How long should you cook cauliflower for complementary feeding? All the most important things about your baby's first menu - an encyclopedia of complementary feeding. You can make cauliflower puree at home

Introducing a baby to adult food causes a lot of anxiety in the mother. The main one is: what dish to prepare for your baby’s first feeding so that it is both tasty and healthy. The best option is cauliflower puree. Let's figure out how much of this vegetable a baby up to one year old is allowed to eat, at what age it should be included in the menu, and also how to cook it in order to preserve the maximum vitamins.

Beneficial properties of the “curly” vegetable

Cauliflower is an ideal product for baby's first complementary foods. She is rich:

1. protein
2. dietary fiber
3. vitamins – A, E, D, C, K, PP, U and group B
4. minerals – sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium
5. acids - citric, tartronic, malic, folic, Omega-3 and so on

Why should this vegetable be given to children under one year of age? It is easily digestible and does not lead to increased gas formation; it rarely causes allergies. Additionally, cauliflower:

1. promotes the development of healthy microflora in the intestines and restoration of the mucous membrane
2. improves peristalsis and activates the elimination of toxins
3. has a beneficial effect on the condition of blood vessels and heart muscle
4. helps in the development of the baby's nervous system
5. serves as a prevention of iron deficiency anemia
6. has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties

Potential Harm

Negative reactions to “curly inflorescences” occur infrequently. The main thing is not to overuse this vegetable. If you give it to a child under one year old in very large quantities, problems may arise such as:

1. food allergy, manifested as rash and itching
2. increased gastric acidity
3. inflammation of the intestinal mucosa
4. development of endemic goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland)
5. kidney dysfunction

Input rules

You can offer cauliflower to your baby from 6 months. It is especially useful for babies prone to constipation or anemia. If the baby has problems gaining weight, then it is better to introduce the vegetable at 7 months, after becoming familiar with porridge.

You need to start complementary feeding with 0.5 teaspoon of puree; after a day, the portion can be doubled. If the baby does not show allergies and does not have digestive problems, then within a week the amount of treats should be increased to 30-40 g. Then the volume of the dish should be gradually increased to the norm, depending on age:

• at 6 months – 100 g;
• in 7 – 150 g;
• in 8 – 180 g;
• at 9-12 – 200 g.

2 weeks after introducing cauliflower puree into the baby’s menu, you should start adding vegetable oil - 1-2 ml. At the beginning of complementary feeding, after a portion of cabbage, the baby must be supplemented with breast milk - this way the new dish will definitely be well absorbed.

If the baby is given cauliflower and allergies, diarrhea, constipation or bloating occur, then complementary feeding must be stopped immediately. Perhaps the child has an individual intolerance to this vegetable, or his gastrointestinal tract is not yet ready for it.

How to select and store cabbage?

Even the best cabbage puree recipe can be ruined if a low-quality vegetable is chosen. What to look for when purchasing?

1. inflorescences should be dense and white with a yellowish or greenish tint
2. yellowed leaves around the head of cabbage are a sign of a stale vegetable; they must be green
3. black and gray dots on the inflorescences mean that the product is starting to deteriorate

In winter, when there is no fresh cabbage, you can purchase frozen inflorescences. Under the influence of low temperature, some vitamins and minerals are destroyed, but valuable proteins and fibers remain. When choosing such a product, you should look at its color, the presence of darkening and the amount of ice. Ideally, the package should contain individual white or yellowish pieces of cabbage without chunks of ice.

You can store fresh cauliflower in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. If the head of cabbage is too large and it will not be possible to cook it completely during this period, then it is better to freeze the remains: the inflorescences should be washed, dried, put in a bag and put in the freezer.

Preparation

Before cooking cabbage for babies, it must be processed: disassembled into inflorescences, rinsed, put in an enamel bowl, pour lightly salted water and leave for 30-40 minutes. This will cleanse the vegetable of chemicals and insects that may be hiding in the inflorescences. Frozen cabbage does not need to be thawed or washed.

There are several ways to prepare puree for a baby up to one year old. Let's look at each of them.

Recipe No. 1: on the stove

In an enamel saucepan, you need to boil a small amount of water, put the inflorescences in it (the water should cover them) and cover with a lid. How long should you cook them? Minimum 7-10 minutes after boiling. The cabbage will be ready in 5 minutes, but it will be difficult to bring such inflorescences to a homogeneous consistency. If you keep the vegetable on the stove longer, it will be overcooked. After cooking, the inflorescences must be removed using a slotted spoon. There is no need to pour out the broth. It will be useful for making purees.

Recipe No. 2: in a double boiler

This type of cabbage retains the most microelements. You need to pour water on the lower tier of the steamer, and put pieces of cabbage on the upper tier. They should be cooked for 12-15 minutes.

Recipe No. 3 – in the microwave

The inflorescences must be placed in a glass container, poured with a small amount of hot water, covered with a glass lid or cling film and placed in the microwave for 5-7 minutes, setting the regulator to full power.

It is impossible to give an exact answer to the question of how long to cook cauliflower. On average - 7-15 minutes. The main thing is to bring the vegetable to softness, but not to allow it to turn into porridge.

