Baby Meal Planning: 10-12 Months

As I wrote before, the world of baby food has left me with more questions than straight answers.  Every book, website, doctor and mom you meet on the play ground has a different answer and a different set of rules. 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.  I was in search of someone to layout a guide of no-fail meals that I could feed Behr, but ended up in a frustrating cycle of trial and error. Here is what worked for our family. Hopefully it can help you.

You may also want to read our 7-9 month meal plan. The biggest changes over the past two months, is Behr's interest in feeding himself and eating what we eat. This has lead to even more strategic planning of dinner.

Disclaimer: 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}

Pancakes - we started a special Sunday morning tradition of homemade pancakes. Behr loves them and can feed these to himself.

Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - (this one carried over from before, and is still Behr's favorite food) 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 Waffles - Another food baby can feed themselves. We feed Behr Earth's Best and he loves them. However, I have to admit the giant picture of cookie monster on the front kept me from getting these for a few weeks, and then I finally buckled down and read the ingredients.

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

{snack}

Granola Bars - I have been experimenting with homemade, but haven't found the perfect recipe. Once I do, I will be sure to share.

Veggie Booty - Behr loves this stuff, and a piece or two will keep him happy for quite a while, whereas with other prepackaged finger foods he tends to plow through the serving size and still want more.

{lunch}

Quesadillas - spinach and cheese quesadillas can be made in a large batch (a whole 6-8 tortilla package), and can be served at room temp. This makes them super easy to have on hand and can be lunch all week.

Veggie Burgers - our favorites are Sunshine Original Burgers, but they are hit or miss with Behr. I want to make my own with a chick pea base and will let you know how it goes, once I give it a shot.

Finger Friendly Veggies - cooked and cooled these veggies make lunch time fun. Recent favorites: cauliflower, carrots, and sweet potatoes. When chopping food, I make sure there is room to hold it and chew on the end, think baby carrots.  This allows baby to pick up their food before complete control of the pincer grasp.

Mac and Cheese with Peas - this is a bit messy, but mac and cheese with a few peas thrown in is our fall back when we are short on time and we have nothing else ready.

{dinner}

Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprout Curry - The diced sweet potato is already perfect size for baby, all you have to do is chop the brussels sprouts a bit more and it is a meal that everyone can enjoy.

Squash Soup - We use a new recipe almost every time, but recently, this one has done the trick. Tip, when Behr gets bread from the table, he gets the end. It lasts longer and doubles as a teething tool.

Veggie Soup or Chili - Anything you have, throw it in the pot! The good news is that during prep, you can make sure the size of all of the veggies is baby friendly, so once you are finished, you are set for a few pint sized meals.

Potato Soup - This might be Behr's favorite meal to share with us.

Clearly, these are a bit seasonal, as every dinner in our rotation is soup, but they are simple and make multiple meals. A time-saving bonus for any mom!

Do you have any favorite foods for baby?  

Recipes I should try?  

Questions about how I prepare food?  

Ask away.