Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : October 22, 2017 9:57 AM IST
Once your baby gets accustomed to pureed fruits and vegetables, you have to move to the next level and introduce cereals rice and pulses. In general, you can just boil or steam a mix of rice and cereals and mash it thoroughly to make it into a semi-solid consistency. The texture is important as your child learns to swallow only when semi-solid foods are introduced. So keep the consistency thick and not dilute. Here are 10 tips to wean your baby off breast milk.
Remember, this mix of rice and pulses is rich in carbohydrates and proteins. But to make it a wholesome meal add various kinds of vegetables so that your child gets the right mix of vitamins, minerals, macro and micronutrients from them. Another advantage of adding vegetables to the cereal mix is to ensure that your child gets the nutrition from foods that she would otherwise not eat. Like, most kids are fussy about eating vegetables such as the boiled broccoli, spinach or bottle gourd. The best way to feed them these vegetables is to boil them with the rice and pulses, mix them thoroughly and feed it to your child. You might start a khichdi or cereal preparation at around six or seven months of age. Here are 11 food mistakes to avoid while weaning.
How to prepare a wholesome khichdi to ensure a balanced nutrition intake
Mix equal amounts of rice and pulses together. You can choose from moong, masoor, tur, which are easily digestible and palatable for your baby. Don't take too much quantity just a handful is enough. Wash thoroughly and keep it aside. Next, get the vegetables like potatoes, carrots, beetroots, peas, bottle gourd and tomatoes. Wash each vegetable separately, peel and cut the ones with skin and mix in a bowl. In a pressure cooker, heat a little ghee in low flame and add the rice and pulse with the vegetables together. Stir a little and add little water, if you wish you can add a pinch of hing or turmeric and allow it to cook. Once the vegetables and cereals are cooked remove the pressure cooker from the flame and let it cool. Once it is cooled, take the mix out and mash it either in the blender or with your fingers. And offer your baby spoonfuls of this healthy khichdi.
Keep these things in mind while making the khichdi:
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