Weaning Diets

WHOLESOME CEREAL

Rice 1 measure

Green lentil-awned ¼ measure

A choice of vegetables 1 measure

(Opt for cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, club gourd, spinach, etc.,or their combinations)

A well ripened small tomato 1 number Whey or Buttermilk sufficient quantity 

Cook the rice and lentils in a pressure cooker using adequate volume of water to soften the main ingredients. 

Soften the tomato and vegetables together with sufficient water in a pressure cooker. Do not drain the excess water, if any.

Allow it to cool.

Take softened rice, whey or buttermilk (ensure that they are not sour). Also add other ingredients. Run it in a blender to obtain a soft, even paste suitable for your baby's age.

Fruity Diet

During the weaning period, Ayurveda prescribes an intermediary phase between milk and cereal feeding. At this stage the baby should be fed with fruit juices and mashed fruits. This practice may be started when the child attains 4 months of age and enters into the 5th month. This procedure of giving fruits is termed as Phalaprashan.

The choice of fruits is unlimited. Ayurvedic physicians commonly prescribe juices of citrus fruits, mashed bananas, papaya and mango pulp. Among dry fruits, raisins are considered to be the most nutritious. This helps particularly if the child is intolerant to hunger reflexes. 

With raisins, you could try this recipe:

Take about 20-30 dried, seedless raisins (small variety grapes). Soak them in a little volume of water for about an hour. Mash them into a fine paste in water.

Add a few drops of honey and clarified butter to this paste and blend well.

Nutritious Pudding

Rice or Wheat porridge 1 part

Whole milk/Standardiased milk 2 parts

Raisins 4 in number

Cashew or Almond 1 nut

Cardamom seeds 3 seeds

Clarified butter ¼ teaspoonful

Cook the rice or wheat porridge in milk (without adding water) in a pressure cooker.

Heat the clarified butter in a bowl. Fry the cashew pieces and raisins till brown.

Finely blend the cooked cereal, fried items and cardamom seeds into a paste.

This recipe may be fed to your baby once a day (during afternoons). As a measure of precaution avoid feeding this to your baby at night.
 

Summer Porridge

Rice 1 measure

Green lentil-awned ¼ measure

A choice of vegetables* (*Cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, club gourd, spinach, etc.)

Small well ripened tomato 1 in number

Salt a pinch

Bishop's weed/ Cumin seeds 2-3 in number

Clarified butter ¼ teaspoon

Cook the rice and lentil together in a pressure cooker.

Soften the vegetables using sufficient water. To this add salt, Bishop's weeds or Cumin seeds and clarified butter. Do not drain the excess water.

Blend the cooked cereal and softened vegetables in a blender to obtain a soft lickable paste.

The paste should be of adequate consistency to suit the baby's age. Feed your baby using a small teaspoon.