meals for almost one year old

[SamiPolizzi]

My DS is approaching his first birthday. He LOVES food and usually just eats some of whatever I'm eating. I haven't worried much about giving him nutritionally balanced meals, because he's still nursing. I think it's time for me to start actually planning meals. So what I'm wondering is... what do you feed your one year old? What's an appropriate meal size for a one year old?

Also, next week I'm attending a doula workshop, so I'm going to be gone pretty much all day, two days in a row. My mom will be here with DS. It's going to be the longest I've ever been away from him and I'm not sure what to leave for my mom to feed him. Any ideas? I want to make it as easy for her as possible.

[claras_mom]

I try to cook nutritionally balanced meals, so when I manage it, I just give 11.5 mo dd a little of everything we have. So if I've braised chicken with parsnips, carrots, and tomato, and am serving it over brown rice, I fish out some chicken and some vegetables and give her rice as well. I read somewhere that about a tablespoon of each is plenty--her stomach is about the size of her fist--but I mostly watch her cues.

[mckittre]

I figure I try to eat well myself, so a little of what I'm having should be fine. I just give my 13 month old a little in his own dish. I usually only give him a spoonful or so at a time - discourages him from throwing it on the floor, and he asks for more (by pointing or signing) when he wants it. Probably your mom can just share meals with him too?

[BetsyS]

When I leave my kids with other people, I try to make sure that there are foods that they definitely like (so they'll eat, and the caregiver won't worry about them being hungry), that there are easy snacks around, and that it's easy (cause, really, most people aren't used to cooking and caring for a baby/toddler at the same time).

Some things my kids will always eat (they don't love meat):
cheese quesadillas
spaghetti (just from a jar)
macaroni and cheese (this I do make ahead--my kids don't eat the box)
cream cheese and jelly on crackers or bread
grilled cheese
oatmeal with frozen blueberries stirred in
one child likes eggs, scrambled or fried hard (the other shudders! LOL)
bagels with cream cheese
sloppy joes

fruit (apple slices, bananas, frozen peaches, cantaloupe)
raisins
dry cereal

My kids really only drink water and milk. They think juice is a big treat, like for birthday parties and such. So, I just offer water all day long and at meals.

[SamiPolizzi]

My mom has a weird diet due to digestive problems, and she doesn't eat a lot either. I'm guessing if she's at my house babysitting, she's probably going to mostly be eating yogurt and drinking protien shakes.

I'm not worried about leaving something he will eat, because he'll eat just about anything you put in front of him. I'm worried about leaving ENOUGH for him to eat, and that he's getting all the nutrition he needs. Especially because my expressed milk supply is pretty low. Not to mention, I haven't the slightest clue how much milk he's going to need for the whole day.

I'm starting to get nervous about this.

[GreenGranolaMama]

OP you totally read my mind! I just logged onto MDC to ask the same question!!!


My DS is 10 mo- here are a few of the things we do

sweet potato fries
avocado slices
pasta noodles
rice
beans
whole peas, green beans, carrot bits
bits of bread and hummus
DH and I don't eat meat- I've been giving DS bits of tofu but would be interested to hear what other families feed their veggie only babies

Keep the ideas coming!

[claras_mom]

Originally Posted by SamiPolizzi

My mom has a weird diet due to digestive problems, and she doesn't eat a lot either. I'm guessing if she's at my house babysitting, she's probably going to mostly be eating yogurt and drinking protien shakes.

I'm not worried about leaving something he will eat, because he'll eat just about anything you put in front of him. I'm worried about leaving ENOUGH for him to eat, and that he's getting all the nutrition he needs. Especially because my expressed milk supply is pretty low. Not to mention, I haven't the slightest clue how much milk he's going to need for the whole day.

I'm starting to get nervous about this.

In that case, I'd definitely go with a meat, maybe some whole milk yogurt (if he's eating that), and a variety of things you know he particularly likes.

I work full time. Dd2 still nurses, but hasn't been getting milk during the day (I threw in the towel on pumping a month or so ago). Instead she nurses in the morning, evening and through the night. Regarding the workshop, if your son is away from you and doesn't nurse as much as he'd like, then he'll make up for it when you get home. Just top him off before you go.

[cheryllynn]

I like making sure she gets proteins, good carbs and good fats. For our house this translates into chicken, turkey or fish plus any number of veggies: carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, green beans, cauliflower, turnips, potatoes.
and for good fats we are currently using avocados, organic unsalted butter, organic ghee. I love warming up a bit of pureed veggie and add a bit of butter on top. It was the only way I could get her to finish her beets is by adding butter.

Right now we are also using fruits such as apples, pears, blueberries, peaches, bananas, mangos.

We are stilling in the adding phase and soon to add beef.

We are not going to add cow's milk, cheese, or yogurt and will stick with goat's milk & yogurt when she is 1.

I bought the 100 top purees for baby and loved the book. I think it gave me good ideas for meals. I leave out the parts I am not adding to baby's diet such as cow's milk, cheese, corn, soy or black pepper.

I will be adding gluten-free pasta when she is older and I'm not preparing things in the food processor. I would think cooked pasta in a food processor would be a mess. Maybe a blender.

A few of my favorites:
steamed chicken thighs, cooked green beans and brown rice - pureed.
steamed chicken breast, carrots, cilantro - pureed
sweet potatoes, carrots, yams, cinnamon - pureed, warmed with ghee or butter
apples, pears with cinnamon and clove

A little goes a long way. Sometimes just using leftovers is all we need to fill several 2 ounce jars.

[firewoman]

Beans! All different types. Aduki, navy, black! Add a little shredded cheddar and steamed broccoli and brown rice. Mash up the beans and let baby eat it! It will be a little messy, but he will have so much fun.

If you get canned, try to get Eden organics. They use non-BPA lined cans for their beans.

[JMJ]

I feed my DD what I eat. I try to offer her some of different food groups every day. I make sure she's got proteins, veggies, fruits, carbs and mamma milk offered to her every day. It's up to her if she wants to eat them, and she gets as much as she wants of whatever she is offered. I would just pack extra of several different food groups for your mom and tell her not to give it all to him at once to minimize waste.

[teachma]

Originally Posted by claras_mom

I work full time. Dd2 still nurses, but hasn't been getting milk during the day (I threw in the towel on pumping a month or so ago). Instead she nurses in the morning, evening and through the night.

Off topic, but I'm glad I'm not the only one doing this! I do pump, but I only have tome to get 3-5 ounces for him each day. They definitely compensate by nursing more later on! I agree with the food suggestions of yogurt and maybe some meat. My ds also loves the egg yolk from a fried egg and eats one almost every day while in his grandma's care.