How to start giving your child meat supplements? How to prepare meat puree for your baby? How to prepare meat complementary foods for babies.

Your baby has grown up, and his mother’s milk is no longer enough for him. The issues of proper introduction of complementary foods are more pressing than ever before. The baby has already tried some vegetables and fruits, as well as juices and purees from them. How and when can meat be introduced into his diet? How much should I give it? How to cook properly? Will there be an allergy to the new food? The children's doctor will explain to you the optimal timing for introducing various types of complementary foods.

Is meat good for babies?

For proper growth, a baby definitely needs animal proteins, the source of which is meat food. These substances and amino acids cannot be obtained from plant foods.
Meat contains easily digestible macro- and microelements that the child’s body absorbs better than their plant counterparts. We are talking about phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, iodine.
The most important vitamins - E, PP, H, as well as group B and many others are contained in this useful product.
Due to its dense fibrous structure, meat contributes to the development of chewing skills in the baby.

When should you introduce meat into baby food?

Pediatricians recommend introducing your baby to meat puree from 6 to 8 months. However, this type of complementary feeding should not be the first; it would be correct to introduce it after pureed vegetables, fruits and cereal porridges, and experts advise observing a 2-month interval between the first complementary feeding and the start of feeding meat:

If a baby eats mother’s milk, then the first complementary foods can be given at 6 months, and meat foods at 8 months.
if the baby is artificial, then he already eats vegetable complementary foods at 4 months, and meat can be introduced at six months

The rule of a 2-month interval may not be observed if anemia is detected in the toddler, but even in this case, it is not recommended to introduce meat complementary foods before 6 months.

Reasons why you should not feed your baby meat before six months:

His digestive system is not yet developed to digest meat products, the necessary enzymes are not produced, so even if he eats meat, it cannot be completely digested in the child’s stomach. A large amount of animal protein is a source of putrefactive processes in the intestines of infants.
Before the child is six months old, an allergy to a foreign protein may appear.
An increased amount of animal protein puts a significant burden on the baby’s kidneys.

Algorithm for introducing complementary foods with meat

You need to start with a small amount of product on the tip of a spoon, which is recommended to be given before the main feeding.
If the baby eats willingly, and no allergies have appeared, then the portion is gradually increased, the amount is added half a teaspoon at a time.
Meat puree must be prepared before feeding; it should be as finely chopped as possible, fairly homogeneous, and at a warm temperature.
It is allowed to add meat puree to other food familiar to the child - vegetable puree, cereal-free porridge, which he usually eats; it is allowed to dilute the chopped minced meat with milk or an adapted mixture.
To form a proper diet, pediatricians recommend cooking meat and including it in plant-based dishes at lunchtime feeding for the baby.

Correct amount of product

Depending on the age of the baby, it is determined how many grams of meat should be in its diet:

6-7 months – from 5 to 20 g;
8-9 months – portion increases to 50 g;
10-12 months – 50-70 g;
1.5-2 years – 80 g.

Dishes made from healthy meat should be in a child’s diet every day. You should not exceed the recommended amount, even if the baby eats it well, as this can lead to increased stress on the baby’s digestive system and kidneys.

Choosing meat

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To understand what kind of meat to start complementary feeding with, you need to learn more about its main types.

Turkey and rabbit meat. Considered the best for baby food. There is no allergy to them, there is no excess fat in them, and the meat itself is very tender and healthy.
Chicken. It is often used in dietary nutrition, although it is less digestible than turkey meat, but at the same time it is the most allergenic product of all types of meat. If the baby is allergic to egg whites, then you cannot give your baby chicken meat; it is better to choose quail meat.
Lean beef. A large amount of protein and microelements make it possible to choose this type of meat as the first complementary food for a baby. However, if he is allergic to cow's milk, then a similar reaction is possible to beef. In this case, it is better to use turkey or rabbit for the first feeding.
Quail meat. A very gentle, dietary product, often recommended for small allergy sufferers. It should be introduced into the baby’s diet after 7 months. Its calorie content is significantly higher than that of rabbit and chicken, so you should not give quail meat to your child every day.
Pork. Too fatty for the first feeding, however, if you choose leaner varieties, for example, tenderloin, then its fat content will be slightly higher than that of beef. In some cases, allergists recommend feeding pork to infants with diathesis and atopic dermatitis.
Lamb, duck and goose are not recommended for complementary feeding for children under 3 years of age, because the gastrointestinal tract of a little person is not able to digest such tough and fatty meat.

