The 10 Best Foods For Your Baby

There are lots of healthy, baby-friendly foods out there, but some stand out from the pack. These ten culinary superheroes are loaded with essential nutrients, reasonably priced, easy to prepare, and delicious. These top 10 foods for babies are listed as squash, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, blueberries, avocados, meat, prunes, garbanzo beans, and mandarin oranges. As a mother I found some of the items on the list to be a bit of a surprise. Many parents are surprised to discover that their babies really enjoy these foods, either from the very first bite or after a few exposures, according to the Baby Center Medical Board. After introducing any new food, wait three days before moving on to the next new food to identify any possible allergic reaction. If your baby's still a beginner at eating solids, grind or puree the food as needed.(Find out more about preparing homemade baby food.)

Squash

Squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, is naturally sweet, and has a pleasing, creamy texture.

Lentils

Crammed with protein and fiber, lentils pack a powerful nutritional punch. They're also one of the cheapest healthy foods you can buy.

Dark green leafy vegetables

Leafy greens boast high amounts of iron and folate. While spinach is perhaps the best known of this group, there are many other varieties, including kale, chard, and collard greens.

Broccoli

Brimming with folate, fiber, and calcium, broccoli is also known for its cancer-fighting properties, says dietitian Kate Geagan, author of Go Green, Get Lean. And thanks to its sulfur compounds, it has a unique flavor that can help expand your baby's tastes.

Blueberries

The deep, brilliant blue of these berries comes from flavonoids called anthocyanins, which are good for your baby's eyes, brain, and even urinary tract, says Stephen Gass, co-author of Mix and Mash: Adventures in the Kitchen for Baby and You.

Avocados

"Avocados are a rich source of unsaturated fats," says nutritionist Leanne Cooper, author of What Do I Feed My Baby: A Step-by-Step Guide to Solids. "In fact, the fat composition is somewhat similar to that of breast milk." Concerned about your baby eating fatty food? Don't be. "Unsaturated fat is the good kind of fat, and babies need it for brain development," says pediatrician Ari Brown, co-author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year.

Meat

Many of us don't think of meat as a typical baby food, but it's one of Brown's top choices. "Meat is a great source of zinc and iron," she explains.

Prunes

Prunes have lots of fiber and can help relieve constipation – which, notes Brown, your baby may experience after you introduce solids.

Garbanzo beans

Like lentils and other beans, garbanzos are rich in protein and fiber, says Geagan. They're also inexpensive and versatile.

Mandarin oranges

High in vitamin C and antioxidants, mandarin oranges are a supreme finger food. "Babies really love the flavor," says Hosenfeld.

This article came with different serving suggestions. This article and those suggestions I just mentioned can be found  at http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-ten-best-foods-for-babies_10320505.bc?page=2 for your reading pleasure. I suggest sweet potatoes, peas, applesauce and cream corn as well due to the fact that my son loved them. I also recommend if you can getting either a food processor or a blender and making your child's food.  This let's you know exactly what is going into your child's food and belly.

5 foods not safe for your child

I read an article about the 5 foods worst foods to feed your baby. I must say I was startlied by some of the items on this list. It stated that eating junk foods were more damaging to a baby than to an adult. This is because the junk food lacks proper nutrients that your growing child requires which can hinder their overall development. These five terrible foods are soda, juice, crackers, processed meats, and gelatin desserts. I am just as guilty as most mothers of giving some of these things to my children.

The sodas are loaded with tons of sugars which can wreck havoc on your child's teeth. Sodas also have different types of caramel and coloring that are harsh on an adults systems and can be even harder on a child's system.

Juice even if it comes from fruit or vegetables but it does not mean that it is any healthier. The fiber and most nutrients are lost in the juicing process. All that is left behind is a lot of sugar. It also is not good to use juices to sweeten your child's food. This is because the sugars make the food pass to quickly causing the nutrients to not have enough time to be absorbed. This can then lead to some babies having diarrhea. Babies can get enough Vitamin C from one small serving of fruit.

The AAP or better known as the American Academy of Pediatricsrecommends children younger than 6 months drink nothing but either breast milk or formula. children between the ages of 6 months to a year can have small amounts of water but breast milk or formula still should be your childs main source of drink. After your child's first birthday, cow's milk is recommended.

Crackers make great convenient snacks once your liittle tyke has teeth and can bite and chew. However it does not take many to fill your little one up. Just like eating sweet things can cause your little one to develop a major sweet tooth, eating salty things can lead to a "salty tooth."

The goldfish crackers that our kids love fall under this category. They are filled with a lot of empty calories and no nutrition. Fruit slices are a better choice. Another good choice for your growing baby is the diced fruits offers by Gerber. You can get them dried in a bag or fresh in a jar.

Processed meals are defined by people in many different ways. The more the foods are modified from the original or the longer the list of ingredients than the more processed the foods are. The more the food is processed the less nutritional the food actually is.

The worst processed food that we as parents serve are little ones is canned pasta. These cans that are not specifically meant for our children contain way too much sodium for them. If youy want to serve your cute litte tyke pasta, it is much better to boil some pasta and top it with a little crushed tomatoes.

Gelatin desserts are also not good for our children. This was a big shocker to me. Gelatin desserts like Jello are nearly all sugar, artificial coloring and artificial flavoring. It is true that gelatin is easy to shallow. However a healthier dessert for your little one is a baked, mashed apple with a little bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top. This is because apples are naturally sweet and provide a good source of fiber and vitamins for your baby.