Babies First Vegan Foods

As a vegan myself and someone who is passionate about a plant based lifestyle for health, animals and the planet here are some tips for first foods for baby to try! As always, I recommend organic foods to avoid harsh chemicals and pesticides, especially for your little one.

As a baby nears 6 months of age, parents might begin thinking about incorporating solid foods into their baby's diet. Some parents choose to wait closer to the one year mark, while others find their baby has an insatiable appetite, and milk alone (whether breast or formula) doesn't seem to be enough. Whatever the reason you choose to begin solids, your baby will hopefully love any one of these baby foods. This midwife will tell you which ones are the safest, easiest to prepare, and why they are the best foods for your little one in the list below- so get reading mama’s and papa’s!

Avocado

Avocados are the perfect first food for baby, they are an excellent source of healthy fats, are perfect for a natural source of magnesium, and are very soft and creamy. They can be served in large chunks for baby to gum and gnaw at if you are choosing to use baby led weaning, or mashed well or pureed without the need for it to be cooked or steamed. As avocados have a subtle taste, this can be a great introduction for baby’s palette.

Banana

Banana is a perfect first food for baby because it's super soft, mushy and easy to eat - and it can be served in large chunks for baby to gum at, or mashed or pureed well and fed from a spoon. Banana is a fabulous first food because it contains many vitamins and nutrients, such as Vitamins B6, C, Manganese, Potassium, and Amylese, an enzyme that processes carbohydrates. 

Peach

Peaches are a sweet, delicious, nutrient rich first food packed with fibre, vitamins A and C, and are a fabulous food to try if your baby tends to have struggles with constipation. The fruit can have the same type of laxative effect as a plum, and the fibre can help move things along as well. You can steam sliced peaches in a steamer basket until tender and puree for a tasty first food.

Sweet Potato

Sweet Potato is probably one of the most nutritious veggies on the planet - and that's thanks to it's nutrient-rich list of Vitamins and Minerals. It's packed full of vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, fibre, vitamin E, and more. It's easy to bake or steam and can easily be mashed or pureed, or given in large chunks for baby to gum. Its delicious taste will be sure to have baby loving experimenting with new foods.

Carrots

Carrots are a soft, sweet favorite for a first baby food. Steamed and mashed or pureed, carrot is full of Beta Carotene (which converts to Vitamin A), Folate, Calcium and Vitamin C, and is very easy for baby to digest. You can combine veggies like carrot and sweet potato into a mash to give a variety of nutrients and flavours for your little one!

Winter Squash

Winter Squash, such as Butternut or Acorn, contains very low levels of nitrates and is easily eaten mashed or pureed, making it a perfect first food. Not only that, it contains other vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins C, A, Manganese, Magnesium and Potassium.

No matter what your baby's first food, it's an exciting milestone in their - and your - lives.  Do your best to stay away from rice and other baby cereals, as they have almost no nutritional value and are mostly full of sugar. Enjoy the fun that comes with feeding, and remember to only introduce one new food per week to avoid - and keep track of - allergies. 

Bon Appetit, little one!

p.s. Don’t forget to grab some adorable snaps of your baby covered in their first foods!

Photo My the lovely Ellen Fischer.