Your baby has reached six months of age, and everyone around you is telling you that this is the right time to introduce meat into their diet, but you are unsure. We will try to help you with this dilemma. It is true that meat is introduced into a baby’s diet at six months, usually by giving meat broth, i.e., vegetables in the liquid that was cooked with meat. This is the easiest way for the baby’s body to get used to protein from meat, and after a few days, you can start blending meat with vegetables.
Introducing meat into the diet is one of the most important processes in nutrition overall.
Of course, as the baby is just getting used to meat, you should not overdo it at the beginning, so 10 to 15 grams of meat per day is sufficient. After some time, you can increase the portions to 30 grams, and by around the first year, up to 50 grams.
As we know, meat is a protein, and consuming it in large quantities can put a lot of pressure on the baby’s kidneys. Some studies show that it is best to give meat to the child 3 times a week, 10 grams each time. A good source of protein is also egg yolk, which should be gradually introduced and given with vegetables when the baby is not consuming meat, up to twice a week.
In order to develop properly, a baby needs a lot of iron and protein found in meat during the first year of life. Therefore, studies show that this food should be one of the first to transition to solid foods. It is recommended to cook the meat on steam to preserve its nutrients.
There are generally no strict rules on which meat to start feeding your baby with, but some types are recommended more than others. Chicken is certainly at the top of the list. It is important that the meat you start feeding your baby is not fatty and that it is easily absorbed by the child’s digestive system. If the baby has anemia, they should be given more so-called red meat, such as veal and beef, later lamb, and finally pork.
When it comes to fish, it is recommended that the baby can start consuming so-called “white fish” from 9 months old (these are fish that contain less fat: hake, seabream, scorpionfish, trout, sole, pike perch, bream, pike). Fish is rich in proteins, contains small amounts of “bad” fats, and is an unrivaled source of essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids.
When your baby turns one, they can already eat all types of meat. As their teeth come in, you can slowly transition from pureed to finely chopped meat.
It goes without saying that you will take care of the quality of the meat, so it is best to buy it from a well-known producer. Before preparing meat for your baby, be sure to wash it thoroughly.
