Level 1 baby food: 6 Baby Food Combinations (Stage 2)

6 Baby Food Combinations (Stage 2)

6 easy and tasty baby food combination recipes: Sweet Potato Apple, Asparagus Apple, Blueberry Banana Quinoa Flax, Peach Pear, Avocado Peach Pineapple Kale and Pineapple Mango.

Earlier this week I shared a recipe for carrot baby food, which is a great first food for babies. Today I’m sharing 6 baby food combinations that work for babies who are a little older, around 6-8 months. The combos I’m sharing are mostly fruit and vegetables, but there is one combo with quinoa and flaxseed as well. All of these combos have been taste-tested and approved by Olivia. She gobbled up each of them!

Baby not ready for stage 2? I’ve got a collection of 10 baby food purees for stage 1 eaters!

The recipes I’m sharing here are just to give you some ideas of how to make different baby food combos, but there are so many other combos you can make – the options are endless and it’s fun to get creative!

Just last week I made a new combo inspired by carrot cake with steamed carrots, pineapple, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. I’ve also been making Olivia peanut butter banana oatmeal (with quick oats) and chia pudding made with breast milk. She loves both!

I haven’t introduced Olivia to meat, but we’ve given her eggs and I’m hoping to have her try meat soon. I’ll likely start with salmon since it’s packed with so many nutrients. Fingers crossed she likes it!

How to Make a Fruit or Veggie Puree

Alight, so let’s cover the basics first… how to make a basic baby food puree with fruit or veggies. It’s actually really easy. That said, if you’re brand new to making baby food purees it might be helpful to review my homemade carrot puree or sweet potato puree recipe. Here’s the basic process:

• Prep: wash the fruit/veggies with water. Peel and chop into smaller pieces. Some fruits and veggies don’t need to be peeled because once they’re cooked the peel will come right off.
• Cook: cook the fruit/veggies by steaming, boiling or roasting. You’ll know it’s done when the veggies are soft and tender. I like to use a fork to test this. If it goes in really easily, I know it’s done. Let cool and peel (if you waited to peel).
• Blend: place cooked fruit/veggies into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (or the consistency you desire), adding liquid (water, breast milk or formula) as needed.

Do You Need to Steam Fruits and Veggies for Baby?

It’s recommended that most fruits and veggies are steamed (or cooked) before serving until baby reaches around 8 months of age. Some foods require cooking (like apples and sweet potatoes), just so they’re soft enough to puree. For softer foods (like a ripe peach or blueberries) steaming/cooking is optional, but helpful for babies 6-8 months of age because cooking makes the food easier to digest and baby will able to absorb more nutrients from the food. As you’ll see in my recipes below, I like to use a steamer basket to steam most of my fruit and veggies before pureeing.

Bananas and Avocado

Bananas and avocado are the exception and they are great options to have on hand because you can easily just mash, thin with liquid (if needed) and serve.

How to Make Baby Food Combinations

For all of these combination recipes, I steamed each fruit/veggie separately and then made the combos using the measurements I share in the recipes. I did it this way because I was batching all of these combos at once and I’m only able to fit so much in one pot, but also because the steam time varies for most fruits and veggies (see below). Of course, you will find some recipes (on other sites) that involve cooking the items that are combined all together, but I found it easier just to steam all of my ingredients separately, measure and then blend them together. Do what feels easiest for you!

How to Blend Baby Food

Once your fruit/veggies are cooked, it’s time to blend. For this you can use a blender, food processor or even an immersion blender. I’ve been using my Vitamix and LOVE it for making baby food because it’s really powerful and makes the blends so smooth and creamy. Some foods don’t need to be blended for babies who are okay with a more chunky texture. You can simply mash them well with a fork.

Peeling the Fruit and Veggies

I highly recommend peeling your fruits and veggies because peeling results in smoother purees and makes the food easier for baby to digest. Some foods, like carrots, should be peeled before cooking, but other foods like sweet potato, apples, peaches and pears tend to have skin that peels right off after steaming. Ultimately it’s up to you whether you want to peel the fruit/veggies before or after steaming. Test it both ways and decide which option is easier for you. I’m team peel after steaming!

