Everyone loves a good toast.
You baby is not an exception. A piece of toast cut into sticks is a perfect baby finger food. It’s convenient to grab and has the chewy texture babies love.
But you can take the humble toast to a totally new nutritional level with these 6 baby toast toppings I share in this post. Additional bonus: your baby’s taste buds will get super excited about the spice combos!
Some Facts About Preparing Toast for Babies:
– Did you know that 1 slice of fortified bread has 1mg of iron? Babies need a total of 11mg per day from 7 to 12 months. Munching on some toast fingers with iron rich toppings like meat, beans and egg yolk is a great way to help them get enough.
– You do not need to serve only whole grain bread all the time. Your baby does not need so much fiber. It can excessively speed up the transit of food through his digestive tract and affect the nutrient absorption.
– But if you can find a low sodium variety of bread, make sure to stock on it (bread keeps well in the freezer). Babies do not need too much sodium and it is best to limit it as much as you can.
Feeding Tips:
– Make sure to toast the bread before giving it to the baby so it is slightly firm, easy to hold and a little chewy.
– Do not spread too much topping. Big blobs of sticky purees like nut butters can be a choking hazard.
– If your baby is just starting to learn to self feed and does not have a pincer grasp, cut the toast into sticks. If your baby can already pick up food with his fingers, you can cut the toast into small dime sized shapes.
– Once your baby has successfully sucked out all the yummy goodness out of his toast finger, spread some more topping on. If the toast finger became too soggy and crumbly, it is time to replace it with a new one!
If you would like to get the whole framework and all the steps to start your baby on solids using the mixed approach, check my Stress Free Solids program – it’s completely online and has videos of babies eating both finger foods and purees, videos of babies gagging, photos of different safe finger foods from all food groups, in addition to recipes, schedules and the latest scientific advice on introducing allergens.
6 Nutritious Toppings for Your Baby’s Toast
1. Mashed avocado+lemon
– Cut a ripe avocado in half, remove the pit and mash it with a fork. Sprinkle some lemon juice on top if you like.
Avocado is a fantastic topic because it has lots of good fats and vitamin C.
2. Home made hummus + coriander
– Drain and rinse one can of chickpeas.
– Pour the chick peas into a food processor together with 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1 glove chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water.
– Blend until smooth scraping the mixture off the walls and adding more water is necessary.
– Sprinkle with some coriander or cumin if you like.
I love giving hummus to babies because it has iron, good fats and fiber.
3. Cooked egg yolk+paprika
– Place an egg in a small pot with water.
– Bring to a boil and simmer for 7 minutes.
– Cool the egg under cold running water.
– Peel the egg, cut in a half, remove the yolk and mash it with a fork, adding a little water, breast milk or formula to make the consistency spreadable.
– Sprinkle with some paprika if you like.
Eggs are a true superfood for babies, providing them with choline, iron, fats and protein.
4. Almond, peanut or cashew butter + cinnamon (find out how to safely introduce peanuts to your baby)
– Spread thinly a very small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of nut butter on a toast.
– Sprinkle with come cinnamon if you like.
It’s very important to introduce all allergens, including nuts, to your baby as soon as you start solids. In my Stress Free Solids program I have a whole detailed handout on how to introduce all of the allergens as finger foods and purees.
5. Meat puree+cumin
– Over medium heat, add about 1/4 pound of ground beef, pork or lamb to a skillet.
– Cook the meat, breaking up the pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until completely done.
– Place the meat and 1/4 cup of broth in a blender or food processor.
– Puree the meat, adding a little additional water if necessary to get a smooth spreadable texture.
– Use it on a toast or incorporate into purees, stews and soups to quickly boost the nutrition.
– Sprinkle some cumin on top.
Did you know that meat should be one of the first solid foods (unless your baby is vegetarian, of course). It has easily absorbable iron, which is very important for babies at this stage of rapid growth. But meat as a baby food can be quite intimidating. I included many examples of how to safely prepare and serve meat to your baby in Stress Free Solids program, so your baby can have plenty of iron in their diet from the the start!
6. Full fat ricotta or full fat Greek yogurt + herbs
Spread the cheese or yogurt on a toast and sprinkle with herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro or a mixture).
Here you go – six nutritious and varied toppings for your baby’s toast. Time to move beyond Nutella! 🙂
Babies and toddlers under two can only eat full fat dairy products because their fat requirements are so high! Before your baby is 12 months, they can have some yogurt and cheese, but no cow’s or goat’s milk as the main drink. It’s too low in iron, has a high renal load and may cause intestinal bleeding in some babies! Much more on nutrition for babies in Stress Free Solids program.
More finger food ideas for your baby:
Baby friendly broccoli tater tots
Iron rich finger foods for your baby
Roasted vegetables – easy finger food
Tell me, which one does your baby like the most?
If a step-by-step and evidence-based approach to starting solids is what you are looking for, I invite you to check my online program for parents, Stress-Free Solids. It takes only a couple of hours to complete and has everything you need, including recipes, pictured of safe finger foods from all food groups, videos of babies eating both finger foods and purees (and gagging), meal plans, sample schedules (including formula/breastmilk feeds), up-to-date guidance on introduction of allergens and more.
Starting solids the easy, safe and stress-free way!
Let me show you how to feed your baby using the mixed approach, so you can be guided by your baby and not by a rigid philosophy.
