What is the difference between Stage 1 baby food and Stage 2 baby food?

At 6 months, your baby is probably finally ready to start her journey with solids. Wondering where to start? You are right, since baby food at this stage is quite unique. Read on to know more. Stage 1: baby food at this stage is merely small portions to discover new tastes and textures and eventually develop the habit of eating. Below are a few guidelines to help you: Portion Size: 1 to 2 tablespoons, one meal a day. Meal Type: a single ingredient (vegetables or fruits) such as carrot, sweet potato, apples, pears etc. Variety: Same meal for 3 consecutive days to monitor for any possible allergies. Cooking: Always steamed, NEVER raw/uncooked Texture: Very smooth/puréed (almost like a smoothie) This will help your baby tolerate new textures as she learns to be fed with a spoon. Remember as long as you are serving healthy baby food, you are doing a great job! When is my little one ready to move to Stage 2 Baby Food? Generally, at around 7 months. By now you have already introduced single ingredient blends, monitored for allergies, while knowing what works well with her. You can now add new ingredients such as yogurt, pasta & cheese to her meals. Early Pointers: While every baby is unique, there are some early pointers that you can look for to know that she is ready to start on solids. Below are a few pointers I used to gauge my baby’s readiness:

• She can now swallow easily
• She tries to feed herself (embrace the mess that comes with this 😊)
• She shows a bigger appetite around meal times

Stage 2: Now you know what your baby likes/dislikes follow the guidelines below to plan her meals: Portion Size: 120g per meal, 2 meals per day. Meal Type: multiple ingredients including vegetables, fruits, and meats, pasta, yogurt, cheese Variety: Be creative, mix ingredients (apples & bananas, avocado & yogurt, chicken & spinach) Cooking: Always steamed, NEVER raw/uncooked Texture: smooth with a little bit of texture While you will continue using single ingredient meals, playing with combinations will help your baby eat a varied diet packed with vitamins and minerals to help her grow and develop. Relax & Learn: Always remember, your baby picks up signs of stress from your voice gestures. While it might not be easy, try to take it slowly, to make her relax and enjoy the experience. Don’t worry if she rejects any of your blends, give her some time, try again and she might be asking for more. BabyEats was founded to take away the hassle of preparation and give you more time to enjoy the experience of feeding your baby. Whether it is baby food for 6-month-olds, or more elaborate meal plans for toddlers, we make sure to service caters for all developmental stage/ages. Reviewed by Dr. Rouba Abdennour, MD, Specialist in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Licensed in Dubai Disclaimer: The content on www.babyeats.ae is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your pediatrician with any questions you may have regarding your baby’s health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on www.babyeats.ae . BabyEats does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on www.babyeats.ae . Reliance on any information provided by www.babyeats.ae , BabyEats employees, writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to BabyEats (www.babyeats.ae ) is solely at your own risk.