Carrots for Babies

BLW Carrots offering for the first time to 6 month+ Babies

Growing up, I’m sure we’ll all heard our parents urge us to eat carrots telling it’s good for our eyes. I remember seeing bugs bunny munch away on his carrot on cartoon network and being excited to eat raw carrots alongside while watching the loony tunes show (or maybe that was just me :P). Carrots make an amazing first food choice while introducing vegetables to your baby. They are rich in vitamin A which helps in supporting eye health and the immune system. They are also a good source of fibre and rich in vitamin K and B6.

Carrots are more special for me personally as this was one of the two foods, we introduced S to on his first day of solids 🙂. Its bright colour makes it especially appealing to babies.

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Carrots are extremely easy to cook and introduce. We bought organic carrots from our local store.
Steps to prepare:

How to serve Carrots to babies?

1. Wash carrots thoroughly and peel the outer layer.
2. Cut them in half lengthwise (at least 2 inches in length). At 6 months you need to offer in bigger sizes. For more details on this you can the check this post . If your baby is older than 9 months, they can be diced or made into thinner sticks to promote pincer grasp.
3. Steam the carrots well until it’s cooked and soft.
   You can either use a steamer for better control or pressure cook for 1-2 whistles based off the size. Use a toothpick to check if it’s cooked through. Avoid over cooking. If the carrot is too soft, it’ll break when the baby tries holding it.

Note: Carrots are a choking hazard so always ensure they are cooked well before offering to your baby.

Another alternate way is to cook the carrots prepared as part of step 2 above as part of your sambar preparation (minus salt and chilli). Once cooked, you can remove the carrots meant for the baby and then add chilli powder and salt as required.

That’s it. You’re done! If it’s your first time and you’re terrified of gagging or want to start off easier, you can always mash them slightly and preload it on spoons. But I would personally suggest not to puree so that you can expose your child to different textures. Start off with what’s comfortable for you and your baby 🙂