How and when to introduce potatoes into complementary foods. Mashed potatoes with carrots. How to properly cook potatoes for a child: basic recipe and options

In Russia, the most consumed products are bread and potatoes. Mashed potatoes, zrazy, pancakes, fried, “in their jacket” and many other dishes are prepared by housewives from potatoes. It is the main component of most salads and is served as a side dish for lunch and dinner. festive table. Young mothers often start with mashed potatoes. This is understandable: delicate dish With a neutral taste and soft texture, children eat it very willingly and also ask for more. In the article we will figure out how healthy mashed potatoes are for babies, whether it can be given to babies from 6+ months, what pediatricians think about it and how to properly cook mashed potatoes for small child.

A few words about potatoes

What new can you hear about this product? We all know what potatoes are and how to cook them. But in order to understand the topic, you still need to remember that with biological point In view, a tuber is a hypertrophied bud consisting of cells filled with starch.

There aren't enough vitamins in it, but... ascorbic acid, which prevents colds, enough: 100 grams raw product contains half the daily requirement.

Potatoes also contain almost everything necessary for the body minerals: Ca, Mg, Zn, Se, Cu, Mn, Fe and others. There is especially a lot of heart-healthy potassium - approximately 570 mg per 100 g raw potatoes. The tubers have a balanced set of amino acids, and the fiber is very gentle and does not irritate the intestines.

If you cook potatoes correctly, they are useful for ulcer sufferers and those who suffer from gastrointestinal diseases, remove excess cholesterol from the body and have a beneficial effect on metabolism, neutralize the effects of acids, relieve negative manifestations arthritis and gout

Potential harm to potatoes

Don’t be surprised, but potatoes, so familiar and beloved to all of us, can be harmful. This product has a very high starch content, as a result of its excessive consumption leads to weight gain, constipation and even development of diabetes mellitus Type II. This must be taken into account when planning mashed potatoes for infants in complementary feeding.

If you prepare puree for your baby from low-quality tubers - with greens, rotten or overly sprouted - he may develop diarrhea, indigestion, bloating, colic, regurgitation, and in unfavorable cases, poisoning may develop.

Is puree allowed for a small child?

Yes, potatoes can be eaten by small children. The children were fed potatoes with early age our grandmothers and kids love potatoes even today. But when can you give mashed potatoes to your baby?

Pediatricians warn to avoid problems and undesirable consequences, you need to adhere to the following rules for introducing potatoes into baby food:

• Start complementary feeding with others vegetable dishes, and introduce potatoes no earlier than 7-8 months. This point must be strictly observed, since it is difficult for the baby’s immature digestive system to cope with a starchy product, and there is a risk of indigestion and even volvulus, which is life-threatening.
• For the first time, give the child half a teaspoon of liquid puree. Gradually increase the norm to two tablespoons per meal. Leave this amount for up to a year, after which you can pour 3 tablespoons of mashed potatoes into a plate, but still, it’s better not to get carried away with potatoes, like semolina. In addition, by the time the baby is one year old, he already eats soups that also contain potatoes.
• For a child up to one year old, it is enough to eat mashed potatoes two to three times a week, but not more often. As you grow older, the dish can be added to the menu more often - up to 5 times a week.
• You need to properly prepare dishes from this vegetable; it is especially important to know how to make puree for the first time. See the next section for recipes.
• It is important to know how to choose tubers for preparing quality dishes. Read more about this below.
• Potatoes are a 100% hypoallergenic product, so the development of allergic reactions in children after eating them is excluded.

How to properly cook potatoes for a child: basic recipe and options

Now you know from how many months pediatricians recommend introducing potato dishes into baby's complementary foods. But how to cook them correctly?

For the first time, the child should try thin puree.

