Baby Freebies UK lists free stuff for your baby, for mums-to-be, and those who are mums already

Recipes for baby food

free baby food recipes

Some general rules when making baby food

• Have everything nice and clean
• Wash your hands
• Read all the info the health visitor gives you
• Start with bland foods
• Never put salt into baby food
• Avoid products with hidden salt (like gravy)
• Stick to fruit and vegetables to start with
• Make small portions
• Store any leftovers carefully
• Adapt the foods you eat yourselves. Its less hassle if you're having carrots with your meal to serve baby carrots - BUT again avoid salting food - it'll do you good too!
• Start with very finely mashed foods and gradually over time leave food more solid
• Bland foods first - baby rice with milk
• Don't force baby to rush new tastes. Make meal times relaxing

Some ideas for baby recipes

• mashed banana
• mashed carrot
• mashed potatoe
• soft pear
• apple
• cauliflower
• sweet potato
• green peas
• broccoli
• mashed ripe avocado

As baby gets older and enjoys lots of fruits and vegetables you might like to extend the range to include foods with more tastes and textures

• Hard cheese *eg: cheddar
• Pasta
• Bread
• Full-fat yoghurt and fromage frais
• Eggs (well cooked)
• Other grains such as oats- in forms such as porridge
• Meat and poultry - well cooked
• Fish - checked for bones

Avoid foods with strong or sharp tastes such as lemons, hot spicy food, and give babies either milk or water. You can give very well diluted juices but you should avoid these.

Finger Foods - always stay with your baby when he's eating

• sticks of fruit and vegetables washed and cut into handy size strips
• pieces of harder vegetables cooked
• bread (toast, sliced, Naan, chapatti, baguette even! )
• apple pieces
• pizza
• pasta
• cheese

Recipes

Use the recipes you use already for your family. Consider the health aspect and avoid salting (or peppering) food and you can use the food you're serving everyone else (Few exceptions such as curry and nut dishes)

There is no point in making special meals for your baby if they'll never eat those things again once they're eating proper food.

Your health visitor should be able to provide recipe ideas if you're stuck.

Free info at the government site about weaning your baby

Birth to five, which is published by health departments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and is available free to first-time parents. The Health Education Board for Scotland produces a book called Ready steady baby, which is free to first-time parents in Scotland.

If you haven't already got a copy of this book then Ask your GP, midwife or health visitor.