Preparing meat supplements at home

A high-quality meat product for baby feeding is prepared exclusively from fresh meat.

Cooking process:

Rinse the selected meat well, cut off all films from it, remove fatty layers.
Place in a saucepan, add cold water, cook until fully cooked without adding spices or salt.
It is recommended to cook tougher beef and pork for about 2 hours; chicken, rabbit, turkey and quail meat will be ready faster.
The cooked product can be ground in a blender, passed through a meat grinder 2 times, and then rubbed through a fine strainer to prepare minced meat.
Mix the mixture with vegetable puree and add a few drops of vegetable oil.
Give your baby food that has been cooled until warm.

Try to prepare a small amount of puree, since it is much healthier to feed your baby exclusively fresh meat supplements. If you have prepared a little more than the little one needs for one meal, then the extra dish can be stored in the refrigerator for another 1 day.

Our photo recipe will help you prepare meat puree for your baby's first feeding. In it, for a more uniform consistency, a little mixture or breast milk is added to the ground meat.

Varieties of meat dishes

Babies up to 8 months are fed meat puree.
For children 8-9 months old, you can prepare small meatballs from finely chopped minced meat, which they mash with a fork before eating.
A 10-month-old baby is allowed to give whole meatballs or meatballs if he has teeth.
At 12 months, the toddler happily eats steamed cutlets.

Canned meat prepared in a special production facility

In any grocery store you can see a lot of different jars of baby food. If the mother cannot prepare such puree on her own, then it is quite possible to use the products of professionals.

Advantages of specialized nutrition for children:

it is prepared from the meat of animals specially raised for this purpose
it is guaranteed to contain the vitamins and other beneficial substances indicated on the packaging
it is produced for a certain age, so the degree of grinding of canned meat varies
-you don’t need to cook it, you just need to heat it up and give it to the child

Possible disadvantages:

the high price of some brands, commensurate with the cost of raw meat of excellent quality
if storage conditions are violated, there is a high risk of poisoning

The introduction of meat complementary foods is a small step for your little one into adulthood. Only a caring mother can prepare food for her precious child that is fresh and as healthy as possible. Try to strictly follow all the recommendations and introduce a new type of food correctly - this will help the baby grow healthy and happy, and allergies will not bother him.

In the video below, you will learn the most popular recipes for preparing meat for baby food with your own hands.

As a first complementary food, the child should be offered dietary meats to which allergies are rarely observed. You can prepare them yourself or choose from prepared food departments. According to the recipe, the meat must be cleaned of films and veins. For the little ones, they grind it twice through a meat grinder and offer it as a puree. After the first teeth appear, the presence of solid substances is allowed. You can cook boiled meatballs and meatballs.

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How to introduce meat complementary foods to a child under one year old?

From the 6-7th month of an infant’s life, meat complementary foods are introduced into his diet. To begin with, you should use dietary poultry meat - turkey or chicken. Then you can try giving beef or tender rabbit fillet.

It is necessary to take into account individual intolerance and carefully monitor the child’s reaction to the product used. If you have hypolactasia (lactose indigestibility, allergy to dairy products), beef should be excluded. The foods of choice in this case would be lean parts of rabbit or turkey. These are dietary, low-calorie and highly digestible varieties of meat.

Provided there are no negative reactions, beef remains the product of choice. When your baby likes meat dishes, you can add pork. From the 10-12th month - lamb. Heavier goose and duck meat can lead to pain in the stomach; it is indicated for children from the age of three.

Soups with meat broth are contraindicated for children up to two and a half years of age. Purine substances formed during cooking of meat cause stomach and intestinal upset.

When should you start feeding meat?

Domestic pediatricians and nutritionists recommend first introducing vegetables and fruits into complementary foods, trying different varieties of cereals, and then only moving on to meat dishes. Foreign experts have a different opinion. In any case, the general recommendations are that bottle-fed children receive meat from six months of age, and breast-fed children from eight months of age.