The basic recipe for mashed potatoes for babies is very simple:

• Ingredients: glass of water (200 ml), 1 medium-sized tuber.
• Preparation: Wash the potatoes well with their skins on, then peel the tuber and wash thoroughly again under running water. Cut into 4 pieces and leave in cold water for a couple of hours so that excess starch and harmful nitrates are released. Then drain the potatoes and boil in 200 ml of water over low heat until tender. Mash or grind in a blender, adding broth as needed to make the puree very liquid. Cool slightly and, while warm, give the baby half a teaspoon at lunch before feeding.

When you are sure that your child tolerates potatoes well (the main indicator is no constipation), then basic recipe You can diversify by adding:

• other vegetables that the baby has already tried before, for example, onions, carrots, celery, pumpkin, asparagus, etc.,
• low-fat milk or cow's butter (take on the tip of a knife),
• half a teaspoon of sunflower or olive oil,
• finely ground minced chicken or turkey breast (white meat) or rabbit.

Multi-component mashed potatoes are more healthy for babies, as they are not only filling, but also enriched with vitamins (from vegetables), proteins (from meat) or vegetable fats.

So that the child receives balanced diet, mommy can prepare mashed potatoes for the baby three times a week in different versions

How to choose quality tubers

To make a potato dish tasty and healthy and not cause harm to your child, you need to choose the right ingredients for its preparation:

• the tubers should be medium in size and correct form, smooth, without unnecessary irregularities, evenly colored without greening,
• It is best to buy farm vegetables or grow them in your own garden. Do not take perfectly beautiful imported potatoes - there is a high probability that they are a GMO product grown using aggressive chemicals,
• pierce the tuber with a toothpick - if too much juice comes out, it means the vegetables were grown on nitrates.

Knowing what month to start feeding your baby potatoes and how to properly prepare mashed potatoes for your baby, you can provide your baby with balanced and nutritious nutrition.

Regardless of whether you have a baby or a child who does not take milk from the very beginning, you must diversify his diet. However, at such a young age this must be done as carefully as possible. Therefore, next we will find out is it possible 5 one month old baby mashed potatoes, in what proportions and how to give it to him correctly.

If you are feeding your baby with mother's milk, the doctor assures all mothers that in this case it is better not to rush. Since it is believed that the most optimal period for starting complementary feeding is exactly 6 months, and not earlier.

As for children who stopped eating mother's milk from the very beginning, their diet is completely different, and in some cases mashed potatoes can be given as early as 5 months. Therefore, we will consider both options for starting nutrition.

Can a 5 month old baby have mashed potatoes if he doesn’t drink milk from the very beginning?

There is a problem when a child simply does not accept milk and subsequently refuses any formula. Often mothers in this case switch immediately to a different diet. Key moment, which mothers should know in this case is that complementary feeding occurs in the following sequence: first comes porridge (rice, buckwheat, corn) - these are industrial porridges for children, to which you just need to add boiled water and dilute. After some time, usually from 2-3 months, you can begin to carefully switch to vegetable puree mixtures. And if you have been consistently feeding your baby with vegetable puree mixtures for 2 months, then in this case you can smoothly switch to mashed potatoes at 5 months. Naturally, it is also correct to do this in small doses.

Can a 5 month old baby have mashed potatoes if he is a baby?

It is recommended that a baby who eats mother's milk begin complementary feeding starting at 6 months. However, if you want to wean your child off the breast as quickly as possible (which is not recommended by pediatricians), then in this case it is recommended to give porridge as complementary foods at 4 months; from 4.5-5 months you can start adding vegetable puree, and by 6 months add mashed potatoes as complementary foods.

Still, despite the fact that many mothers tried to feed their children even at 3-4 one month old, although they still had milk - this is not a completely justified practice, which can then lead to abnormal development digestive system in a child. Therefore, we and the doctors agree that it is better not to rush in this case.

In custody.

Remember that starting complementary feeding with mashed potatoes is strongly not recommended. Since the baby’s digestive system may simply be disrupted due to the transition from breast milk to heavy potatoes. Complementary feeding should be done gradually in strict sequence. Be careful with your child's body. In this case, it is better to wait until the start of complementary feeding than to start too early. And then listen to what leading pediatrician Komarovsky says about this:

Potatoes are one of the most common dishes on our table. This is a cheap and widely available vegetable, so parents are interested in the question of when to give potatoes to a child, whether potatoes cause allergies, and how to prepare mashed potatoes for babies. Let's answer all these questions.

