Somewhere between milk and steak you’re going to need to introduce your little baby to vegetables. Vegetable is given to the babies when they are ready to get solid food, which is amount 6 – 8 months.

Vegetables contain so many vitamins, minerals and nutrients necessary to good health that it’s important to ensure your baby is eating enough of them.

Vegetables should be introduced after cereal and before fruit. Fruits in certain forms can be healthy but some little buggers pick up that sweet fruit taste and won’t adapt as well to the stronger taste of vegetable.

There are many kinds of vegetables to choose for your baby. Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, broccoli, and carrots are full of vitamin A (beta-carotene) which is vital to healthy eyesight, normal cell development, immune defenses and more. Nerve and muscle processes both rely heavily on thiamin and green peas are a good source.

Red sweet peppers, green peepers, and broccoli contain high amounts of vitamin C, an antioxidant which also assists in iron absorption. Calcium is an integral part of bone structure and plays a major role in blood clotting, maintaining blood pressure and much more. Broccoli, lima beans, soybeans, and squash are healthy choices if you’re aiming for calcium.

Below are some tips how to successfully integrate vegetables into your baby’s diet :

• Never serve unpeeled vegetables, corn kernels, raw or, crisp cooked vegetables to your baby. All are choking hazards.
• Know what an allergic reaction to a vegetable may look like. Your baby may experience coughing, wheezing, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive gas, itchy skin, hives, or rashes. If you suspect your baby is allergic to a specific vegetable talk with your pediatrician. If the vegetable causes very severe symptoms call 911.
• Always wash your hands before feeding your baby.
• Always wash each vegetable you serve and the utensils you use to prepare them.
• Only serve as much as your baby will eat because you’ll be throwing away any excess. A dish or jar of food that your baby has eaten from contains bacteria from his mouth and you should never serve leftovers.
• Always hang out with your baby while he eats. Don’t serve food in a bottle or sippy cup. Make meal time a fun together time and your baby will enjoy his vegetables and get the important nutrients he needs during his first year.