnight, peel and then offer it to your child or add finely chopped nuts to his breakfast cereal.
You can also grind dry fruits into a fine powder and use it in curries.
Try offering vegetables in different forms, such as stir-fried baby potatoes, baked vegetables in white sauce, or
steamed carrots.
Try and include more than one food group thus increasing the nutrition that each meal provides. For example,
cook dal with vegetables, such as bottle gourd (lauki), apple gourd (tinda), and pumpkin (sitaphal) or greens,
such as spinach.
While making meal plans for the week, ensure that you include interesting variations in every day food to
break the monotony. If you are choosing boiled veggies for a meal, opt for a stuffed parantha in the next, and
may be a mix of rice and curd for the third meal, and so on.
Fruit smoothies and fruit milk shakes provide the goodness of dairy products and fruit at one go.
A good way to include protein in your childs diet may be to offer cottage cheese or paneer in the form of
paranthas and vegetables.
Offer your child healthy and nutritious snacks such as moong dal cheela, sprout or chana salad with tomatoes
and onions with a bit of lime juice, vada with chutney and fruit chaat. Baked vegetable with shredded cheese is
a favourite with most children.
When preparing pasta or noodles opt for the whole wheat variety and cook them with finely chopped
vegetables or a vegetable sauce such as spinach or tomato and carrot.
You may want to use brown rice which is more nutritious than polished white rice.
Mixing flours or using different types of flours such as bajra or corn or maki may also help make the food more
nutritious. You may offer your child a variety of cereals such as ragi, daliya, sabudana and oats.
Try using soya, rapeseed or olive oils that are rich in Omega 3 fats.
You may also want to offer nutritious desserts such as gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa and lauki kheer.
Nutritionists recommend that you keep the sugar intake in your childs daily diet to about 1-2 teaspoon only.
Food can also be sweetened with honey and gur, the latter being rich in iron.
When you are cooking vegetables it is important that they are prepared and cooked properly. It may be a good
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idea to cut vegetables and cook them immediately so as to avoid loss of nutrition. Also you may want to cut
fruits only when you are ready to serve them to your child. If you are cooking vegetables in water, then instead
of throwing it away you may use it in dals and curries.
How can I ensure that my toddler is getting enough

omega 3 fatty acids from a vegetarian diet?
As omega 3 fatty acids are primarily found in oily fish, such as salmon, mothers often worry if their toddlers are
receiving enough of this essential nutrient in a vegetarian diet.
Omega 3 fatty acids are found the most in flax seeds and walnuts. They are best consumed in a ground form.
Try sprinkling some powdered flax seeds or a spoon of powdered walnut in your toddlers breakfast, such as
oatmeal, dalia, upma or cornflakes.
You can also find omega 3 to a certain extent in vegetable oils such as soybean, groundnut, olive oil, canola
and rapeseed. While cooking your toddlers meal, use about a teaspoon of vegetable, olive or rapeseed oil. You
can even include wheat germ oil as a salad dressing for your babys finger foods, such as strips of paneer,
carrots, and boiled corn.
Omega 3 fatty acids are also found in green vegetables like kale, lettuce, spinach (paalak), fenugreek (methi),
lambs quarters or pig weed (bathwa), mustard greens (sarson), cabbage, broccoli, and green salad. You can
include the greens in raitas and parathas for your toddlers. You can also make a variety of soups including
these greens for your baby. You can include mint or coriander in the form of chutney and serve it along with
chapatti or rice. You can also use the chutney as a sandwich spread. Corn is yet another source of omega 3
fatty acids. Include mustard seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds as well in your babys diet.
For a younger baby, you could dribble a couple of drops of vegetable or olive oil in her mashed food.
If you have a slightly older baby (3-4 years old), you may want to introduce fish oil capsules as a supplement.
However, talk to your doctor before you offer any supplements to your toddler.
Feeding your vegetarian baby

