Babies Have Taste Buds Too - Add Spice to Your Baby's Foods
Margaret Meade
March 28, 2007
Believe it or not, your baby has taste buds! It is common practice in the United States to start baby's solid food experience with bland rice cereal. Did you know that in many countries, babies are not fed bland rice cereals as their first foods? All around the world, many parents introduce spices to their babies at an early age and often, they are introduced to spices from the start.
You've probably heard it over and over again, "Do not add sugar or salt to baby food". What about adding herbs and spices to tempt your baby's palate? Many parents neglect spices and the wide variety of tastes that may be introduced simply by adding a spice! Using spices is a healthy alternative to using salt and sugar in your foods and in baby's foods.
One of the most common reasons that parents make their own baby food is the benefit of being able to control exactly what their babies are eating. Making your own baby food allows you to experiment with different tastes and textures and alows you to broaden your baby's food horizons. When you make baby food for your baby, you have the chance to use a wider variety of ingredients than commonly found in commercial jars of baby food. Even if you are not making your baby's food, you can still add some spice to commercial baby foods. Simply stir in some spices to the food(s) that you have taken from the jar!
Spices may offer additional benefits other than changing a boring food into a new experience. Did you know that herbalists tout the following spices for their benefits.
Ginger - good for tummy upsets
Cinnamon - good for tummy upsets, diarrhea, possible anti-fungal and anti-bacterial
Garlic - anti-biotic, blood pressure
Coriander - aids gassiness, stimulates appetite, helps rheumatisms and joint pain
Dill - hiccups, colic, digestive troubles
Mint - stimulates healthy digestion, helps respiratory issues
What Types of Spices Can I Add to Baby's Food?
While it is never recommended to add sugar or salt to baby's food, there are many other ways to "spice up" or flavour your baby's food. Often when we think of additions to food for kids, sugar and/or salt immediately come to mind. Parents may seldom think about adding herbs and spices such as:
vanilla
pepper
garlic powder
basil
rosemary
dill
oregano
lemon zest
ginger
cinnamon
mint
nutmeg
anise
curry powder (yes, it's true, you may offer your older infant a wee dash of curry powder in her foods. You do need to watch for any reactions as some components of curry or even chili powder may give baby a rash)
These aforementioned spices can be lovely additions to your baby's foods! Introducing baby to spices that the family typically cooks with does not have to be left until baby has reached toddlerhood! Early introduction of spices may one day find you thinking that, "Wow, we have never used salt or sugar in any or our kid(s)' foods!". Imagine raising a child that is not reliant on artificial sweeteners or salt to entice the appetite! Wouldn't it be nice to have your child ask for a bit of cinnamon in his applesauce instead of some sugar?
When Can I Add Spices to Baby's Food?
A majority of pediatricians will recommend waiting until an infant is 8 months or older to introduce spices. This recommendation often has more to do with staving off digestive upsets than it does with possible allergic reactions. Like any other new food, please follow the "4 day wait rule" when introducing spices! As always, please discuss the introduction and use of herbs and spices with your baby's pediatrician!
Spiced Up Baby Food Creations - Try these spicy mixtures and put some baby zing into those everyday foods for baby:
Apple(Sauce) with cinnamon
Pears with Ginger and vanilla
Bananas with ginger
Plain Yogurt with mint
Sweet potato with nutmeg, cinnamon and/or cardamom
Pumpkin with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and dash of vanilla
Chicken with cinnamon and/or coriander
Chicken with garlic powder and basil
Carrots with basil & garlic - baked cinnamon carrots are yummy too!
Green beans with garlic powder
Mashed potatoes(white) with dill weed or garlic
Pasta with wee dab of butter and oregano and/or basil
Oatmeal or other cereals with fruits and cinnamon & nutmeg, dash of vanilla
Rice Pudding/Custards with cinnamon, nutmeg, dash of vanilla, cardamom, ginger
You've probably heard it over and over again, "Do not add sugar or salt to baby food". What about adding herbs and spices to tempt your baby's palate? Many parents neglect spices and the wide variety of tastes that may be introduced simply by adding a spice! Using spices is a healthy alternative to using salt and sugar in your foods and in baby's foods.
One of the most common reasons that parents make their own baby food is the benefit of being able to control exactly what their babies are eating. Making your own baby food allows you to experiment with different tastes and textures and alows you to broaden your baby's food horizons. When you make baby food for your baby, you have the chance to use a wider variety of ingredients than commonly found in commercial jars of baby food. Even if you are not making your baby's food, you can still add some spice to commercial baby foods. Simply stir in some spices to the food(s) that you have taken from the jar!
Spices may offer additional benefits other than changing a boring food into a new experience. Did you know that herbalists tout the following spices for their benefits.
Ginger - good for tummy upsets
Cinnamon - good for tummy upsets, diarrhea, possible anti-fungal and anti-bacterial
Garlic - anti-biotic, blood pressure
Coriander - aids gassiness, stimulates appetite, helps rheumatisms and joint pain
Dill - hiccups, colic, digestive troubles
Mint - stimulates healthy digestion, helps respiratory issues
What Types of Spices Can I Add to Baby's Food?
While it is never recommended to add sugar or salt to baby's food, there are many other ways to "spice up" or flavour your baby's food. Often when we think of additions to food for kids, sugar and/or salt immediately come to mind. Parents may seldom think about adding herbs and spices such as:
vanilla
pepper
garlic powder
basil
rosemary
dill
oregano
lemon zest
ginger
cinnamon
mint
nutmeg
anise
curry powder (yes, it's true, you may offer your older infant a wee dash of curry powder in her foods. You do need to watch for any reactions as some components of curry or even chili powder may give baby a rash)
These aforementioned spices can be lovely additions to your baby's foods! Introducing baby to spices that the family typically cooks with does not have to be left until baby has reached toddlerhood! Early introduction of spices may one day find you thinking that, "Wow, we have never used salt or sugar in any or our kid(s)' foods!". Imagine raising a child that is not reliant on artificial sweeteners or salt to entice the appetite! Wouldn't it be nice to have your child ask for a bit of cinnamon in his applesauce instead of some sugar?
When Can I Add Spices to Baby's Food?
A majority of pediatricians will recommend waiting until an infant is 8 months or older to introduce spices. This recommendation often has more to do with staving off digestive upsets than it does with possible allergic reactions. Like any other new food, please follow the "4 day wait rule" when introducing spices! As always, please discuss the introduction and use of herbs and spices with your baby's pediatrician!
Spiced Up Baby Food Creations - Try these spicy mixtures and put some baby zing into those everyday foods for baby:
Apple(Sauce) with cinnamon
Pears with Ginger and vanilla
Bananas with ginger
Plain Yogurt with mint
Sweet potato with nutmeg, cinnamon and/or cardamom
Pumpkin with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and dash of vanilla
Chicken with cinnamon and/or coriander
Chicken with garlic powder and basil
Carrots with basil & garlic - baked cinnamon carrots are yummy too!
Green beans with garlic powder
Mashed potatoes(white) with dill weed or garlic
Pasta with wee dab of butter and oregano and/or basil
Oatmeal or other cereals with fruits and cinnamon & nutmeg, dash of vanilla
Rice Pudding/Custards with cinnamon, nutmeg, dash of vanilla, cardamom, ginger
Break out the spices and introduce your baby to the wonderful world of healthy flavour!
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