Adequate iron levels are essential for the healthy development and function of your baby’s brain. Iron is also needed to make hemoglobin, which helps keeps all the body’s cells supplied with oxygen.
Full term healthy babies are usually born with good stores of iron, but those stores may begin to decline from around 6 months of age.
It’s important, therefore, to include plenty of iron-rich foods in baby’s diet as you begin to introduce solids.
So today we thought we’d share with you 5 very quick and easy iron-rich meal ideas to help keep baby’s iron stores at a healthy level!
Note: This information is NOT intended to replace professional medical advice. It is very important to discuss your baby’s iron requirements with your child’s doctor.
Whole grain cereal with blackstrap molasses.
Blackstrap molasses – the nutrient-rich residue left when sugar cane is refined to produce table sugar – is an excellent source of iron.
Use it to sweeten an iron-rich cereal grain (such as oats, barley or quinoa) and you have a powerful combination to really give baby’s iron levels a boost!
Meatballs with plum sauce
Combine cooked ground beef with enough mashed potato to bind it, then roll it into little bite-sized balls.
Bake for around 10 minutes at 375 deg F so the balls develop a ‘skin’ (which makes them easier to pick up).
Simmer a chopped, fresh plum in a little apple juice until tender, then puree to create a simple ‘sauce’. Pour over the meatballs or serve as a dipping sauce.
The vitamin C content of the plums will help your baby absorb more iron from the meat.
Creamy egg puree with white beans.
White beans and egg yolks are both wonderful sources of iron.
Joined together, they make an unbeatable combination… and one that’s incredibly easy to prepare!
You’ll find our simple recipe here.
Papaya and tuna salad.
Papaya is bursting with vitamin C, the nutrient that helps the body absorb iron. Tuna is a rich source of iron. So a papaya and tuna salad is a cool combo and a tasty meal for baby!
Try our simple Tropical Tuna Salad recipe that combines these ingredients with nutritious avocado.
Whole grain pita with hummus
Serving high iron foods together is a great way to boost baby’s iron levels. The iron from the whole grains in the pita, served along with hummus (made from iron-rich chickpeas) is a wonderful treat that’s not only good for your baby, but delicious too!
Give our tasty hummus recipes a try!
How to introduce meat – the best source of iron – to baby
More information about iron and the need (or not!) for iron supplementation