1. The inflorescences with a small amount of broth are crushed in a blender or ground through a sieve. The consistency of the dish should be homogenized and semi-liquid.
2. There is no need to salt purees for a child under one year old. You can improve its taste with a few spoons of breast milk or formula. It is also worth adding vegetable oil to the dish: for 150 g of cabbage - 3 ml of oil. It is necessary to increase the volume of oil gradually; an allergy may occur to it.

For a baby aged 8-12 months, it is not necessary to chop the inflorescences. You can boil them and offer them whole as a separate dish, or as a component of a vegetable stew or soup.

Cauliflower is an incredibly healthy product. But many adults do not like it because of its specific taste. A baby’s gastronomic preferences are formed in the first year of life. Therefore, it is worth introducing cauliflower to your baby: this will not only enrich his diet with vitamins and minerals, but will also make him fall in love with the “curly” vegetable.

In this video, an experienced mother will tell you how to prepare cauliflower puree for the first feeding of a baby in a double boiler. Enjoy watching!

As soon as a small miracle appears in the family, young parents have a lot of questions, especially what to feed the baby when the time comes for the first feeding. Porridge, curds, and so on—it’s all clear. But what to do with vegetables, because a little baby cannot eat everything like adults. The child needs to be introduced to new foods gradually.

According to the advice of pediatricians, cauliflower is more suitable for first complementary feeding. A lot of information has been written about its benefits and taste, but every mother should know the main points on how to prepare cauliflower for the first feeding.

Why cauliflower?

Complementary food – cauliflower

Cabbage is an absolutely non-allergenic product, so it is perfect for the first feeding of babies. This vegetable is able to retain vitamins even when frozen.

It is usually introduced into children's diets from six or seven months, when breast milk cannot provide the substances necessary for growth and proper development. White inflorescences contain vitamins and minerals that are not found in sufficient quantities in human milk:

• vegetable proteins;
• malic, citric and folic acids;
• omega-3;
• vitamin C, A, PP, group B and others.

Due to its low fiber content, the vegetable improves the child’s digestive system. Cauliflower does not cause bloating or colic. Differs from others in high content:

Such a rich composition enriches the child’s body with all the necessary elements, helping bones become stronger and blood vessels more elastic.

Cauliflower, first food. Selection rules

Cauliflower complementary food for infants is introduced, like any new food, gradually. As for this vegetable, it is recommended to give it in the morning. It's best to start with half a teaspoon. Observe the baby’s reaction during the day; if a rash or loose stools do not appear within 24 hours, then the next day you can safely increase the amount. Gradually the number of spoons increases to fifty grams and above. After a month of eating cauliflower, you can add a little vegetable or olive oil to the dish.

In order to prepare cauliflower complementary foods on your own, you will have to spend a lot of time and go through several steps to get to the finished dish.

First you need to buy a fresh vegetable; it is recommended to make a purchase at the market, as you can find the safest product there. As a rule, white inflorescences that end up on the shelves of large stores are treated with preservatives when harvested to preserve their presentation and extend their shelf life. On the market there is an opportunity to purchase goods from private traders.

Important: if the product was purchased in a store, then for the first complementary feeding, it is better to leave it in water for four hours. During this time, pesticides and preservatives will at least partially go into the water.

After purchasing, you need to carefully inspect the vegetable; if there are any damaged or rotten ones, they are removed. The inflorescences are washed under running water, but this is not so simple; to make washing easier, it is recommended to “disassemble” the vegetable. Only after washing can you start cooking the product.

To make things easier for parents, baby food manufacturers produce complementary foods in the form of cauliflower puree. They can be multi-component or single-component. Such food products are absolutely safe, containing only vegetables and water.

FrutoNyanya puree – cauliflower for first feeding

If the puree contains additives in addition to water and vegetables, this indicates that the cauliflower puree is of low quality.

How to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding

Preparing cauliflower for first feeding

The purchased vegetable is washed under water, divided into inflorescences and left for about forty minutes in salted water. This is necessary in order to get rid of possible insects.

Many mothers ask the question: “How to properly cook cauliflower for first feeding, and which method is better?” The answers are outlined below.

This vegetable can be cooked in three ways.

1. How and how long to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding on a regular stove?

On a regular stove, the inflorescences are boiled in an enamel pan. The vegetable is poured with a small amount of water, covered with a lid and simmered over low heat. The vegetable itself will tell you how long to cook cauliflower; it should be slightly transparent in color and very soft when pierced with a fork. The cooking time is about ten minutes, after which the inflorescences become very boiled.

Tip: the “legs” of the inflorescence should be soft, as they are the hardest.

2. How to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding in a double boiler?

There is nothing complicated here, the prepared vegetable is simply placed in a double boiler and the timer is set for 12-15 minutes. The main thing is to put the vegetable on the top level. This method is considered the best, since all the vitamins are preserved in the cabbage without passing into the broth as when boiled.

3. How to cook cauliflower for feeding a baby in the microwave.

The microwave oven makes it possible to cook boiled cabbage much earlier. To do this, the inflorescences are placed in a glass container and covered with a lid. There is no need to add water, as the lid will create liquid condensation. Cooking takes about seven minutes at full microwave power.

