When Waylon was 4 months old I tried to feed him. It was a major fail and mostly a reaction from peer pressure and (I’ll admit it) boredom with boobfeeding. After realizing my mistake, I took a long break and just waited until he was ready. I stole my friend Elizabeth’s mantra “food before one is just for fun” and adopted it as my own. No need to stuff my kid’s face with food he didn’t want. I let him decide.
The whole thing turned out to be a giant success. Around 9 months he decided food was pretty cool and since then he’s slowly and gradually increased his intake of solids.
A lot of folks have asked me about feeding the baby. They ask me about the whens and hows and whats and I just shrug. I don’t really know anything. I just feed him whatever food we have around the house and hope he eats it.
I’ve linked to my friend’s blog post before on feeding her son Westley. It’s a good one and something I really needed to read because when I first started feeding Waylon, I was a real dummy. I’d send my sister-in-law texts that literally said, “Um, what do you feed babies? Be specific.” I couldn’t come up with foods that seemed appropriate and I was confused why sometimes he wanted to eat and other times he refused food all day.
Here’s the thing about babies and toddlers: every day is a new food day. One day they love sweet potatoes and the next day it’s all over the floor. One day they’re ravenously hungry and another day they want to nurse all day. Roll with punches, be flexible, try again later.
I know most of you are on top of your game when it comes to feeding your kid. You think ahead before you go the grocery store, make lists, and read books on the best fruits for cognitive development. But just in case you’re like me and sometimes need new food ideas, here is a list of some foods Waylon will eat, broken down into categories.
Feeding Waylon
(12-15 Months)
Fruits
Blueberries
Strawberries
Pears
Grapes
Applesauce
Watermelon
Veggies
Peas (and other frozen veggies, warmed in the microwave)
Black beans (plus most other canned beans)
Asparagus
Corn on the cob
Dairy
Yogurt (whole milk, organic)
Cheese (any kind)
Main Dish
Pasta (any kind) + tomato sauce or pesto
Potatoes
Whole wheat pancakes
Yams
Brown rice
Oatmeal
PB&J
Whole Wheat Macaroni and Cheese
Veggie hotdogs
Chicken
Lean hamburger
Anything curry
Stir fry
Eggs
Homemade pizza
Snacks + Desserts
Raisins
Cheerios
Green smoothies
Crackers
Pretzels
Anything sweet
A few foods we’re still refusing: bananas, raw vegetables, french fries, and apples.
I remember the day someone suggested giving Waylon scrambled eggs. It was so simple, but it had never occurred to me. It was then that I started spying on other kid’s meals. What else could I give the baby? What else would he eat?
As it turns out, it’s mostly anything and a lot of nothing. It really just depends. If you’re wondering the how and when to start, Austin and I have pretty much followed the Baby Led Weaning method. It makes sense to us, but if you want to puree your peas–go right ahead.
Feeding the baby feels tricky but really it’s pretty simple. Keep it fresh, keep it new, find a variety, and never give up on the broccoli they toss on the floor. Most importantly, feed them food that actually tastes good. If you can’t gag it down, chances are they won’t either.
Feel free to leave your own suggestions and ideas on what to feed the baby. Waylon appreciates it as much as I do.
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Nice post! Sullivan didn’t show real interest in food until he was one! I was scared I would be breastfeeding forever. He would snack on a few things here and there but nothing ever seemed like a meal to me. He hated purees and those squeeze packs that are so popular in my mom crowd but he would eat raw beets and any kind of olive. Plus he’s allergic to dairy/peanuts/eggs so that limits things. Anyway, I weened him at twenty months because it was getting painful to nurse, I was 13 weeks pregnant at the time. Now he LOVES food. Funny how the boy I thought may never eat a real meal in his life (logical I know) is completely interested now.
A testament to taking your time! Waylon is still eating less than most 14 month olds, but it gets better every month. He’s figuring it out.
Weaning at 20 months, I think that might be me.
