3 Meal Ideas to Offer Your Baby from 9 to 12 Months

Once your little one has started on solid foods and is consuming iron-rich foods each day, you can start to get a little bit more creative with what you offer them. This can include offering complimentary foods and combining foods to make new meals. 

Offering complimentary foods will help your little one to develop tastes for a variety of different foods, as well as increasing the variety in nutrients that they’re consuming. It’s important to remember that until 12 months, your baby's primary source of nutrition is still coming from breastmilk or formula— so have some fun experimenting with different meal options for them!

Here are 3 recipe ideas to offer your baby between 9  to 12 months.

1. Apple Pie Oatmeal

Add a bit of natural sweetness and fibre to your little one’s oatmeal bowl!

Ingredients

• ½ Apple, peeled and diced

• ⅓ cup water

• Pinch of cinnamon

• 3 tbsp Infant oatmeal cereal

Start by adding the peeled and diced apple and a splash of water to a pan on the stovetop on medium heat. While stirring, let the apples cook until soft. Mash the apple well with a cooking utensil and add the pinch of cinnamon, remainder of water, and infant cereal. Stir until fully combined and remove from heat. Make sure to test the temperature before feeding.

2. Avocado Toast Strips

These toast strips are balanced with fibre, protein and healthy fats for your baby.

Ingredients

• Whole wheat toast

• ⅛-¼ avocado

• 1 tbsp cottage cheese

In a bowl, mash together the avocado and cottage cheese until well combined. Lightly toast a slice of whole wheat toast and slice the toast into long, finger-sized strips. Top each toast strip with a thin layer of the avocado and cottage cheese mixture.

3. Chicken and Veggie Fritters

The whole family will enjoy these delicious, protein-packed fritters.

Ingredients

• 1 cup broccoli florets

• 1 cup cauliflower florets

• ½ cup cooked and shredded chicken

• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour

• Water

Steam broccoli and cauliflower until very tender. Add broccoli, cauliflower, and shredded chicken to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add this mixture into a mixing bowl in addition to the egg and whole wheat flour. Stir until fully combined, adding a splash of water if needed to combine ingredients. Form into thin 4-inch patties and pan fry with little cooking oil or bake. Once cooked, cut the fritter into long finger-sized strips before serving it to your little one.

For more recipe ideas that the whole family will love, download our complimentary recipe book for balanced and delicious meal options!