How to make cauliflower puree for complementary feeding

In order to prepare a delicious puree from white inflorescences, you need to follow a few tips.

Both fresh and frozen cabbage are suitable for puree. As mentioned earlier, the vegetable needs to be prepared and cooked.

Remove the boiled cabbage from the cooking container with a slotted spoon and cool slightly. In this case, the remaining broth is not poured out.

The puree can be made using a meat grinder, then pass the resulting mass several times.

For greater convenience, use a blender; it will more easily grind the vegetable to the desired consistency.

You can also grind the product using a fork, but then additionally rub the mass through a special strainer.

The puree obtained from grinding is diluted to the desired consistency with the remaining broth. If the cabbage was cooked in a double boiler, you can use boiled or baby water.

The resulting purees can be diluted with breast milk or formula.

If a child refuses to eat cauliflower, then you can try broccoli; this vegetable belongs to the same family. In fact, this is also cauliflower, but asparagus-shaped. The taste is slightly different, but the composition of the vegetables is almost the same and is also healthy.

If a child willingly eats cauliflower puree, then over time you can prepare a two-component puree with carrots.

Important: in order for the toddler to eat the new food offered, at first the puree must be made very liquid with the addition of breast milk or formula.

When choosing the first complementary food, you should consult with your pediatrician, as he knows more about the characteristics of his ward. The main thing in this matter is not only the baby’s favor with a certain food, but also safety for his body.

How long should I cook cauliflower for a baby for complementary feeding, baby puree?

In the life of every baby, even those who are breastfed, sooner or later there comes a time for introducing complementary foods. If you take into account doctors' recommendations that you should start with vegetables, the best option would be cauliflower, crushed into a paste. And the main question that arises before preparing such a healthy food for a toddler is how long to cook cauliflower for puree.

Cauliflower contains vitamins, microelements and amino acids that are important for the growth and development of the baby. But the main thing is easily digestible proteins that do not cause allergic reactions in a small body. This vegetable is a dietary product, so it is recommended even for children with atopic dermatitis. In addition, boiled inflorescences of this type of cabbage do not provoke gas in the intestines of babies, which is especially important in the first months of life.

Choosing a fresh vegetable

Before you understand the nuances of boiling complementary foods, in particular, how much to cook cauliflower for a child, you should dwell on the rules for choosing a vegetable:

• a fresh head of cauliflower is distinguished by its large weight and pure white color;
• It is better to choose a vegetable with green leaves at the bottom (this way you will be sure that the head of cabbage was picked recently);
• the main stem of the vegetable should be strong in appearance and have an ivory tint;
• the inflorescences on fresh cabbage fit tightly together;
• There should be no black spots on the top of the head of cabbage.

If you buy a frozen product, do not forget that after cooking only 50-60% of the vitamins will remain in it.

How to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding?

When studying complementary feeding recipes, you need to pay close attention not only to how and how much to cook cauliflower for baby puree, but also to the preparatory stage.

1. The head of cabbage should be washed well and divided into medium-sized inflorescence pieces (do not chop too much).
2. Each piece must be rinsed again with cold water.
3. Place the inflorescences on a paper towel and let dry.

After this, you can start cooking, not forgetting the rule that baby food is made without salt.

Preparation:

1. Pour cold filtered water into an enamel saucepan.
2. Place the pan on the fire and wait for the water to boil.
3. We immerse the inflorescences in boiling water, trying to make sure that they lie stems down.
4. Boil over low heat for 7-9 minutes.
5. We take the vegetable out of the broth and grind it with a blender.
6. Add broth to make the puree liquid. The complementary foods are ready.

Over time, when the baby gets used to thicker food, you don’t need to add broth to the puree, since the cabbage after boiling is quite juicy on its own.

How long to steam cauliflower?

As you know, steaming retains much more nutrients in foods than boiling. Therefore, baby cabbage puree can be made this way.

Preparation:

1. We wash and dry the head of cabbage disassembled into inflorescences.
2. Place the pieces in the steam basket, stems down.
3. Pour water into the pan so that when lowering the basket, the vegetable does not fall into the water.
4. Place the pan on the fire, cover with a lid and cook for about 12-13 minutes.
5. Using a blender, grind the finished vegetable into a puree, adding to it the water in which the cabbage was cooked.

If you have a multicooker at home, you can trust it to steam cabbage.

Preparation:

1. Place clean inflorescences in a multicooker bowl.
2. Add 3 tbsp. l. water.
3. Set the “Steam cooking” mode for 20 minutes.
4. Grind the vegetable into puree.

In both cases, it should be noted that if the head of cauliflower is small, then you can cook it whole. You just have to increase the cooking time by 7-10 minutes until the main stem softens.

• Cauliflower puree: how to prepare?
• Introduction of complementary foods: from A to Z
• How long should you cook cauliflower before frying?

In order to practically understand how long to cook cauliflower for puree, you need to not miss the moment when the stems become soft, but not falling apart into pieces. To do this, during the process of preparing vegetables for complementary feeding, you need to periodically test the readiness with a fork. Then your baby will definitely like a delicious puree from properly cooked cauliflower.

How to properly prepare cauliflower for complementary feeding?