If the baby likes a new dish and there is no discomfort in the tummy after consumption, it is introduced into the daily diet. The initial portion is 20 g per day, which over time can be increased by 5-10 g monthly.

Cooking rules and consistency

Children of different ages need to grind meat in different ways. At the age of 6 to 7 months, the consistency of the food has the appearance of a homogenized paste. The particle size is 0.3 mm.

The older the baby, the more his chewing abilities need to be developed.

Prepare at home or buy ready-made?

Both cases have their positive and negative aspects. Home cooking is good because the dish remains fresh and does not contain harmful preservatives. The downside is the likelihood of purchasing low-quality meat. There is a choice of accompanying products, be it vegetables or cereals. Shelf life is one day.

It is possible to comply with storage rules. The disadvantage is the time it takes to prepare.

Ready-made meat dishes, in accordance with state legislation, undergo quality control at all stages of preparation and production. They must meet established standards. Since this is mass production, there is no guarantee that the preparation technology was not violated at some stage.

Hermetically sealed packaging allows the product to be stored for a long time. But the composition may not correspond to what is indicated on the label.

Ease of transportation is a plus of ready-made food. But the high price of the product can scare off many mothers.

Ready-made meals do not require time. Depending on the age, you can choose the degree of grinding. Thanks to a wide selection of products, it is possible to purchase a ready-made dish with a side dish. Storage jars are suitable for repeated use, and therefore can be useful in everyday life.

The advantages are obvious, and most parents give their preference to ready-made canned products. Not everyone has the opportunity to feed their baby organic meat from animals raised in the right conditions. Many popular manufacturers offer a wide range of fruit, vegetable and meat dishes. In individual form and in combinations. Given the time savings on preparation, ready-made products are more popular.

The most popular manufacturers

Leading brands that deserve the attention of parents:

"Agusha", Russia;
"Tema", Russia;
“Babushkino Basket”, Russia;
"FrutoNyanya", Russia;
Heinz, Italy.

Comparative characteristics are carried out according to the following criteria:

manufacturer's description;
product line;
packaging;
consumer reviews;
approximate cost (as of October 2017).

"Agusha", Russia

"Agusha" is the first officially registered trademark in Russia. Products are manufactured at the Lianozovsky plant, which has been operating since 1982. “Agusha” is prepared from natural products containing the necessary substances for the growth and development of the child’s body.

The product line includes purees from chicken, beef, pork, turkey and rabbit. Packaging is carried out in 100 g.

The overall consumer rating is “four”. Parents consider the products tasteless and too viscous due to the presence of starch. Puree in a tin can is inconvenient to open and can cause injury. The approximate cost is from 35 to 65 rubles.

"Tema", Russia

The company was founded in 1961. Factories producing Tema products can boast of many years of experience in the field of baby food. The production of high-quality products is carried out with strict adherence to all stages of technology, safe nutrition meets the needs of children. Product line: chicken, beef, pork, turkey and rabbit purees, with by-products.

Packaging - 100 g. Overall consumer rating - “four”. Not recommended for children under 10 months. Poor ratio of meat and accompanying fillers (fat, milk powder, cereals), contains a small amount of salt. As a result of a study conducted by the television project “Test Purchase”, it was tested for compliance with quality according to Gosstandart standards. The tin can is inconvenient to use. The approximate cost is from 35 to 65 rubles.

“Babushkino Basket”, Russia

“Babushkino Basket” is a trademark of the company “TD SLASCHYOVA” LLC. Food for children is produced at the Beloozersky Faustovo plant. All products have high quality standards, confirmed by certificates and awards. The recipe and technology were developed by leading experts in the field of nutrition and healthcare.

Included in the top 5 best Russian manufacturers of quality food for children. The enterprise has laboratories where all finished products undergo mandatory thorough control.

The product line includes purees from horse meat, venison, turkey, rabbit, beef, and chicken. Packaging - 100 g.

