Parenting Guide

Indian baby food recipes for 5 month olds to include in your child's diet

Indian baby food recipes for 5 month olds to include in your child's diet

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

Is your 5 month old hungry all day? Worry not, and prepare some of these simple and easy dishes with the help of these baby food recipes for 5 month o...

Indian baby food recipes for 5 month olds to include in your child's diet

When your baby is growing up at a fast pace, you need to provide the right nutrition that will support them in the best possible manner. For a five-month-old, the situation can be a bit tricky as you cannot afford to experiment too much while trying to keep things safe and simple. It is always advisable to feed your baby with breastmilk till the period of six months. However, there is no hard and fast rule regarding this and some paediatricians suggest that foods for five-month-old Indian baby should include semi-solid items from the five-month mark. Your baby needs plenty of calcium-rich foods and foods high in protein for healthy development.

Transitioning to a solid food diet

Apart from getting bigger, this is the stage when your baby is trying out different skills related to movement and speech development. The right support from the parents in terms of encouragement and food will go a long way in the overall development of your baby. So after discussing with the paediatrician, you can introduce your baby to a range of solid foods at this stage. Irrespective of the type of 5-month-old baby food menu you choose, it is best that you approach your baby with some patience as they will take their own time to adjust to the new diet. You can read our complete baby food chart to learn how to wean your baby and transition smoothly to solids. While breast milk still remains the primary source of nutrition, you can start with some homemade natural food for a 5-month-old baby. Homemade food has the advantage of having a larger range of flavours and is more nutritious than any processed food. In some cases, it is also suggested that premature and underdeveloped babies start on solid food much earlier. It is possible that your baby may have some food allergies and in case there are some allergic reactions, you should consult your pediatrician immediately. Here are some ideas about baby food recipes for 5-month-olds.

Recipes

1. Apple puree

Fruits are definitely a great choice when it comes to introducing a baby to solid food. Apple is a fruit that is not only delicious in taste but also has a range of vitamins and minerals. It is very easy to digest and has a natural sweetness that a baby will enjoy. Below is a step-by-step procedure to make a delicious apple puree.

Ingredients:

One peeled and sliced apple
One cup of water

Method:

Boil the apple pieces in a saucepan until they become tender.
Once it cools down, blend the puree until it is free from any large pieces or chunks. The apple puree is now ready for your baby!

2. Carrot puree

Carrot is another ideal food for a 5-month-old baby as it has plenty of antioxidants along with a sweet flavour. It is also rich in vitamins that make it ideal for supporting the baby’s growth. Here is a simple procedure to prepare carrot puree.

Ingredients:

Two peeled and diced carrots.
One cup of water.
One teaspoon of hazelnut butter.

Method:

1. Boil the carrot pieces till they get soft in purified water. 2. Once this is soft, stir and mash them to make a thick paste that is free from any hard pieces. 3. You can add a slight touch of unsweetened nut butter to bring some more flavour in the puree. Once your baby gets used to this recipe, you can move to the next stage by mixing it with a cereal like rice or oats.

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3. Spinach juice

Spinach contains a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals including a respectable amount of calcium and iron. It also has a lot of water content and will keep the baby hydrated. It is the right choice to include in a 5-month-old baby’s food menu to introduce him to leafy green vegetables. These are a few easy steps to make spinach juice within a few minutes.

Ingredients:

250 grams of fresh spinach
One cup of water

Method:

Clean the spinach leaves thoroughly using water.
Boil them at a high temperature until the leaves wilt down and then drain the excess water.
Cool the leaves and put them in a mixer to make a thick puree.
Add the right amount of water to dilute the puree and you are ready to feed your baby.

4. Mashed banana

Banana is another super-food that should definitely be a part of baby food recipes for 5-month-olds. The high levels of potassium along with a wide range of vitamins and minerals make it an ideal choice for a growing baby. In addition, this is one recipe that is easy to prepare and has the right taste that the baby will enjoy.

Ingredients:

One fresh banana

Method:

1. Peel and cut a banana into small pieces 2. You can then mash it with a spoon or in a blender to make it ready for the baby. Once the baby gets used to the dish, you can mix banana with other fruits like apple or pears to make a nourishing recipe.

5. Rice soup

Being a rich source of carbohydrates and easy to digest, rice soup is a good option to choose for your baby. The advantage of using rice as baby food for a 5-month-old is that it can be easily prepared and mixed with a range of fruits, vegetables and milk in subsequent stages. You can choose brown rice instead of the white variety as it contains antioxidants, but try this in small portions first as your baby might find it difficult to digest the extra fiber. Follow these simple steps to make a tasty rice soup for your baby.

Ingredients:

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

Method:

Clean the rice over running water and then by soaking it in water for a few hours.
Boil it until the rice is cooked and then take out the starchy water while leaving the residual rice behind.
Before you feed your baby, you can add a slight amount of hazelnut butter to enhance the taste.

6. Fruit and Oatmeal cereal

Oatmeal is rich with protein and vitamins and it can be mixed with fruits like apples or pears to prepare a healthy baby food recipe for 5-month-olds.

Ingredients:

100 grams of ground oats
Two cups of water
200 grams of peeled and diced apple and pears

Method:

Place the fruits in a pan with the ground oats and water.
Boil the mixture at a medium temperature.
Make sure the oatmeal gets cooked completely and the fruits turn soft. Stir and mash the items while boiling and turn it into a puree.
Allow it to cool before feeding your baby.

These are some of the best choices of baby food for a 5-month old that can be prepared easily at home. Hopefully, these recipes will also provide you with the right ideas to concoct some recipes of your own. Before you start on these recipes here are a few considerations that are worth noting down.

It is best to choose organic fruits and vegetables for the baby. These are more likely to be free from any pesticides or harmful chemicals.
Avoid food items like legumes, dairy products, and whole grains until the baby is at least eight months old. Including these items in a 5-month-old baby’s food menu will not be ideal for the baby’s stomach.
Avoid raw vegetables and fruits at this stage and provide only cooked and boiled items that are easily digestible.
Once your baby starts intake of semi-solid food, you can provide them with some sips of water. Do not feed too much water to your baby.

Want to ensure that your baby is getting the right nutrients? Download the mfine app and consult with our top pediatricians in your city to get customised treatment solutions for your baby.