Cauliflower is one of the most optimal options for introducing the first complementary foods. However, few parents know how to cook cauliflower to feed their child so that its beneficial properties are preserved.

First feeding It's best to start with vegetable puree from zucchini, potatoes or cauliflower. The latter is the most difficult product to prepare, however, it is very useful. An alternative to this plant can be broccoli.

Pros and cons of cauliflower as a first food

For the first complementary feeding, cauliflower is used due to the following positive aspects:

• low risk of allergic reaction;
• babies like the taste of vegetables;
• the gastrointestinal tract easily absorbs the product;
• inflorescences contain less fiber than regular cabbage, and therefore do not cause flatulence;
• the dish contains a large number of microelements;

• the vegetable contains many useful vitamins that strengthen the baby’s immunity;
• beneficial effect on the liver and gall bladder;
• strengthening bones;
• improvement of general metabolic processes;
• the plant has a beneficial effect on blood vessels;
• The vegetable helps reduce blood glucose (prevention of diabetes).

However, in addition to its advantages, cauliflower also has disadvantages. It is difficult to prepare this vegetable, especially while maintaining maximum sterility of the product. The inflorescences are quite difficult to wash, and they contain a lot of sand and earth. In addition, an excess of vegetables has a negative effect on the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. The baby may experience: rashes, disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys and stomach, bloating and changes in stool. Therefore, when introducing complementary foods, parents should carefully adhere to the recommended amount of food.

Basic recipes for cooking

At home Cauliflower for complementary feeding is prepared in the form of puree, since the child will not be able to chew whole inflorescences. The vegetable can be boiled or used in a slow cooker.

Method for preparing vegetable puree without a slow cooker:

• when choosing a plant, you need to monitor the absence of black spots and visible defects indicating plant disease;
• the vegetable is separated and left in cold water for half an hour to eliminate various insects (store-bought cabbage is kept in water for more than an hour to get rid of harmful impurities);
• before putting the product to cook, you need to thoroughly clean it with a brush;
• The dish should be prepared in an enamel bowl, dipping the separated inflorescences into boiling water for 7-10 minutes;
• the boiled plant is crushed in a blender or using a regular fork and strainer (you need to achieve the consistency of sour cream).

The question may arise as to how long to cook cauliflower in a slow cooker. The answer depends on the type of technique, but on average the vegetable is cooked within 15 minutes. With any of the cooking options, you should ensure that the cabbage is so soft that you can effortlessly chop it to a homogeneous mass.

How to introduce cauliflower into a child's diet?

The optimal age for introducing vegetables is 6 months, but sometimes 4-5 months are allowed. The baby can dilute the puree with formula or breast milk if the baby refuses to eat the dish in its pure form. Adding salt or sweetening food is not recommended. To feed your baby in the first days, a teaspoon of cauliflower puree before the main feeding is enough.

The child's body is configured to receive the necessary substances from breast milk, so in the initial stages you cannot overdo it with vegetables. Gradually the number of additional dishes is increased to 150 grams. Complementary feeding should be given during breakfast or lunch, but eating before bedtime is undesirable. The child does not digest new foods well at night, when the activity of metabolic processes and the gastrointestinal tract is significantly reduced. During the introduction of complementary foods, the child must be completely healthy and ready to receive new foods.

The presence of any suspicious reactions, such as rash, bloating or diarrhea, is a reason to stop eating additional foods.

To find out the cause of the pathological response to vegetable puree, you need to contact your pediatrician.

Found a mistake? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter

As soon as a small miracle appears in the family, young parents have a lot of questions, especially what to feed the baby when the time comes for the first feeding. Porridge, curds, and so on—it’s all clear. But what to do with vegetables, because a little baby cannot eat everything like adults. The child needs to be introduced to new foods gradually.

According to the advice of pediatricians, cauliflower is more suitable for first complementary feeding. A lot of information has been written about its benefits and taste, but every mother should know the main points on how to prepare cauliflower for the first feeding.

Complementary food – cauliflower

Cabbage is an absolutely non-allergenic product, so it is perfect for the first feeding of babies. This vegetable is able to retain vitamins even when frozen.

It is usually introduced into children's diets from six or seven months, when breast milk cannot provide the substances necessary for growth and proper development. White inflorescences contain vitamins and minerals that are not found in sufficient quantities in human milk:

• vegetable proteins;
• malic, citric and folic acids;
• omega-3;
• vitamin C, A, PP, group B and others.

Due to its low fiber content, the vegetable improves the child’s digestive system. Cauliflower does not cause bloating or colic. Differs from others in high content:

• phosphorus;
• iodine;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• gland;
• cobalt

Such a rich composition enriches the child’s body with all the necessary elements, helping bones become stronger and blood vessels more elastic.

Important: despite the positive qualities of this product, pediatricians recommend using it in moderation. Since a large amount of cauliflower can lead to intestinal upset, negatively affect the kidneys and thyroid gland.

Cauliflower, first food. Selection rules

Cauliflower complementary food for infants is introduced, like any new food, gradually. As for this vegetable, it is recommended to give it in the morning. It's best to start with half a teaspoon. Observe the baby’s reaction during the day; if a rash or loose stools do not appear within 24 hours, then the next day you can safely increase the amount. Gradually the number of spoons increases to fifty grams and above. After a month of eating cauliflower, you can add a little vegetable or olive oil to the dish.