What are the benefits of potatoes?

Potatoes are 80% water. 100 g of potatoes contains about 20 g of carbohydrates, most of which are starch (16.2 g), less than 2 g of proteins, from 0.1 to 0.2 g of fats and dietary fiber– 1.8 g.

Potato tubers contain vitamins and minerals: vitamins B, C, PP, D, K, E, folic acid, Mg, Ca and Fe.

Useful properties of potatoes:

Renders beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system;

Forms immunity;

Regulates metabolic processes and metabolism;

Regulates the functioning of the thyroid gland;

It has a good effect on the functioning of the digestive system, as it has an enveloping, astringent and anti-inflammatory effect.

Comparison of potatoes with other vegetables for the first feeding of a baby

Let's compare the composition of potatoes with other vegetables that are used for first feeding.

Composition of boiled potatoes compared to zucchini and broccoli (table)

The table shows that potatoes are much lower in calories than zucchini and broccoli; they fill you up faster and help especially low-weight children gain weight. But, on the other hand, potatoes should not be introduced into the diet of children with overweight, it is better to replace it with other less high-calorie vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets).

Potatoes are the leader in carbohydrate content, which are mainly represented by starch. Potatoes contain less fat and lack vitamin A. But they are rich in potassium, which is necessary for of cardio-vascular system, as well as magnesium and B vitamins – essential for the nervous system. Great content Selena renders beneficial influence on the formation of immunity and the functioning of the thyroid gland.

How to choose potatoes for an infant

For infants, you should carefully select potato tubers. It is best if the potatoes are grown in your own garden, since all potatoes sold may contain chemicals and harmful nitrates.

When choosing potatoes for children, pay attention to the following points:

Give preference to fresh harvest.

You should take medium-sized tubers.

Potatoes should be without sprouts, firm, evenly colored, without greens.

Light varieties are preferable to pink ones, as they are less allergenic.

Potatoes are included in the group of allergens medium degree, that is, you can be allergic to it, but this happens rarely. Potato varieties with light brown skin are the least allergenic; pink, red and lilac potato varieties are more likely to cause allergies in children.

Note! Green color in potatoes - this is a sign of the increased presence of a dangerous toxin in it - solanine, which has Negative influence on nervous system. Such potatoes should not be given to children, and adults should not eat them either, since heat treatment does not destroy the toxin. The highest concentration of solanine is contained in the peel, so the potatoes must be peeled by cutting off a thick enough edge, and not just peeling off the skin.

How to cook potatoes for babies

In order for potatoes to become less high-calorie and allergenic, they should be washed, peeled, cut into small pieces and fill cold water for 12 hours, the water should be changed every 2-3 hours. Soaking potatoes also helps remove nitrates and traces of chemical fertilizers.

The potatoes are placed in boiling water and the heating intensity is reduced. Boil the potatoes until they are done, that is, until they are easily pierced with a fork. Whole potatoes are cooked for about 30 minutes, cut potatoes will cook in 15-20 minutes.

When can babies eat potatoes as complementary foods?

Pediatricians do not recommend starting the first feeding with potatoes, as they contain a lot of starch. Starch is poorly digestible in infants, it can lead to increased gas formation, intestinal colic and constipation. The child’s digestive system matures by 9-10 months and starch from this moment is completely absorbed by the child’s body.
Complementary feeding is usually started with zucchini or broccoli, and then cauliflower, carrots, pumpkin, beets, white cabbage, and then potatoes. Potatoes are first introduced as an additive to the main vegetable puree, this is done somewhere after 6-7 months. The first time the baby is given half a teaspoon of crushed boiled potatoes, which is added to the usual vegetable puree and stirred thoroughly. Then increase the portion daily by half a teaspoon to a ratio of 50% potatoes to the entire portion. Infants with overweight Potatoes should be given no more than 2 times a week.

