Baby Meal Planning: 7-9 Months

Behr eating at six months.

These pictures are old, but I love the intensity of his expression. 

After recently seeing them again, I have been dying to use them in a post!

Stepping into the world of baby food has left me with more questions than straight answers.  After hours of internet searching, ending up in dead ends and more confusion, I finally realized that the answers I was looking for aren't searchable.

Each kid likes different foods, different amounts, and at different stages.  But that doesn't help a frantic mom figure out what food to introduce next.  So before I dive into a meal plan, here is a little bit about my food philosophy, and the first foods Behr ate (minus the lamb...we balked at introducing meat).

The purpose of this meal plan is to provide you with ideas that may work for your baby.  

As with all recommendations, please follow the advice and guidance of your pediatrician.  

{breakfast}

Steel Cut Oats - serve plain, or add purred mango, mashed bananas, or apple sauce.  When serving these plain, I let Behr eat them with his hands, teaching texture and self-feeding.

Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - we currently buy stonyfield, but I hope to make my own someday.  Keep the yogurt plain to teach that not all food has to be sweet and sugary.

Blueberry Smoothie - blend 2/3 cup of frozen blueberries, a peach or nectarine, banana and homemade concord grape juice.  Occasionally we mix in apple sauce or mango.  When making this smoothie, add fruits you would like with blueberries

Sliced Fruit - bananas, apples and kiwis are favorites in our house, and help satisfy Behr while I get my act together in the morning.

{lunch}

Mashed Mint Peas - steam frozen peas and gently pulse through a blender adding mint and parmesan for a delicious mash.

Quinoa - commonly mistaken for a grain, this seed is an excellent source of protein.  Quinoa can be dry and fluffy when prepared, making it hard to eat/swallow at first.  Add cooked/pureed spinach, sweet potato, or beets and olive oil to make a mini casserole that is easier to eat.

Roasted Acorn Squash - left-overs from mom and dad's dinner.  Blend cubed squash with apple sauce and cinnamon to sweeten the deal.

Finger Friendly Veggies - cooked and cooled these veggies make lunch time fun: green beans, sweet potato fries, avocado slivers.  When cutting food, I make sure there is room to hold it and chew on the end, think short green beans.  This allows baby to pick up their food before complete control of the pincer grasp.

{dinner}

Sweet Potato and Pear - Make a pear sauce, similar to apple sauce (but with the opposite effect on the digestive system) add cinnamon.

Lentil Soup - cook lentils with finely diced carrots and tomatoes in a veggie stock until all bits are soft.  We life to add curry powder to taste - but not salt or pepper yet.

Carrots and Cauliflower - Steam and blend these two veggies and as the baby gets older, add grated cheddar cheese and fresh basil to expand horizons.

Spinach and Lima Beans - When blended, these two veggies have opposite consistencies.  Together, they are ideal for baby learning to spoon feed.




Do you have any favorite foods for baby?  Recipes I should try?  Questions about how I prepare food?  Ask away.  We are moving along to more finger and self-fed foods, but have not yet figured out a consistent rotation.