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Rice, Lentils and Tofu, Oh My!

Not-so-common Foods for Older Babies

By Donna Smith

Breast milk or formula, then pureed fruits and vegetables and single-grain cereals, are the first stepping stones in Baby's introduction to the exciting world of tastes and textures. But once Baby has mastered the basics, don't be afraid to introduce different foods to your little one.

There are other healthy foods that are good for babies and provide variety and beneficial nutrients, says Peggy O'Shea, a Boston-based nutritionist and president of the Massachusetts Dietetic Association. "For example, by around 8 months of age, beans are a good option to add to Baby's diet (prior to that they can present challenges with digestion)."

Also at around 8 to 12 months, soft lentils can be a good option. "Make sure to cook them until soft and create a good texture of mashed lentils – also try mixing them with some of Baby's favorite vegetables such as carrots or cauliflower," O'Shea says. "Other foods to try at this age include brown rice, [which] can also be a healthy addition to a baby's diet, as can other less common foods such as tofu, avocado, barley, kamut, quinoa, flax and wheat germ."

Christina Pirello, author of Cooking the Whole Foods Way (H.P. Books, 1997), says lentils are a great source of iron for children, but agrees that they need to be cooked until very soft and then pureed because the high fiber content can be hard for some babies to digest. She also suggests cooking the lentils, and even beans, with a bay leaf, which makes them easier on tiny tummies.

"Rice is very often used because it hardly ever promotes any allergies, so it is always a good choice," Pirello says. She suggests brown rice as well, and adding some calcium into the mix by cooking tan sesame seeds along with the rice. "They get pureed with the rice, and it makes it even more nutritious," she says.

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