What I Feed My Infant + Recipe Ideas

September 13, 2023

What I Feed My Infant + Recipe Ideas to make. A glimpse into what my baby has been eating and products we love.

First things first – I would like to state the obvious here. I am not a feeding specialist. I am a mom of 3 (hungry) kids and am simply sharing my own experience feeding my babies. This is not meant to be professional advice.

With that being said – at this point I have (somewhat) successfully introduced food to all 3 of my kids. In the grand scheme of things, they are great eaters. They of course have their days and preferences and prefer pizza or fruit over majority of food, but they do eat well and always have.

The way I got about feeding my kids is not by any specific method or program. I don’t do all purees or baby led weaning. I joke that I do “Rachel-led weaning”. Which basically means, I go with my gut here and feed my babies real, wholesome, foods and I do a mix of some purees, some solids, etc. There is no right or wrong way as long as your infant is being fed, they are growing and your trusted pediatrician approves.

Cooper is now 8 months and he has been eating food since about 4 1/2 or 5 months. I do introduce food on the earlier side. As soon as our ped gives us the thumbs up, I start. From then on my kids have done a mix of food and breastmilk.

Feeding your baby can be SO intimidating and confusing and overwhelming. So I wanted to share some things that Cooper is loving right now…

*Please note these aren’t the only things my infant eats. Usually he eats whatever we are having for dinner so it varies day to day but these are all dishes he has tried and loved!

What I feed my infant for breakfast:

Organic plain greek yogurt with some nut butter (peanut butter or almond usually)
Oatmeal mixed with chia seeds, flax seeds and some nut butter
Muesli (code RACHL30) – he loves this! I cook it in some water or milk and usually pick out the large chunks of coconut and stuff (use judgment) but it’s really nutritious and easy to make. I do the classic bircher (no honey!)
Easy Banana Pancakes (3 ingredients!) – he eats them for lunch more than breakfast but pancakes are obviously “breakfast” food
Egg cups – these are great to make and keep in fridge for the week or freezer
Scrambled egg in some butter with spinach or cheese
Baked oatmeals – I typically omit any sugars like maple syrup or coconut sugar or chocolate
Gluten-free Spinach Banana Pancakes – we make these a lot. To be honest, he eats them for lunch more than breakfasty
Breakfast Yogurt Bake – LOVE this for an easy meal prep. Just watch the added sugars for the yogurt

What I feed my infant for lunches/dinners:

Mashed avocado with chicken – this is a ride or die over here. Ezra loved this too!
Baked Pasta Recipe – we make this no-boil pasta bake all the time. It is great for an easy meal and Coop loves it.
Roasted sweet potatoes with broccoli, peas, carrots – a mash up of veggies. I just add them all into a bowl and mash it up together
Green Goddess pasta sauce – this is a nutritional powerhouse for kids! 3 veggies and very easy to make.
One-Pan Broccoli Cheese Rice – I am pretty sure Cooper ate this entire batch over 4 days. He loved it
The Best Hidden Veggie Lasagna (gluten-free) – Don’t sleep on this one and my baby loves it.
Broccoli Cheddar Fritters (gluten-free) – a great finger food for infants!
Chicken Pot Pie Casserole (dairy-free) – make this for yourself then share with the baby!
Gluten-free Veggie Frittata Sticks – great way to do a finger food and get protein and veggies into the baby’s diet
Gluten-free Zucchini Chicken Meatballs – these are one of Cooper’s favorites
One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Rice – I am pretty sure Cooper ate more than half of this when I first made it. He was obsessed
Creamy Chicken and “Rice” Soup – really entering our soup era over here for the season
Grilled Whole Chicken – it is so juicy for them!
Gluten-free Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese – just made this this week for Cooper!
Coconut Kidney Bean Curry Soup – I was just as shocked as you are reading this that Coop loved this recipe. But he is obsessed!

Snack ideas for infants:

Pouches (code RACHL) – these are my savior when we are on the go or don’t have food on hand
Mashed avocado – this never gets old with my baby
Green Smoothie Muffins (gluten-free) – these are a great grab and go snack idea for infants.
Roasted broccoli – if you don’t love the consistency, add it into small pieces to avocado! Makes it easier to eat. Really any roasted veggies!
Japanese Sweet Potato Fries – I make these almost daily for myself and Cooper! Obsessed with them
Puffs (code RACHL) – these are really more to kill time but love these

You will notice I don’t do many fruits. I try to keep it lower in sugar for the first year and focus more on veggies, fats and proteins. Cooper has had bananas in pancakes, oatmeals muffins and things but he doesn’t snack on fruit at this point.

Items I have for feeding my infant:

Bibs – we love these bibs too and have used them for all 3 babies
Highchair – this is our favorite. It also converts into a play table chair and booster chair!
Suction bowls and spoons – I don’t love a bowl that *really* suctions hard so this is my favorite. I don’t usually hand Cooper a bowl to feed himself. I put food on tray and give him spoon.
Dish soap – and this dishwasher detergent.
Bottles for breast milk – we use this. I also loved these for Ezra and Brody too.
Splat mat – this is a must for feeding! Put under high chair
Japanese Sweet Potato Fries – I use this a lot in mornings because it’s more feasible as I make lunches, pump, etc.