49

Eating well
for 7-9
month olds
50 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

What should 7-9 month old infants eat and drink?

By 7-9 months of age, a baby should be eating a range of mashed foods and some finger foods, and
be offered three meals a day, as well as having milk feeds.
A 7-9 month old baby might have an eating pattern something like the one shown below.

Example menu plan for 7-9 month olds Breastfed babies

On waking Breastmilk or first infant formula Breastfed babies will still be fed on demand or
responsively by their mums, and as food intake
Breakfast Cereal, yoghurt or egg-based
increases, breastmilk intake will decline. It is
breakfast
important to offer increasing amounts of food
Finger food at meals to ensure babies get all the nutrients
Sleep they need, as well as the opportunity to get
used to a wide range of tastes and textures,
Lunch Savoury meal and the enjoyment of eating with others.
Savoury finger food There is no need to know how much milk a
breastfed baby has – mums will follow their
Breastmilk or first infant formula
baby’s cues, and of course a breastfeed may
Sleep also be about comfort and nurturing as well as
Tea Savoury meal about a feed.

Savoury finger food Formula-fed babies

Breastmilk or first infant formula Formula-fed babies will probably have about
Before bed Breastmilk or first infant formula 600ml/day of milk in a bottle or cup at 7-9
months, and how these drinks are spaced
between meals will depend on the family
schedule. Babies at this age often still have
How much food does a 7-9 month a milk drink on waking, before naps and
old need to complement milk feeds? bedtime. If babies fill up on milk before
meals, they may be less interested in trying
To complement the energy that a baby will
new foods, so giving milk drinks after meals is
get from breastmilk or about 600ml of infant
recommended.
formula, it is estimated that a 7-9 month old
baby will need approximately 250kcals each
Vitamin D
day from food. However, this figure is an
average and babies will have variable appetites It is perfectly possible for a baby to get all
and energy needs and should be encouraged the nutrients he or she needs from food
to eat to appetite. Babies of this age will also and sunshine but it is recommended that all
need about 5.9g protein, 225mg calcium, breastfed babies should receive a supplement
4.8mg iron and 1.4mg zinc from food each of 8.5-10 micrograms of vitamin D a day from
day to complement the nutrients in breastmilk birth, or in some areas from 1 month of age.
or infant formula (as well as the fat and Families should always follow the advice of the
carbohydrate and a range of other vitamins health professional who advises their family.
and minerals that their foods will provide). We See pages 11 and 13 for more on vitamins for
have used these average figures to calculate babies.
the amount of food and types of food that will
meet a baby’s needs at this age.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 51

What consistency should the Portion sizes

food be? It is important not to worry about portion sizes
Babies at this age should be able to manage at this age. There will be mess, there will be days
mashed food with some soft lumps in it. when babies eat a lot less than others, and some
foods may be rejected completely the first time
Why do babies of this age need they are offered. For more information on how
finger foods? to encourage babies to eat well, see page 45.

It is important that babies learn to feed

themselves, and most will be very keen to
take an active part in mealtimes. Babies need The golden rules
to learn to bite off small, soft lumps of food,
manage them in the mouth and swallow them. • Offer simple and
Also, picking up foods helps a child to develop unprocessed foods.
manual coordination and dexterity, and
learning about textures is an important part of • Let baby get involved in
development. the eating experience.
• Avoid ultra-processed
Finger foods for 7-9 month olds foods.
Finger foods for 7-9 month olds should be
soft, so that babies can start to bite pieces
of food in their mouth. Cut soft foods into
manageable-sized pieces, making sure there Offering a variety of the example meals and
are no stringy bits, skin or pips. finger foods shown on pages 56-80 will,
Soft finger foods suitable at this age include alongside breastmilk or infant formula, provide
the following: an average 7-9 month old baby with the energy
and nutrients they need for growth and activity.
• Soft fruit such as melon, mango, kiwi,
(The plates and bowls used in this resource are
banana, peach, or canned fruits in juice
shown in actual size on page 120.)
(drained)
• Cooked vegetables such as carrot, parsnip, Never force babies to eat, and accept that
green beans, mange-tout or red pepper learning to eat is part of overall development.
We don’t force babies to crawl at a certain age,
• Cooked starchy foods such as potato, sweet
and babies will vary in the speed at which they
potato or pasta pieces.
accept new foods and food textures. It is not a
race.
52 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

Encouraging drinking from a cup

Infants should be encouraged to drink from an open cup and can be offered sips of water from a
small baby cup or an open-handled cup at mealtimes.
The only drinks that are recommended for 7-9 month olds are breastmilk or an appropriate infant
formula, and water (see page 12).

