While introducing solid food is a fun and exciting time for families, it may also come with questions and uncertainty. To help make the food introduction process as easy as possible, we’ve identified several core principles to help guide families. Read on to learn about one of these core principles, Easy to Digest, and how it applies to the introduction of baby’s First Foods.
Starting Solids with Easy to Digest Foods Help Your Little One to Thrive
Easy to digest first foods are ideal first foods because they have been mindfully introduced and do not provoke a reaction. Some examples of common easy to digest first foods may include avocado, sweet potato, apple, carrot, banana, and goat’s milk*. Of course, every child is unique so easy to digest foods may differ. Finding easy to digest foods for your little one is all about timing. Every time you introduce a new food, it is an exciting experience for your baby. Ensure all foods are soft, well-cooked, or pureed to prevent choking.
Steps to Starting New Baby Foods
- Introduce only one new food at a time and wait three to five days before moving on to the next food.
- Keep an eye out for possible food reactions and remember that some symptoms may take up to 72 hours to appear.
- Once food has been successfully introduced, it can stay in the food rotation while continuing with other new foods.
Watching for Reactions
You can use Kabrita's 'Food Introduction Symptom Log' below to track your baby’s new foods and make note of possible food-related reactions. A new onset symptom, or a worsening of a symptom your child already experiences, may be associated with a food trigger. If your little one experiences a mild symptom, it’s best to remove the possible offending food until symptoms clear. Once symptoms have resolved, you may try the same food again. If the reaction recurs, contact your baby’s health professional, as symptoms may indicate a food allergy or sensitivity. If your baby has a severe reaction, it’s always best to contact your baby’s health professional immediately. Foods that do not provoke any reaction and are well tolerated by your little one may be deemed ‘easy to digest’ and can become a part of their regular diet.
Introducing Potentially Allergenic Foods
Some of the more common potentially allergenic foods include peanuts, cow milk, egg, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. If your baby is between 4-6 months and has tolerated a few low allergenic foods well (such as sweet potato, carrot, and banana), you can move forward with introducing potentially allergenic foods.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, it's best not to wait to introduce these foods as delaying introduction may increase a baby’s risk of developing allergies. However, if your little one has an established food allergy or suspected food allergy, mild to moderate eczema despite treatment, or a sibling with peanut allergy, it’s best to consult with your baby’s health professional prior to the introduction of potentially allergenic foods.
Kabrita Goat Milk Foods are Easy to Digest
Goat milk protein is naturally easier to digest than cow milk protein, which may make goat milk foods an ideal first food for your little one*. Our Snack Puffs with Goat Cheese are a great option for food introduction and our Goat Milk Toddler Formula may be a nutritious cow milk alternative for toddlers.
First Foods is a series of blogs looking into several core principles to help guide families when introducing new foods.
*Not suitable for children with cow milk protein allergy
FAQs
Easy to digest first foods are ideal first foods because they have been mindfully introduced and do not provoke a reaction. Some examples of common easy to digest first foods may include avocado, sweet potato, apple, carrot, banana, and goat's milk*. Of course, every child is unique so easy to digest foods may differ.
What baby food is the easiest to digest? ›
Easy to digest first foods are ideal first foods because they have been mindfully introduced and do not provoke a reaction. Some examples of common easy to digest first foods may include avocado, sweet potato, apple, carrot, banana, and goat's milk*. Of course, every child is unique so easy to digest foods may differ.
What are easy to digest first solids? ›
Examples of some first foods for babies include:
- Mashed vegetables (eg pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, taro) and fruits (eg cooked pears/apple, ripe banana)
- Well cooked rice or iron enriched rice cereal.
- Well cooked pureed, minced, stewed or grated meat, poultry or fish.
- Cook tofu or legumes such as lentils.
First Foods
“It's important to start slow, typically with infant oatmeal mixed with breastmilk or formula to ease your child into this experience,” says pediatrician Rachel Dawkins, M.D., from Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.
What foods are gentle on babies stomach? ›
Pumpkin, Pear, or Prune purees can be extremely effective in combating baby's tummy issues due to their high natural water content.