Mashed potatoes As an independent dish, it can be given to children from 10 months. As stated above, by this time the child begins to develop all digestive enzymes. Some pediatricians recommend giving mashed potatoes to infants only after 1 year.
For babies after 10 months daily consumption potatoes should not exceed half the volume of all vegetables, that is, the child should not eat one potato all day, he should also have fresh and stewed vegetables on his daily menu.

A ten-month-old baby can be given not only mashed potatoes, but also whole pieces of boiled potatoes, since the baby has already teethed and needs to learn to chew. Closer to 1.5-2 years, the child can be given various dishes from boiled, stewed and baked potatoes. For example, potato casserole, potato pancakes, pancakes, etc.

Attention! Potato chips, french fries and fried potatoes are not products baby food, they are harmful to health as they contain carcinogens. And it’s better not to include them in a small child’s menu at all. Potatoes should only be steamed, boiled or stewed.

Mashed potato recipes for babies

Mashed potatoes as a monoproduct

Take 1-2 potatoes. Soak the potatoes as described above, then boil or steam in a slow cooker. If you are boiling potatoes, throw them into boiling water and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Drain the water, place the potatoes in a blender and blend them a small amount boiling water to obtain a puree consistency. For children under one year old, instead of water, you can add expressed milk to the puree. breast milk, and for children after one year - boiled cow's milk(if this product is already included in the child’s diet and there is no allergy to it).

Mashed potatoes for babies with vegetables

Complementary food for infants 6-8 months.

Take one soaked potato, half a small milk squash, 1/3 small carrot. Place all finely chopped products in boiling water and cook until tender (until all ingredients are soft, about 15 minutes). Drain the water and place the vegetables in a blender or throw all the vegetables into a special strainer through which they need to be rubbed.

Mashed potatoes with meatballs and herbs

Complementary foods for children from 9-10 months.

Take 2 potatoes chopped meat(lean beef or turkey) enough for 3 meatballs, a little onions, dill and parsley root. Roll 3 meatballs from the minced meat, boil them in water or steam them, do the same with vegetables, you can do this at the same time. Drain the water and grind the vegetables and meatballs separately in a blender. If the child chews well, then you can simply crush the food. You can add a little butter and/or boiled milk to the vegetables.

Complementary foods for babies 7-9 months old.

Take 1 potato and 2 times the volume of broccoli (about 50 g), 1/3 of a carrot and a little onion. Boil all vegetables in water for about 25-30 minutes. Then drain the broth and grind the boiled products with a blender or rub through a sieve. Add a little broth to the vegetables in which they were cooked. When the child gets acquainted with meat, you can add a little minced meat to the broth.

Creamy Potato Soup Recipe

Complementary foods for children after 10 months.

Take 2 potatoes, 1 leek, half a glass of cow's or breast milk.
Soak the potatoes. Wash the leeks thoroughly and cut into small rings, simmer a little butter, then add half a glass of water and cover with a lid; when the water boils, add finely chopped potatoes, simmer for 25-30 minutes over low heat. Grind the boiled vegetables along with the broth in a blender and add boiled milk, mix everything thoroughly.

Potatoes are a healthy vegetable rich in vitamins and microelements, without which it is impossible to imagine daily diet many people. But when is the best time to start introducing it to your child?

A little about potatoes

Potatoes contain a lot useful substances, therefore, it is not recommended to ignore it as complementary foods. It contains potassium, magnesium, selenium, B vitamins and carbohydrates. This vegetable:

• has a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system;
• normalizes metabolism;
• strengthens the heart and blood vessels.

Potatoes also have pleasant taste, so mothers can’t wait to introduce it into the diet as soon as possible to see how the baby reacts.

When to enter

Pediatricians do not recommend giving potatoes to babies before 6 months, since the starch in its composition is heavy product for the child's digestive system. But it is worth mentioning that potatoes are on the list of the first vegetables that it is advisable for a baby to eat.

