How to Introduce Your Baby to Different Types of Food

Published on Sep 2, 2016 at 6:00 AM

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ALDI

POPSUGAR Photography | Dean Lipoff

Having a picky eater poses a challenge for many moms. Dinner can be a constant battle and getting picky kids to eat a full meal may seem almost impossible. From offering different textures as teeth come in to blending tasty (and sometimes strange) combinations, we're showing you how to ensure your budding foodie will love trying new things later in life.

Experiment With Flavor Combinations

Your baby is used to the basics like apple, banana, and carrot. Try introducing more unusual blended combos like prune, apple, butternut squash, and quinoa for a burst of flavor and texture for their taste buds. The earlier the better!

Go With Easy Snacks

Little hands are excited to explore, especially when food is involved. Offering small bites, like yogurt snacks or puffed rice, is also great for developing motor skills. The different flavors and textures offer variation and encourage your child to grow comfortable with unfamiliar food.

Mix Interesting Flavors

You already know which flavors your baby loves, so use one as the base for mixing in something new. Try introducing flavors from all five different taste profiles: salty, sweet, tart, bitter, and umami. You can do this by blending poached pears with fresh lemon juice or sprinkling crushed nori over applesauce.

Eat Out

Head to a local restaurant and give your entire family the chance to try new things (even little ones who have started to eat solids). Pick an interesting item on the menu, like a side of avocado, oatmeal, or even plain pasta, and let your child go nuts.

Make It Fun For Everyone

Introducing new foods to your child is an exciting experience and an opportunity to elevate your flavor profile. You might not think something is going to taste good, but don’t shy away from taste testing foods you're offering your baby. The sooner you push your child to experiment the less likely you'll have to deal with picky eating later on.

More From ALDI

ALDI is all smiles as we announce Little Journey, our first full line of baby products! From cooing infants to eager preschoolers, Little Journey will grow alongside your kiddos and meet their varying needs, whether it's formula, organic puree pouches and toddler snacks, or diapers and gentle wipes. For every giggle, gurgle, grin (and hair-pulling meltdown), we'll be there with products that meet or beat the quality of national brands while also saving you money to invest in your child's future.

To show our support for moms and babies across the US, ALDI also pledged more than $350,000 in the form of funds and baby changing essentials to the March of Dimes’ Give them tomorrow Campaign and Feeding America®.