Is a vegetarian diet suitable for babies?
Many Indians are vegetarians and prefer bringing up their children on a diet that is free of animal foods. You can
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certainly provide a nutritious and varied vegetarian diet for your baby.
But to do this you will need to ensure that your baby has nutrient-rich foods from the following food groups
every day:
cereals such as rice, sooji/rawa (semolina), sabudaana (pearl sago),oats, and dalia (broken wheat). However,
wheat and oats may be introduced when your baby is about eight months old.
milk (initially start with toned/skimmed milk as the baby may not be able to digest the full cream milk. Gradually
upgrade to full cream milk as skimmed milk does not have fat soluble vitamin A and D.)
dairy products such as curd, paneer, butter, and cheese.
nuts and seeds (avoid peanuts if you have a family history of allergic disease). Ensure that nuts and seeds are
powdered or blended well before giving it to your baby.
pulses or dals, beans such as rajma (kidney beans), cholae (chickpea) and soya products such as soya
granules, nuggets, tofu (soya paneer) or soy milk.
If your baby is not eating foods from all the above groups for any reason (for example, if she is a fussy eater,
dislikes the texture or taste, has a food allergy or intolerance or there are cultural reasons), then you may need
to seek advice from your doctor or dietitian.
Which nutrients are important for vegetarian babies?

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Nutrients that are particularly important to include in your baby's vegetarian diet include iron, vitamin B12 and
protein.
Iron is present in wholegrain cereals, fortified breakfast cereals, dark green vegetables, such as broccoli and
spinach, green beans and peas, dried fruit, such as pureed apricots, nuts, eggs, and pulses, including lentils
and baked beans, and soya products.
Rich sources of vitamin B12 include fortified breakfast cereals, low-salt yeast extract, milk and dairy products.
Breast milk and formula milk are also good sources of vitamin B12 and your baby should continue to have some
breast milk or formula (or both) until at least her first birthday. Milk in the diet becomes essential as vegetable
sources with adequate quantities of vitamin B12 are scarce.
Rich sources of protein include eggs, milk and dairy products, nuts and pulses, including baked beans, and
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soya products. Bread, cereals, rice and pasta also contain useful amounts of protein. Include a variety of
different proteins in your baby's diet each week so that she gets the right balance of amino acids.
(Read more about iron and toddlers here.)
Which foods should I offer at what age?

The Ministry of Health now recommends that you aim to exclusively breastfeed your baby until she is six
months old, then gradually introduce solids whilst continuing breastfeeding. If you have chosen not to
breastfeed or were unable to do so, or are combining breast and formula, it is still recommended that you don't
start solids until six months.
If you do choose to introduce solids before six months, discuss it with your doctor first. It is easiest if you think of
the weaning process in four stages:
Stage one
Start with 1 teaspoon once a day. Baby rice cereal mixed with expressed breast milk or formula milk. Pured
fruit -- apple, pear, banana, peach. Pured vegetables -- potato, sweet potato, carrot, spinach, broccoli. You
may also start with a small spoonful of diluted fresh fruit juice or clear vegetable soup.
Stage two
Gradually increase solids to three times per day. Continue with the foods already offered and add mashed
lentils, plus a greater variety of fruit and vegetables that are rich sources of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3,
Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C.
Stage three
At six months, the iron stores your baby was born with will be starting to run out so you need to offer her extra
iron rich foods. You can now start to give her wheat, oats, tofu, mashed beans and pulses, eggs (introduce wellcooked egg yolks around nine months) and dairy products, such as milk, and yogurt. You can give almonds
(soaked overnight, peeled and blended with milk or soup). You can blend banana or cheeku (sapotas) with milk
and create interesting and nutritious variations of milk.
Stage four
You can now offer your baby finger foods, such as raw carrots, rusks, teething biscuits, breadsticks, peeled
cucumber, fruits such as apples and bananas and cheese squares. Mashed up, chopped and minced family
food can also be given, so long as it does not contain added salt or sugar.
Sample daily eating plans

