The life of a young child is filled with new discoveries and wonders. The most ordinary things cause him delight and amazement. A caring mother is trying to please her baby with something, for example, a new delicacy. Breastfed babies begin to receive their first complementary foods as early as 4 months, and by 6 months their menu becomes more varied. One of the main dishes that it includes is porridge.
Features of the menu for a child from 6 months
In the menu of a 6-month-old child, pediatricians recommend including such foods and dishes prepared from them as:
- cottage cheese;
- soups;
- porridge;
- meat;
- cereals.
All food that the baby receives must be grated very carefully. The chewing reflex in a small child is not yet developed, so any lump in food can cause him to vomit.
By the age of 6 months, babies usually switch to five meals a day, the break time between these meals should be from 3, 5 to 4 hours, and the night break should also be taken into account, from about 10 to 11 hours.
Porridge as a complementary food for a child from 6 months
If the child is healthy and not prone to allergic reactions, he should be given porridge as a second complementary food. It should be made from cereals that are well tolerated by young children:
- rice;
- buckwheat;
- corn.
With a low level of weight gain in an infant and frequent regurgitation, porridge is introduced instead of vegetable puree, the first complementary food.
Babies begin to cook porridge, a rather liquid consistency. The use of cow's milk for cooking meals for children under 1 year old is not recommended. Usually, cereals are cooked with the addition of breast milk or an adapted formula. If milk is intolerant, they are prepared on a water basis.
To diversify the taste of porridge, you can use ready-made purees, as well as fresh fruits, which should be added to a plate for crumbs. A grated banana will improve the taste of rice porridge, and a grated apple - buckwheat. Pumpkin puree will perfectly emphasize the taste of corn porridge.
Rice porridge for a child from 6 months
It is undesirable to cook rice porridge for a child from a whole grain from 6 months to a year. For its preparation, it is better to use rice flour. The following ingredients are used:
- 15 g of rice flour;
- 150 ml of water;
- 150 ml of adapted milk;
- 5 g of vegetable oil.
After the water boils, you need to carefully pour rice flour into it in small portions. Cook over low heat, about 10-15 minutes. Porridge is diluted with very hot milk. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. A little vegetable oil is added to the finished dish.
Buckwheat porridge for a child from 6 months
The most popular and valuable porridge for the introduction of the first complementary foods is buckwheat. It is great for children with allergy tendencies when prepared without adding milk.
The groats must be carefully sorted out, and then rinsed in clean water. Pour the prepared cereal into boiling water. Cook under the lid over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes. The boiled cereals must be rubbed through a sieve, and then diluted with boiled milk to the required consistency. The porridge should be brought to a boil and allowed to simmer for about 4 minutes.
Corn cereal porridge for a child from 6 months
Corn porridge for a child from 6 months is prepared in the same way as buckwheat. Before the cooking process, it is advisable to soak the cereals in hot water for several hours.
The exact proportions of the ratio of water, cereal and milk are not particularly important when cooking porridge. The consistency is brought manually by adding milk at the end of cooking.
