Indian Baby Food Chart with Recipes

Infancy is a stage of a new born baby from birth till the age of 1. It is divided into 2 stages – 1 to 6 and 7 to 12 months. The first stage (6 months) the new-born is exclusively breast fed and totally dependent on the mother for all his / her nutritional needs. The lactating mum has to eat a well-balanced and nourished diet to meet all the requirement of the baby.

The second stage (7 to 12 months) is the stage of WEANING. It is a period of experiments both for the mother and the baby. Most paediatricians recommend weaning gradually over a period of time with home-cooked foods like Dal and Vegetable Mash made with love by the mother.

Dal and Vegetable Mash ( Baby and Toddler )

When you begin weaning, the questions that uppermost in your mind are What to wean? How much to wean? What nutrients are necessary? etc.

Listed below are the important nutrients essential for infants, along with their functions and food sources that will provide these nutrients.

1. Energy: It is necessary for..

Healthy growth and development
Required for our daily activities

The main sources are..

Cereals such as wheat, rice, bajra, jowar etc.
Dals and pulses such as moong dal, chana etc.
Dairy products like milk, curds, paneer etc.
Fruits, vegetables and their juices.

Moong Dal Khichdi is one of the most easily digestible foods for new born.

Moong Dal Khichdi for Babies

2. Protein: It is necessary for..

Skeletal as well as muscular growth and development.
Maintenance and repair of body cells.

The main sources are..

Dals and pulses such as moong dal, chana dal, matki etc.
Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc.
Nuts like almonds, walnuts etc.

Paneer Walnut Puree is a protein rich treat for babies over 8 months.

Walnut Paneer Puree for Babies

3. Carbohydrates: It is necessary..

To provide heat and energy to the body.

The main sources are..

Whole grains and its products like wheat, rice, oats, jowar etc.
Vegetables like potato and yam.
Fruits like banana, chickoo, avocado, mango etc.

Begin with Banana Puree for Babies and then introduce Jowar Porridge for Babies.

Banana Puree for Babies

4. Fat: It is..

A concentrated source of energy.
Carrier of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K.
Needed for healthy development of baby’s brain.

The main sources are..

Visible fats like ghee and oil.
Invisible fat, which as the name suggests, is the hidden fat present in all foodstuffs like nuts, oilseeds, cereals, etc.

Use small quantity of ghee to make a healthy one dish meal like Vegetable Khichdi for Babies and Toddlers.

Vegetable Khichdi for Babies and Toddlers

5. Calcium: It is necessary for..

Formation and strengthening of bones and teeth.

The main sources are..

Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc.
Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, fenugreek etc.
Sesame seeds (til) and ragi (nachni),
Dals and pulses like masoor dal, urad dal etc.
Sprouts.

Ragi Uttapa, a soft food, is sure to tickle your baby’s taste bud.

Ragi Uttapa for Babies and Toddlers

6. Iron: It is necessary for..

The formation of haemoglobin which supplies oxygen to all the cells in our body.
Production of red blood cells.

The main sources are..

Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, cow pea leaves, fenugreek etc.
Nuts such as almonds, walnuts etc. and oilseeds such as sesame seeds (til).
Dried dates.
Whole grain cereals and pulses such as bajra, jowar, cow pea (chawli), moong etc.
Jaggery (in moderation as recommended by your paediatrician)

Try the Jowar Ragi and Date Porridge for breakfast.

Jowar Ragi and Date Porridge for Babies

7. Vitamin A: It is necessary for..

Healthy skin.
Normal process of growth and vision.
Strengthening of tooth enamel.
Increasing immunity and provides protection from diseases.

The main sources are..

Dark green leafy vegetables such as fenugreek, spinach etc.
Yellow, orange fruits and vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, papaya etc.
Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc.

In the beginning months, Carrot Juice for Babies is loved by most babies. Try it out.

Carrot Juice for Babies

8. Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): It is necessary for..

Providing energy.
Improving nerve metabolism.

The main sources are..

Cereals such as wheat, rice, dalia, jowar, etc.
Leafy vegetables like fenugreek and spinach.

Combine a few of these ingredients to make Vegetable Dalia Khichdi for Babies and Toddlers.

Vegetable Dalia Khichdi for Babies and Toddlers

9. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): It helps in

Promoting healthy skin.
Providing energy from protein, carbohydrates and fats.

The main sources are..

Palak Paneer Rice for Babies and Toddlers

Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc.
Green leafy vegetables such as cow pea leaves, colocasia, spinach etc.
Cereals such as wheat, rice, bajra etc.
Dals and pulses such as moong dal, rajma, etc.

From Rice Mash to Palak Paneer Rice for Babies and Toddlers can be tried as a process of weaning.

Rice Mash for Babies

10. Vitamin B3 (Niacin): It helps in

Helps in metabolising protein, carbohydrate and fats and supplies energy.

The main sources are..

Whole cereals such as barley, wheat etc.
Dals and pulses like chana dal, moong etc.
Groundnuts.

Try finger food like Roti ladoo after 10 months of age.

Roti Ladoo

11. Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): It helps..

In the breakdown of proteins and fats.

The main sources are..

Cereals such as wheat, jowar etc.
Vegetables like broccoli and potato.

Include Potato and Vegetable Soup for Babies and Toddlers in between meals for your little one.

Potato and Vegetable Soup for Babies and Toddlers

12. Folic Acid: It helps in..

Multiplication and formation of new cells.
Aids in brain development.

The main sources are..

Vegetables such as cluster beans, spinach, peas, broccoli, beetroot, tomato, ladies finger, potato (especially with skin on) etc.
Cereals like bajra, wheat and pulses like rajma, moong etc.
Nuts like almonds, walnuts etc. and oilseeds such as sesame seeds (til).