In order to prepare cauliflower complementary foods on your own, you will have to spend a lot of time and go through several steps to get to the finished dish.

First you need to buy a fresh vegetable; it is recommended to make a purchase at the market, as you can find the safest product there. As a rule, white inflorescences that end up on the shelves of large stores are treated with preservatives when harvested to preserve their presentation and extend their shelf life. On the market there is an opportunity to purchase goods from private traders.

Important: if the product was purchased in a store, then for the first complementary feeding, it is better to leave it in water for four hours. During this time, pesticides and preservatives will at least partially go into the water.

After purchasing, you need to carefully inspect the vegetable; if there are any damaged or rotten ones, they are removed. The inflorescences are washed under running water, but this is not so simple; to make washing easier, it is recommended to “disassemble” the vegetable. Only after washing can you start cooking the product.

To make things easier for parents, baby food manufacturers produce complementary foods in the form of cauliflower puree. They can be multi-component or single-component. Such food products are absolutely safe, containing only vegetables and water.

FrutoNyanya puree – cauliflower for first feeding

If the puree contains additives in addition to water and vegetables, this indicates that the cauliflower puree is of low quality.

How to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding

The purchased vegetable is washed under water, divided into inflorescences and left for about forty minutes in salted water. This is necessary in order to get rid of possible insects.

Many mothers ask the question: “How to properly cook cauliflower for first feeding, and which method is better?” The answers are outlined below.

This vegetable can be cooked in three ways.

1. How and how long to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding on a regular stove?

On a regular stove, the inflorescences are boiled in an enamel pan. The vegetable is poured with a small amount of water, covered with a lid and simmered over low heat. The vegetable itself will tell you how long to cook cauliflower; it should be slightly transparent in color and very soft when pierced with a fork. The cooking time is about ten minutes, after which the inflorescences become very boiled.

Tip: the “legs” of the inflorescence should be soft, as they are the hardest.

2. How to cook cauliflower for complementary feeding in a double boiler?

There is nothing complicated here, the prepared vegetable is simply placed in a double boiler and the timer is set for 12-15 minutes. The main thing is to put the vegetable on the top level. This method is considered the best, since all the vitamins are preserved in the cabbage without passing into the broth as when boiled.

3. How to cook cauliflower for feeding a baby in the microwave.

The microwave oven makes it possible to cook boiled cabbage much earlier. To do this, the inflorescences are placed in a glass container and covered with a lid. There is no need to add water, as the lid will create liquid condensation. Cooking takes about seven minutes at full microwave power.

How to make cauliflower puree for complementary feeding

In order to prepare a delicious puree from white inflorescences, you need to follow a few tips.

• Advice one.

Both fresh and frozen cabbage are suitable for puree. As mentioned earlier, the vegetable needs to be prepared and cooked.

• Tip two.

Remove the boiled cabbage from the cooking container with a slotted spoon and cool slightly. In this case, the remaining broth is not poured out.

• Tip three.

The puree can be made using a meat grinder, then pass the resulting mass several times.

For greater convenience, use a blender; it will more easily grind the vegetable to the desired consistency.

You can also grind the product using a fork, but then additionally rub the mass through a special strainer.

• Tip four.

The puree obtained from grinding is diluted to the desired consistency with the remaining broth. If the cabbage was cooked in a double boiler, you can use boiled or baby water.

• Tip five.

The resulting purees can be diluted with breast milk or formula.

• Tip six.

If a child refuses to eat cauliflower, then you can try broccoli; this vegetable belongs to the same family. In fact, this is also cauliflower, but asparagus-shaped. The taste is slightly different, but the composition of the vegetables is almost the same and is also healthy.

• Advice seventh.

If a child willingly eats cauliflower puree, then over time you can prepare a two-component puree with carrots.

Important: in order for the toddler to eat the new food offered, at first the puree must be made very liquid with the addition of breast milk or formula.

When choosing the first complementary food, you should consult with your pediatrician, as he knows more about the characteristics of his ward. The main thing in this matter is not only the baby’s favor with a certain food, but also safety for his body.

The traditions of introducing complementary foods are different everywhere. In the CIS countries, vegetables, milk porridges and fermented milk products are competing for the top spot.

But the choice should be based not only on the mother’s opinion, but also on the baby’s health status:

• For bloating and diarrhea, complementary feeding begins with cereals.
• For intestinal colic and constipation, or exceeding the age norm for body weight, choose vegetables.

You need to start with what is grown in your region.

Give preference to white or green vegetables: they contain non-coarse, easily digestible fiber.

Choose hypoallergenic crops, even if the little one is not prone to allergies - it will be easier for the immature digestive tract to cope with them.

If the first vegetable complementary food is started correctly, the child will not face any unpleasant consequences. In the future, this will help the baby adapt to any solid food: from zucchini puree to meat.

