Chook Me!

Does this sound like a good menu for a baby who is being weaned?

MONDAY Breakfast: Porridge (made with baby’s usual milk) with cooked pear. Midday: Non-Vegetarian Option: Spaghetti Bolognese Vegetarian option: Lentil and Vegetable Bake Early Evening: Macaroni Cheese Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk TUES Breakfast: Wheat-based cereal with baby’s usual milk Midday: Cheese ‘toasties’(melted cheese on wholemeal ‘finger’ toast) Followed by Semolina with Strawberries Early Evening: Non-vegetarian option: Chicken, broccoli and mashed potato Vegetarian option: Tofu, broccoli and mashed potato Both meals can be followed by cooked carrot (finger food) Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk WED Breakfast: Baby’s breakfast rusks with baby’s usual milk Plain fromage frais with stewed apple Midday: Non-vegetarian option: Vegetable and beef casserole Vegetarian option: Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta Early Evening: Scrambled eggs (please note: if your baby is under 1 year of age, serve the scrambled egg yolk ONLY due to the risk of allergy associated with egg whites) and baked beans with wholemeal toast Creamy rice pudding with banana Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk THURS Breakfast: English Muffins topped with cream cheese and avocado Midday: Homemade Pizza (Non vegetarian topping: Ham and pineapple, Vegetarian option: Spinach and ricotta Plain fromage frais with blueberries Early Evening: Non-vegetarian option: Salmon fillet with sweet potato and green beans Vegetarian option: Quorn fillet with sweet potato and green beans Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk FRI Breakfast: Porridge with chopped mango Midday: Non-vegetarian option: Tuna and sweetcorn jacket potato with salad Vegetarian option: Pulses and sweetcorn with salad Creamy rice pudding with kiwifruit Early Evening: Vegetarian option: Mediterranean vegetable risotto Non-vegetarian option: Chicken and lemon risotto Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk SAT Breakfast: Wheat-based cereal with choice of fruit and baby’s usual milk Midday: Wholemeal bread cheese and tomato finger sandwiches Semolina with strawberries Early Evening: Non-vegetarian option: Shepherd’s Pie Vegetarian option: Vegetable casserole Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk SUN Breakfast: Breakfast rusks with baby’s usual milk Plain fromage frais with cooked pear Midday: Broccoli and cheese pasta bake Early Evening: Vegetarian option: Tofu stir-fry Non-vegetarian option: Chicken stir-fry Creamy rice pudding with cooked fruit Late Evening: Breast or Infant Milk *This menu would be for a baby who has significantly advanced in the weaning process so that they are now consuming three meals a day. Does this sound like an appropriate menu? It's for a health and social assignment I'm doing :) P.S Do I need to put in some snacks too? Thank you so much for your time Vera XXXX

Public Comments

1. When my eldest was being weaned, he loved mashed avocado, mashed bananas and stewed apples. But it was only a couple of weeks before he was demanding people-food, and eating ( with enormous delight) things like shepherd's pie and spaghetti bolognese. He much preferred stuff with lots of garlic and onions. At five months old he had the most colossal Christmas dinner, with five helpings of mashed turkey followed by two plates of pudding. It didn't do him a bit of harm either. He is now 6ft tall and a very keen foodie/cook
2. Sounds brilliant to me. Snacks, yes add some. Try half cooked carrot batons (steamed is best) half cooked as they are easier for the baby to chew on yet soft to swallow. Peeled apple cubes and plain banana have always been a hit with mine. You've provided a wide and varied diet. My boys now older eat everything and are given foods from all over the world, they try and if they don't like fine, but they still try! You need to provide as much variety and taste as possible early on, this way they become eager to explore foreign foods later on in life. Good luck with your assignment.
3. You have evidently thought long and hard - well done. A couple of suggestions - watch out for two lots of pasta in one day. Maybe add some nice spices such as cinnamon to the cooked pear. Perhaps also not so much wheat. Rice crackers and raw vegetable are good as snacks, maybe as optional! Keep up the good work. If you need other references I swore by Annabel Karmels cookbooks. Good luck!
4. horrible, your kid's gonna be fat.
5. dont understand thursday ur weaning him right so how can u feed pizza and salmon to a baby. give him puree food like really smooth potaoes mixed with turnips or mashed bananas just make sure the food aint too lumpy. experiment with food find out what he loves and remember to add all healthy organic veg and when adding milk make sure its formula of bresat milk cos the cannot have cows milk just yet good luck!!! xxx
6. It certainly looks good and varied. I have a couple of comments: I would definitely put in a morning and afternoon snack. Depending on the stage of weaning this may be something like a rice-cake, piece of fruit or a muesli bar with milk which (as weaning progresses) can be substituted with water. You need to identify the foods that may cause a problem younger children. You note egg whites but strawberries, soya (therefore tofu), wheat (and gluten), and oily fish such as salmon and tuna (although tinned tuna is usually OK), tomatoes are also associated with allergies. I would try and find a spot for some white fish (such as Haddock), which can be served with peas. Monday: You have pasta dishes for both lunch and dinner Tues: Given that strawberries are potentially allergenic you could substitute cherries, prunes, apple, raspberries etc. Wed: I would steer clear of scrambled eggs even yokes for any baby under 1. Low salt baked beans on toast would be fine. Thurs: You could substitute white fish for the salmon Sat: as for Tues Good luck with the assignment. x Now I have to go and get myself a muffin with cream cheese and avocado (yum).
7. By 'weaned' do you mean only just being introduced to solids? If so, this is far too much, contains too many allergenic foods (egg whites, wheat . . .) & foods not suitable for under ones and also does not contain anywhere near enough milk feeds. This would be a great menu for a toddler but not a just weaning baby.