To prepare the child’s body for this root vegetable, it is advisable to first introduce a lighter plant foods(broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower).

So when is the best time to introduce potatoes into complementary foods? Optimal age for the first “tasting” of mashed potatoes - 6.5 months. By this point, the baby’s body, as a rule, has already gotten used to fermented milk products and porridge.

Komarovsky's opinion

Well-known pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky, when asked about when potatoes can be introduced into complementary foods, notes the approximate age of 8 months. In this case, the baby should already have at least one tooth. At first, the diet should include potato-based decoctions, and only then mashed potatoes and various soups.

How to enter

In addition to when to introduce potatoes into complementary foods, many mothers are also interested in the question of how best to do this.

Potatoes rarely cause an allergic reaction in children, but it is recommended to give them, adhering to all the rules for introducing complementary foods:

1. Intervals between product introductions. The normal period of time that should pass since the introduction of the previous diet is 3 days. For children prone to allergies - a week. But you shouldn’t give the same product for a long time, as the baby may simply get tired of it.
2. It is better to feed the baby potatoes in the first half of the day until 14:00. These precautions will prevent possible consequences an allergic reaction or gas formation, which is typical for heavy fruits such as potatoes.
3. The first time potatoes should be given pure form without interfering with other vegetables. The baby should taste the taste of the root vegetable.

If, even after following all the rules for eating root vegetables, the child experiences allergic reaction for potatoes, its introduction into the menu will have to be postponed for several months.

After the baby gets used to potatoes, you can add others to it. From 7 months it can be broccoli or zucchini, from 8 - beets, pumpkin or carrots, from 9 - cabbage, from 10 - vegetable soup. When a little family member turns one year old, you can prepare him potato cutlets, pancakes, potato pancakes, salads, casseroles or stews with potatoes.

Parents should forget about potatoes and mushrooms in their baby’s diet for at least 7 years: this product will begin to be digested by the child’s body only upon reaching this age.

You also need to remember that it is not advisable to give your child foods fried or flavored with mayonnaise, ketchup and sauces. Such food is harmful to his body.

Food diary

The best way to track your child's reaction to a particular product is to keep a food diary. It must contain all the data about the food consumed by the baby (dosage, name, date of intake). With the help of such a diary, it will be easier for a mother to identify a possible allergen, set optimal portions, track the time interval from the moment a new product is introduced into the diet, and develop a children's menu.

Why are potatoes dangerous?

Some children are allergic to potatoes. Then pediatricians advise postponing its introduction into the diet for at least six months. But allergies are not the only problem that children and their parents may face after eating root vegetables. Potatoes can cause:

• poisoning in case of poor-quality root vegetables;
• constipation associated with high content starch in potatoes;
• excess weight gain, and then the intake of potatoes per week should be reduced to 1-2 times.

But if you follow all the preparation rules and dosages, there should be no problems with introducing potatoes.

Preparing potatoes for first feeding

After the mother smoothly guides the child towards introducing a new product into the diet, she has a question in what form to serve it. Since at this time the baby has not yet fully formed swallowing reflex, That the best food for him there will be purees or soft fruits and vegetables. Potatoes can be prepared as follows:

1. We choose the smoothest and cleanest potatoes (no spots, rot, spots, mold). You should also ignore watery (full of nitrates), old and green (containing poisonous corned beef) root vegetables. Washed potatoes on the shelves should also be avoided. Manufacturers not only clean the surface of the vegetable, but also process it special compounds, which can harm the baby.
2. Soak the vegetable for 10-12 hours (in as a last resort, at least for 2 hours) in cold water. This manipulation allows you to remove all nitrates and part of the starch from the vegetable. You can refrain from this procedure only in the case of fruits grown in your own garden.
3. The potatoes are boiled or steamed in their jackets for about 20 minutes. In this way, it is possible to preserve as many vitamins as possible in the vegetable.
4. When ready, peel the potatoes and grate them on a fine grater or puree them using a blender.
5. You can add a couple of drops to the finished puree to improve the consistency. vegetable oil, breast milk or boiled water.
6. Do not under any circumstances add salt, garlic, onions, spices, etc. to the puree. The vegetable should be served only in its pure form.