Why pediatricians choose cauliflower:

• rarely causes allergies;
• pleasant to the taste;
• easy to digest;
• Compared to cabbage, it contains less fiber: lower risk of bloating;
• the composition includes minerals: phosphorus, potassium, iodine, magnesium, iron and cobalt;
• rich in vitamins A and C (three times more compared to white cabbage varieties), B, E, K, H, PP - compounds that make the baby’s body more resistant to viruses and have a beneficial effect on its overall health;
• contains easily digestible vegetable proteins necessary for the functioning of the liver and gall bladder and the full development of the child;
• strengthens bones;
• improves metabolism;
• increases the strength and elasticity of vascular walls;
• useful for babies with high blood sugar.

Minuses

Preparing such complementary foods will require a lot of effort from mommy. After all, cabbage inflorescences are not easy to wash. This is partly why multi-component homemade vegetable purees, which contain not only cauliflower, are popular among parents.

Your own food or store bought?

Ready-made canned complementary foods require a minimum of hassle. It is recommended by WHO experts, citing its balanced composition, which is difficult to reproduce at home.

It is important to check the expiration date and tightness of the container. And look at the composition: there should be only water and vegetables. The presence of starch, milk, maltodextrin, salt and spices indicates low quality.

An opened jar is a fertile environment for harmful microbes. Therefore, experts recommend feeding your baby puree from a jar only once: immediately after opening it. The product is not suitable for repeated use.

To prevent baby food from ruining the family budget, use a compromise option: put a little puree from the jar onto a plate or cup with a clean spoon, then close the container tightly with a lid and put it in the refrigerator, but for no more than a day.

Making puree at home

There are parents who only accept home-prepared complementary foods. Indeed, homemade food has advantages: mom doesn’t have to worry about quality and cooks exactly as much as needed every time.

You can buy fresh or frozen cauliflower. In the second case, pay attention to the amount of ice and the indicated shelf life. There are fewer vitamins in a frozen product, so use fresh vegetables whenever possible.

1. Choose ivory-colored specimens without black spots or other visible damage.
2. Tear off small inflorescences from the head of cabbage and leave in water for 20 minutes to get rid of possible insects. Before preparing complementary foods, it is recommended to leave store-bought cabbage in cool boiled water for 4 hours: during this time, pesticides and other harmful substances will leave it.
3. Rinse the inflorescences thoroughly and brush with a brush under running water, then disassemble into components.
4. Throw into boiling water and cook for 7-10 minutes, preferably in an enamel bowl. No need to add salt.
5. Grind in a blender or with a fork, then rub through a special strainer for complementary feeding.
6. The consistency should be approximately like that of kefir, otherwise the child may refuse complementary feeding. Bring the finished puree to the required thickness with vegetable broth or breast milk. Infant formula is also an option.

Prepare a new portion for each meal.
Preparing puree in a slow cooker will take 25 minutes, in a double boiler - at least 15 minutes with the correct mode, in a microwave oven - 7-10 minutes, depending on the power.

When and how to administer it correctly?

Usually, the introduction of cauliflower does not become a problem, especially if the baby is fed breast milk by the mother, who herself eats this vegetable from time to time. Such babies can become familiar with vegetables as early as 6 months.

Formula-fed children are allowed to do this even earlier - at 4-5 months.

There is no need to introduce cabbage before this age: the baby’s stomach will not be able to cope with it.

It is best to give complementary foods in the morning or at lunch, starting with half or a whole teaspoon. In the remaining time until the evening, monitor the body’s reaction. But even if everything is fine, the baby is no longer offered purees that same day. The next day, or better yet after a couple of days, increase the portion by half a teaspoon. So in a month they reach 50 g per day.

If cauliflower puree has already been on the menu for a month, you can enrich it with a drop of unrefined vegetable oil.

Most infants do not experience allergies after introducing cauliflower complementary foods. But in the first days and months of forming a new menu, a pediatrician should look after the baby.

Blog → Encyclopedia of complementary feeding

All the most important things about your baby's first menu

Vegetables

First echelon Nutritionists put zucchini at the head of complementary feeding. Zucchini does not cause allergies, and its delicate fiber is best absorbed by the baby's body. Broccoli, a champion in phosphorus and calcium content, is also low-allergenic. Cauliflower is not inferior to broccoli in the number of microelements and vitamins and is also easily digestible. Pumpkin is good for complementary feeding: it improves digestion and is rich in beta-carotene. You should be careful with carrots - they also contain beta-carotene, but can cause allergies.

Second echelon It is better to introduce potatoes and white cabbage into the diet closer to the year. They are difficult to digest. Beets, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and eggplants are highly allergenic and should be introduced to them last. Nutritionists recommend spinach for its high vitamin C content, but it contains a lot of acid, so giving it daily is not recommended. You should not get carried away with dishes made from legumes - green peas, beans: although they are rich in B vitamins, they cause bloating. It is better not to give cucumbers until 1.5 years of age: they are poorly digestible and poor in nutrients, and those grown under artificial conditions are harmful. Starting from 8 months, you can add stewed or boiled onions and garlic to vegetable purees.

Fresh, frozen or in jars? Which vegetables are preferable: from your garden, the market, frozen in packs or in jars of baby food? Only good quality and from well-known manufacturers. If you have your own garden or dacha, plant vegetables there. If this is not possible, ready-made purees in jars will help out.