Yup. That’s about the exact thing that happened to us. I’m another mom in support of baby led weaning. I tell all the moms I know about it (but if you love the purees- keep doing you.) BLW just made sense to me.
Here’s our experience
http://www.thegreenmother.com/2011/02/feed-me-momma.html
One thing I would change about what I did was the introduction with grains. I would hold off until 1 yr before introducing them. That’s just my 2 cents though and wish I knew better at the time (we’re now dealing with a gluten intolerance.)
Meagan, have you tried sprouted grains? Her little digestive system might handle them better. Our bodies don’t recognize white flour or unsprouted whole grain flour as good for us…they see starch and turn it into sugar. Sprouting (or fermenting) is more easily digestible and has more nutrients.
Here’s a link my mom found recently on the subject: http://www.organicsproutedflour.net/whysproutedflour.html
You can buy grains and flours from them, too.
Sorry if I’m shoving info into your face but you seem like you are really interested in the health of your family. Ignore this bossy know-it-all if you want :)
Oh, Zoe, little do you know I’ve been stalking your blog and sending you mental telepathy to start it back up again. Ha! (don’t be creeped out). I have been looking into sprouted grains and actually the process of healing her gut and these food allergies. I’ve implemented some fermented non dairy kefir(because we’ve got a dairy allergy as well.) and I can tell a difference in myself, so I’m going to try and start it with her more regularly.
I want to learn more, but it’s all so overwhelming to me! Especially as I’m not a cook. I’ve got to learn how to make all this stuff from scratch. Ugh.
Thank you for sharing this website, and if there is any more info you want to pass along, please feel free! Much appreciated. :)
Not creepy. I stalk a few blogs that I want to come back, too.
Good job with the kefir. I tried that stuff, the dairy kind. HATED it. Gave the starter things to my aunt. I’m not sure if she kept them alive or not. Have you tried raw milk? I’ve heard of people having reactions to homogenized milk but they are fine drinking it straight from the cow.
I really want to blog again. But I said I wouldn’t. I don’t like going back on my word! But so many people have asked me about it lately. Some just curious, others really wanting me to get back into it. Ugh. I don’t know. We’ll see!
P.S. Maybe we should continue this conversation via e-mail…we are clogging up poor Kate’s comment feed with talk that has nothing to do with feeding Waylon :)
I don’t mind at all! PS: No one would care if you came back. It’s nice to take breaks.
Parker decided on the baby-led weaning by himself I think. He never got into purees. Weird. His favorite is sweet potato I think. And blueberries. And any frozen veggies sauteed with a little butter and some cheese sprinkled on. I get giddy when he eats avocado though because it’s so stinking easy and good for them. But, sometimes, he’s just not into it.
What else? Seems like we do a lot of the same things. But I know what you mean. For awhile, I was like, “WHAT CAN HE EAT?” Now, he eats mostly what we eat.
Blueberries are magic in this house.
Parker was just taking his time. Love that kid.
Very practical method.
Don’t worry about the raw veggies yet. They are hard to chew! Just keep offering them.
You are my kid-eating role model. Any mom whose kids are gleefully eating old, RAW asparagus out of the garden is doing something right.
Ha! I forgot about that. These days it’s dirty tomatoes and bud-eaten green beans. Sick.
(In all seriousness, gardens are the best for kids. They love to pick their own food and eat it, even if it is over-the-hill and filthy.)
Heh, my kid was a food nut from four months onward. He was drinking 10 oz of formula every 3 to 4 hours and was never really satisfied; he wanted MORE. So, we started with the purees (I eventually made most of my own, but did buy some as well) and he consumed any kind you’d give him.
At about 9 months, he really took an interest in table food–starting with green beans and carrots. I even started giving him tiny pieces of strawberry cut up and he LOVED them. He’s got a berry infatuation now–the moment he even sees me pull out a container of blueberries, strawberries or blackberries, he whines for them, so I have to wait til the end of his meal before I get them or else he won’t finish the rest.