• 1 avocado
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 banana
• 2 apples
• 2 pears
• 4 peaches
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 pineapple
• 1 mango
• quinoa
• ground flax

Steaming Time For the Fruits and Veggies

As I mentioned above, it’s recommended that most fruits and veggies (even soft ones) are steamed (or cooked) before serving babies who are 6-8 months. If your baby is older you can experiment with using fresh blueberries, peaches, pears, pineapple and mango that hasn’t been steamed, so long as the fruit is ripe and soft. I actually used fresh blueberries when making the blueberry banana quinoa flax combo.

• Sweet potato: 12-15 minutes
• Apple: 10-12 minutes
• Asparagus: 7-13 minutes
• Blueberries: 5-10 minutes
• Peach: 2-4 minutes
• Pear: 10-12 minutes
• Pineapple: 5-10 minutes
• Mango: 5-10 minutes

Frozen fruit and veggies also work for these recipes. You’ll likely just need to steam them a bit longer.

6 Easy Baby Food Combinations

Here are six different baby food combinations. I’ve listed them in order of the level of complexity from the least complex (peach pear) to most complex (blueberry banana quinoa and flax).

Peach Pear

Ingredients: 2 steamed and peeled pears and 3 steamed and peeled peaches + water or breast milk to thin (if needed)

Asparagus Apple

Ingredients: 1 bunch of steamed asparagus, 1 steamed and peeled apple + water or breast milk to thin

Sweet Potato Apple Cinnamon

Ingredients: 1 steamed and peeled sweet potato, 1 steamed and peeled apple, pinch of cinnamon + water or breast milk to thin

Avocado Peach Pineapple Kale

Ingredients: 1 avocado, 1 steamed and peeled peach, 1/2 cup steamed pineapple and 1/2 cup of steamed kale + water or breast milk to thin (if needed)

Pineapple Mango

Ingredients: 1 cup steamed pineapple + 1 cup steamed mango + water or breast milk to thin (if needed)

Blueberry Banana Quinoa Flax

Ingredients: 1 pint steamed blueberries, 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, 1 ripe banana,  2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseed + water or breast milk to thin (if needed)

How to Store Homemade Baby Food

Once you have the baby food blended to the consistency you want, let the mixture cool and then transfer into BPA-free storage containers or into an ice cube tray. I’ve been using silicone ice cube trays and these 4 oz glass storage containers. The ice cube trays are great for younger babies who aren’t eating as much volume because you can defrost one cube at a time. While the 4 oz jars are great for older babies who are eating more than 1 oz at a time.

We had the ice cube trays on hand, and I just recently bought the WeeSprout glass storage containers that are specifically for baby food. I like that they have measurements on the side of the jars and that they’re glass instead of plastic (no worry about BPA). They are also freezer, dish-washer and microwave-safe. Plus they come with colorful lids that you can write on with a dry eraser marker to note the item and date.

When using the ice cube trays, I like to let the food freeze overnight (or until solid) and then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag so I can free up the ice cube tray for more food prep. I used plastic freezer bags for these photos but have since purchased reusable Stasher bags to use. They’re freezer safe and non-toxic and a healthier option for the environment.

The baby food combos will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can You Freeze Baby Food Made with Frozen Fruit or Veggies?

Yes, you can freeze baby food that has been made with frozen fruit or veggies as long as you have cooked the frozen foods first. You shouldn’t let frozen foods thaw (without cooking), puree and re-freeze.

Can You Freeze Baby Food Made with Breast Milk or Formula?

Freezing baby food that has been mixed with fresh breast milk is totally fine, however you should not freeze baby food that has been mixed with previously frozen breast milk. Frozen and thawed breast milk should never be re-frozen.