Just starting solids
Breakfast -- breast or formula milk
mid am -- breast or formula milk or fresh fruit juice or mashed fruit
lunch -- 1-3 teaspoons of baby rice cereal mixed with breast or formula milk
mid pm -- breast or formula milk
dinner-- breast or formula milk
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bedtime -- breast or formula milk
After 2 weeks
mid am -- breast or formula milk or fresh fruit juice or mashed fruit or watery buttermilk/lassi
lunch -- 1-3 teaspoons of baby rice cereal mixed with breast or formula milk, and/or pureed vegetables or fruit
dinner-- vegetable soup or breast or formula milk
After 4-6 weeks
mid am -- breast or formula milk or fresh fruit juice or mashed fruit or lassi/buttermilk
lunch -- 1-3 tablespoons of baby rice cereal mixed with breast or formula milk, pureed fruit, pureed watery daal,
rice starch (chawal ka pani or rice kanji) and pureed vegetables, khichri/rice gruel (mix of rice and pulses in a
pouring consistency, idlis with curd, and soft dosas
dinner-- 1-3 tablespoons of baby rice mixed with breast or formula milk, pureed watery dal, fruit or vegetable
soups
(Gradually increase portion sizes).
8-12 months
Early morning/first feed -- breast or formula milk
Breakfast -- infant oats, porridge (dalia), idlis, rice dosas, moong dal cheela ( moong dal dosa), sooji/rawa upma
(with or without vegetables),stuffed chapatti, whole wheat toast or sandwiches, whole wheat bread with milk,
and paranthas
mid am -- breast or formula milk
lunch -- mixed vegetable with rice or vegetable khichri, chappatis soaked in dal/curd, mashed rajma/cholae with
rice, any paneer preparations
dinner-- vegetable stew, chapattis soaked in vegetable stock, baked beans and mashed potato
Ideas for family meals(from 8-10 months)
Lentil stew
Vegetable, paneer, cheese cutlets
Wheat noodles with boiled vegetables
Poha upma(Chivda/Aval) with vegetables
Curd rice, tomato rice, lemon rice
Soya mince and mixed vegetables
Macaroni with cheese
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Mixed mashed vegetables and cheese
Mashed chapattis/ paranthas in vegetable stock
Khichri (Moong dal and rice)
Vegetable biriyani (with mild flavoring and no spices)
Spinach curry or spinach and tomato soup (you can add whole wheat bread cubes for texture)
Mashed rice with any seasonal vegetable
Mixed mashed seasonal vegetable soup (carrot, spinach, tomato, lauki (bottle gourd) and potato
Pumpkin & sweet potato stew
Pasta in a tomato, pepper and spinach sauce
(Remember not to add any salt to your baby's food.)
Puddings (from around 8 months)
Fruit smoothies
Stewed fruits with custard
Rice, sooji/rawa, nachni (ragi), lauki, and sago kheer (puddings)
Stewed dried fruit
Custard
Yogurts
Gajar (carrot) halwa
Avoid sugar as most fruits will sweeten the preparation, however if you must add sugar use very little -- your
baby's taste buds are still developing and it would be wise to restrict sweet foods .
My baby is a fussy eater -- how can I make sure she gets all the nutrients she needs?
To ensure your baby gets all the nutrients she needs she will need a varied diet, which includes regular meals
and snacks. She will also need a source of milk in her diet. Oats, rice and soya milk -- even if calcium-enriched
-- do not provide the energy, protein or essential nutrients that breast milk and formula milk provide. If you need
advice on which milk is suitable for your baby, talk to your doctor. She may suggest you continue to breastfeed
or give your baby formula milk for longer than you were initially planning.
If your baby is refusing foods, it is a good idea to reintroduce them into her diet every few weeks, and you may
find she will eat them. Changing the texture of unpopular foods is also worth a try.
Our pediatrician suggests that it is sensible to give vitamin drops containing Vitamins A, C or D to your baby,
from six months, unless she is drinking half a litre of milk a day. Talk to your doctor when and if you need to offer
any vitamin supplements to your baby.
How do I introduce my baby to a vegan diet?

