This simple table shows the elements required for balanced baby nutrition and lists the foods you need to include in your little one's diet.
This table is a useful guide after your baby reaches about 10 months of age - by this time he will have been introduced to the various food groups mentioned and he will rely more completely on solid foods for his dietary needs.
What He Needs
Benefits
Good Sources For Baby
Vitamins
Help the body to absorb food and use it effectively. Also help the immune system.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Minerals
Needed to ensure that the vital organs function properly. Also regulate the body's water balance.
Breastmilk/formula, eggs, cereals, meat and green, leafy vegetables
Proteins
Help the body to grow and to repair itself.
Poultry, meat, grains, dairy products, eggs and legumes
Carbohydrates
Provide the energy needed to maintain bodily functions
Breastmilk/formula, whole grains, pasta, potatoes, beans, legumes, dairy products and fruit
Fats
Store energy for the body
Breastmilk/formula, vegetable oils
Good baby nutrition is essential for healthy growth and development, but these recommendations apply equally to the rest of the family - particularly when your baby begins to enjoy the family meals. So use some of the food sources listed here to create some healthy meals for you all to enjoy.