Eating well recipe book

Simple, cost-effective
Eatingideas
well recipe b
for the whole family
Simple, cost-effective id
for the whole family

Eating well recipe book

Not just for baby Simple, cost-effective ideas
for the whole family
Many of the ideas for meals in this resource
can be eaten by everyone in the family. We
show the dishes as you would serve them to
a baby, but they can be served without being
chopped and mashed and with additional
seasoning for other family members.
For ideas for meals that can be Adult-size portion
k
ell re cipe boo eaten by the whole family, see
Eating w ffective
ideas
cost-e
Simple, e whole family our resource Eating well recipe
for th
book, available from
www.firststepsnutrition.org

Portion for a
1-4 year old
1

For more advice on how to help babies of this age

to eat well, see the Resources section on page 124.
Portion for a 7-12 month old
1
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 53

Example meals for 7-9 month olds

Recipes for the following example meals are given on pages 56-80.
DF = Dairy-free EF = Egg-free GF = Gluten-free V = Suitable for vegetarians VV = Suitable for vegans

Breakfasts for 7-9 month olds

Apple porridge made with soya milk. Finger food: Banana DF, EF, V, VV
Creamy egg purée with white beans. Finger food: Egg quarters GF, V
Greek yoghurt with mixed berries. Finger food: Rice cake fingers EF, GF, V
Ground rice made with soya milk, with banana. Finger food: Kiwi DF, EF, GF, V, VV
Pear and prune compôte made with soya yoghurt. Finger food: Pear fingers DF, EF, GF, V, VV
Porridge with mango. Finger food: Mango slices EF, V
Scrambled egg with mashed raspberries. Finger food: Raspberries GF, V
Weet bisk with soya milk and sultanas. Finger food: Canned peach slices DF, EF, V, VV
Yoghurt with mandarins. Finger food: Toast slices EF, V

Savoury meals for 7-9 month olds

African sweet potato stew. Finger food: Sliced avocado DF, EF, GF, V, VV
Avocado and peas with mashed potato. Finger food: Cooked carrots DF, EF, GF, V, VV
Chick pea and spinach dahl with mashed sweet potato.
Finger food: Cooked red pepper DF, EF, GF, V, VV
Chicken, callaloo and sweet potato. Finger food: Plantain fingers EF, GF
Chicken and vegetable stew. Finger food: Sweet potato DF, EF, GF
Cheesy broccoli and potato. Finger food: Parsnip GF, V
Kidney bean, apple and root vegetable stew. Finger food: Cooked macaroni DF, EF, V, VV
Lamb and barley hotpot. Finger food: Courgette DF, EF
Pink risotto. Finger food: Fried tofu cubes EF, DF, GF, V, VV
Poached haddock, sweetcorn and butternut squash. Finger food: Butternut squash EF, GF
Pork with rice, parsnip and apple. Finger food: Cauliflower DF, EF, GF
Potato, mint and soya yoghurt mash and butternut squash. Finger food: Runner beans EF, GF, V, VV
Rice with red lentils and cauliflower. Finger food: Cooked green beans DF, EF, GF, V, VV
Salmon pie. Finger food: Tenderstem broccoli EF, GF
Scrambled egg with creamed spinach. Finger food: Potato GF, V
Spaghetti Bolognese. Finger food: Swede DF, EF
54 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

Information about the recipes in this resource

The recipes in this resource have all been In some of the recipes we have given some
tested using the recipes and ingredients points to remember when cooking for babies,
shown. We have shown a selection of recipes but the key points are:
with different finger foods, but of course you
• Make sure food does not contain bones,
can offer other combinations of meals and
gristle, hard or chewy lumps that could be a
finger foods as you wish. Making your own
choking hazard.
food for babies is much cheaper than buying
expensive commercial food. You can be sure • Make sure food is mashed or chopped to
what ingredients you have put in and hopefully a consistency each baby can manage. You
may find some of the dishes work well for the can add some breastmilk, infant formula,
whole family. For more information about animal milk or milk alternative to dishes to
commercial baby foods, see the website make them a little more runny if necessary.
www.firststepsnutrition.org • Always make sure food is cool enough to
We have used a range of easily obtainable give to a baby. The temperature can be
foods to create cost-effective choices that tested by putting a small amount of food
don’t require the use of special baby foods. on the wrist before serving (as you would
do with infant formula).
We have also used simple recipes which don’t
use a lot of kitchen equipment, or require lots of • Make sure food is safe. Follow all the
cookery skill, and which we hope will encourage instructions on page 47.
people to make their own baby foods.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 55