Most formula companies don’t recommend freezing formula, but from what I’ve read it’s okay to freeze homemade baby food that has been mixed with formula to thin.

Another option is to freeze the baby food purees without adding any liquid. With this method you can thaw the baby food puree in the fridge overnight and then thin the food to the desired texture with breast milk or formula right before serving.

This post all about freezing baby food has a ton of great insight and tips.

Don’t Forget to Label

I highly recommend labeling any baby food you make before storing it! It’s amazing how quickly you forget what day you prepped the food once it goes into the fridge or freezer. #mombrain

How to Reheat or Thaw Frozen Baby Food

To thaw frozen baby food, I recommend taking the jar out of the freezer the night before you want to use it so it can defrost in the fridge overnight. If you need to use it right away, you can thaw it using a water bath. Some people will recommend microwaving the frozen puree using the defrost setting, but I prefer these two methods:

• Defrost in the refrigerator: Place frozen puree cubes into a jar or baby’s serving dish, cover, and place in the refrigerator overnight. If you stored the puree in a jar or storage container, simply place the jar the fridge.
• Water bath: Place frozen pureed cubes in a small container and set in another larger container with warm water. Replace the water as needed. Once defrosted, portion the food into individual bowls, cover, and refrigerate until serving.

Be sure to use any of the defrosted food within 48 hours of being defrosted and do not re-freeze.

More Recipes for Babies and Toddlers

• 10 Baby Food Purees (Stage 1)
• Baby Pancakes
• How to Make Oatmeal For Babies
• Carrot Baby Food
• Peach Baby Food
• Baby (+ Toddler) French Toast
• Applesauce
• Baby Yogurt Melts
• Butternut Squash Puree
• Sweet Potato Puree

6 Baby Food Combinations

4 from 92 votes

6 easy and tasty baby food combo recipes: Sweet Potato Apple, Asparagus Apple, Blueberry Banana Quinoa Flax, Peach Pear, Avocado Peach Pineapple Kale and Pineapple Mango.

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6

Peach Pear

• 3 steamed and peeled peaches
• 2 steamed and peeled pears
• water, breast milk or formula to thin (I didn’t need extra liquid for this one)

Asparagus Apple

• 1 bunch of steamed asparagus
• 1 steamed and peeled apple
• water, breast milk or formula to thin

Sweet Potato Apple Cinnamon

• 1 steamed and peeled sweet potato
• 1 steamed and peeled apple
• pinch of cinnamon
• water, breast milk or formula to thin

Avocado Peach Pineapple Kale

• 1 avocado
• 1 steamed and peeled peach
• 1/2 cup steamed pineapple
• 1/2 cup of steamed kale
• water, breast milk or formula to thin (I didn’t need extra liquid for this one)

Pineapple Mango

• 1 cup steamed pineapple
• 1 cup steamed mango
• water, breast milk or formula to thin (I didn’t need extra liquid for this one)

Blueberry Banana Quinoa Flax

• 1 pint steamed blueberries
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseed
• water, breast milk or formula to thin (I didn’t need extra liquid for this one)

• Pick which combo you want to make, steam the fruits and veggies (using the steam times listed in my chart above).

• Add all ingredients for the combo you’re making into a high powered blender or a food processor. Blend until you reach the consistency you desire. You can make the purees smooth and more liquidy for young babies or thicker and chunkier for older babies.

Serving: 1/6 of peach pear recipe Calories: 63kcal Carbohydrates: 16g Protein: 1g Sodium: 1mg Potassium: 211mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 12g

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and share on social media using the hashtag #eatingbirdfood. I love seeing your recipe shares!

Pea Puree For Babies – Eating Bird Food

Pea puree is a great first food when introducing solids to babies and all you need is a bag of frozen peas and a blender or food processor!

Pea puree is such a great first food for babies! It has a brilliant green color and is full of nutrients, including a good amount of plant-based protein.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Peas are naturally sweet, healthy and a great option for introducing your baby to solids!
• It’s smooth, creamy and a beautiful green color sure to entice and excite your baby.
• Peas are a great source of protein, fiber and vitamins.

