Parenting Guide

Easy to make Indian 6 month old baby food recipes

Easy to make Indian 6 month old baby food recipes

Fact-checked by MFine | Last Updated : November 6th, 2019

Your 6-month-old baby needs care, nutrition, and health. Ensure all three are given with some of the best recipes for 6-month-old children!...

Easy to make Indian 6 month old baby food recipes

When your baby has reached the six-month mark, it is definitely a cause for celebration! At this stage, supplying the right nutrients is crucial for the comprehensive development of your little one. Until the age of six months, mother’s milk is definitely the best source of nutrients for your baby. It has been scientifically established that at this age, babies need and want more in terms of food for their overall development. In fact, a delay in introducing your baby to solid food can result in various adverse effects on a baby’s overall development. Also read our blog on When Can Babies See Clearly? Understanding Your Newborn's Developing Vision.

Nutritional requirements at six months

Once your baby hits this age, it is time for you to list out some of the best baby food menus for a 6-month-old. This can be a tricky phase for a parent as it can get confusing to choose the right solid food that will suit your baby’s needs. You can use our complete baby food chart for Indian babies to help you find the right foods for your baby. Let’s take a closer look into the basic nutritional requirements of a six-month-old baby.

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Iron: This is one of the most important elements required in food as it helps in the development of the brain. It also helps in the generation of haemoglobin that assists in building up an efficient circulatory system.
Calcium: Calcium-rich foods are very important in your baby’s growing stages as it is needed to develop bones and teeth. It has been estimated the six-month-old babies need a minimum of 260mg of calcium each day.
Zinc: Zinc is of immense importance as it helps in the development of the immune system and overall growth. It is also effective in repairing the body and fighting against any infections.
Vitamins: Vitamins need to be an essential component of any baby food menu for 6-month-olds as they support physical growth in all aspects. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, E and K should definitely be a part of your baby’s diet.

Apart from the ones mentioned above, carbohydrates, fats and protein should also be incorporated in a wholesome menu. It is also important to note that 6-month-old babies do not need more than 1 gram of salt per day and no refined sugar in their diet. Let us now take a look into some of the best baby food recipes for 6-month-olds.

Also read our blog on 7 Best High-Calorie Foods for Baby Weight Gain.

Fruit Puree

Fruits are definitely one of the safest and most beneficial items that can be fed to a baby. Apples, bananas, peaches, avocado, papaya, mangoes and pears are some of the fruits that can be fed to a baby in a mashed or creamy form. As your baby gradually learns to control the food in their mouth, you can make the preparation thicker with more texture.

Ingredients:

250 grams of peeled and diced fruit.
A cup of water.

Directions:

Boil the water in a saucepan. Put in the fruits.
Stir continuously till the fruits turn into an even puree. Dilute further if needed.
Cool down and serve.

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Vegetable puree

After starting with fruits, vegetables like beans, carrots, potatoes, squash and green peas can be the next best choice of food for a 6 month old baby to gain weight. A nutritious carrot puree is a good option which the baby will find attractive because of the sweet taste. Start with a single vegetable and as your baby adjusts themselves to the food, you can mix multiple ones.

Ingredients:

Two peeled and diced carrots/potatoes/squashes.
Half a cup of green peas.
Two cups of water.

Directions:

Place the clean vegetable pieces into boiling water.
Stir continuously until the vegetables turn into an even puree. Dilute further if needed.
Cool down and serve.

Also read our blog on Brushing Your Baby's Teeth: How and When to Get Started.

Rice porridge

Due to its smooth texture and non-allergic nature, rice is among the most recommended meal plans for a 6-month-old. As your baby grows, you can prepare a multi-grain porridge using rice, oats and barley which are excellent sources of vitamins and dietary fibre. You can also mix rice porridge with fruit or vegetable puree to make a wholesome dish for your baby.

Ingredients:

100 grams of brown rice or rice powder.
Two cups of water.
One teaspoon of hazelnut butter.

Directions:

Boil the water in a pan and add the rice powder
If you do not have rice powder, simply grind up rice with your blender or mixie
Stir continuously and let it simmer for 15 minutes in medium flame.
Add boiled fruits or vegetables if needed.
Add the butter into the puree.
Serve while warm.

Pulses and cereals

Pulses are a rich source of protein and vitamins. You can start with a soup of pulses and gradually mix it up with some boiled vegetables. You can mix single grain cereals like wheat, finger millets or barley to prepare porridge for the baby.

Ingredients:

100 grams of any pulse or cereal.
100 grams of peeled and diced carrots.
Two cups of water.

Directions:

Boil the water in a pan and add the pulses.
Boil thoroughly and filter out the extract.
Boil the carrots separately.
Add the carrots into the extract and prepare a puree in medium flame.
Cool down and serve.

Homemade yoghurt

Many paediatricians recommend milk yoghurt as one of the ideal foods for a 6 month old baby to gain weight. Apart from fat and protein, it also contains large amounts of calcium that is vital for bone development. Yoghurt can be diluted in water as needed in recipes for 6 month baby and fed directly or mixed with other fruits.

Ingredients:

200 grams of milk yoghurt.
100 grams of boiled apples/pears.
A cup of water.

Directions:

Add the yoghurt and fruits in the water.
Mix thoroughly in a blender or by hand.
Dilute the puree as needed.

Also read our blog on Is it Safe to Include Avocado for Baby Food?

Basic feeding tips for your six-month baby

These baby food recipes for 6-month-olds will definitely put your baby’s growth and development on the right track. Before you start working on these recipes, here are a few tips you will need to keep in mind while feeding your baby.

It is best to familiarise your baby with one new recipe at a time and keep three to four days of a gap before introducing another one. This helps your baby adjust to the new food and also allows parents to detect food allergies if there are any.
Food texture is very important while feeding your baby. It is best to start with baby food recipes for 6-month-olds which are smooth and gradually move towards coarser food items, or ones that are thicker in consistency.
Feed your baby in a quiet place that is free from distractions. Hold your baby upright while feeding; this makes the mechanism of swallowing easier and reduces the chance of choking.
Honey should be avoided at this stage is it can contain elements that might not suit the baby’s sensitive stomach.
Do not feed the baby solid food from the bottle; use a bowl and a clean spoon. If you are feeding directly from a bowl do not store the remaining food, if any. This will prevent any chances of bacterial contamination. Don’t forget to check out our blog on fungal infections and how to treat them.

For more delicious recipes for 6 months baby, read our baby food chart for 6 month olds. By choosing the right meal plan for your 6-month-old, your precious little one will thoroughly enjoy their first morsel of solid food. With a little bit of patience and creativity, you can make the entire process extremely enjoyable not just for your baby, but for the entire family as well. If you still have any queries regarding your baby’s diet or meal plane, feel free to reach out to the city's top paediatricians at mfine.