Homemade Baby Food Recipes for 6-12 Months
Created by Nandhini Gnana Updated on Feb 14, 2021
As every mom, even I had thousands of questions about starting solid foods for my baby (who now is 7 months). What food recipes to give? Will he be able to digest it? Is it safe to give? Just to answer these questions from my experience, I'm writing this blog for homemade foods for 6-12 months babies which you can prepare at home. Know ingredient & method of preparation here.
Here in this blog, learn how to make a complete range of baby food at home, from first foods to full meals. Try these DIY baby food recipes now!
- Rice Kanji
- Rice Payasam
- Carrot Khichdi
- Ragi Porridge.
Nutrient-rich Food Recipes Ideas for 6-12 Months Babies
The questions is "What Should Baby's First Foods Be?" Most babies do not have teeth at this time, so the foods that they are fed should be pureed, and easily digestible. It is important to note here that baby's tummy has never ingested foods till now, so we as mothers need to be very careful when we feed our child. Choose from 4 healthy easy to make & tasty, safe, homemade baby food recipes that your kids will definitely love. Here you check these food recipes.
#1. Rice Kanji Recipe:
Get the list of nutritious Rice Kanji recipe ingredients along with preparation method.
| Rice Kanji Ingredients | Quantity |
| Boiled rice (puzhagala arasi) | 3 Cups |
| Bengal gram | 1 Cup |
Method to Prepare Rice Kanji Recipe
Wash it well and dry in sun over a clean cotton cloth. Dry roast the above two ingredients in a pan separately, until they become hot. Cool it down and grind it separately. Stir in air tight containers. Boil one glass water; add 3 tbsp rice powder, 1/2 tbsp Bengal gram powder. Add 5 numbers of jeera. Mix continuously. Add 2 drops gingely oil/ghee. Salt if required, nut better to avoid. Allow the rice to cook well. Allow it to cool down a bit. Feed it when warm, as it thickens after completely cooling.
#2. Rice Payasam Recipe:
Get the list of Rice payasam ingredients along with preparation method.
| Rice Payasam Ingredients | Quantity |
| Rice Powder | 3 Tbsp |
| Jaggery Water | As per need |
| Ghee | As per need |
Method to Prepare rice payasam Recipe
Boil one glass water, add 3 tbsp rice powder. Add jaggery water (soak a small piece of Jaggery in water and strain it). Mix continuously. Add 2 drops ghee. Allow the rice to cook well. Allow it to cool down a bit. Feed it when warm, as it thickens after completely cooling.
#3.Carrot Khichdi Recipe
Get the list of carrot khichadi ingredients along with preparation method..
| Carrot Khichdi Ingredients | Quantity |
| Rice powder | 3 Tbsp |
| Paasi Parap (moong dal) | 1 Tbsp |
| Carrot | 1 small piece |
| Jeera | 4-5 |
| Pinch Turmeric | As per taste |
| Pinch Salt | As per taste |
| Ghee | 2-3 drops |
Method to make Carrot Khichdi
Add All the above ingredients, one glass water in a cooker. Keep it for 4-5 whistles in slow flame. Keep the cooker aside for ten minutes for the pressure to reduce. Blend this mixture in a blender/mixie. Feed it when warm. This recipe can be tried with beans/potato/drumstick/beetroot (7 months). You can slowly start combining two vegetables together.
#4.Ragi Porridge Recipe
Get the list of Ragi Porridge ingredients along with preparation method..
| Ragi Porridge Ingredients | Quantity |
| Ragi | 1 Cup |
| Milk | 2 Cups |
| Water | 3 Cups |
Method to Prepare Ragi Porridge
Clean ragi, remove sticks/stones if any. Wash it well. Soak one cup ragi in two cups of water the previous night. In the morning, strain this water. Grind it with 1 cup water in a mixer. Add more water if required. Using a clean cotton cloth, filter the mixture. You will get half a glass of ragi milk. Take a vessel, add this to milk and allow it to boil of two minutes. Add jeera and salt if required. Mix continuously to avoid forming lumps. Once you see a nice shiny glaze over it, turn off. Feed it when warm Check: Baby Food Ideas for 6-12 months Kids
When Should Start First Baby Foods?
Most pediatricians recommend introducing semi-solids to the baby after the age of 6 months. My pediatrician told me that at the age of 6-12 months breast milk or formula become insufficient to address baby's growing need for nutrients. Hence, to make up for healthy development for babies, it is important to introduce them to some solids foods once they are 6, 7 or 8 months old. However, every baby is different and they have different needs, so it is best to consult the doctor on how and when you should start giving semi-solids to the baby. It may be noted here that milk – breast or formula still rules your baby's diet in the first year. Must Check: 4 Food Recipes for 6-month baby
How Can I Know If My Kid Is Ready For Solid Foods?
My little one started making chewing faces and noticing us very closely when she saw us eating anything. She soon started trying to reach for plates of food, so much so that I had to ensure that nothing is in her reach. Basically, when the baby gains head control and can sit up straight with some support, she can have solids.
