Dietary recommendations for babies aged 1-12 months

• It is not recommended to introduce complementary foods before 4 months of age, as this may increase the risk of obesity or allergies in babies.
• It is best to exclusively breastfeed the baby until 6 months of age. Breast milk is the easiest food for babies to absorb, and it can provide the baby with sufficient nutrition before 6 months of age.
• Complementary foods should be fresh, natural, varied, and without added seasonings. Offer your baby a wide variety of foods to ensure adequate nutrition and improve their future acceptance of different foods. Avoid adding seasonings to prevent strain on the kidneys and help your baby develop a habit of eating a light diet.
• When introducing complementary foods, it should be done gradually, in small amounts (1-2 teaspoons), and one new food at a time. After consuming complementary foods for a period of time, a doctor should be consulted to assess whether there is an iron deficiency.
• Foods that are less likely to cause allergies should be given priority, such as rice cereal or thin porridge.
• Do not give fresh milk to children under one year old, as the high protein, sodium, and potassium content in fresh milk can put a strain on their kidneys.
• Infants under one year old should avoid consuming honey, as their immune system is not fully developed, to prevent respiratory failure caused by botulism toxin.
• There is no need to deliberately delay the time trying highly allergenic foods, but you should still start with small amounts.
• Feed your baby in appropriate amounts to maintain a healthy weight.
• Parents should regularly measure their baby's height and weight and monitor their growth.
• Avoid force-feeding.
• Give your baby water; do not feed them sugary drinks or excessive amounts of fruit juice.
• Before one year of age, give no more than 120ml of fruit juice per day to avoid affecting the intake of other foods.
• After starting to feed complementary foods, you can begin to establish the habit of giving your baby water.

Feeding principles of highly allergenic foods

To determine if your baby is allergic, you can only observe their reaction after trying new foods; this usually takes 3-7 days, during which time you can assess for allergic symptoms.

• 8 common allergens:
• Peanuts
• Crustaceans (such as lobster, crab, shrimp) and shellfish
• Eggs
• Milk
• Nuts (such as almonds, cashews, etc.)
• Fish
• Soybeans
• Wheat Feeding Principles for Highly Allergenic Foods
• Introduce one new food at a time: Feed one new food at a time for 3-7 days.
• Introduce staple foods in small amounts and gradually increase the concentration and quantity.
• There is no need to delay introducing new foods.
• If parents or siblings have a history of food allergies, special observation is required.
• Initial feeding should be done at home for observation.
• Allergy symptoms:

Making Baby Food Ice Blocks

For working parents who have concerns about commercially available baby foods and lack time, making baby food ice blocks is a quick and easy option.

• When making ice blocks, keep different ingredients separate to easily observe for any allergic reactions in your baby.
• Do not store ice blocks for more than one week.
• Ice blocks that have been warmed up during a meal should not be eaten with the next meal.
• Before feeding your baby, parents should test the temperature and taste to ensure the food is at a suitable temperature and is not spoiled.
• Suitable ingredients for making ice cubes:

Recipe Examples

Recipe Example 1: Apple and Pumpkin Puree

• Ingredients:
• 1 apple
• 1/2 small pumpkin
• Appropriate amount of breast milk or formula
• Instructions:
• Wash, peel, and dice the apple and pumpkin. Steam them together in an electric rice cooker until cooked.
• After steaming, add formula or breast milk and it's ready.

Recipe Example 2: Purple Rice and Red Bean Porridge

• Ingredients:
• Purple rice or white rice (appropriate amount)
• Apple (peeled and cored)
• Red beans (appropriate amount)
• Instructions:
• Wash the purple rice or white rice and red beans, and soak them in water for at least 2 hours.
• Put the rice and peeled apple into a rice cooker and cook.
• Drain the soaked red beans and put them into the pot to cook.
• Take the amount of purple rice your baby wants to eat, mix it with the apple and red beans, and blend it in a food processor until smooth.

Recipe Example 3: Vegetable and Mushroom Porridge

• Ingredients:
• Bonito flakes or kelp
• Fresh shiitake mushrooms and vegetables suitable for children's age
• White porridge
• Instructions:
•  Add water to the kelp and simmer at 60 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Then heat to 90 degrees Celsius, add bonito flakes, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Strain to make kelp broth.
• Take an appropriate amount of broth, add blanched mushrooms or vegetables, and blend into a puree.
• Cook the broth from step 2 with white rice to make porridge.