A vegan diet is more restricted than a vegetarian diet as it also excludes milk, dairy products and eggs as well
as all the other foods already excluded in a vegetarian diet. Some vegans will not eat anything of animal origin,
including cochineal (a red food colour), honey, jelly (which may have gelatine) and many other animal
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derivatives.
It is possible for your baby to thrive on a vegan diet, but you will have to plan carefully to ensure her diet is
nutritionally adequate and varied at all times.
You'll need to take special care to include plenty of nutrient-rich foods containing protein, calcium, vitamin B12
and vitamin D in your baby's diet:
Protein
Pulses, seeds, nuts, soya, curd, wholegrain cereals and wholegrain toast are good sources of protein in a
vegan diet.
Calcium
Tofu, calcium-enriched soya milk, cheeses and yogurts, dark green vegetables, seeds, nuts and fortified foods
are a good source of calcium.
Vitamin B12
Soya products, fortified cereals, fortified vegan products, such as veggie burgers (remember to check the salt
content), are useful sources of vitamin B12.
Vitamin D
Vegetable margarines, some soya milk and soya products, and fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, will
provide vitamin D for your vegan infant. The action of sunlight on the skin also produces vitamin D naturally in
the body, so this can be a useful source of this vitamin. (Learn how to keep your baby safe in the sun.)
Remember that up to the age of one, much of your baby's nutritional requirements will be met by breast milk
and/or formula. If your baby is a fussy eater, or if her diet is restricted for other reasons, you may like to
continue with breast milk beyond her first birthday. Do talk to your doctor, so that you can be sure your baby is
getting the best possible nutrition.
What next?
Mince and green beans

Apple and strawberry puree
Sweet potato and pumpkin mash
Chikoo (sapota) and banana mash
Green Peas puree
Broccoli and cracked wheat (Dalia) khichdi
Pushnikai Kootu (Lentils and ash gourd curry)
Carrot, radish and rice mash
Chick pea and coriander stew
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Recipes for babies who are happy eating from a spoon

Apple and strawberry puree
Vegetarian
Ingredients
100g strawberries (hulled)
1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced
Place in pan and cook over a low heat for 5-8 minutes until soft.
Puree and sieve out seeds.
Serve just warm.
Tip: For a heavier meal, serve with custard or crushed cream crackers.
For an older baby, serve with toast, paranthas or chapattis.
The puree is healthy and preservative-free and may be used in place of jams and jellies .
Sweet potato and pumpkin mash

Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 sweet potato
1 cup pumpkin (lal kaddu/sitaphal/parangikai) pieces
Method
Peel and dice both vegetables, and boil or steam until tender.
Mash together with a little of baby's usual milk until a suitable consistency.
Variation: Blend this with rice, chapattis or dal.
Chikoo (sapota) and banana mash

This is a brilliant meal for when you're on the move, as it's quick and easy to make and doesn't need any
cooking. It doesn't keep, so what baby doesn't fancy, eat yourself!
Vegetarian
Good source of vitamin E and potassium
Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1 small ripe chikoo (sapota)
Method
Peel banana and chikoo. Mash together well and serve at once.
Green Peas puree

Vegetarian
Contains iron
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Ingredients
75g green peas
1 tbsp rice
Method
Simmer the green peas until just tender. Puree with a little cooled boiled water or baby's usual milk, and stir in
cooked rice.
Variation: For an older baby, add cottage cheese (paneer) to the preparation.
Broccoli and cracked wheat (Dalia) khichdi

