Healthy Ways to Prepare Your Own 8 Month Baby Food

At the age of 8 months, babies begin to be able to take and put food in his mouth. At this age, it is recommended that you start preparing small snacks or finger food for baby snacks between meals.

Generally, an 8-month-old baby can eat solid food up to three times a day. If possible, introduce a similar type of food for 2-3 days, before switching to a different type of food. However, before talking further about the food, it's a good idea to first identify the development of his abilities.

8 Months Baby Ability Development

There are several abilities that an 8-month-old baby begins to show, including starting to move his jaw to chew food or using his tongue to push and swallow food. Babies can also move objects from one hand to another, and put objects they are holding in their mouths.

In addition to some of the things above, another characteristic is that the baby is starting to sit up straight and can swallow well. Weight gain is also significant, generally twice the weight at birth. In addition, babies seem eager to eat and tend to be interested in other people's food.

How to Process 8 Months Baby Food

At 8 months of age, babies can be introduced to soft, mashed foods. You can also start making a variety of finger foods, which are small soft foods or foods that can be finished in one bite. These foods are generally easy for babies to pick up and eat on their own without your help.

Here are some examples of how to process 8 month baby food:

• Pureed vegetables and fruit, approximately to 1 cup for one meal.
• Cut vegetables and fruits such as: potatoes, apples, mangoes, and bananas.
• Protein in the form of boneless fish, beans, cut meat, poultry, approximately 3-4 tablespoons for one meal.
• Iron-fortified cereal, about to cup per serving.
• Finely chopped cheese, or beans, lentils and cooked macaroni.

In addition to giving your baby the opportunity to feel the texture and taste of food, you should also record a list of foods that are given to make it easier for you to sight and anticipate the categories of foods which will cause allergic reactions in the future.

This allergic reaction that may arise is usually characterized by symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. Soy, eggs, wheat, fish, milk, and nuts are examples of foods that most often trigger allergies. Honey shouldn't be given first to avoid the chance of food poisoning.

Things That Must be Considered

Preparing food for an 8-month-old baby is certainly different from cooking for adults. Make sure you always wash your hands before handling baby food. Apart from that, there are several other things you should pay attention to, including:

• Always use fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet. Use immediately within 1-2 days of purchase. Don't forget to wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before processing.
• Try to steam the food ingredients before mashing or cutting. Steaming is better than boiling food. Use as little water as possible when steaming.
• Add breast milk or formula to soft foods to make porridge. Don't forget to remove the fat and skin before processing.
• Avoid adding excessive flavourer to food for your baby. However, you can add a little spice so that the baby's food doesn't taste bland.
• Accompany your little one when putting his own food in his mouth to prevent the risk of choking.
• Do not forget to release the hot steam on the food first before serving it to the baby.

Processing 8 month old baby food at home is relatively healthier, more efficient and economical than providing instant products. However, if you are giving ready-to-eat 8-month-old baby food, it is best to finish it within 1-2 days, then discard any leftovers to reduce the risk of exposure to bacteria.

Even if an 8-month-old baby has been eating solid foods, it is best to continue giving breast milk or formula as usual. 8-month baby food cannot replace the vitamins, protein, and iron contained in breast milk.