Which baby food is best to start with? ›
Solid foods may be introduced in any order. However, puréed meats, poultry, beans and iron-fortified cereals are recommended as first foods, especially if your baby has been primarily breastfed, since they provide key nutrients. Only one new single-ingredient food should be introduced at a time.
What food is easily digestible for babies at night? ›
Even in addition to milk, other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt contain large amounts of tryptophan. Thus, the combination of the above ingredients such as bananas, walnuts, pureed cherries with fresh milk is not only a delicious sweet treat but also helps children sleep comfortably throughout the night.
What food is good for baby digestion? ›
A purée that includes a mix of prunes plus pears, plums, or peaches should work magic. Try subbing the prunes with dates for a change. Bring on the fiber. If your baby is over 8 months, you can offer them whole grains like oatmeal, fiber-rich cereals, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice.
What are the 10 easiest foods to digest? ›
But if you are still facing digestive issues then try these 18 easy-to-digest foods.
- Applesauce. ...
- Eggs. ...
- Sweet Potatoes. ...
- Gelatin. ...
- Oatmeal. ...
- Soup and Bone Broth. ...
- Yogurt and Kefir. ...
- Water. Drinking plenty of water is one of the simplest and easiest ways to support healthy digestion.
Once cooked, carrots puree beautifully and offer a not-too-piquant flavor for baby's sensitive palate. Plus, they contain plenty of fiber to promote healthy digestion, as well as beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A to boost vision and immune function.
Babies may be ready for lumpier foods at any point from weaning until 12 months or even beyond. Some don't show any obvious signs of needing to move on from purees; if this is the case, introducing more textured foods is likely to be a matter of trial and error.
What are stage 1 baby foods? ›
Stage 1 weaning foods
During stage 1, you want to start with weaning foods like soft and pureed foods; think soft cooked sticks and pureed fruits and vegetables, yoghurt, and mashed avocado. Some vegetables that are great to start with are: Parsnip. Broccoli.
What are the first solid foods for baby after purees? ›
Start with dust like crumbs and gradually increase the size of the crumbs as tolerated. Foods to crumble include graham crackers, cereal, cookies, crackers, croutons, etc. When offering foods with increased texture, alternate bites of the more textured food with bites of smooth food.
What are the easiest purees for babies to digest? ›
Here are some great first foods for Baby to try:
- Pea puree.
- Carrot puree.
- Mashed banana.
- Mashed avocado.
- Mashed or pureed beans.
- Mashed or pureed lentils.
- Pureed meats (beef, chicken, or turkey)
- Soft, falling apart meats (salmon, beef, chicken, turkey)
A quart or more of orange juice or a diet heavy in seasonal fruits such as strawberries, melons or cherries have been associated with diarrhea and colicky symptoms in some infants. Foods containing many preservatives, additives or dyes have been associated with signs of discomfort in some babies.
What foods can upset a baby through breastmilk? ›
Foods like beans, broccoli, cauliflower, or some dairy products can cause fussiness, gassiness, or colicky behavior in some babies. Foods like cow's milk, soy, wheat, corn, oats, eggs, nuts and peanuts, and fish or shellfish are common allergy-causing foods.
Which baby formula is easiest to digest? ›
Moreover, alternatives like goat milk formula and cow's milk based formula, which is rich in A2 beta-casein proteins, have shown to be gentler on sensitive stomachs and closer to the composition of breast milk.
What is the easiest most digestible food? ›
Some people have health conditions that make many foods hard to digest. Foods that are easier to digest include toast, white rice, bananas, eggs, chicken, salmon, gelatine, applesauce, and oatmeal. Symptoms of digestive problems include acid reflux, bloating, or abdominal pain.
Which cereal is easier to digest for baby? ›
Fortified oatmeal-based baby cereals are the top choice of all the experts we spoke to because they're easy to digest and have a lower arsenic content than rice-based cereals.
What puree helps baby digestion? ›
Serve purees with produce starting with 'P' – prunes, peaches, pears, peas and plums. These P produce help relieve constipation in baby and aid in baby's digestive tract (see recipes below). Start to re-introduce purees that are easy to digest, such as avocado and sweet potato purees.