Frequently asked questions about preparing food for infants

Can I use other milk alternatives Can I use low-fat milk or yoghurt in
in recipes? recipes?
Where we have used a milk alternative If a recipe just requires a small amount of milk
in a recipe, we tested the recipes with or yoghurt, the type you use won’t have a big
unsweetened, calcium-fortified soya milk. impact on the nutrient content. However, if
We use this as it is usually easy to obtain and the recipe is mainly a milk or yoghurt dish – for
is the most cost-effective milk alternative. example, rice pudding or yoghurt with fruit –
You could use an unsweetened fortified always use full-fat or whole milk dairy products.
oat milk or almond milk instead, but you
may need to adapt recipes in terms of the
amount of milk needed. Avoid rice milk
when cooking for babies.

Do I need to use baby rice or baby

Can I give my baby ordinary porridge?
breakfast cereals? No, you can use ordinary ground rice, which is
smooth when cooked. And you can use ordinary
You can offer cereals that have not
porridge, but you may want to make it smoother
had any sugar, salt or flavouring added
for babies as they start their food journey.
– for example, weet bisks, shredded
wheat, instant oat cereal, porridge or
puffed wheat.

Can I sweeten sour fruits with sugar?

If you’re serving fruits such as rhubarb, cooking apples, damsons or other sour fruit to
babies, you can cook the fruit in a little orange juice to make it less sour, or mix it with a
sweeter fruit. We have avoided using sugar in our recipes as we have found that, if you add
some sweeter fruit to desserts, there is no need to add sugar.

Can I add herbs and spices to food for babies?

It is important not to add any salt or salted flavourings to food for babies. Fresh or dried herbs and
garlic can be used in recipes, but use spices in moderation and introduce them gradually. Babies are
unlikely to enjoy very spicy food, particularly if chilli is used, but over time you can introduce more
spicing so that children over 1 year of age can take part in family meals. Use your common sense
when it comes to food for babies. And remember – all babies are different and some may take longer
to enjoy more highly flavoured food than others.
56 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Apple porridge made with soya milk Dairy-free Egg-free Vegetarian Vegan

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 120g.

Ingredients
40g porridge oats
400ml unsweetened calcium-fortified soya milk
120g grated apple (1/2 large apple, cored and peeled)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method
1. Place all the ingredients in a non-stick saucepan and
simmer for 10 minutes, stirring all the time, until the
porridge is cooked.
2. Allow to cool before serving.

Finger food: Banana.

Serve the banana in fingers, to make it easier for
the baby to hold.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 57

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Creamy egg purée with white beans Gluten-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 small (285g) can cannellini beans, drained (drained
weight 175g)
1 tablespoon full-fat milk yoghurt

Method
1. Hard boil the eggs, cool and shell.
2. Place the eggs, drained beans and yoghurt in a
bowl and mash together until smooth. Or place in a
blender and mix to a smooth consistency.

Finger food: Egg quarters.

Hard boil the eggs, shell and cut into quarters.
58 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Greek yoghurt with mixed berries Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 80g.

Ingredients
120g frozen mixed berries
200g Greek yoghurt

Method
1. Defrost the mixed berries and mash until smooth.
2. Mix the berries and yoghurt.

Finger food: Rice cake fingers.

You can buy standard rice cakes with no added
salt and cut them into fingers.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 59

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Ground rice made with soya milk, Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

with banana
This recipe makes 4 portions of about 110g.