Cooking vegetables at home Soak potatoes purchased at the market for two hours in cold water before cooking. In this case, it will lose some of the vitamins, but will give up most of the nitrates to the water. It is better to cut out the middle of carrots: harmful substances collect there. Remove the cabbage stalks too.
Vegetable mixtures are best steamed or boiled. No need to add salt. You can add a few drops of vegetable oil to the finished puree, preferably unrefined olive oil. Do not serve fried vegetables until they are three years old.

Rules for introducing vegetables We introduce complementary foods from boiled vegetables in the form of puree into the menu according to the scheme 1-2 teaspoons per day for 1-2 weeks. And puree from one vegetable! We carefully monitor the baby’s reaction: are there any allergies or indigestion. If everything is good, we begin to introduce the next vegetable. Only after accustoming the baby to each vegetable, we prepare a puree from a mixture of these vegetables.

Fruits

Fruit feeding starts with applesauce. Choose green apples, they are the least allergic. The next step is a ripe banana. Then prunes, pears and blueberries are introduced. Then - peach and apricot. Introduce wild berries, cherries, raspberries, currants, as well as exotic fruits - mango and kiwi - carefully and monitor the baby's reaction. Allergies can manifest themselves in the form of redness and irritation on the skin, rash, swelling of the lips and eyelids, stomach upset (constipation, diarrhea), and flatulence. In this case, stop the product that may have caused the reaction and try it again in at least a month. The most allergenic fruits and berries are strawberries, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits and red grapes. During the first year of life, it is better not to provoke allergies and not to offer them. Also, do not give watermelon and melon to children under one year old. Fruit purees can be of varying degrees of homogenization: completely crushed, finely and coarsely ground. This division corresponds to the stages of introducing foods and preparing the child to eat solid food. In addition to pure fruit purees, there are combination products on the market, for example with the addition of yogurt or cereals. You need to start giving them at a time corresponding to the period of introduction of the second component.

Preparing fruits at home Choose only fresh fruits, without “barrels”. It would be better if they were of domestic origin. Wash them thoroughly, be sure to clean the skin. Apples and pears can be scraped with a spoon or grated on a fine grater. It is good to use baked apples and poached pears. A ripe banana can be mashed with a fork. Thoroughly peel the prunes, cook for 5 minutes, and then chop with a blender. When peeling kiwi, make sure that the sharp tip, which is located at the “top” of the fruit, does not get into the plate.

Porridge

Introduction to grain products occurs at 6 months. It is usually recommended to start complementary feeding with cereals for those babies who are not gaining weight well. First, gluten-free cereals are introduced: buckwheat, rice and corn. Wheat grits, oats, rye - the next stage. Gluten is a protein found in cereals that, if it enters an unprepared or problematic intestine, causes digestive upset, and in the worst case, can lead to severe celiac disease, which affects children with a congenital lack of the enzyme that breaks down gluten. Flatulence, copious mucous “fatty” stools are the first symptoms of this disease. Instant porridges are enriched with vitamins and minerals, convenient and quick to prepare. Their range allows you to introduce corn, rye and millet into your baby’s diet. When preparing such porridges at home, it takes a long time for the grains to boil.

Prepare the porridge yourself The cereal must be thoroughly washed, dried and ground in a coffee grinder. It is better to make small portions, 2-3 times. Stir buckwheat or Hercules powder into flour in cold water to prevent lumps from forming. Then pour the mixture into a small amount of boiling water or baby milk and cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes. An alternative method of preparation: cook porridge from whole grains and then grind it in a blender.

Preparing instant porridge Instant porridge cannot be stored in the refrigerator, the humidity there is too high for them. Keep opened boxes tightly closed in a cool, dry place. After opening, the pack must be used within three weeks: this guarantees the preservation of vitamins in full and the microbiological purity of the product. You need to dilute the porridge with boiled water, expressed breast milk or formula. The temperature of the liquid should not exceed 40–50 degrees. The right porridge for first-year babies should have a creamy consistency. A serving of butter for a child after 6 months is 5 g per day. If you are prone to constipation, it is better to add less than a teaspoon of olive oil.

Meat

When to start?
Not earlier than 7–8 months. The immature children's intestines must master a light fruit, vegetable and cereal menu. Under no circumstances should meat be the first food. Meat contains highly digestible protein, and iron is necessary to maintain normal hemoglobin levels. But you shouldn’t rush to introduce meat dishes into your baby’s diet; it can do more harm than good.

Where to begin?
It is better to start complementary feeding with canned baby food. The cooking method takes into account the age characteristics of the little eater. For the first acquaintance, it is better to choose mono-products in jars, that is, canned baby food in its pure form, without additives.

We cook the meat ourselves
If you prefer to cook at home, choose lean meats. Boil the meat until soft, remove the veins and bones, and puree in a blender until smooth.

Who's next?
Complementary feeding usually starts with veal, beef or rabbit. Then turkey or chicken, pork, horse meat. It is possible to use by-products such as liver, tongue, brains, but not kidneys. Lamb is not suitable: it contains a lot of refractory fats that are difficult to digest.