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Ingredients
2 tbsp cracked wheat (dalia)
1 tbsp moong dal (green gram)
2 cups water
2 large florets broccoli or cauliflower washed and chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp oil
Method
Lightly toast the dalia and the moong dal and keep aside.
In a pressure pan, heat oil and let cumin seeds crackle; add the dalia, moong dal and all other ingredients
except water and saut for 2-3 minutes.
Add the water and pressure cook for 6-8 minutes (3 whistles) till the cracked wheat is fully cooked.
Mix well and serve with yogurt.
Pushnikai Kootu (Lentils and ash gourd curry)

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Good source of B vitamins
Ingredients
1 tsp oil
100g moong dal (green gram)
200ml water
2 tbsp grated coconut
Quarter tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
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2 tbsp ash gourd (safed kaddu/ pushnikai)pieces finely chopped (can be substituted with bottle gourd (lauki)
Method
Grind coconut and cumin to a fine paste using a little water.
Boil the ash gourd pieces till soft.
Pressure cook moong dal and turmeric till the lentils are soft.
Add the coconut paste and the ash gourd pieces. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Puree the lentils along with the ash gourd or serve as it is for an older baby.
Carrot, radish and rice mash

Vegetarian
Ingredients
2 carrots, peeled and diced
of a small radish, peeled and diced (choose one which has a sweet taste)
1-2 tbsp baby rice
Method
Steam carrots and radish until tender, and mash together with a little of baby's usual milk to make a runny
puree.
Thicken up with some cooked rice and serve .
Chick pea and coriander stew

Vegetarian
Contains iron
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
Half an onion, finely chopped
1 cup chickpeas (kabuli chana), soaked overnight and then pressure cooked till very soft
4 tbsp chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ground coriander leaves
Method
Heat the oil and gently fry the onion until lightly browned, add the remaining ingredients, stir and cover.
Simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes until the chick peas are soft.
Blend until a suitable consistency or, for an older baby, just mash the stew and serve with mashed potatoes or
cooked rice.
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Solids by age: 12 to 18 months
Beware the fussy eater

Learning to be independent
Keeping it healthy
Making food fun
Foods to include
Beware the fussy eater

Now that your little one is officially a toddler, her eating habits may well change. Toddlers are notorious for being
fussy eaters - they may refuse to eat the food they loved last week, or eat like a horse at one meal and
consume practically nothing the next.
This is partially explained by the change in your child's growth patterns after her first birthday. While your baby
tripled her birth weight in the first year, she'll gain only around 1.5-3 kilograms / 3-7 pounds in her second year.
And, because of her newfound and growing independence and mobility, your toddler may just be too busy
exploring her world to bother much with food. So be prepared to serve small portions and small meals with
nutritious snacks throughout the day. Also, toddlers' stomachs still aren't big enough to eat large amounts of
food at one sitting. Don't worry when your little one pushes food away -- no child will voluntarily starve herself.
She will eat when she's hungry. Instead, concentrate on what shes eating and make sure she is offered a
variety of nutritious and wholesome foods, rather than worrying about how much she eats at each meal.
Learning to be independent
Though she may not be as interested in eating as you'd like, relax in the knowledge that she will eat enough for
her needs. She should be able to feed herself with her fingers and will be interested in trying to feed herself with
a spoon, though not all of the food will end up in her mouth. In spite of the mess it might create and the extra
time it takes, try not to feed her for at least one meal if not all; or let her eat one food of the meal herself and you
can feed her the rest. If she is very hungry, she may find that she can't feed herself as quickly as she would like,
so she may still need your help. She can hold a feeding cup, and can eat the same food as the rest of the family
(with a few exceptions, such as very strong or hot spices), as long as it's chopped into toddler-size pieces. Try
to eat together as a family whenever you can.
Keeping it healthy
Do still try to keep fatty and / or sugary foods and drinks (such as sweets, chips and sugary, fizzy drinks) to a
minimum. Help your toddler develop a taste for more natural tastes, rather than one for strong or synthetic
flavours. They not only contain harmful preservatives but are very low in nutrients and high in calories.
After your child is a year old, you can start giving her whole milk to drink. Do carry on breastfeeding though, if
you and your toddler are happy to continue. If she is eating and growing well you can change her to toned milk
when she is two, or skimmed milk when she is five. Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk are too low in energy
(calories) and fat-soluble vitamins to meet her nutritional needs before this.
Try to offer between 350ml and 450 ml daily. Too much milk can leave not enough room in her tummy for other
foods. If your toddler does not enjoy drinking milk, try offering it in the form of milkshakes, kheer (puddings),
custards, cheese sauces, yoghurt, lassi, shrikhand, fresh cream and cottage cheese (paneer). About three
servings of milk, cheese or yoghurt is enough.
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Making food fun

