S TA R T I N G S O L I D S G U I D E

futurefoody.co.nz

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What we believe in and why your baby is eating it

FUTURE FOODY believes in baby food that is the real deal. Fresh, organic, spray-free and nutrient dense food that is without little nasties (no preservatives, no added sugar and no added salt).

Our meals will nourish your growing baby’s body and mind while developing their tiny taste buds. During the first 12 months of life your baby goes through rapid growth and development; and the first year lays down the nutritional and metabolic blueprint. It’s during this time that solid food is introduced. Nutrient dense foods are not only crucial for your baby’s immediate health but also as they grow.

To give your baby the best start, Future Foody meals are based on:

VEGETABLESVegetables are not only the best source of carbohydrate for babies but they also provide vitamins, minerals and fibre. Creating a preference for vegetables from the start means a greater chance that these super foods are eaten for life.

GUT HEALTH The bacteria in the gut makes up 75% of our immune system. A baby’s gut is immature and still developing. Introducing solids is one of the key stages of this development.

Fibre – An important food source for the microbes in the gut and also keeps the intestines clean.

Prebiotics & Probiotics – Probiotics provide the good bacteria to the gut while prebiotics feed them.

PROTEIN Essential for growth and repair and considering this is the most rapid time for growth, good quality protein will help nourish your baby.

HEALTHY FATSFat is essential to develop a healthy nervous system, hormone production, cognition, vision, immunity, provides the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K and is essential for brain development. It does not irritate the gut and it slows down the rate food leaves the stomach meaning more sustained energy and blood sugar levels. This can make a huge difference in your baby’s sleep too (yay!).

NUTRIENT DENSE

Iron – This nutrient is so incredibly crucial that mother nature gave newborns a reserve of it to fulfil their needs for their first 4-6 months. This is one of the reasons it is important to start solids at this time as their iron stores begin to deplete.

Iodine – Crucial for brain development.

Zinc – Essential for development of the nervous system, the gut, immunity and the endocrine (hormone) system.

Calcium – Essential for growing bones and bodies.

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Starting solids – what you need to know

WE ARE FIRM BELIEVERS that starting solids is an important step for moulding a child’s food preferences and eating habits and that this is also an important time to ensure we are nourishing our babies. However this can be a confusing time too so we are here to hold your hand and help, as you navigate through this stage with your little one. Here are some tips to get you started:

WHEN DO I START?Your baby will show signs that they are ready for solids around 4-6 months. The Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation recommendations are: “Around the age of

6 months, an infants need of energy and nutrients starts to exceed what is provided by milk, and complementary foods are necessary to meet those needs. An infant of this age is also developmentally ready for other foods”.

The decision to start solids needs to be made by parents or primary caregivers in accordance to their own baby’s needs, so forget what your neighbours baby is doing and keep an eye out for the following signs to help guide you in making this decision.

Your baby may be ready for solids if they can:

• hold their head steady

• sit with help

• make chewing motions and have lost their tongue extrusion reflex

• show great interest in what you eat

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• are becoming less satisfied with milk feeds

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I BE FEEDING MY BABY?Start by offering a small amount of food after a milk feed. Then around 6-8 months, your baby will be working towards 2-3 solid meals per day. Your baby’s appetite will vary from day to day in accordance with how they are feeling, any distractions, the time of the day, breastmilk and/or formula intake, if they are going through a growth spurt, if they are teething or unwell and the type and composition of foods they are eating. At some meal times they may eat less than others, don’t be discouraged by this, just remember it’s their total intake over an entire week which is important.

LET YOUR BABY LEAD THE WAYThis means, letting your baby either self-feed and eat how much they would like (without coaxing to eat more or taking away food if they are not done) or paying close attention to their cues if you are spoon-feeding or a mixture of both! Your baby will show you that they are done eating in their own unique way which may be turning their head away, swatting at the spoon, throwing it on the floor, zipping their lips shut, or letting you know with their little (or not so little!) voice.

HAVE FUNBreastmilk and/or formula will remain the main source of nutrients for the initial weeks and months. The introduction of solid food is a fun, experimental period where

your babe gets to be try a wide variety of foods, textures and flavours so they are more readily accepted as they grow up. Touching, licking, mushing, squashing, playing with their food and hearing you talk to them about it are all part of the process of learning to love new foods and it is completely normal! Try not to get discouraged during this process, be patient and keep introducing foods in a fun non-pressured way. Your baby will learn to eat well in their own time.

WHAT DO I FEED FIRST?Our 21 day solids program backed by our expert child Nutritionist, Larissa Beeby, has been created to nourish your baby’s tummy, support optimal brain development, help build a strong immune system and pathways, create a healthy gut, and encourage positive healthy habits and food preferences. Our meals are not only nutritionally dense but they are fresh, organic, spray-free with no added sugar or salt. The range of flavours and textures across the three stages will also help develop their sensory and motor skills and feed your baby’s curiosity. Our interesting flavour combinations and incorporation of herbs and spices are great for palate development and creating your own #futurefoody. There is evidence that babies who are exposed to a wide range of foods and flavours early on will accept a wider range of foods later in life and are less likely to become fussy eaters.

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WHAT ABOUT ALLERGENS?Any potential allergens are clearly marked on each label. While our products are free from most potential allergens, if you have a concern about any of our ingredients please contact us. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Feeding Guidelines state that solids should be introduced when your infant is ready, at around 6 months, but not before 4 months, and that all infants should be given allergenic solid foods including peanut butter, cooked egg, dairy and wheat products in the first year of life. This includes infants at high risk of allergies. *If you are concerned or if your family has a history of allergy, please consult with your Doctor or allergy specialist.

