What is the first food you gave your baby, or that you plan to give your baby? Do you have traditions in your family about the first food a baby eats? An infant’s first taste of solid food is an exciting and special experience. For many families it is an important moment, and in many cultures it is an occasion to gather for.
In Australia, one of the most common “first foods” given to a baby is fortified baby rice cereal. If you’re familiar with this porridge-like, creamy cereal you might know that it is certainly not the most appealing food for adults…mostly because it’s quite bland. Interestingly, although it is very appropriate for infants, rice cereal is vastly different to the types of first solid foods for babies used by other cultures.
For a long time, I have wondered what other cultures use instead of the rice cereal commonly used here in Australia. I’ve wondered whether they, too, make something special for infants or if they simply feed them the same foods that adults eat.
I reached out to some of my international friends and asked what they, at least in their local area, would feed to a new baby for its first food. I was lucky that many of my friends were able to help – thank you if you contributed!
Commercially made rice cereal was one of the most common first foods in America, England, and Mauritius. Similarly, in countries such as Iran and Turkey a rice pudding is made, usually with rice flour and milk.
In Iran they also sometimes use almond meal instead of rice flour, and breastmilk instead of cow’s milk.
In Vietnam, China and the Philippines a more savoury version, rice flour soup, is made using chicken or pork stock sometimes with small bits of vegetables or meat.
In Singapore, in the Chinese cultural groups a similar food used to be given, but now younger generations are using pureed fruits and vegetables.
In Ghana, very soft rice is given with a bit of margarine.
In Sweden, porridge is a common option. Other porridge-like foods are given in some countries–for example in Kenya, a porridge made out of corn or millet flour is used.
An Italian friend mentioned that often soft bread soaked in milk or breastmilk is given.
And in Papua New Guinea traditionally, sago cooked in water is given which would make a lovely mushy texture.
In Samoa, taro or rice soup is given, sometimes with fish in it, or sometimes very ripe pawpaw is used as it is so soft and easy to eat!
In Vanuatu, ripe pawpaw is also used or otherwise soft green coconut meat that has almost a jelly consistency.
In Dominica and Jamaica, often fruit soup or very ripe fruit is given as well as mashed taro or other vegetables.
A friend from Chile said that in Southern Chile, most children eat papas, also known as potatoes, or different types of squash. In coastal areas of Chile Indigenous children used to chew on seaweed, and in the mountains children would be fed roasted and ground up araucaria nuts. Which are similar to the Bunya nuts of Queensland.
Friends from Argentina, Mexico, Scotland, Norway, China, Singapore and Germany all mentioned cooked, stewed or mashed fruits or vegetables as the most popular first foods.
In India, lentil dal is a very common first food.
In France often, soft cheese like Brie or a thin vegetable soup called bouillon is given.
Did any of these foods surprise you? All of these choices are wonderful foods to introduce to a baby when they are young. However, regardless of the very first food that is given, it is important to know that around this time, anything that is rich in iron (naturally, or fortified) is of particular benefit for a baby at this age.
If you didn’t know it, one of the biggest reasons that solid foods are introduced to babies around the age of 6 months is because this is the age where a baby’s stores of iron in their body are beginning to diminish and need replacing. In most cases, while a baby is in the womb, the mother’s body gives the baby enough iron to last it until around 6 months of age. Breastmilk and some baby formulas do not provide the iron in the amounts that babies need past that age. Therefore, the only place to get that iron is from food.
This isn’t a reason to stop breastfeeding at 6 months, however! Continuing breastfeeding past 12 months and for as long as mother & baby wish is highly recommended for the numerous other benefits that breastmilk provides.
Foods particularly rich in iron include meat, fish, legumes such as lentils and beans, tofu, egg, nuts and nut pastes and some vegetables. Not all of these are easy to make for a baby though–they do need to be soft and made without salt or sugar. Next up in this series is a few recipes and ideas that will help you make these foods safely and easily when you need them for your baby.
The complete list:
Australia, America, England – Rice cereal
Turkey – Rice pudding
Iran – Rice or almond pudding, sometimes made with breastmilk
Vanuatu – Soft green coconut meat or ripe pawpaw
Argentina – Mashed fruit and/or vegetables
PNG – Sago cooked in water and salt traditionally
Sweden – Porridge
India – Dahl
Mauritius – Rice-based cereal
Mexico – Mashed fruit and/or vegetables
Scotland – Stewed fruit and/or vegetables
Germany – Mashed fruit and/or vegetables
Italy – Soft bread soaked in milk or breastmilk
France – Sometimes soft cheese like Brie; or bouillon, a thin vegetable soup sometimes mixed with milk
Samoa – Ripe pawpaw, rice soup or mashed taro, sometimes with fish
Vietnam – Rice flour soup made with chicken or pork stock
Kenya – Porridge usually made of millet flour or corn meal
Ghana – Soft rice with margarine
Dominica – Mashed ripe tropical fruit like pawpaw, or mashed taro or other soft vegetables
Chile – Papas, or potatoes, or different types of squash. In coastal areas of Chile Indigenous children used to chew on seaweed, and in the mountains children would be fed araucaria. Which is similar to the Bunya nuts of Queensland.
Philippines – Rice soup.
Norway – Mashed fruit/vegetable or oat
China – Rice porridge or mashed fruit/vegetable
Singapore – Rice porridge with meat/vegetables, but modern-day pureed fruit and vegetables
Eat happy!
Jessi Bruns
Accredited Practising Dietitian