Ingredients
350ml unsweetened calcium-fortified soya milk
40g ground rice
1 small banana

Method
1. Mix the milk with the ground rice in a saucepan,
bring to the boil and then simmer until cooked for
about 15 to 20 minutes. Finger food: Kiwi.
Choose a large kiwi so that the slices can be long
2. Peel and mash the banana. enough for a little hand to hold easily. Peel the
3. Add a dessertspoon of banana to each bowl of kiwi and cut into slices lengthwise.
ground rice before serving.
60 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Pear and prune compôte made Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

with soya yoghurt

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients
1 ripe or soft-poached pear
60g prunes canned in juice, drained
200g unsweetened calcium-fortified soya milk yoghurt

Method
1. If the pear is ripe, peel and finely chop it. If firm, peel
it and then poach in a little water until soft and chop
finely.
2. Finely chop the canned prunes. Finger food: Pear fingers.
Keep some of the poached pear to one side for
3. Combine the chopped fruit and spoon it over the finger food slices.
yoghurt.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 61

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Porridge with mango Egg-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 120g.

Ingredients
1/4 large mango, peeled and stone removed
80g porridge oats
400ml full-fat milk

Method
1. Finely chop the mango and mash into a smooth
paste.
2. Place the oats and milk in a saucepan and bring
to the boil. Simmer, stirring all the time, until the
Finger food: Mango slices.
porridge is cooked.
Peel the mango, remove the stone and cut into
3. Cool the porridge and add a dessertspoon of sticks.
mashed mango to each bowl of porridge.
62 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Scrambled egg with mashed raspberries Gluten-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
4 eggs 1. Crack the eggs into a bowl, mix in the milk and whisk
4 tablespoons full-fat milk with a fork.
2. Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan, add the
1 tablespoon butter
eggs and stir until they scramble.
2 tablespoons full-fat plain yoghurt 3. Stir the yoghurt into the scrambled egg to make a
80g raspberries smooth mixture.
4. Mash the raspberries until smooth.
5. Serve the scrambled egg with a dessertspoon of
raspberries.

Finger food: Raspberries.

Raspberries are a soft fruit and are easily crushed
in the mouth.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 63

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Weet bisk with soya milk and sultanas Dairy-free Egg-free Vegetarian Vegan

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients
4 weet bisks
350ml unsweetened calcium-fortified soya milk
60g sultanas

Method
1. Crumble the weet bisks and cover with the soya milk.
2. Chop the sultanas and mix into the cereal mixture.

Finger food: Canned peach slices.

Choose peaches canned in juice and cut into
long fingers.
64 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

BREAKFAST KEY vegan 7-9 months

Yoghurt with mandarins Egg-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 80g.

Ingredients
200g full-fat plain yoghurt
1 small (312g) can mandarins in fruit juice (drained
weight 175g)

Method
1. Drain the mandarins, and mash two-thirds of them.
(The remainder can be kept to use as a finger food
at another time.)
2. Mix the yoghurt and mandarins.

Finger food: Toast slices.

Lightly toast some bread and spread with butter
or fat spread. Cut the toast into fingers, as this is
easier for babies to hold and manage in the mouth.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 65

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

African sweet potato stew Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1. Heat the oil in a pan, over a medium heat.
1 small onion, peeled and diced 2. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes or until
tender.
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
3. Add the sweet potato, green beans, tomato purée
50g frozen green beans, chopped into small pieces and water and simmer for 20 minutes or until the
1 tablespoon tomato purée sweet potatoes are cooked through. Take off the
heat.
150ml water
4. Stir in the peanut butter and kidney beans. Mash
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter until smooth with soft lumps.
1 small (210g) can kidney beans canned in water, 5. Allow to cool before serving.
drained (drained weight 130g)
Finger food: Sliced avocado
66 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Avocado and peas with Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

mashed potato
This recipe makes 4 portions of about 95g.

Ingredients Method
1 large potato, peeled and diced 1. Boil the potato until tender, and then drain and mash
it with the milk.
1 tablespoon unsweetened calcium-fortified soya milk
2. Boil the peas in water until tender, and then drain
90g frozen peas and allow to cool.
1 large ripe avocado, stoned and peeled 3. Mash the peas with the avocado and mint.
1/4 tablespoon mint, finely chopped (optional)
Finger food: Cooked carrots
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 67

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Chick pea and spinach dahl with Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

mashed sweet potato

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1. In a frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until
soft. Add the garlic and turmeric, and cook for 2 to 3
1 small onion, peeled and diced
minutes.
1 teaspoon garlic purée 2. Add the drained chick peas and spinach, and cook
1/2 teaspoon turmeric until the spinach has wilted. Or, if using frozen
spinach, cook until it is defrosted and cooked through.
1 small (210g) can chick peas canned in water, drained
(drained weight 130g) 3. Mash the mixture with a fork to make a smooth
mixture, with soft lumps.
150g fresh or frozen spinach
4. Boil the sweet potato until tender and then mash it.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced 5. Serve the cooled chick pea and spinach dahl with
with the mashed sweet potato.

