Question
What complementary foods can a five-month-old baby add? Do I need to buy a seven-piece food processor to prepare them?
Answer
Babies between 4 to 6 months old should still rely mainly on breast milk or formula, while gradually introducing small amounts of liquid and puréed foods as complementary feeding. You can start with 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice cereal, gradually increasing the amount and trying to introduce puréed vegetables, juices (you can start with a diluted version), and fruit purées. At this stage, there is no need to purchase a complex food processor, as the food is mainly liquid and puréed, and simple kitchen tools will suffice. Complementary foods that a baby at this stage can try include rice cereal, vegetable juice, fruit juice, egg yolk, vegetable purée, and fruit purée. When introducing new foods, start with small amounts and observe the baby’s digestion. Only increase the portion after confirming there are no allergic reactions.