Once the baby is used to spinach and masoor dal individually try combining it in the form of Palak Masoor Dal for Babies and Toddlers. You can serve this by the end of 1^st year. This is the time when babies learn to eat all that is cooked at home.

Palak Masoor Dal for Babies and Toddlers

13. Vitamin C: It is necessary for…

Strengthening your baby's immunity and protects him/her from infections.
Promotes development of teeth, skin, muscles, bones and cartilage.
Aids in the absorption of iron present in the food.

The main sources are..

Citrus fruits like orange, guava, lemon, sweet lime etc.
Other fruits like amla
Vegetables such as broccoli and capsicum, coriander and cabbage.

Begin with a strained Orange Juice and in later months serve unstrained juice. Remember to serve them immediately to get most of the benefit. Do not refrigerate and serve.

How To Make Orange Juice At Home, Orange Juice in Juicer, Mixer, Blender

14. Vitamin D: It helps in..

The utilization of calcium in the body, which in turn makes the bones healthy.

The main sources are..

Can be manufactured by our body in the presence of sunlight
Milk and eggs.

15. Vitamin E: It is necessary for…

Maintaining healthy cells and skin.
It helps builds resistance to fight diseases.

The main sources are..

Vegetable oils like corn oil, safflower oil, etc.
Cereal grains like wheat, wheat germ, bajra, jowar etc.
Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and fenugreek.

Serve Bajra Porridge to your bundle of joy. It satiates them and fulfils the need of many nutrients. It’s a completely healthy meal option.

Bajra Porridge for Babies

Indian 6 Month Baby Food Chart

NUTRIENTS	IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS	SOURCES
Energy	Healthy growth and development Required for our daily activities	Cereals such as wheat, rice, Bajra etc. Dals and pulses such as moong dal, Rajma etc. Dairy products like milk, Curds, Paneer etc. Fruits, vegetables and their juices
Protein	Skeletal as well as muscular growth and development Maintenance and repair of cells	Dals and pulses such as moong dal, Chana Dal, chana etc. Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc.
Carbohydrates	*Extremely necessary to provide heat and energy to the body.	Whole grains and its products like whole wheat, rice, Jowar etc. Vegetables like Potato and Yam *Fruits like banana, Chickoo, mango etc.
Fat	Serves as a concentrated source of energy Carrier of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, D, E and K *Healthy development of brain	Visible fats and oils like sunflower, corn, peanut, olive etc. Invisible fat, which as the name suggests, is the hidden fat present in all foodstuffs like nuts, oilseeds, cereals, etc.
Calcium	*Formation and strengthening of bones and teeth	Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc. Dark green leafy vegetables such as Broccoli, Spinach, Fenugreek etc. sesame seeds (til) and Ragi (Nachni) Dals and pulses like Masoor Dal, urad dal etc. *Sprouts
Iron	Essential for the formation of haemoglobin which supplies oxygen to all the cells in our body Production of red blood cells	Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, cow pea leaves, fenugreek etc. Nuts such as Almonds, Walnuts etc. and oilseeds such as Sesame Seeds(til) and garden cress seeds (aliv / halim) Dried fruits like raisins, dates etc. Whole grain cereals and pulses such as bajra, cow pea ( Chawli), dry peas, etc. *Jaggery (in moderation as recommended by your paediatrician)
Zinc	Overall growth and development Promotes brain development	Whole grains like bajra, ragi (nachni), wheat etc. Pulses like whole Bengal gram, cow pea (chawli)
Vitamin A	Required for healthy skin Normal process of growth and vision Strengthening of tooth enamel Increases immunity and provides protection from diseases	Dark green leafy vegetables such as fenugreek, spinach etc. Yellow, orange fruits and vegetables like Carrots, Pumpkin, tomatoes, papaya etc. *Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)	Helps in providing energy Improves nerve metabolism	Cereals such as wheat, rice, jowar, etc. Leafy vegetables like fenugreek and spinach
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Promotes healthy skin Helps in providing energy from protein, carbohydrates and fats	Dairy products such as milk, curds, paneer etc. Green leafy vegetables such as cow pea leaves, colocasia, spinach etc. Cereals such as wheat, rice, bajra etc. Dals and pulses such as moong dal, rajma, etc.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	*Helps in metabolising protein, carbohydrate and fats and supplies energy	Whole cereals such as barley, wheat etc. Dals and pulses like chana dal, moong etc. Groundnuts
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	*Helps in the breakdown of proteins and fats	Cereals such as wheat, jowar etc. Vegetables like broccoli and potato
Folic Acid	*Multiplication and formation of new cells formation of new cells	Vegetables such as cluster beans, spinach, peas, broccoli, beetroot, tomato, ladies finger, potato (especially with skin on) etc. Cereals like bajra, wheat and pulses like rajma, moong etc. *Nuts like almonds, walnuts etc. and oilseeds such as sesame seeds (til).
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)	Strengthens your baby's immunity and protects her from infections Promotes development of teeth, skin, muscles, bones and cartilage *Aids in the absorption of iron present in the food	Citrus fruits like orange, guava, lemon, sweet lime etc. Other fruits like amla *Vegetables such as broccoli, capsicum, coriander and cabbage
Vitamin D	*Aids in the utilization of calcium in the body, which in turn makes the bones healthy.	Can be manufactured by our body in the presence of sunlight Milk and eggs
Vitamin E	*Essential for maintaining healthy cells and skin	Vegetable oils like corn oil, safflower oil, etc. Cereal grains like wheat, wheat germ, bajra, jowar etc. *Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and fenugreek