Congratulations! Your baby is 10-months-old now, and you must be so proud that you have taken care of your little munchkin so well. You must have noticed a lot of changes in him/her – she/he must be crawling, communicating, or even playing. But like every responsible parent out there, you must be worried about his/her nutritional requirements and overall health. If you are looking for food suggestions for your child, I have something for you. Here we will discuss what you should feed to your 10-month-old baby.
Nutrient Requirements of a Baby at This Age
The calorie requirements of a baby at this age depends entirely on her/his weight. As a general rule of thumb, your 10-month-old baby will need anywhere between 90 and 120 calories per kilogram of his/her weight. According to the experts, this translates to 793 calories for male babies and 717 calories for female babies. Your baby will need food from the main food groups. You can follow the basic food pyramid chart in order to understand the ratio of fruits, vegetables, and grains that you need to follow while serving food to your child. Apart from this, you will have to make sure that your baby gets an adequate amount of calcium and iron in his/her diet. This is essential for his/her physical and mental development.
Always remember that solids food can’t replace the nutrients breastmilk or formula provides during the first year. So consider including solids in your baby’s diet as a complementary feeding. And always consider preferring homemade foods for your baby, which is safe. Don’t force the baby though, as each baby is unique and adopt eating habits at their own pace. Just keep trying at your best to encourage his eating habits. Also continue offering finger foods and spices to baby as same as 9 months
WHAT’S NEW ON 10 MONTHS BABY FOOD?
Fruits: all fruits except citrus fruits
Vegetables: all seasonal vegetables with no exception including cucumber, corn, spinach and mushrooms
Fruits: Homemade Apple Sauce, puree banana and berries
Non Vegetarian: minced chicken, fish
Boiled or scrambled eggs
HOW MANY MEALS PER DAY FOR A 10 MONTHS OLD BABY?
HOW MUCH QUANTITY PER DAY?
- Cereal – 1/4 to 1/2 cup
- Vegetables – 1/4 to 1/2 cup
- Fruits – 1/4 to 1/2 cup
- Dairy – 2 to 3 tbsp
- Meat/Protein – 4 tbsp
Sample Meals for Baby: 10 to 12 months old
|
Mealtimes |
10 to 12 months |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Breastmilk, infant formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk Vitamin D drops |
| Breakfast | Iron fortified infant cereal mixed with breastmilk, formula, 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk or water Full-fat plain yogurt, unsalted cottage cheese or grated cheese Cooked chopped egg Soft fruit (chopped banana, avocado, peach, seedless watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, plum or kiwi) Breastmilk, formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk |
| Morning Snack | Strips of whole-grain bread or roti Grated apple or chopped strawberries Breastmilk, formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk |
| Lunch | Infant cereal mixed with breastmilk, formula, 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk or water Minced or chopped soft-cooked meat (lamb, pork, veal or beef) Cooked whole wheat pasta, rice or pita bread Cubed avocado or peeled and chopped cucumber Breastmilk, formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk |
| Afternoon Snack | Cheese cubes (full fat mozzarella, Swiss or cheddar) with pieces of unsalted whole grain crackers or toast Breastmilk, formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk |
| Dinner | Infant cereal mixed with breastmilk, formula, 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk or water Diced or cut up cooked or canned flaked fish or pieces of firm tofu or chicken Cut up vegetables (soft-cooked green beans, okra, cauliflower, broccoli or carrots) Soft fruit (chopped banana, ripe peach or mango or quartered grapes) Breastmilk, formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk |
| Bedtime Snack | Small pieces of whole grain toast, bread, crackers or unsweetened dry O-shaped cereal Breastmilk, formula or 3.25% homogenized whole cow’s milk |
Some Tips to Consider
Here are some tips that you should follow before and while feeding your little one.
- Sterilize the utensils you use for your baby.
- Taste the food you prepare for your little one before giving it to him. Make sure it is neither too hot nor too cold. The food should be warm.
- Don’t add too much salt. To enhance the flavor of any dish, add in the cheese!
- Be sure to adjust the ingredients according to your baby’s preferences and nutritional requirements.
- Introduce only one solid food at a time. Wait for three days before introducing any other food. This way you will help your child develop a taste for that particular food. You should also look for any symptoms of allergy in three-days time after having introduced the new food.
- Consult your pediatrician before introducing any new food.
Feeding a 10-month-old is a period of experimentation. As your baby begins to distinguish between flavors and starts to have favorites, you will be able to develop meal plans that your baby truly enjoys. Keep the food pyramid in mind when planning meals and be sure to consult with your pediatrician on what you can and cannot feed your baby.
Disclaimer:
- Each child is different and so use these meal plans as a trusted guide as per your discretion. You can modify the meals according to your child’s preferences / requirements.
- Never force-feed a child.
- While preparing formula, please follow the instructions on the box and use the measuring spoon provided with it.
- While introducing solid food to a baby, initially, one needs to prepare watery gruels/soups. As a child gets older, the caretaker/ mother has to increase the thickness of the liquids slowly according to the child’s capacity to swallow. Foods that are too thick can cause stomach upset/ unnecessary load; while excessively watery food might cause the child to remain hungry.
- Some kids may eat less on some days and that is absolutely alright. However, if a child eats less for more than 3-4 consecutive days, please visit a doctor to guide further.
- A child may eat less during the teething phase or if he/she may not be feeling well. You could increase breast milk /formula feeds on those days. Re-introduce the foods once the child is back to normal.
- Don’t stop feeding if the child is suffering from diarrhea.
- You can alter the taste of the food by adding some natural flavors like cinnamon, jeera powder, lemon juice, curry leaves etc. if the child doesn’t accept the food initially.
- If your child suffers from an allergy to nuts, gluten or eggs, please consult your doctor before feeding him/her any foods that may contain them.
