Make Every Bite Count

New Dietary Guidelines Recommend Introducing Solid Foods to Infants and Toddlers

By Ann Thelen | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy

When it comes to feeding infants and toddlers, every bite counts! The time from birth until a child’s second birthday is a critically important period for proper growth and development while establishing healthy dietary patterns for life. During this period, it’s essential to provide adequate amounts of nutrients essential for brain development and growth, including protein, iron, zinc and choline.

Many children aren’t receiving enough of these core nutrients, causing a public health concern across the U.S. In response, and for the first time, the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans now recommend introducing complementary solid foods to infants and toddlers starting at about 6 months. Researchers studied food sources for making up these nutrients in infants and concluded that the best supplemental sources come from meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and soy.

“For approximately the first 6 months of life, it’s ideal for babies to be exclusively fed human milk because of the benefits in building immunity,” says Dr. Linda Snetselaar, University of Iowa College of Public Health professor of epidemiology and endowed chair of preventive nutrition. “However, it's evident that iron, protein and zinc aren't typically being consumed in adequate amounts from 6 months to 2 years.”

A 9-month-old infant needs nine times more iron than an adult male. Yet, only 10% of infants are starting to eat meat – a key source of iron – at this age. There are safe and wholesome ways to introduce meat into infants’ diets, and Iowa’s protein-rich commodities can serve as excellent mealtime resources.

“Many foods can be sources of iron and zinc, but when looking at infant nutrition, they also need to be quality sources of protein,” explains Snetselaar, who was 1 of 20 nationally recognized scientists selected to serve on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. “We concluded that animal products, such as lean beef, pork and turkey, provide the perfect combination of protein, iron and zinc that children can easily digest when properly prepared.”

Nutrients Feed Healthy Growth and Development

Infants and toddlers cannot eat large amounts of food but require significant amounts of essential nutrients during this critical period for growth and development.

PROTEIN: Essential for a baby’s growth, development and immune function.

IRON: Essential for a baby’s brain development and a critical component of blood cells that deliver oxygen to tissues and cells throughout the body. Iron deficiency in the first 2 years may cause future delays in intellectual, behavioral and motor development.

ZINC: An essential nutrient for growth, appetite regulation and immune system function.

VITAMIN D: Required for a baby’s proper bone growth and strengthening.

DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID (DHA): An essential nutrient for a baby’s brain and retina (eye) development.

FAT: An essential nutrient to support a baby’s rapid growth and brain development.

Oliver Hill is a 9-month-old from Stanhope.

What are the dietary guidelines for Americans?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated every five years and serve as the cornerstone of federal nutrition programs and policies, providing food-based recommendations to help prevent diet-related chronic diseases and promote overall health.

An independent advisory committee of 20 individuals across the U.S. reviewed scientific evidence on topics and questions identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, then provided a report on their findings to the secretaries of these departments.

“The amount of information we reviewed and scrutinized was incredible,” says Dr. Linda Snetselaar, director of the Department of Epidemiology’s Nutrition Center at the University of

Iowa College of Public Health and editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “For the first time in the 40-year history of the guidelines, we looked at birth to 24 months. We spent a great deal of time making sure our committee’s recommendations were based on the scientific rigor of the research we examined.”

Steps to Decrease Choking Risks

1. Offer foods in the appropriate size, consistency and shape that will allow an infant or young child to eat and swallow easily. All finger foods should be small and bite-sized. Cut circular items in half and other foods like plain egg omelets into thin strips.

2. Make sure the infant or young child is sitting up in a high chair or other safe, supervised place.

3. Ensure an adult is supervising feeding during mealtimes.

4. Don't put infant cereal or other solid foods in an infant’s bottle. Doing so can increase the risk of choking and will not make the infant sleep longer.

How to Introduce Solid Foods

Introducing solids to an infant is an exciting milestone. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Women Infants and Children's Program have long supported this approach. Now, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans validate the importance of these foods early in life.

Experts agree that most infants are ready for complementary foods between 4-6 months. At this age, infants are developing the gross motor, oral and fine motor skills necessary to begin eating complementary foods. As an infant’s oral skills develop, the thickness and texture of foods can gradually be varied.

These signs indicate a child may be developmentally ready to start some solid foods:

• Being able to control head and neck

• Sitting up alone without support

• Bringing objects to mouth

• Trying to grasp small objects, such a toys or food

When introducing solid foods, patience is a virtue as it may take 8-10 exposures for an infant to accept a new type of food.

Around 6 Months

Babies may be ready to make the transition from watery purees to smooth, pureed, single-ingredient foods, such as pureed meats, vegetables or fruits. Use a blender or food grinder to make soft or pureed meats.

Rich in calcium and protein, yogurt can also provide essential nutrients necessary for a baby’s growth and development. Although yogurt and soft cheeses can be introduced, cow’s milk and soy beverages are not recommended to replace or supplement human milk or formula until 12 months of age.

Eggs provide various amounts of all nutrients listed by AAP as essential for brain growth, including lutein and zeaxanthin. Emerging evidence links these carotenoids to brain development and health.

6 to 8 Months

Babies may be ready to transition to mashed, lumpy texture foods and combinations of single-ingredient foods. These include mashed banana or avocado, and pureed meats, green beans or tempeh. Introducing iron-rich food at this stage is essential. Just 1-2 ounces of beef supplies most needs of iron, zinc and B12 in infants.

8 to 10 Months

Babies can transition to chopped table foods, such as shredded or chopped meat, well-cooked pasta, chopped cooked veggies, tofu or soft-cooked beans. Finger foods are preferred in this stage, and allowing the infant to experience the smell, taste and texture of new foods can improve development.

10 to 12 Months

Between 10-12 months of age, babies can start transitioning into chopped family food and practicing with a spoon to self-feed.

12 to 24 Months

In the second year of life, when calcium requirements increase, additional dairy products can be incorporated, including cow’s milk. Fortified soy beverages can also provide good sources of vitamin D.

If you have questions about starting solid foods, consult your baby’s physician or health care provider.

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