CHOKING HAZARDSSmall, hard and round foods as well as sticky solids can block your baby’s airways. Compressible foods such as popcorn and sausages are also a hazard. You will know best what your child is capable of eating but as a guide make sure that hard foods such as vegetables are grated or cooked, pits are removed from fruits, grapes or cherry tomatoes are cut in half, nut butters are spread thinly and stringy foods such as pineapple or celery are finely chopped.

GAGGING – IS THIS NORMAL?Gagging is a normal reflex babies have as they learn to eat solids. Gagging brings food forward into your baby’s mouth so they can chew it some more first or try to swallow a smaller amount. Your baby should gag less often as they develop and learn to regulate the amount of food they swallow.

MY BABY SCREWS UP THEIR FACE/SPITS IT OUT...As your baby starts to try new foods and tastes, they may make funny faces (albeit entertaining to begin with!). Be patient, respond positively and keep trying. Often children need repeated exposure (sometimes 10-15 times!) before embracing a new flavour or texture. If you baby doesn’t like a certain flavour, we encourage you to try another flavour and then the next day or in a few days try that tricky one again and chances are they will come to love it! Everyone will take to solids in their own time. #nomoremumguilt

EATING TOGETHERWe know it is often more time efficient to feed your baby separately, but they actually learn by watching others eat and learn eating is social. So pull the high chair up to the table as much as possible. To begin with, pick a time when your baby is most relaxed. Often this is mid-morning, a perfect time for you to sit down and enjoy a snack together. You might even get a chance to have a hot cup of coffee (gasp!).

GET MESSYFeeding your baby is messy! You will wipe their face, hands and clean their highchair multiple times a day, however this is where the magic happens when they are interacting with food so embrace the mess and remember it can all be cleaned up (this is where a dog comes in handy).

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Starting solids – the 5 things you need

Introducing solid food is an exciting time, it’s not only amazing to see your baby grasp a new skill, but it’s a new way to bond with your baby as well as expand their nutrition.

While our precious babies are small, and in theory, they alone don’t take up much room, all parents will agree that suddenly our houses get taken over by mountains of baby paraphernalia. It is often overwhelming trying to navigate your way through the shops when there is so much “stuff” available. We are all about things that make our lives that little bit easier (especially when you are a sleep deprived new parent!) so here is our list of the things that we think you will find helpful when its comes to starting solids.

BIBS Just so you can be prepared, starting solids is very messy. Food will end up everywhere exactly where you don’t want it to (including those cute little clothes!) and a laundry soaker will soon be your best friend. However bibs can certainly minimise the damage and you simply can’t have enough of these! Traditional cloth bibs are common but often hard to clean (and no parent wants more laundry!). There are also silicone bibs with a pocket to catch stray bits and that can be rinsed clean. Sleeve bibs are also very handy.

BABY SPOONSA softer spoon such as bamboo or silicone

is great to start with as they are gently on little mouths and helps them get used to the feel of a utensil in their mouth. A longer handle may make it a little easier to aim at the start. You may find your baby wants to help so an extra spoon for them can come in handy.

BOWL Again a silicone or bamboo bowl is great because at some point it will be thrown overboard. One that suctions to the high chair is handy once they get a little older!

HIGHCHAIR A highchair or an infant seat if your baby needs some extra support to sit up. The main function of a highchair is to keep your baby safe but also comfortable while eating. There are so many on the market but remember one that is easy to clean is a must, as you will eventually be doing this multiple times a day!

SIPPY CUP Always offer water each time your baby eats solids as the process of starting solids will change the balance of fluids within their body. Try a variety of different cups as every baby has their own favourites and it is also a good idea to have one handy…one in your handbag, one in the kitchen, one in the lounge - you get the idea! Remember that keeping an eye on your baby’s wet nappies is the best indication of their hydration.

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Creating a positive food environment at home

1. ROLE MODELFrom an early age you will see your baby watching you eat and then trying to grab your food. This is all part of learning about food and reinforces how much our babies learn from watching. This doesn’t mean we have to be ‘“perfect” the whole time, but more being aware of what we are eating and the language we use around food.

2. FAMILY MEAL TIMESWhen everyone sits down together, mealtimes become more than just eating – it is a social experience too. While it can be a rush trying to get everyone’s meal on the table at the same time, babies will often eat more and be willing to try new foods, especially from your own plate!

3. AVOID REWARDING WITH FOOD

Using food as a reward can create emotive connections which are really hard to reverse. Using non-food rewards is a great habit to get into from an early age.

4. LET THEM GUIDE YOUBabies and children are really good at regul-ating their appetite but us trying to force another spoonful in or by promoting them to finish their plate actually stops them from listening to their own hunger cues.

Remember starting solids is fun. We are excited to be part of your baby’s journey. Welcome to the Future Foody Club.

Bon appétite!

Future Foody Nutritionist, Larissa Beeby, with her daughter, Maisie.

LARISSA BEEBY NZ Registered Nutritionist

Food safety It is important when feeding your baby, to be aware of food safety practices to avoid cross contamination which could make your baby unwell. Here are some tips:

• always use a clean bowl and spoon when serving food

• any food that is heated and not eaten, should then be discarded

• use opened food within 24 hours

• all food should be chilled in the fridge between 0-5 degrees

• be aware of use-by dates on pottles and discard food after this date

• fresh food should be served fresh! You may choose to freeze our products, but we guarantee the integrity and consistency of our products only when served fresh

• frozen products must be discarded after 3 months

For more support, head to Facebook and join our ‘Future Foody- Starting Solids Support Group’

You can ask our expert child nutritionist, as well as other mums, any questions.

We also have a large resource of feeding related journals on our website:

www.futurefoody.co.nz

futurefoody.co.nz