An 8-month-old baby’s diet, in addition to breast milk or infant formula, must be supplemented with fresh and natural foods, and at this age the child can already eat the same food as the whole family.
During the 8th month, the baby’s diet consists of breast milk or infant formula for breakfast, porridge for lunch and dinner, and morning and afternoon snacks must include breast milk or infant formula, as well as fruit porridge. fresh. It is important to remember that feeding should not follow a rigid schedule, respecting the baby’s desire and satiety.
Food should be mashed with a fork or scraped (in the case of fruit) and given to the baby separately on the plate. This helps develop babies’ chewing and perception of different flavors and textures of food and also helps parents identify possible allergic reactions to foods. Learn how to identify food allergies in your baby.
How should the diet be
8-month-old babies still eat little food, as their nutritional needs are lower than those of adults. An 8-month-old baby’s diet has an average of 850 Kcal and consists of 6 meals a day, with breakfast and supper made only with breast milk or infant formula.
The baby’s other 4 meals are morning and afternoon snacks, lunch and dinner, which must have good amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, proteins and good fats, which are present in foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, cereals and meats:
1. Papa principal
The main porridge must be served at lunch and dinner, mashed with a fork, or in the form of a puree, and can be seasoned with fresh herbs such as parsley, chives and rosemary, without adding salt, and must be composed of:
- Cerealssuch as rice, pasta or tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes or cassava;
- Legumessuch as beans, peas, lentils or chickpeas;
- Animal proteinsuch as beef, liver, fish, chicken or eggs.
In addition to cereals, legumes and animal protein, the main porridge must also contain vegetables such as pumpkin, broccoli, beetroot, carrots, cabbage and chayote, sources of vitamins and minerals that are important for the baby’s development. See some porridge recipes for 8-month-old babies.
2. Fruits
Fresh shaved or mashed fruits should be given to the baby for morning and afternoon snacks, complementing breast milk or infant formula. At lunch and dinner, you can also offer a small piece of fruit to help absorb the iron from the meal. Some examples of fruits for an 8-month-old baby are apples, pears, bananas, papayas, avocados, kiwis, persimmons, mangoes and watermelon.
3. Breast milk or infant formula
Breast milk continues to be the baby’s main food, being recommended during main and fruit porridge, on demand, which is when the baby wants it. On the other hand, infant formula should be given to the baby following the pediatrician’s recommendations.
Example menu for 8 month old baby
When feeding an 8-month-old baby, it is important to clean fruits, vegetables and utensils used to prepare and serve meals. It is also important to serve the meal with a plastic spoon, so that the baby does not get hurt.
See an example of a 3-day menu for feeding an 8-month-old baby:
The menu above is just a model and may vary depending on whether the baby is breastfed or formula fed, whether the food is accepted and whether there is a change in the baby’s health, for example. It is important to have a consultation with a pediatrician and a nutritionist to adapt the diet to the particularities of each baby.
The Brazilian Society of Pediatrics also recommends keeping the baby hydrated, offering a little water, served in a glass and in between meals, to avoid overloading the kidneys and constipation. Understand more about how much water to give your baby.
Recipes for 8 month old baby
See below two recipes for complementary food for your 8-month-old baby:
1. Lentil soup with beef and spinach
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of raw lentils;
- 3 tablespoons of ground or chopped muscle;
- 1/2 cup chopped spinach;
- 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic;
- 1 teaspoon of chopped onion;
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil;
- 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley;
- 1 and a half cups of water.
Preparation mode:
Add the olive oil, onion and garlic to a small pan and sauté. Add the meat, sautéing for 30 seconds. Add the lentils and water, and cook for 20 minutes. If necessary, add more water. Lastly, add the chopped spinach and parsley. Serve with boiled potatoes.
2. Bean tutu with ora pro nobis and chicken
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons of raw beans;
- 1 dessert spoon of cassava flour;
- 2 tablespoons of ora pro nobis;
- 2 tablespoons of shredded cooked chicken;
- 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic;
- 1 teaspoon of chopped onion;
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil;
- 1 and a half cups of water.
Preparation mode:
Cook the beans and blend with water. Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil in a pan. Add the cooked beans, adding the flour slowly so that no lumps form. Cook the beans with the flour for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the ora pro nobis and cook. Serve the tutu with ora pro nóbis and add the cooked and shredded chicken separately to the dish.