It is worth noting that when potatoes are boiled, some of the B vitamins in their composition disintegrate, which does not happen when baked. And the starch contained in the composition puts a serious burden on digestive system baby. Therefore, you can give your baby potato dishes no more than 2-3 times a week, and preferably baked.

Dosage

You can give potatoes only at least 3 days after trying a new product to which there was no allergy. The doses of puree administered will directly depend on the type of complementary foods:

1. Pediatric. With its help, it will be possible to gradually accustom the child to the common table. If you follow this method, then in a month you can increase the potato norm to 150 g, and in a year - up to 190 g.
2. Pedagogical. This is an introductory type of complementary feeding, in which the baby himself shows interest in the food on his parents’ plate. Therefore, it is not necessary to fully introduce potatoes into the diet; it will be enough to bring the portion to the maximum weight of 50 g. The child does not eat from his own plate, but from the common table from the parents’ dishes. Thus, the baby feels involved in the adult world and interacts with family members during meals.

The puree should be given according to the following dosage schedule:

• 1 day - 10 g;
• Day 3 - 20 g;
• Day 5 - 50 g;
• Day 7 - 80-100g.

Root vegetables should be fed according to the pediatric type of nutrition until satiation, but not every day, in order to monitor the body’s reaction to the vegetable.

Each parent decides individually which type of complementary foods to choose. The main thing is that the doses of consumed products are not exceeded, otherwise the baby will experience discomfort from constant problems with the functioning of the digestive system.

It's hard to imagine any lunch without potatoes. This versatile vegetable is added to various dishes. On many tables, potatoes are served daily. The puree from this vegetable has a pleasant taste, ideal consistency and is famous for its ease of preparation. This is why many mothers rush to introduce mashed potatoes into complementary foods. In fact, there is no need to rush into introducing this vegetable into complementary foods. Let's look at how many months you can give your baby mashed potatoes.

Potatoes should appear on a child’s menu in the first year of life. Kids eat mashed potatoes with pleasure and even ask for more. In most cases, potatoes do not cause allergies in children. But there are some points that should be considered before giving puree to your baby.

This vegetable contains few vitamins, but this does not mean that it is unhealthful:

1. Potatoes contain a lot of carbohydrates, which produce energy for the body to function.
2. Potatoes are also high in protein. Protein, in turn, consists of amino acids, which are building material for cells.
3. Among the vitamins, potatoes contain a lot of ascorbic acid, which strengthens the immune system. Selenium is needed for normal operation thyroid glands Potatoes are also rich in potassium.
4. Potatoes contain a lot of fiber, which is good for intestinal function. Regular use This vegetable helps remove waste and toxins from the body.

Disadvantages of Potatoes

Along with beneficial properties, there is something in potatoes that can harm a small child:

1. The starch that tubers are so rich in makes potatoes a “heavy” product for the baby’s digestive system. Enzymes that can completely digest potato starch, the baby will begin to produce only by 9-10 months of life. In addition, it can cause allergies in the baby. By the way, an allergic reaction to potatoes - rare case. But you should still be careful and know exactly at what month it is better to start potato complementary feeding.
2. Some children have problems with bowel movements such as constipation after eating potatoes.
3. Excessive consumption of potatoes will certainly contribute to excess weight gain. Therefore, those who have a tendency towards obesity and excess weight, potatoes should be included in the menu to a minimum.
4. For some guys, potato dishes cause increased gas formation and bloating.

At what age can children be given mashed potatoes?

So, when should you introduce potatoes into complementary foods? The recommended age for the first feeding of mashed potatoes is 6.5 – 7 months of a child’s life. Children on artificial feeding are introduced to potatoes somewhat earlier than infants. Potatoes are not the first vegetable in a baby’s diet. Before this, the baby had already tasted pureed zucchini, cauliflower and pumpkin.