Most of the foods he eats are the same as Waylon, plus a few more. He loves animal crackers as a snack and smoothies. I’ve also noticed him grabbing for our sushi rolls when we have them, but he’s still too young for that (we will likely wait til two and a half or three before introducing that). At 15 months, he eats more than most 3 year olds :P
I’ve rarely used baby food for any of my kiddos. by 12-14 months they’re eating 100% table food, pulled up to the table with the family, on their own plate with their own (baby) fork. I always do a double take when I see people spoon feeding babies older than 8 months or so. once they can hold it, I let them have at it. yeah it’s a mess. that’s why I have a dog to clean the floor and washable highchair and they generally eat nekky (who am I kidding…my kiddos spent the majority of the day nekky). but I have 2 really good, adventurous eaters and 3 pretty good eaters. so I’ll take it.
ps–cubed firm tofu makes an awesome baby food ;)
@Dara — I also love animal crackers for a snack. My belly is grumbling.
@Shannon — Thanks for the tofu tip. I’ll have to try that out!
Loving all these post about babies eating! I’m 18 weeks along with my first and have been devouring as much info in just about anything baby that I can. I’m seeing all of this, comparing it to how my nephews were fed growing up, and realizing that it really isn’t that big of a deal when they start eating, as long as its their choice. Lots of moms are still in the dark about that.
Congrats, Carissa!
It really isn’t a big deal. One day at a time.
:) Thanks for linking to me.
The more experience that I get the more I realize to just chill out. I am finding out that I am a person that has to have a plan at first until I realize it’s okay to let up and be more laid back. If he is hungry he’ll eat.
Great post!
I tried to get my kids totally on “table food” (aka our food) by about a year. I HATED spooning runny baby food and preparing separate meals and was so ready to be past that. Recently I learned about baby led weaning and I think it sounds awesome. Definitely trying it with this baby. Did you do any purees at all with Waylon? Can I skip them completely?
I also recently read something in the vein of all the French eating stuff out there, that one meal was always served to the family, to ease the blow, bread and butter always accompanied the meal, and milk. I like that. I figure, even if the kids are crying over salmon and green beans, at least they have bread, butter and milk. :)
Some 12-15 month foods my kids liked: pancakes, fruit, sweet potatoes, asparagus, sauteed broccoli with butter (butter still assures the consumption of almost any vegetable in our family), tortilla soup, stir fry with little meat/veggies and rice, cheese, yogurt, and hamburger patties with cheese (no bun).
You young mothers have it SO much easier than moms of my generation. How I would have LOVED to be able to refer to a blog like this to find answers to the mysteries of babyhood.
If I can add one thing to the discussion, … like all moms, you will do the best that you can for your babies and protect them like a mama grizzly bear. You will find your way through this and lots of upcoming stages. You won’t do everything right, but that’s okay, because your main job is to love the dickens out of these precious babies. You’ll do that just fine!!!
Love to all!
My 7th grade Social Studies teacher fed his baby Jolt out of a bottle. This is not a lie.
Some babies are just not all that interested in food, I think. They all kind of get there in there own pace. At least, that is what I tell myself when my kid will only eat food if I manage to stick it in her mouth as she is speeding past me.
I was so worried about this food thing – I care deeply about food because I love to eat and I love to cook. We kinda followed the Super Baby Food book and that was helpful with the what-to-feed question when they were little. Both my kids had avocado as their first food. Once they got past choking or allergy hazards (around 18 months, maybe?? I don’t remember), we gave them whatever we were eating. As we are adventurous eaters, so are they. We never cooked separate meals for them and I still prefer to ditch the kids’ menu when we go out. We call it educating the palate :)
My kids love quesadillas! I saute spinach and sneak some green in their with the cheese. Server it on a whole wheat tortilla, maybe with black beans? and its a pretty balanced meal :)
I try to sneak spinach in where ever I can. In their scrambled eggs, on their turkey sandwiches and in their smoothies. Its a sneaky trick for kids who dont like veggies!