The overall consumer rating is “five”. As a result of a study of the television project “Test Purchase”, it earned the title of the best product for babies from 8 months. We are pleased with the variety in the product line and the availability of delicacies made from horse meat and venison. It does not contain starch, it is replaced with rice flour, which significantly improves the taste of the product. A convenient form of release is glass jars with threads for a metal lid. The approximate cost is from 45 to 80 rubles.

"FrutoNyanya", Russia

OJSC "PROGRESS" is a branded brand of baby food. The plant is located in the Lipetsk region, high-tech, produces more than 150 different products under the unique name “FrutoNyanya”. Since 2014, the company's products have been supplied to all dairy kitchens in Moscow and other cities.

Product line - puree from lamb, turkey, rabbit, chicken, beef. Packaging - 95 g.

The overall consumer rating is a “solid four”. The puree is viscous due to the presence of starch. As a result of a study of the television project “Test Purchase”, it was tested for compliance with quality according to Gosstandart standards, but is not a leader. Pleased with the variety of release forms: glass jars, jars with a screw-on metal lid, large packages. The approximate cost is from 55 to 70 rubles.

Heinz, Italy

This global company, founded in 1869 by Henry Heinz and Clarence Nobel, is today one of the largest suppliers of branded children's nutrition on the world stage.

The product line includes purees from horse meat, beef, veal, turkey, rabbit, pork, chicken, chicken. Packaging - 80 g.

The overall consumer rating is a “solid five.” The composition does not contain salt, milk, starch is replaced with corn flour. The price for the puree is more expensive, since the jar contains only 80 g. Convenient packaging in jars with a removable metal lid. The approximate cost is from 55 to 80 rubles.

When choosing ready-made puree, you must pay attention to the expiration date. A short storage period indicates a minimal percentage of preservatives in the food composition. Before purchasing, you must carefully study the composition on the label; the product must contain a small amount of substances E, and the accompanying components must not cause allergic reactions. The degree of grinding should correspond to the age of the baby.

Cooking at home

There are a number of rules that should be followed when preparing food for your baby at home:

1. Meat must be heat treated by steaming or boiling. Other cooking methods are strictly prohibited.
2. Do not use seasonings! Salt, pepper and various spices can harm the health of the baby.
3. Using a blender, grind the meat to the required consistency (according to age).
4. Serve warm during lunch, plain or with a side dish of vegetables. Can be combined with cereals, formula or breast milk. At an early age, you should not combine meat and potatoes, this will burden the stomach.
5. It is better to feed your baby with a spoon.

When prepared, the shelf life is no more than one day. After this time, giving this dish to the child is prohibited! For raw meat, freezing is allowed. For convenience, first divide it into portions.

Choice of meat fillet

One of the most important stages. Dietary varieties of poultry meat (turkey, chicken) or tender beef, rabbit are preferable. Take into account the individual needs and tolerance of the baby. Purchase meat from specialized stores and supermarkets that operate in strict compliance with sanitary standards.

A fresh meat product must be well chilled, but not frozen. Ideally, infants should be given homemade meat, provided that farming is carried out.

Preparation

Wash the meat well, or better yet, soak it in water for one hour. Remove cartilage, fat, small bones and veins; if the piece is large, then divide into portions.

The prepared meat is dipped in boiling water, so it retains its taste, aroma and beneficial properties, and if you put it in cold water and heat it, all the benefits will go into the broth. Cook for 1-2 hours. Cooking time is reduced to 30-40 minutes. when using a double boiler or multicooker.

The finished product is cut into cubes and placed in a blender. The degree of grinding should correspond to the age of the child.

Meat puree from the second year of life can be diversified by making steamed cutlets, meatballs or meatballs.

Starting from 4 - 6 months of age (depending on whether the child is on breastfeeding or IV), the child needs additional nutrition, in other words, complementary feeding. Quite often, young and not yet experienced mothers in matters of complementary feeding are lost. This is especially true for the question of when you can start giving your baby not only vegetable, fruit purees and juices, but also when you can start feeding your baby meat. Meat puree for the first complementary feeding must be chosen carefully, or prepared yourself, following certain rules. Meat is the main supplier of protein, calcium, and phosphorus for the rapidly growing baby’s body, so the choice of meat (or ready-made baby food made from meat) must be approached with full responsibility.

