The 5 best veggies for babies
Fresh, frozen, or even canned (and rinsed), many veggies stand out when it comes to their nutritional quality. Packed with nutrients and fiber and low on calories, veggies should be part of every baby’s daily diet. Research shows that when a baby is exposed early and frequently to vegetables, their inclination to like them is increased. Don’t be afraid to serve veggies with flavor (butter, olive oil, or spices), as this can enhance acceptance and add needed calories for growth and development, as well.
Here are five favorite veggies to introduce to baby:
Sweet potato—You can introduce sweet potato between 4 and 6 months of age. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients including vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as iron, thiamin, potassium, phosphorus, and more. Yes, a true nutrient powerhouse for baby but with other advantages: sweet potato transitions well through the first year of feeding. It’s easy to puree, fork mash, boil, or roast, making it easy for baby to eat from a spoon, with a spoon, and even self-feed when older (think sweet potato fries!).
Peas—Green peas are a no-brainer for babies aged 4-6 months. A showstopper for nutrients, with vitamins A, C, K, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), folate, iron, and zinc, to name a few. If you’re serving them for family dinner, pop them into the blender and puree. Remember, cooked and pureed fresh veggies have a fresh flavor baby will enjoy. Frozen green peas are great for the older baby who has an active pincer grasp, too.
Green beans—Introduce green beans between 4 and 6 months. Green beans have a mild flavor that babies typically accept. While we think of jarred, pureed green beans from the grocery store, it’s easy to cook them with a little chicken broth, butter, or olive oil to flavor them up and puree them in the blender—especially if you are eating them as a family. As baby gets older, steam them soft, and let baby munch on one bean at a time.
Broccoli—Broccoli can be offered between 6 and 8 months and is a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium (plus a whole lot more!). Don’t be afraid to branch out with flavor when cooking any vegetable! If available, use soy sauce, garlic, salt, vegetable broth, or spices, as these expose your baby’s palate to a wider variety of flavors. Some babies may still be on puree, but most likely you’re stepping up the texture at this age—use a fork to mash broccoli for a coarser, lumpy consistency.
Winter squash (butternut, spaghetti, acorn, pumpkin)—The best thing about winter squash is the variety! You can introduce any winter squash between 6 and 8 months, and you’ll be giving baby important nutrients like vitamins A, C, folate, potassium, and manganese. These squash are easy to puree for spoon-feeding, fork-mash for building texture, and chop into a small dice for early self-feeding!
Reviewed by Dr. Sara Connolly, September 2020
Takeaways
- Introduce nutrient-packed vegetables early and rotate a variety of them to expose baby to different flavors and nutrients.
- Adapt the consistency of veggies to match baby’s stage of feeding (pureed, fork-mashed, chopped, etc.).
- Add spices, garlic, and other flavors to vegetables to enhance their flavor profile and acceptance.
My little guy is on a vegetable strike, so I try to sneak them into smoothies and pancakes. He has even rejected my sweet potato fries!! I will keep this list handy though for the future!
My son is on a veggie strike too! I need to try sweet potato again since it has been a while. But peas and green beans were both favorites, and now he won’t touch them! It’s so frustrating to throw away food (my husband and I eat what he doesn’t chew and spit back onto the tray, but he “tastes” and rejects a lot of it these days).
My 6 month old loves all of these veggies, with the exception of peas. When I have trouble getting her to eat a certain veggie, I mix it with a fruit to add some sweetness. I mix the peas with freshly pureed pears and that usually does the trick. Each time I add a little less fruit so that eventually she will adjust to the taste (hopefully). 🙂
My little ones are older, but I loved reading this to know what good comes from these veggies! I feel so fortunate because my 4 year old loves all veggies. He eats raw green beans, broccoli, red pepper, squash, zucchini, peas, you name it he eats them all! I believe it’s because I gave him all of these very early on and he developed a taste for them! My 2 year old on the other hand, is a tough cookie. I usually have to bribe him to eat his veggies 🙂 Except for broccoli and peas. And it’s good to see both on the top 5 best veggies list! I wasn’t as good about giving them to him as much like I did his older brother.