May you like these recipes for your kids
Healthy Snack Recipe Ideas for kids
Hope this blog will be helpful for all mothers. Read related blogs personalized to your child's age and interest. Download the Parentune mobile app and access support on the go http://bit.ly/parentune-android
This content has been checked & validated by Doctors and Experts of the parentune Expert panel. Our panel consists of Neonatologist, Gynecologist, Peadiatrician, Nutritionist, Child Counselor, Education & Learning Expert, Physiotherapist, Learning disability Expert and Developmental Pead.
| Sep 27, 2015
@ emilli, baby is too small to start weaning. My baby too had latching problem n after consulting to peaditrician i started weaning at 4 months where i used to give him unsalted daal n chawal ka pani n semolina's kanji. But solids we introduced only after 6 months.
| Sep 27, 2015
@ rohini, make semolina kanji. Ragi kanji they are very nutritous. Also u can give him mashes potatoes, banana, moong daal. khichdi. but start from small quantity so that even u know wat ur baby likes n can digest well. Homemade cerelac is another good option.
| Oct 05, 2015
I hv tried these receipes for my elder son, N nw for my Younger one. this reaallly helps. Also wht u cn try After 8th month is soaking up chapati in warm milk n thn blending it with a lil jaggery. u cn also add a piece of banana or anjir to this. very healthy for babies.
| Nov 03, 2015
@shwetha: initially when you start the intention is just to introduce them to solid foods. Not for filling the tummies. So what ever you try , make in very small quantities, 1 or 2 table spoon. Do not expect your baby to complete it. Always follow the four day rule, do not try a new food before four days completion of trying a food. Slowly you will understand what your baby likes and what he dislikes.
| Nov 05, 2015
Good one. Top feeds can be given provided its adviced by the pediatrician. Weaning ideally shud start by 6m. Salt n sugar cannot b given??? Y so. They r natural ingrediants. Yes too much s bad. And any food in the right quantity and consistency is good for the baby. Fruits( non citrus to be introduced first) Contain sugar and salts, coconut water, cooked n mashed veggies all contain some amount of salt. But if the child s not liking the so. called feed, u can add some amunt of it to make it palatable. I would suggest introduce one type at a time, avoid ghee initially. As baby starts accepting feeds u can gradually add nuts and ghee . Egg can be gradually introduced later on by 8m.
| Nov 20, 2015
@Farida: Number of feed depends on how old your baby is. 6 months: Start with just one feed. 11:00am After two weeks make it two feeds. 11:00am and 5:00pm 7 months: Three feeds, breakfast, lunch, dinner After two weeks make it to five feeds. Breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner
| Nov 24, 2015
@faridha: As we are trying new foods for our little ones we need to wait to check if they are allergic to it. So when ever you introduce a new food, wait for minimum four days before trying another new food. This way you can understand what food your baby is allergic to.
| Dec 14, 2015
Hi mam.. My baby is 4 months old and her weight is 5. 3 kgs.. She is having only my milk apart from my milk can I have anything else to keep, when I consulted my pead he suggested to give my feeding.. And can u help me out some healthy food receipes how to prepare for my baby.
| Dec 15, 2015
@ashwini and @ankana: until your babies are 6 months old please do not think of any other food. Breast milk is the only healthy and sufficient food. If you are unable to give breast feed for any reason, then formula feed is sufficient. These recipes are to be started only after your baby is 6 months old. Please talk to you pediatrician if your baby is really under weight.
| Dec 21, 2015
@zubeda: I have written another blog for 9 month babies. It is yet to be published by the website. You can start giving mashed rice with dal. Veg soup, chicken soup for snacks. Apple, water melon, musk melon, chikku fruits. You can also start giving only the yellow part of the egg, well boiled or even omlet.
| Jan 27, 2016
@shilpa: it is always correct to feed baby solids in sitting position. Try to invest in rocking chairs, it costs around 1000, you can make your baby to sit in a slightly slanted position, they are usually completely adjustable. It also has belts. It can be converted to a rocker too. Other options is to use pillows, to get a slanted position. But you need to keep pillow on the sides too,to make sure your baby is not hurt. Since babies get fussier while eating it becomes difficult to handle the baby, pillow, plate :)
| Jan 27, 2016
@hema:I would suggest you not to give more water to your baby. If your baby is breast fed water is not necessary if he/she is less than 6 months. While having solid foods, yes you can give them half a cup for a meal. Try to give only if necessary, you should not fill your babies tummy with water.
| Jan 27, 2016
@nisha: please start with just one meal. Start during the day time, 10:00am . Start with very little quantity, don't expect your baby to complete the food. Repeat the same food for four days, if no allergy or stomach upset you can continue with the same. Next week change to two feeds. 10:00am and 5:00 pm Third week 10:00am, 1:00pm ,6:00pm Continue for the complete month. Seventh month you can make it to four feeds.
| Jan 27, 2016
@deepa: yes it should be avoided. Jaggery and fruit puree is better option to sweeten. But adding a very little amount of salt after 9 months is fine,I had consulted my pediatrician too. Otherwise your little one will like only sweet food later. This is my own personal experience. My baby loves anything sweet. He hates other food. I'm slowly teaching him to like other foods. It's just a suggestion.