At what age should meat feeding be introduced?

As for the optimal period for introducing meat complementary foods into a child’s diet, the opinions of experts are divided: some believe that meat can be given starting from 4-6 months; others are convinced that a more favorable period for input is 8-9 months.

According to the Russian national program aimed at optimizing the nutrition of children in the first year of life, meat puree should be administered from 6-8 months of age of the child. It is at this age that the baby’s body needs protein and a number of other microelements contained in meat (potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus). The timely introduction of meat products into the children's menu contributes not only to enriching the child's body with necessary elements, but also to its harmonious development.

However, the introduction of meat into a child’s diet depends on several other factors:

individual characteristics of the baby’s development;
physical development of the baby, indicators of his height and weight;
type of feeding (breastfeeding or artificial feeding).

Thus, children who are bottle-fed need earlier introduction of complementary foods, be it juices, fruit, vegetable or meat purees. Breastfed babies receive essential macronutrients through breast milk. Therefore, the introduction of complementary foods for them can be postponed for a couple of months.

Rules for introducing meat into a child’s diet

Meat puree for babies is introduced after vegetable / fruit purees, after juices and cereals.

Before offering meat complementary foods to your baby, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with some rules for first complementary feeding:

Meat (like any other complementary food) should be given only to a healthy child.
It is advisable to refrain from introducing complementary foods in the following cases:
- if the child has been vaccinated or is expected to be vaccinated soon;
- during the summer heat;
- if the baby is unwell or capricious.
A new product should be introduced no earlier than 2 weeks after introducing the previous product into the child’s diet.
The volume of the first complementary food should be 5-10 g (1-2 teaspoons). It is better if the meat puree is added to the vegetable puree the child is already accustomed to. You can also “soften” the meat puree with breast milk or formula.
It is necessary to gradually increase the daily dose of complementary foods so that by 9-12 months the child consumes 60-70 g.
When using canned products, you need to pay special attention to the composition, make sure there are no concentrates, GMOs and other substances harmful to the baby.
For the first feeding, you should choose a single-component product (rabbit, turkey or chicken are best).

How to give pureed meat

Baby meat purees should be given warm before breastfeeding or formula feeding. Complementary foods should be offered from a spoon. The child should be in a sitting position.

Meat complementary foods, just like any other, are offered at lunchtime in order to observe the baby’s reaction to the new product during the remaining half of the day.

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Meat puree is given to the child once a day.

Complementary meat products

Making puree at home

Despite the convenience of using canned baby food, preparing meat puree at home is considered more reliable and safe.

To prepare meat complementary foods, it is recommended to use lean meats (chicken, turkey, rabbit).
Small pieces of meat are freed from veins, bones, fat and boiled for 1-1.5 hours. For cooking, you can use a slow cooker or a double boiler.
After the meat is ready, it is thoroughly chopped using a blender or meat grinder (it is recommended to scroll 2-3 times).
Then the resulting mass is passed through a fine strainer.
To obtain puree, breast milk, formula, porridge or vegetable puree are added to the ground meat.

Important:

When cooking meat (as well as directly into meat puree), you do not need to add salt and spices.
For each complementary food, only freshly prepared meat should be used.

5 mistakes in introducing complementary foods

Ready-made meat purees

Store-bought canned meat purees have the following advantages over purees that you cook yourself:

high quality baby food;
guaranteed composition;
chemical safety (no flavors, dyes, preservatives, antibiotics);
microbiological safety of canned food;
correspondence of consistency to the age needs of the child;
careful quality control.

The selection of ready-made baby food products is quite large. The following manufacturers are especially popular:

"Subject". Children's meat purees from this manufacturer are distinguished by a large selection, high quality, and affordable prices. The products are designed for feeding children from 6 months.
"Agusha". Baby food products contain only natural ingredients. This brand has been repeatedly noted by international communities as the best in the production of children's food products.
"Granny's Basket". The manufacturer surprises with the variety of baby purees offered - both single-component and multi-component (including meat and various vegetables).
"FrutoNyanya". A well-known domestic manufacturer of baby food, popular due to its wide range and reasonable pricing policy.
Heinz. The products of this manufacturer include meat, meat and vegetable, fish and vegetable purees. Baby food is developed in accordance with all standards and requirements of GOST.