Pea Nutrition for Infants

Peas are an excellent legume to feed your baby! Yep, you read correctly… despite what most people think, peas are actually a legume and not a vegetable. They fall into the same category as lentils, chickpeas and even peanuts! However, most often peas are categorized as a starchy vegetable, similar to corn and potatoes.

When starting your baby on solids, peas are a great first choice. They’re naturally sweet and pack a punch with nutrition, containing a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Peas also have a higher protein content at 4 grams per half cup serving. Plus, you’ll find vitamins A, K and C, thiamine, folate, manganese, iron and phosphorus in peas! (source) These are all crucial in helping baby grow and develop. And fiber is great for their little digestive systems.

How to Make a Puree

Making pea puree is super simple! I like using frozen peas, but fresh peas work as well. Either way, you’ll want to steam them first.

To steam the peas, fill a pot with about 1 inch of water and add a steamer basket to the pot. Then add 2 cups of peas. Bring the water to a low boil, cover with a lid and steam the peas for about 3-6 minutes. You’ll know the peas are done when they are bright green and tender. Remove from heat and let peas cool.

Once cooled, place the peas in a high powered blender or food processor and blend into a puree. You can add breast milk, formula or water as needed to get the desired consistency.

tip!
After steaming, give the peas a cold water bath to preserve that brilliant green color and stop them from cooking!

Baby Food Combinations with Peas

For early stage 1 eaters, pea puree served plain with a spoon is perfect. You want to make sure it’s very thin with no lumps, so thin it out with water, formula or breast milk if necessary. When baby starts moving into stage 2 and 3 foods you can make fun combination purees (see ideas below) or add pea puree to different foods like yogurt, smoothies and oatmeal for babies.

Foods That Pair Well With Pea Puree

• Green veggies – kale, spinach, avocado, zucchini
• Orange veggies – sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot
• White veggies – cauliflower
• Other fruit – banana, strawberries, peaches, apples, kiwis, pears, mangos
• Dairy – yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese
• Grains – quinoa, oats
• Legumes – chickpeas, lentils
• Seasonings and spices – curry, ginger, mint, nutmeg, cinnamon

Pea Baby Food Combo Ideas

Peas and carrots are probably the most common baby food combination you’ll find in stores, but there are a ton a different baby food combinations with peas.

• Carrots and peas
• Peas and mint
• Zucchini, peas and lentils
• Pear and peas
• Mango, pear and peas
• Apple, spinach and peas
• Yogurt, peas and apples
• Carrot, peas and quinoa
• Banana and peas
• Peas, green beans and asparagus

Feel free to get creative, the options are really limitless! For more stage 2+ ideas, check out these 6 baby food combinations.

Pea Puree FAQ

How do you keep pea puree bright green?

The best way to keep pea puree bright green is to not overcook them. When you remove them from heat, they will keep cooking as they cool. To avoid this, give the peas an ice water bath after steaming to stop the cooking process!

What if my puree is too watery?

If you added too much water, formula or breast milk to the puree, the best thing to do is make more pea puree to add to it. Steam and blend more peas, adding just enough water for them to blend and not stick to the blender. Then add the new puree to your watery puree to thicken. I suggest adding liquid 1 teaspoon at a time to avoid it becoming too watery.

Can I make pea puree in advance?

Of course! Pea puree keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days and freezes nicely as well. I recommend freezing in small cubes so you can thaw only what you need at a time.

Should you strain pea puree?

As long as it’s thin enough with no lumps, pea puree should be fine without straining. However, if you’re concerned or want an extra smooth puree, you can put the pea puree through a sieve or cheese cloth to reduce the fibers.

How to Store

Storing pea puree is a breeze! You can either store in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you want to freeze, I recommended using silicone ice cube trays or small freezer-safe jars so you can easily thaw small amounts when you want to use them!

