Starting Solids: Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Baby

Starting solids is a big milestone in your baby's life and many of us get very excited about the prospect of pulling baby's high chair up to dinner table with the rest of the family. However, each new food should be started one at a time and with ease. There are certain foods that babies should never eat and parents need to keep that in mind when planning their little one's diet.

Sugary foods aren't needed in your baby's diet. Although fruits will be important, stay away from desserts that add no nutritional value to the meal. If you needlessly introduce candy and sweets to a child, they of course will respond favorably… and demand it at each meal. Remember, you are trying to set a healthy example. Give baby a healthy start in life and they will be more likely to continue down that road.

Salty foods have no place on your baby's plate, either. Neither does any other added seasoning. Fresh baby food (homemade and organic is the best) contains no additives. If you look on a jar of Gerber Stage 1 baby food, the ingredients list is very short. Gerber Sweet Potatoes contain: sweet potatoes and water for mixing. Remember, your baby is new to solid foods. There should be no reason why he would have a preference for something like salt.

Dairy products can pose a problem for children under one, particularly cow's milk and eggs. The components of cow's milk are difficult for an immature system to digest. Also, it doesn't provide the right kind of nutrition that breast milk or formula does. Eggs are a common source of allergic reaction, especially in a young child. Avoid eggs or any product containing eggs until one year of age, the same time you can ease cow's milk into the diet.

Other foods to avoid include: honey (bacteria), hot dogs (choking hazard), citrus (allergies), and chocolate (caffeine and milk). Just because baby can't have any of the above items doesn't mean he can't enjoy a lot of yummy treats. Many babies will appreciate strained fruits to satisfy their sweet tooth and some babies even prefer vegetables. Remember to stay away from forbidden foods and to provide a well balanced, iron-fortified diet of solids.