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The copy featured is by kind permission
of Green Books, from The Organic Baby and Toddler
Cookbook
How do I make sure my baby or toddler
is getting enough calcium, protein and iron?
Breastfeed, and make sure that both you and your
child eat a well balanced, varied organic diet, and
breastfeed him for at least a year if possible. Eat
superfoods such as broccoli, kale, seaweed, etc.,
along with nuts, seeds and beans for protein and calcium.
Cut down on dairy foods, which can inhibit calcium
absorption, and instead get your calcium from greens,
nuts and seeds etc. Vitamin C, which is found in mung
beans, fruits and capsicum, increases iron absorption.
Iron is found in green leafy vegetables, dried fruit
(especially raisins and apricots), wholegrains, dulse,
pumpkin, sesame seeds and molasses.
Will my baby or toddler get all the nutrients he
needs from his food, or should I give him multivitamin
and mineral supplements, and if so, from what age
and in what dosage?
If your child lives in a fairly unpolluted area,
gets plenty of fresh air, mild sunshine and exercise
(once he is mobile), eats a varied, mainly fresh and
balanced organic wholefood diet, and is breastfed
for six months to one year or ideally longer, there
should not be any need for supplementation. However,
if you’re unsure about whether to supplement
or not it’s advisable to see a professional
nutritionist or practitioner to review your child’s
diet and if necessary to recommend supplements. (There
are tests available to see whether your child is deficient
in vitamins or minerals etc.) If you are going to
use supplements, try Nature’s Own food state
tablets, Higher Nature multivitamins or Biocare powder.
These brands have supplements for children and will
advise on dosage. Quality supplements will be gluten-,
sugar- and dairy-free. Supplementation with a teaspoonful
of organic essential fatty acid oil once a day in
meals is recommended from weaning - try Udo’s
Choice or Essential Balance, or a premium organic
hemp oil.
Is it alright to give my baby foods and drinks containing
sugar or sweetener, and what about the occasional
chocolate pudding or cocoa pudding, that some organic
babyfood companies now offer?
Sugar is best avoided or kept to a minimum - it is
an addictive body poison and encourages the wrong
kind of bacteria in the colon. It also causes digestive
problems, tooth decay, and can cause hypoglycaemia
and diabetes. Sugar calories are empty calories -
sugary foods tend to have much lower vitamin and mineral
levels. A little honey, organic maple syrup or molasses
can be used in place of sugar, but these are also
best kept to a minimum as they are not health-promoting.
Some artificial sweeteners can cause cancer (among
other adverse health effects) and are also best avoided.
Unfortunately you’ll find them in many drinks
and foods aimed at children, so be wary. Chocolate
and cocoa contain the powerful stimulants caffeine
and theobromine, and are therefore unsuitable for
babies and toddlers. Try carob as a healthy alternative.
How do I deal with a fussy eater or hunger striker?
Trust a child’s judgement - he will eat when
he wants to, and he paces himself. Be laid back -
don’t make food an issue. Just continue to offer
him a little (different) healthy food every now and
then at appropriate times, or even offer him something
off your plate (as long as he eats it and doesn’t
just play with it), as your food will often appeal
to him more than his - even if it’s the same.
You could leave a small plate of fresh food out for
him to consider on his own. Don’t fall into
the trap of offering sweet alternatives and convenience
foods such as chips in an attempt to get him to eat,
as he could end up only eating sweets and chips. The
same goes with commercial jar foods. Make food look
inviting, and cut down the amount on his plate so
it’s not overwhelming. With older toddlers involve
them (safely) in meal preparation. Make sure that
as a family you all sit down together for at least
one meal a day (at the table - not in front of the
TV), and that you eat when your child eats wherever
possible so that he feels part of the action. Try
giving him fresh raw juices if he won’t eat
- he’ll be getting liquid food packed with nutrients
into his system.
Should I avoid giving my baby wheat and gluten?
These are common allergens so are best avoided for
the first year. Gluten, found especially in wheat,
but also barley, rye and oats, is like sticky chewing
gum in the system - an indigestible glob that adheres
to the stomach wall. Rice, buckwheat, millet and maize
are good alternatives - make your own gluten-free
breads and cereals, or (less preferably) buy them
ready-made. Oats have least gluten, and unless diagnosed
as coeliac, your child should not have a problem digesting
them: it is the high consumption levels of wheat (bred
for its high gluten-levels) which particularly overstress
our systems and cause digestive problems (including
sensitivities to other foods).
How do I get my baby to take water - he’s
simply not interested and I worry that he’ll
get dehydrated.
Taking a little filtered water in a drinking cup
or bottle regularly is a good habit to get your baby
used to - especially in warm weather. Keep offering
it to him every now and then, and one day he’ll
drink it. If you are breastfeeding, your baby shouldn’t
need extra water or get dehydrated. If you’re
giving your child raw fresh vegetable and fruit juices,
there will be plant water in these, and you can add
a little water to drinks to increase his water intake.
Try a straw to interest him.
Is fibre good for babies, or is it too much for
their systems to cope with?
For babies under a year old, soluble fibres are suitable,
such as those in peas, and fruit and vegetable juices,
which are also high in vitamins and minerals. Insoluble
fibres, such as those in wheat products, are best
avoided until your child is over a year old.
Are raw fruits and vegetables hard for my baby to
digest?
When juiced these are easy to digest. First purées
can be steamed or lightly cooked to aid digestion,
but by six to eight months your baby will be able
to tolerate some raw foods, and ideally, as he grows
older, the more fresh raw food he has the better.
If I let my one year old feed himself, it’s
like a food fight and everyone and everything close
by gets covered. I worry that he’s not getting
the nutrients he needs, as he refuses to take it off
the spoon. What shall I do?
It’s been said that the best place to let a
baby learn to feed himself is in a car wash! Let him
feed himself once a day, to allow him to develop his
co-ordination, and then feed him yourself for other
meals; or try feeding him a spoonful and then letting
him hold the next spoonful and guide it in himself.
Just be patient, firm and consistent, and he’ll
get the hang of it eventually. Keep the raw juices
and breastmilk going and he won’t be missing
out on any nutrients.
My toddler has suddenly stopped fitting into set
meal times and now seems more content with several
smaller meals throughout the day. Is this OK or should
I try to get him back into the three meals a day pattern?
Go with it - your toddler is listening to his body
and eating little and often (in effect, grazing),
which is best for balancing blood sugar and energy
needs throughout the day and aiding proper digestion
and absorption. It gives you the opportunity to offer
him a variety of foods - we call it the ‘grazing
smörgåsbord’ approach to eating,
which is healthy for us all, providing there is adequate
time for digestion between snacks.
Other considerations:
- Try not to make food an issue or a battleground.
Don’t use sweets or chips as bribery or place
great emphasis on these foods as treats or reward,
as you’ll create a child who prefers sweets
and chips to ‘ordinary’ food
- Treat eating as a family pastime, encourage social
interaction at the dinner table and celebrate being
a family
- As soon as your child is old enough involve him
in food preparation. It is the most important and
vital part of his life and it’s up to you
to teach him - you certainly can’t rely on
the education system to do this!
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