Try getting more creative with your baby's meals. Do continue to offer her favourite foods, but offer new fruits
and vegetables too, so she has every chance of enjoying a varied, nutritious diet. She may enjoy eating little
trees of broccoli and cauliflower with fish or meat in a river of gravy and a "mountain" of rice. Try cutting out
sandwiches and chapattis with pastry or cookie cutters: she may like fish shapes, stars, or hearts -- the options
are endless! A differently shaped plate or a colourful glass can be a welcome change at times too.
Foods to include
Starting from 12 months, your toddler can slowly start eating most of what your family eats. Breakfast options
could include cornflakes, bread, well cooked eggs (scrambled, hard boiled or omelettes), idlis (rice and rava
idlis and at times with some chopped vegetables added to the batter), dosas, puttu, stuffed parathas (potato,
paneer, cauliflower or dal), suji upma, semiya upma and potato poha.
By 18 months, she would be comfortable with the other main meals being cooked at home -- with minimal or no
spice in the food.
Rice, parathas or chapattis served with dal or gravies or leafy green vegetables provide a good portion of your
toddlers protein requirements. If you are a non-vegetarian, you can include eggs, chicken and fish in her diet as
well.
You can serve dairy products in the form of milk, curd, cheese, buttermilk, paneer, lassi, kadhi or as sweet
desserts such as custards, puddings or kheer.
Snacks can include milkshakes, flour based products like khakra, cheeselings, biscuits or cake with a serving of
fruit, sabudana khichdi, and cheese cubes with fruits.
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Baby Food Management

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Juices and shakes

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Stewed Apple Punch

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Badaam (almond) Milk

Rich source of phosphorus, calcium, folate, magnesium

Rich source of Vitamin A, calcium, folate, magnesium

Rich source of Vitamin A, calcium, folate, vitamin C

Annaprashan (first rice-eating ceremony)

Written for BabyCenter India

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Why is the annaprashan done?

Where can I perform the annaprashan?

How is the annaprashan done?

What kind of foods are offered to the baby?

Tips for annaprashan

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Before you begin

Keeping the vitamins in

Keeping the vitamins in

From pures to lumps

Which nutrients are important

Eating with the family

Recipes for toddlers and babies aged nine months plus

Cauliflower and pasta cheese

50g pasta shapes

Mixed vegetable mash

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated

Moong dal chillas with shredded carrot

Pomfret paneer bhurji

Baby French toast or Eggy bread

Vegetable suji upma

Mixed vegetable and paneer fried rice

Stuffed paranthas, chapattis or puris

Feeding a sick child: Light and easy recipes

Steaming hot soups

For toddlers and babies aged nine months plus

Steaming hot soups

Mixed Vegetable Soup

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

First cereal recipes

Things to keep in mind

Things to keep in mind

Vegetable Suji Upma

Vegetable Sabudana Khichri

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Broccoli and cauliflower pure

Sweet potato mash

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Potato and spinach pure

Pear and apple pure

Lentils with pumpkin

Avocado and kiwi pure

Musk melon pure

DADS GIFT TO JANU (EAT HEALTHY THINK HEALTHY)

Things to keep in mind

may curdle on boiling due to reactions with acidic ingredients.

Chocolate banana custard

Peach and grape jelly