Finger food: Cooked red pepper

68 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Chicken, callaloo and sweet potato Egg-free Gluten-free

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
120g chicken breast, diced 1. Place all the ingredients except the yoghurt in a
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer gently with
the lid on until the chicken and vegetables are soft.
100g callaloo (or 100g spinach leaves, or 2 parcels of
2. Place the mixture in a blender with the yoghurt and
frozen spinach)
make into a smooth mixture with some soft lumps.
1 teaspoon dried thyme Or mash until it reaches the desired texture.
150ml water
Finger food: Plantain fingers.
1 tablespoon full-fat plain yoghurt
Peel ripe plantain, cut into fingers and dry-fry
until softened. Cool before serving.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 69

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Chicken and vegetable stew Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1 small onion, peeled and diced 1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring
1/2 to the boil. Simmer with the lid on until all the
green pepper, cored, de-seeded and diced
vegetables and chicken are cooked.
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 2. Blend until smooth with soft lumps. Or mash well
1 large broccoli floret, finely chopped until the desired texture is achieved.
120g chicken breast, diced
Finger food: Sweet potato.
1 small can (200g) tomatoes
Peel a sweet potato and either boil, bake or
100ml water microwave until soft. Cut into fingers.
70 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Cheesy broccoli and potato Gluten-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1/2 head broccoli, florets cut off
2 tablespoons cream cheese

Method
1. Cook the potato and broccoli until both are soft.
2. Mash the vegetables with the cream cheese until it
makes a smooth mixture with some soft lumps.

Finger food: Parsnip.

Peel parsnips and cut into fingers, removing any
woody stems. Boil until tender.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 71

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Kidney bean, apple and root Dairy-free Egg-free Vegetarian Vegan

vegetable stew
This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1/2 large parsnip, peeled and diced 1. Put the parsnip and swede in a saucepan with the
1/8 water and bring to the boil.
swede, peeled and diced
2. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
200ml water
3. Add the apple and kidney beans and simmer
1/2 apple, peeled, cored and diced for a further 10 minutes until the vegetables are
1 small (210g) can kidney beans in water, drained thoroughly cooked.
(drained weight 130g) 4. Mash with the cooking liquid until mostly smooth,
with some soft lumps.

Finger food: Cooked macaroni or pasta shapes

72 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Lamb and barley hotpot Dairy-free Egg-free

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
60g pearl barley 1. Soak the pearl barley in water for several hours, and
120g lamb, finely chopped (Choose lean leg steak or then drain.
fillet, or use meat leftover from a roast dinner.) 2. Place all the remaining ingredients in a saucepan,
bring to the boil, and simmer until the meat,
1/2 onion, peeled and diced
vegetables and pearl barley are soft.
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced 3. Blend until smooth with soft lumps. Or mash until
1 teaspoon ground rosemary you get the required consistency.

200ml water
Finger food: Courgette.
Wash and top and tail a courgette, cut it into
fingers, and steam until soft.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 73

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Pink risotto Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until
1/2 small soft.
onion, peeled and finely chopped
2. Add the rice and stir until well coated.
50g basmati rice
3. Pour the boiling water over the rice, cover and cook
100ml boiling water for 8 minutes.
150g (2 or 3) cooked beetroot (vacuum-packed, not in 4. Stir in the diced beetroot, reduce the heat, cover
vinegar), finely diced and cook for about 12 minutes or until the water has
1/2 been absorbed.
small (220g) can chopped tomatoes
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and mash until smooth,
with soft lumps. Allow to cool before serving.

Finger food: Fried tofu cubes.

It can be difficult for a baby to hold tofu. To make firmer cubes, remove excess liquid by placing the tofu
block under a plate and wait for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently fry in vegetable oil on
all sides until lightly browned. Allow to cool before serving.
74 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Poached haddock, sweetcorn Egg-free Gluten-free

and butternut squash

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
120g haddock, skin and bones removed 1. Poach the haddock in the milk until cooked. Flake
100ml full-fat milk into the milk when cooked, making sure there are no
bones.
1/2 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and diced (If
2. In a separate saucepan, boil the squash until soft.
making finger food at the same time, leave some as
Then add the sweetcorn and leave in the water for
sticks and boil at the same time.)
1 to 2 minutes.
2 tablespoons frozen sweetcorn (or sweetcorn canned 3. Drain the squash and sweetcorn and mix with the
in water) fish and milk. Mash together until smooth with soft
lumps.