Parents should take into account that not all children tolerate complementary foods equally, especially vegetable and meat ones. Moreover, each little one has his own preferences: some will like veal puree, others will like tender turkey, and others will like rabbit. Mothers should fully focus on the taste preferences of their child.

When introducing meat complementary foods, you need to pay attention to the baby’s reaction and the functioning of his digestive system. If some problems occur as a result of consuming purees (constipation, abdominal pain, regurgitation, vomiting), then you should consult your pediatrician. Perhaps the issue is an unsuitable meat product or an excess amount of complementary foods.

Read on the topic of first feeding:

Really healthy and better for baby? This article will help you understand this issue and make a choice.

This type of feeding is recommended for children from 6 months It is an irreplaceable source of protein and iron. Many international brands produce meat puree, but Russian brands are able to compete with them.

What kind of meat puree for babies? The best?

"Agusha"

— this Russian company has long won the trust of mothers. Hypoallergenic baby meat puree for babies does not contain anything unnecessary, only useful substances. True, for viscosity, the manufacturer adds rice flour or starch, depending on the meat. The cost of a jar varies from 40 to 60 rubles.

Pros:

Natural ingredients;
Does not cause allergic reactions;
Children eat with pleasure.

Minuses:

- Inconvenient to use metal can packaging;
- Liquid consistency.

"Subject"

Russia is a high-quality brand that parents are also happy to buy for their children. It contains cereals to increase the viscosity of the consistency, chicken fat, milk powder and salt. Adding salt is the only and main drawback, and therefore pediatricians advise giving this product only from 9.5 months. A 100 gram jar costs about 40 rubles.

Pros:

The product has a pleasant taste, even children who refuse meat eat it;
Suitable for quickly preparing soup for a baby.

Minuses:

- Contains salt.

"Granny's Basket"

Pros:

Tender puree that children eat with pleasure;
Rice is used as a thickener, which is absorbed better than other thickeners.

Minuses:

Contains salt and is allowed from 8 months of age.

NOTE: The “Babushkino Basket” brand became the winner in the “Test Purchase” research program.

Gerber

Switzerland - the company is one of the leading leaders in the baby food market. The cost of a jar of 80 grams is from 57 to 75 rubles.

Pros:

It has the optimal composition for the first acquaintance with meat.

Minuses:

High price, small jar volume

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! Since 2010, Rospotrebnadzor has stopped supplying this brand of meat puree from chicken and turkey produced in the USA to Russia. The reason for this is the treatment of poultry carcasses with chlorinated water, which is harmful to health.

"Frutonyanya"

Pros:

Children eat with pleasure;
High quality;
Convenient packaging.

Minuses:

Increased starch content;
Too viscous consistency.

Heinz

Pros:

Ideal for a first introduction to meat products;
No salt or preservatives.

Minuses:

High price.

Good baby meat puree is a real helper for mom. A balanced composition and natural ingredients guarantee healthy nutrition for the baby. Which meat puree is best for your child to take is up to you to decide, based on and analyzing the pros and cons described above.

Video clip from the test purchase program on this topic

ON A NOTE: This product is introduced into the diet only after vegetables, i.e. after reaching the age of 6 months. Start feeding hypoallergenic meats first - turkey, rabbit, lamb.

Useful video

In this video you can see what kind of meat puree mother bloggers choose

In contact with

Meat puree for a child is introduced gradually, in the form of complementary foods, on average from 6 months. Meat is an important source of calcium, phosphorus, protein and many useful microelements and amino acids for a baby who is growing quickly. Starting from 4 months, the baby’s stomach learns to process dairy products, and the baby also learns the taste of many vegetables and fruits. Meat is a heavier food, so such complementary foods are introduced much later. Pediatricians recommend introducing children to meat no earlier than 6-8 months, but some important factors must be taken into account.

In the article, we will look in more detail at how to make meat puree for a child, what portion to start complementary feeding with, and what kind of meat it is advisable to purchase. Detailed puree recipes will help young mothers prepare high-quality complementary foods for their babies.

