Healthy eating: meal suggestions for mums and toddlers

Dr Wynnie Chan offers a weaning guide and meal ideas for the whole family

The process of weaning your baby off breast milk and onto solid foods is easy, what with the wide variety of pureed baby meals available in supermarkets. However, many mums, at one point or another, wonder whether these foods are healthy or if it's worth trying to make your own.

The idea of making your own baby food seems to conjure up images of slaving over the stove for hours on end, but it doesn't have to be that way. Once you build up enough confidence, you'll probably like experimenting with different meal combinations that both baby and the rest of the family can enjoy.

Here's a simple weaning guide to help you eventually serve one meal for your young child and the rest of the family:

By 4 months, most babies will be ready to try a spoon or so of baby rice, mashed potatoes and pureed fruit and vegetables, such as apple, banana, carrots, peas, swede, pear, cauliflower and sweet potato
By 5-6 months, you can introduce a wider variety of fruit and vegetables, including dried fruit, melon, apricot, avocado, peas, pepper and kiwi fruit
By 6 months, feel free to feed your baby chicken, foods containing gluten and dairy foods
Between 6-7 months, it's fine to give your baby foods which have been mashed or minced rather than pureed
By 8-9 months, you will probably start introducing foods and meals that have a chunkier texture. You can also give your baby other types of meats, fish, eggs and lentils.

Essentially, there are four main food groups that an infant, toddler and mum need. We've broken them down by group, so you can make sure you're getting enough of each type in you and your baby's diet. Aim for equal amounts from each of the four food groups.

Milk and dairy: Foods like milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais contain calcium, which is necessary for strong bones and teeth. Whole cows milk can be used in small quantities to make things like custards and macaroni cheese, but it should not be used as a substitute for formula milk until your baby is at least one year old.

Meat, fish and alternatives: Meat, fish, eggs and alternatives like pulses, beans and lentils are excellent sources of protein and iron. Iron is necessary for healthy blood and to protect against iron deficiency (anaemia), which is linked to poorer health and slower development in infants and young children. Vitamin C helps our bodies absorb iron, so remember to include good sources of it, such as oranges, kiwi fruit, strawberries, and vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli and peppers, and baby fruit juices at every meal. Note that bran and fibre-rich foods, tea and coffee will stop some iron and calcium from being absorbed by your body.