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Baby Food
Q & A about Nutritional Content
Once you start thinking about feeding your baby solids, you also start thinking about what exactly you're going to be putting into your baby's body. Look here to understand a little bit more about what's in processed baby food, and why.
The goal of infant nutrition is to promote optimal growth and
development by providing a variety of nutritious foods. Babies need to
be gradually exposed to a variety of tastes and textures geared to their
developmental level.
No. Infants have their own unique nutritional and developmental needs.
Adult dietary guidelines for fat, protein, fiber, sugars and other
nutrients should not be applied to infants and young children.
Yes. As part of the infant diet, processed baby foods provide balance
and variety with a carefully controlled and consistent nutrient content.
Yes, as long as it is correctly prepared from carefully selected foods.
Good clean work areas are very important to prevent accidental
contamination. Home prepared baby food should be steamed then
thoroughly mashed with a fork or a food processor. Parents need to be
cautious of feeding foods that cannot be mashed by the gums as these
present a choking hazard.
Water helps make the food the appropriate consistency for the
developmental stage of the infant who will eat it. Initially a baby's
food should be liquid enough to be sucked from a spoon. Babies need
water for growth and should have a good intake of fluids every day,
especially in hot, humid weather.
Starches are easily digested carbohydrates, which may be present in baby
foods in the form of flour (corn, wheat, rice), tapioca or rice.
Whether added or a component of food, starches provide an important
source of calories for growing infants. Food starches also help to
moderate flavor and control texture. The Food and Drug Administration
has determined that food starches are safe and suitable for use in baby
foods, and requires that they be listed on the food label.
Texture, in particular, plays an important role in providing
developmentally appropriate challenges for the infant. Lumpier foods
introduce chewing skills by helping the infant to learn and master the
up-and-down and side-to-side motions of chewing and the manipulation of
the tongue to guide foods.
Links, information and more for you
 Super Baby Food (book)
The Well-Fed Baby: Easy Healthful Recipes for the First 12 Months (book)
Directory of ages articles
Directory of all articles
About this article: This information was provided by the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC).
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