Feeding baby at Thanksgiving does not need to be stressful. You have spent the last 6 months ensuring that your baby has enough breast milk or formula to grow up to this point. Now, what? The holidays are approaching and there are lots of ways that your baby can participate in this special meal.
Top 5 first foods for Thanksgiving
Introducing new foods to your baby can be fun and exciting. Holiday traditions can dictate what you feed your baby, but it does not have to be difficult. Introducing your baby to holiday foods now can prevent picky eating at future Thanksgiving meals. Let’s look at the top 5 first foods for Thanksgiving and how to introduce them to your baby.
Turkey
When you are starting food for babies, you want to begin with foods that are high in iron. After 4 months of age, your baby’s iron stores start to decrease, especially if they are exclusively breastfeeding. Meat is a great source of this key nutrient. It is also a great way to get protein into your baby’s diet.
Turkey is the center point for most Thanksgiving dinners in this country. It is also a great food to feed your baby. Even if your baby does not have any teeth yet, shredding small pieces of turkey on their plate or tray makes an excellent finger food for a new eater. You can give your baby bite sized pieces of white or dark meat and set them at the dinner table with you. Avoid giving them larger pieces of meat. If you are concerned that your baby will choke on meat, you can always grind it up in the food processor.
Green Beans
While green bean casserole is a staple for many holiday meals, the concern for potential allergens makes this a difficult food to feed a baby that is new to table foods. Just plain green beans that are cooked and soft are a great way to introduce this popular vegetable. If your baby is older and has been eating table foods for a while without any issues, a small scoop of green bean casserole can make for a special treat. Just be sure to always avoid feeding any baby raw veggies. They should always be cooked and soft when you are feeding them to a young child.
Glazed Carrots
Another popular vegetable at Thanksgiving is carrots. These orange vegetables are high in beta carotene which is a great nutrient to include in your baby’s diet. While most pediatricians recommend avoiding adding salt or sugar to baby’s foods, carrots glazed with maple syrup can be a special treat for babies at the holidays. If your baby is young and you are worried about them choking, homemade baby food with pureed carrots can be a great choice. This is especially true for babies who aren’t quite ready to chew on a cut up cooked carrot.
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a yummy addition to any holiday meal. They are a great food for all babies as well since they are pureed. Just be careful what you add to the mashed potatoes or ask your family members what is included in their mashed potato recipe if you are eating at someone else’s house. Common allergens such as milk can cause an allergic reaction in your baby, especially if they have had a previous reaction. Mashed potatoes can be a safe food for a baby that is allergic to milk if you just boil the potato, let it cool and mash it for the baby. Be sure to peel the potato first so that the baby does not choke on the skin.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes also make excellent additions to your baby’s holiday meal. Just like butternut squash, carrots and pumpkin, sweet potatoes are an orange food that is high in beta carotene and other nutrients that your baby needs. Just be careful to not feed your baby too many orange foods as you may end up with an orange colored baby!
This type of potato can make meal time more enjoyable for your baby. They have a slightly sweet taste that will appeal to their taste buds. When it comes to solid foods, sweet potatoes are a food that is high on the list of baby favorites. They are an excellent addition to the meal whether you are doing pureed foods or baby led weaning.
Should my baby enjoy dessert?
Pumpkin Pie
A bit of pumpkin pie on your baby’s plate can make for an enjoyable holiday for everyone. Well, maybe not for the person that changes the baby’s diapers. 🙂 As with other mixed ingredient foods, just make sure that your baby has never had an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients. Sweet potato pie can also be a good alternative to pumpkin pie that your baby may enjoy.
Apple Pie
Another popular holiday treat is apple pie. A small piece for baby is okay as a special holiday treat. If you are worried about your baby getting too much sugar from pie, plain soft apples for baby can be a suitable alternative. While pediatric nutritionists recommend not adding sugar or salt to your baby’s foods, an occasional treat at the holidays will not cause any lasting harm. Just keep your eye on baby when he or she is eating any new foods.
Setting the tone for thankfulness throughout the year
Thanksgiving is a holiday where we stop and reflect on the things that we are thankful for. Family is one of those things that we can all be thankful for, no matter what it looks like. Maybe a beautiful baby joined your family this year and this makes you thankful. Or perhaps your kids have accomplished a new milestone, like eating a yummy meal with the family, and you are thankful. You can teach your babies and young children how to be thankful throughout the year. Include your kids by starting new traditions of thankfulness as your family grows.
127 Pediatrics is Thankful
At 127 Pediatrics, we are thankful for our patients and their families. We maintain a small patient panel so that we can provide quality, evidence based pediatric care to kids in the comfort of their own homes. To find out how to be a part of this exclusive membership practice, send us a message via our website. Don’t have young children, yourself? Share our blog post with a friend or family member.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
© 127 Pediatrics; November 2022
Dr. Andrea Wadley is the owner, pediatrician, and breastfeeding medicine specialist for 127 Pediatrics. She has an established house calls-only pediatric practice in Colleyville, TX. We also have an at-home pediatrician serving the Aledo area. Dr. Wadley sees patients all over Tarrant county for concierge breastfeeding medicine consults, lactation consults, fourth-trimester care, tongue tie clipping, and medical ear piercing.