Optimal age for complementary meat feeding

Pediatricians are divided on this issue. Some believe that meat puree for a baby can be prepared from 4 months old, adding vegetable broth to it. The rest are sure that this is still a heavy food for babies of this age; the best time to introduce meat to meat is 8-9 months. Experts have developed a national program for Russians aimed at rationally distributing the microelements children need across months. They decided that the special need for protein, potassium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium arises precisely at 8-9 months. Only with the receipt of these substances will the child’s body develop harmoniously.

Factors influencing the timing of initiation of complementary feeding

You need to coordinate the start of complementary feeding with meat puree for your child with the pediatrician of the clinic. He guides the baby from birth, knows all his weaknesses and developmental features. Depending on height and weight, the doctor can indicate the exact time of introduction to meat dishes.

The type of feeding is of great importance in determining the time to start complementary feeding. If the baby receives the required amount of breast milk and gains weight well, then complementary feeding begins at a later date. When the mother has no milk or very little milk, the baby lacks the beneficial microelements that are present during breastfeeding, and he needs additional nutrition ahead of schedule.

Fruit juices, vegetable purees, as well as meat, are recommended to be given to children receiving artificial feeding much earlier.

Meat puree for a child is prepared after the baby’s stomach has become accustomed to processing vegetable and fruit purees and has digested cereals and juices.

Complementary foods in the form of meat purees are given only to a healthy baby after doctor’s recommendations. You cannot introduce such heavy food in the summer heat if the child is unwell, after vaccination or a few days before vaccination. If the child is capricious, and the mother does not know the reason for this behavior, then feeding the child with pureed meat should be delayed.

You also need to know the rules for introducing a new food product into your diet. It takes at least two weeks for the body to get used to the new product.

How to give pureed meat to a child

The first time, meat puree is given in a volume of 5-10 grams. This is no more than 1-2 teaspoons. Before use, it is advisable to dilute the thick mass with vegetable puree that is already familiar to the child or add a few drops of breast milk to the container.

Over time, the volume of meat product consumed increases, and by the end of the first year of life it should be 60 or 70 grams per day.

At first, you can boil and grind only one meat product, for example, rabbit or turkey. If you trust the manufacturer of canned baby food, be sure to check your purchase by reading the expiration date and composition of the product on the label. It is necessary to make sure that there are no GMOs, concentrates or mixtures that cause an allergic reaction in the baby.

Rules for preparing complementary foods at home

The best option for meat puree for children from 6 months of age is home-cooked. Only in this case will the mother be completely confident in the quality and freshness of the meat.

A child at this age should not buy fatty meats; they use chicken, turkey or rabbit meat to make puree. Later, lean veal, beef and lastly pork are added.

The meat must be fresh, without bones, layers of fat, spots or uneven color. First, the meat must be thoroughly washed, thin films removed, veins cut off, and the skin removed from the bird.

Cut the prepared meat into small pieces and pour cold water into an enamel or glass pan. After boiling, the water is drained, and the pieces are washed again and filled with water. After the broth boils, you need to cook the meat for 1.5 - 2 hours. Some people use a double boiler or slow cooker.

When the meat is cooked, it is removed from the broth and minced using a meat grinder; it is advisable to repeat the grinding twice. If you have a blender on your farm, grinding meat with it is much more convenient. If large pieces remain after processing, you can additionally rub the resulting meat dish through a fine sieve.

What is important to know!

You already understand how to prepare meat puree for a child. However, you need to know the rules for feeding your baby meat.

You cannot add salt or any spices when cooking or grinding the product. Salt is added at later stages. In this regard, it is better to consult with the pediatrician who is observing the child.
To prepare each meat puree, only freshly prepared meat is used.
A child should not buy frozen food that cannot be carefully inspected to determine its freshness.
Store the puree in the refrigerator for no more than a day.
Minced meat is diluted with breast milk, milk porridges or mixtures, and vegetable purees. Most often, meat products are mixed with potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower or carrots, which are boiled and ground in a separate container.

Let's take a closer look at several of the most popular recipes for making meat purees for children from 6 months.