Finger food: Butternut squash.

Peel and de-seed the squash, cut into fingers and
boil until soft.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 75

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Pork with rice, parsnip and apple Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
120g lean pork, diced 1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to
the boil, stirring all the time. Place a lid on the pan
1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and diced
and simmer until the rice, pork and vegetables are
1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced cooked.
2 tablespoons white rice 2. Blend until smooth with soft lumps, or mash to the
desired consistency.
300ml water

Finger food: Cauliflower.

Cut florets with stalks attached to make a natural
handle, and steam until tender.
76 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Potato, mint and soya yoghurt mash Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

and butternut squash

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1 large potato, peeled and diced 1. Boil the potato in water until tender.
50g unsweetened soya yoghurt 2. Drain the potato and then mash it with the yoghurt
and mint.
1/2 tablespoon chopped mint
3. Boil the sweet potato until soft and then mash it.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced Allow to cool, and then serve with the potato and
yoghurt mixture.

Finger food: Runner beans.

Top and tail the runner beans and remove any
stringy pieces. Steam until tender and cut into
manageable pieces.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 77

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Rice with red lentils and cauliflower Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Vegetarian Vegan

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1/2 large carrot, peeled and diced 1. Place the carrot, sweet potato and apple in a
1/2 saucepan with the lentils and water and bring to the
medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
boil.
1/2 cooking apple, cored, peeled and diced 2. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 30
40g red lentils minutes.
200ml water 3. Add the cauliflower and cook for a further 10
minutes.
6 cauliflower florets
4. Mash until smooth, with soft lumps, and allow to
60g white rice, cooked in boiling water until tender cool before serving.
5. Serve with the cooked white rice.

Finger food: Cooked green beans.

Top and tail the beans and steam until tender.
78 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Salmon pie Egg-free Gluten-free

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1 large potato, peeled and diced 1. Boil the potatoes until cooked.
120g salmon, skin and bones removed 2. Poach the salmon in the milk. When cooked, mash
into the milk, making sure there are no bones.
2 tablespoons milk
3. Mash the potato with the butter and the yoghurt
1 teaspoon butter and mix in the fish mixture.
1 tablespoon full-fat yoghurt
Finger food: Tenderstem broccoli.
Tenderstem broccoli are a good shape for babies
to hold. Cook until the florets are tender.
 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST 79

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Scrambled egg with creamed spinach Gluten-free Vegetarian

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
4 eggs 1. Break the eggs into a dish and add the milk. Whisk
with a fork.
4 tablespoons milk
2. If using frozen spinach, place in a pan or microwave
4 frozen spinach bundles or 200g raw spinach to defrost. If using fresh spinach, wash well leaving
1 tablespoon butter some water on the leaves, place the spinach in a pan
and let it reduce until cooked and softened.
2 tablespoons plain fromage frais
3. Heat the butter in a non-stick pan and scramble the
eggs until soft and cooked well.
4. Add the fromage frais to the spinach and blend or
mash to a smooth consistency.
5. Serve the eggs and spinach separately or mixed
together.

Finger food: Potato.

Peel the potatoes, cut into pieces, and boil until
tender.
80 FIRST STEPS NUTRITION TRUST

SAVOURY MEAL 7-9 months

Spaghetti Bolognese Dairy-free Egg-free

This recipe makes 4 portions of about 100g.

Ingredients Method
1/2 onion, finely diced 1. Place all the ingredients except the pasta in a
1 teaspoon garlic purée saucepan. Bring to the boil and then place a lid on
and simmer until the mince is cooked.
120g lean minced beef
2. In a separate pan, boil the pasta until tender, and
1/2 large
(400g) can or 1 small (200g) can chopped then drain.
tomatoes 3. Mix together the meat mixture and pasta and
1 tablespoon tomato purée blend until smooth with soft lumps. Or mash to the
required consistency.
1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
50g soup pasta or small pasta shapes Finger food: Swede.
Peel the swede, cut into fingers, and boil until
soft.