Baby food in Germany

Starting with solids

Introducing solids to a baby can be such a big thing! So much to read, decide and even to buy. Here you can find the general recommendations for baby food in Germany, specifically on the solids introduction to a baby in Germany.

At first you need to check if your baby is ready to start with solids. It varies a lot from baby to baby (as everything else).

There are some signs that you could pay attention to:

• The baby is interested on what other are eating
• The baby can insert objects inside his/her mouth
• If you try to give him/her some food, he/she is not pushing it out with his/her tongue
• The baby can control his/her head in a vertical and stable position, if you support your baby when he/she is seating.

For the first baby meal in Germany, it is recommended to wait at least until the beginning of the 5th month, and to do not start after the begining of the 7th month.

To start, give your baby some spoons of vegetable porridge during lunch time, and before breastfeeding or the baby formula. If it is working, you can gradually increase the amount of porridge and eventually stop breastfeeding or giving formula at lunch time. Continue breastfeeding or giving formula to your baby like before during the rest of the day (and night).

If your baby is having some trouble to get used to the spoon, he/she might not be yet ready to start with solids. So wait one to two weeks and try it again.

Baby food in Germany – First baby meal introduction: vegetable porridge

The list of the usually well tolerated vegetables when you start giving solids to a baby:

• pumpkin
• Parsnip
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Carrot
• Turnip
• Zucchini

If you opt to give jar to your baby , to start chose jars with the vegetables on the previous list. There are many jars in supermarkets with baby food in Germany. Some of them are even made with biological products.

No not add salt, pepper or other spices to the first meals, even if it tastes insipid for you.

Check here how I did the first meal for my baby.

Baby food in Germany – Second baby meal introduction: Milk cereal porridge

It is recommended to start on the beginning of the 6th month and not after the beginning of the 8th month. Even if there are other member in the family with intolerance or allergy to cow’s milk, your baby should start eating a cow milk cereal porridge during dinner time. On the contrary, if he/she has a known intolerance or allergy to cow’s milk you should use other types of milk. For example soy milk.

If you opt for baby instant flakes make sure that it has milk (formula) and the main ingredient should be a whole grain cereal. There are many different brands for instant flakes in supermarkets specifically for baby food in Germany.

In the case you are preparing it yourself do not add any type of sugar or sweetener to it. and absolutely no honey until your baby is 12 months old. Baby’s digestive system is not yet mature and is not yet able to remove the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, responsible for botulism.

You may use natural fruit juice or blended fruit. The most well tolerated fruits for starting with solids are:

• Apple
• Pear
• Banana
• Peach
• Nectarine
• Apricot

Check here how I did my baby’s first dinner.

Your baby will know when he/she ate enough, do not force him/her to eat the whole bowl.

Baby food in Germany – Third baby meal introduction: Cereal fruit porridge

This meal should be introduced one month after the the second baby meal introduction. And again, it substitutes one of the breastfeeding meals.

One type of cereal and one type of fruit should be enough for the first times.

If you chose instant porridge, please make sure that it has as main ingredients fruit and whole grain cereals. There are many different brands for instant flakes in supermarkets specifically for baby food in Germany.

Check here how I prepared our baby’s third meal for the first time.

If you are breastfeeding it is important for you to continue, the breastmilk promotes immune protection to your baby.

When the baby is already eating 3 meals a day needs more than breastmilk or formula. On top of the milk the best your baby could drink is water.

In this video I describe the general recommendations to introduce solids to a baby in Germany. And You can also see how I prepared our baby’s first meals.

These recommendations are based on the guidelines for introducing solids to babies of the In Form (Deutschlands Initiative für gesunde Ernährung und mehr Bewegung / German initiative for healthy nutrition and more exercise).