Rabbit with carrots

Rabbit meat is a dietary dish, considered very tender and suitable for first feeding. It is low-fat and low-calorie.

Required Products:

100 grams of meat, peeled from films;
1 medium carrot;
4 tbsp. l. cow's or breast milk;
butter - on the tip of a teaspoon;
salt - even less.

The rabbit meat must be washed, films and veins removed, cut into small pieces and placed in a glass pan. Add bottled purified water to cover the meat and put on fire. Such tender meat cooks quickly; half an hour or 35 minutes will be enough.

The carrots need to be peeled, rinsed thoroughly and boiled in a separate bowl for at least 15 minutes. After this, the boiled products must cool naturally, only then can they be blended into a fine puree with a blender. At the end, add milk, a little butter and salt.

According to the recipe, the consistency of the baby’s meat puree should correspond to thick sour cream and be homogeneous, without lumps, so that the baby does not choke while eating. When feeding, the baby must be placed in a highchair in a sitting position. You need to give the puree from a teaspoon, taking a little at a time. The next spoon is offered after the child has swallowed the contents of the first. If the baby cries and refuses to accept a new product, then do not rush, put the puree in the refrigerator and try giving it later, heating it in a water bath.

Turkey puree

Next, we’ll look at how to make turkey meat puree for a child in a slow cooker. It is best to buy a breast for cooking for a baby, since there are no veins or films there. The meat should be a uniform pink color, without spots or dry edges. You only need 100 grams of fillet. After washing under running water, the meat is cut into small pieces or strips on a plastic board (it is easier to clean and microorganisms accumulate on it less, unlike a wooden one).

If you have a multicooker in your kitchen, then place the pieces on a wire rack, turn on the “steam” mode and set the cooking time to 40 minutes.

The cooled cooked meat is ground in a blender. It should be taken into account that turkey is a completely lean and dry meat, so the puree is diluted with boiled water, vegetable broth or breast milk. It is even recommended to add a few drops of vegetable oil. Such a hearty meat dish is given to the child only at lunchtime. You can split the prepared portion into morning and afternoon feedings. It is not recommended to give meat puree in the evening so that the body has enough time to process the product before going to bed at night.

Veal puree with broccoli

To prepare, take 100 grams of meat and cabbage. First, you need to wash the veal, cut off all the veins and films. If you bought not a lean fillet, but another part of the carcass, then be sure to trim off all the fatty parts. Boil the meat either in a glass or enamel pan until fully cooked.

Broccoli is first washed under running water, then separated into individual inflorescences. It cooks quickly, the cabbage will be ready within 10 minutes!

After cooling, the meat and broccoli are blended in a blender until smooth. Gradually add one tablespoon of milk at a time until you get a puree-like mixture. At the end, you can add vegetable oil (a few drops) or butter (at the tip of a knife). If the pediatrician allows the child to add salt to cooked dishes, then add a tiny pinch.

Preparing meat soup

In this recipe, meat puree is combined with buckwheat (you can also use oatmeal), carrots, onions and cauliflower. The meat is chicken or turkey. First, prepare the lean fillet - wash it under running water, remove films and veins that are unnecessary for the baby, and cook in purified water for 1 - 1.5 hours. At this time, wash one small carrot, several cauliflower inflorescences (choose that it is whole, without black spots) and ¼ of a small onion. All vegetables are placed in a saucepan and filled with water. After boiling, add a tablespoon of buckwheat and cook until tender. You can add salt to the vegetable broth on the tip of a knife.

When the meat is cooked, it is ground separately in a meat grinder or blender. Then gradually add the thickening of the soup and beat everything again. At the end, you can add a couple of drops of vegetable oil. This hearty meat puree is the best for children just starting to get used to meat products.

Conclusion

How to make meat puree for a child is described in detail in the recipes. The main thing is to follow the recommendations and feed the baby gradually. After changing the product, be sure to monitor your baby’s behavior and the reaction of his intestines. Do not give heavy food at night; it is better to do it at lunchtime. This makes it easier to monitor the body’s reaction to innovation.

Before you start including meat products in your child’s diet, be sure to consult your pediatrician!