First meats for baby?

[@llli*andie613]

I'm slowly introducing some solid foods to my LO who is about 7 months. So far, he has tried apples, bananas, sweet potato, avacado, and carrots. All these foods I mash or puree, and heat so that they are mildly warm, then mix with breastmilk and a bit of rice cereal (or just give the fruits with some bm without cereal). He eats solids 2x/day, once mid-morning and once at dinner.

I was wondering when I should introduce meats and what kinds/how to prepare them. My pediatrician said not to introduce meats until 9 months because of nitrates, but nitrates are only in preserved/preprepared meats, right? And that's not what I would give my baby anyway. I'm also not keen on buying jars of baby food--seems like they have too many additives and potential allergens. I've been making my own food from natural sources, the only additives being breastmilk .

I'm interested in starting meats because of the health benefits: source of iron, protein.

Anyone have good suggestions on when to start meats, what kinds, any recipes on how to fix them?

[@llli*djs.mom]

I didn't give my son any meat until between 9&10 months. And we did shredded chicken 1st and then ground turkey breast. We did not do any read meat until after the year point. even if you decide to do other meat, avoid pork before the year point for sure as it's always salty and they should not have any salt before the year point.

[@llli*manitobamommy]

Health Canada is now suggesting meat as a first food because of the high iron. I think there are a lot of advantages to it. What we did early on with our first child before we got more into baby-led solids was grind it in a food mill. But it gets a bit dry - you may need to add some liquid back if you do it that way. Another option is to give a large bone, mostly stripped of meat for them to play with/suck on. Or you could put a piece of meat in one of those mesh bags. Just FYI, meat often does have additives even if it's "fresh", in order to keep the red colouring longer.

[@llli*mammi]

my son refused to eat any meat until he was about 2 years old. When he learned to eat solids I tried organic chicken, and he would simply ignore it and if I tried to offer it actively he pushed it away. He is still not too keen on meat but will eat it.
I would honestly not worry about a 7 months old eating any significant amounts of meat. At that food is still about experimenting and learning.

[@llli*krystine]

We did shredded chicken, too. If it's moist it will be easier to eat although I wouldn't suggest gravy but just its own juices/don't over cook it. If you want other protein foods beans are really a pretty good food, at least my daughter really liked them. And you are right, nitrates and nitrites are only in processed meat. I am allergic to them and they're found in bacon (unless specifically labeled to not have them - we have to find it at the health food store), ham, and lunch meats. If you just bought a whole chicken raw it should be fine or at least nitrate free.

[@llli*tresa2steppin]

I began with my son at 8 months, baby meats in a jar mixed in the bullet with white potatoes. He's loves the ham and beef flavors. I'm going to try beans next. Beans are high in fiber too. I tried mixing ground beef in the bullet from one of our meals. He would not eat it, too gritty. I think we have to wait until he is older and grinding his food more before pushing real meats.

[@llli*diymom]

I'm not a vegitarian or anything but I am just starting to give my 7 month old some hydrated dry beans that I grew last season. I hydrate them, cook them a little and then when they're soft I smash them a little (they are half the size of a kidney bean) and put them on his tray. He can grasp and bite them...the skins on the variety I grew practically dissapear so they aren't a problem. Beans are a great source of protein and they're inexpensive to buy organic...and practically cake to grow....just buy some and plant them...wait til they dry on the Bush and pick them to store...

I will be serving meat soon too, my son loves beef...we have given him little shreads of steak and he acts like its candy. I think I'll give him chicken with sweet potatoes and garlic seasoning in another week.