Rules for introducing meat complementary foods Introduce meat complementary foods gradually, starting with a teaspoon of puree, mixing it with a dish familiar to the child, for example, vegetables. If there is no allergic reaction or problems with stool, within 7–10 days the amount is increased to 30 g per day. After a year, the baby can receive up to 80 g of meat per day; it is better to give it in the morning, at lunch.
Various spices (celery, basil, dill, parsley, parsnips, tarragon, etc.) give dishes a pleasant taste. If you cook yourself, be careful with spices: a child’s body is not ready for a pronounced spicy taste; it is better to avoid pepper altogether. But the use of stewed onions and garlic makes meat dishes appetizing and healthy.

Golden rules of complementary feeding Complementary feeding is introduced to enrich the child's diet with useful substances: vitamins, fiber, minerals, vegetable and animal fats. But early or indiscriminate complementary feeding can disrupt the child’s enzyme system and upset the balance of microflora in the intestines. Do not focus on other children: there are no general rules in this matter. The main thing is the individual characteristics of your baby.
Today, most doctors recommend starting complementary feeding no earlier than the baby's first tooth.

It is strictly not recommended to start complementary feeding before 3 months; this can lead to serious disruptions in the child’s metabolism, excessive stress on the kidneys, liver and pancreas, as well as provoke obesity. 6 months is the starting point. A six-month-old baby is usually ready to try something other than milk.
Do not introduce complementary foods if your baby is sick or unwell.
Do not introduce complementary foods for three to four days before and three to four days after preventive vaccinations.
Do not introduce complementary foods if you are changing your usual environment: going on a trip or even visiting for the weekend.
Don't force your child: if he refuses to eat anything other than milk, wait a week and offer him purees again. If the refusal continues, the child cries or spits out the puree, calmly wait another week. The child knows better than you and the doctors what he needs now.
Give puree before breastfeeding or formula feeding, start with 1 teaspoon, and over 2 weeks gradually increase the portion to the age norm.
Introduce a new dish no earlier than 2–3 weeks after the start of complementary feeding. After making sure that the baby tolerates one or another product well (this takes 2-3 weeks), you can begin to combine products.

No broth! Until 24 months, do not offer your baby the broth in which the meat was cooked. This concentrate of extractives and fats causes a strong blow to the child’s pancreas and liver.
Bring the water to a boil, drain the water with foam, pour in new water and bring the dish to readiness. For children after 18 months, you can add a bay leaf and 1-2 allspice peas to the broth where the meat is cooked.

Important When choosing frozen vegetables in the store, check them by touch: they should be crumbly. If there is a lump in the bag, then the vegetables have already been defrosted. This means they have lost almost all their beneficial properties. Do not buy vegetable mixtures that contain bell peppers, mushrooms and other vegetables that are difficult for a child’s body. Cook vegetables without defrosting. Their preparation takes 2 times less time than raw vegetables.

A 10-12 month old baby can mash well-cooked vegetables with a fork, and an older child can be given less boiled vegetables so that he learns to chew. Such food also improves intestinal motility.

Puree vegetable soup (from 6 months)

Products: For 1 serving: 2 pcs. potatoes, 1 carrot, 50 g cabbage, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
You can use other combinations of vegetables.

Peel potatoes, carrots and cabbage, rinse, pour 1.5 cups of cold water. Cook vegetables until fully cooked. Cool the broth, rub the boiled vegetables through a sieve. Dilute the resulting puree with the drained broth, add salt to taste and boil again. Before serving, season the soup with oil.

Potato soup – puree
From 8 months.

2 potatoes, 3/4 cup milk, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 leek.
Peel and rinse the leeks well. Chop and lightly fry it in butter. Pour a glass of water over the fried onions. When the water boils, add the potatoes and salt. Cooks for 25 – 30 minutes. Rub the boiled potatoes and broth through a sieve, add hot milk and stir. Before serving, season the soup with butter.

Milk soup with vegetables.
From 8 months.

100 g pumpkin, 1/5 part carrots, 1.5 cup milk, 1 teaspoon sour cream, salt on the tip of a knife.
Rinse the vegetables thoroughly. Peel them and remove seeds. Cut everything into small pieces and dip into boiling salted milk. Cook over low heat until done. Grate hot vegetables through a sieve. You can use a bleeder. Mix with the broth and bring to a boil. Season the soup with sour cream and serve.

Oatmeal soup For children from 8 months.

oatmeal - 3 tablespoons, baby milk - 0.5 cups, yolk - 1 pc., water - 2 cups, butter - to taste.

Take a saucepan, pour cold water into it and bring to a boil; pour oatmeal into it and cook for about 20 minutes (over low heat). Add hot milk and cook for about 5 more minutes; remove from heat. Next, rub the finished soup through a sieve or grind with a blender. Add another yolk mashed with butter and mix everything; put back on the fire (medium) and bring to a boil; boil for about 2-3 minutes; Now the oatmeal soup can be served.

Cream soup “Tender”

zucchini – 1 pc., onion – 1 pc., olive oil – 2 teaspoons, baby cream – 30 g.

Take onion and zucchini; wash, peel (remove husks and peels) and cut into small cubes.
In a non-stick pan, sauté the onion in olive oil.
Add chopped zucchini and add boiled water; simmer (about 20 minutes).
Grind the finished soup using a blender or rub through a sieve. Add cream and garnish with finely chopped herbs on top.