However, according to Dr. Komarovsky, potatoes should be introduced into infant feeding no earlier than 8 months, starting with potato broth, gradually moving to thin purees and soups. A well-known pediatrician believes that potatoes can be given to a baby after porridge and fermented milk products have already been introduced into complementary foods.

Like other new products, potatoes for babies should be cooked in water, without adding salt, milk (even if it is breast milk), or butter. For the very first time, the baby should try 0.5 teaspoon of puree. During the day, the mother carefully monitors whether the baby has allergies, constipation, or other adverse reaction for potatoes. If everything went well, then next time the baby is given 1 teaspoon of puree. The portion can be increased each time. Mashed potatoes can be given to children 2-3 times a week. Subsequently, it will be possible to combine potatoes with other vegetables or add breast milk to it.

If after the first feeding the baby has any reaction (rash, tummy pain, constipation, restless sleep or etc.), then this dish should be canceled and not given to the child for some time.

Tips for parents on how to introduce potatoes for complementary feeding:

• Mashed potatoes for children should have a liquid consistency and be warm.
• Give your baby only fresh puree.
• Potatoes for baby food You can cook on the stove, in a double boiler, in a slow cooker, or bake in the oven with the peel on.
• If you cook the tubers in their uniforms, they will retain much more nutrients and vitamins. Unfortunately, the taste of the potatoes will suffer. The tuber, boiled in its skin, needs to be peeled, chopped and diluted with boiled water.
• It is best to mash potatoes manually, because... After using a blender, there will be a lot of gluten in the puree.
• Soaking potatoes in water before cooking will get rid of nitrates in the tubers, as well as excess starch. In this case, the potatoes will lose some of their vitamins, but the risk of allergies will be minimized. How long should you soak potatoes for a child? You need to keep the vegetable in cold water for 2-3 hours.
• Potatoes don't go well with meat. Combine it better with other vegetables or fish.
• Under no circumstances should you cook green potatoes for children. It contains dangerous substance– solanine, which is poisonous to the body.
• Do not give your baby potato dishes more than 2-3 times a week.
• When peeling tubers, remember that the bulk of the vitamins are concentrated just under the skin. Remove the peel in a thin layer. The opposite should be done with old potatoes: there the layer of peeled peel should be thick.
• You can add salt to potatoes and other dishes after 11-12 months of the baby’s life.

The most best potatoes for a child – grown in your own garden without adding chemical fertilizers. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to grow vegetables at home. In this case, you have to be extremely careful when buying vegetables in a store or market. When buying potatoes, you should pay attention to:

• Tuber size. It's best to buy a vegetable average size.
• Wateriness. When there is a lot of water in the tubers, this indicates large quantities nitrates in fruits. To check, you can cut the tuber or pierce it with a toothpick. If water leaks through the hole, it means the vegetable is full of nitrates.
• Manufacturer. It is desirable that the potatoes be locally produced, and not brought “from abroad”.
• Stock up on potatoes during the harvest season, so you will be protected from buying genetically modified vegetables.

Mashed potato recipe for first feeding

Take 2 medium-sized potato tubers. Wash it thoroughly under running water. Peel the fruits. Soak the vegetables for 2-3 hours in cold water. Boil water in an enamel bowl. Cut the potatoes into cubes and place in boiling water, reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove the cooked potatoes from the water and mash them using a fork or sieve, thinning potato broth. Cool the resulting puree. Now you can give it to your child.

Potato compress for cough

Let's sum it up

When can you give mashed potatoes to your baby? Potatoes can be introduced into complementary foods from 6.5 to 7 months. Potatoes are not considered the most healthy vegetable, but allows you to diversify the baby’s menu. Potatoes rarely cause allergies, but can cause constipation and bloating. For the very first times, potatoes for complementary feeding should be cooked in water and without adding any ingredients.