How to Reheat or Thaw Frozen Pea Puree

I recommend thawing frozen puree in the fridge the night before you want to use it, but you can also thaw it quickly with a warm water bath. It thaws quickly if you’re defrosting a small amount to serve to a baby.

Other Ways to Use Pea Puree

Pea puree is great for babies, but there are so many other ways for older kids and adults to enjoy it too. Here are some ideas:

• As a dip or spread – chefs often add ingredients like garlic, mint, butter, chicken broth and/or lemon juice to pea puree for extra flavor and use the puree to decorate a plate and add an extra layer of flavor to a dish. I could see a pea puree of this nature being great as a dip or side dish as well. This minted pea puree looks lovely.
• Make a smoothie – peas can add a boost of protein, sweetness and creamy texture to smoothies. You can add the puree straight into a smoothie, but frozen pea puree give smoothies a great texture No need to thaw, just pop a couple cubes of pea puree into your blender with the rest of your smoothie ingredients. Try it in my green protein smoothie.

More Baby Food Purees

• Sweet Potato Puree
• Butternut Squash Puree
• Peach Puree
• Carrot Puree
• Banana Puree
• Mango Puree
• Pumpkin Puree
• Applesauce
• Strawberry Puree
• Blueberry Puree

More Recipes and Resources

• Healthy Smash Cake
• Baby French Toast
• Banana Pancakes For Babies
• Baby Yogurt Melts

Check out my guide to introducing solids for more ideas and information on feeding little ones and all of my baby food recipes as well.

How to Make Pea Puree

5 from 5 votes

Pea puree is a great first food when introducing solids to babies and all you need is a bag of frozen peas and a blender or food processor!

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes

Total Time 12 minutes

Servings 4

• 2 cups frozen peas
• ⅓-½ cup water, breastmilk or formula, to thin

• Fill a pot with about 1 inch of water, add peas to a steamer basket and place inside of the pot. Bring water to a low boil, cover with lid and steam peas for 3-6 minutes, or until bright green and tender. Remove from heat and let peas cool.

• Place peas in a blender or food processor and blend, adding liquid (breast milk, formula or water) as needed to get the desired consistency.

• Store pea puree in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer or up to 3 months. I like to freeze the puree in silicone ice cube trays or small freezer-safe jars so I can easily thaw small amounts when I want to use them.

• I recommend thawing frozen puree in the fridge the night before you want to use it, but you can also thaw it quickly with a warm water bath.

• food processor

• blender

• If you want to add the most nutrition to the puree, I recommend using breastmilk or formula instead of water to thin the pea puree. 

Serving: 4ounces Calories: 70kcal Carbohydrates: 12g Protein: 5g Fat: 1g Sodium: 105mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 6g

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and share on social media using the hashtag #eatingbirdfood. I love seeing your recipe shares!

Why is Nestlé baby food not finding adequate demand?

According to Euromonitor, in 2018, the largest growth in sales in the infant formula segment came from specially formulated foods for babies who have just transitioned from breastfeeding to formula. 123rf.com

Swiss food giant Nestlé is trying to diversify its baby food range and bring innovative products to market. The prospects here are promising. However, many critics are skeptical. And they have a reason to.

This content was published on January 10, 2020 – 11:00

January 10, 2020 – 11:00

In the first weeks of life, baby Lindsay Beeson developed a rash, traces of blood on diapers, diarrhea and vomiting. Doctors diagnosed an allergy to cow’s milk. Like many other mothers in her situation, Lindsey eliminated milk from her baby’s diet and, in addition to breastfeeding, began to gradually introduce complementary foods with hypoallergenic infant formula. In the second year of his life, her son was switched to milk formulas specially designed for babies with allergies. “I knew that they contained a balance of proteins, fats and vitamins similar to the composition of cow’s milk. And my son liked the taste,” she said in an interview with swissinfo.ch.

Show more

Show more

For global food concerns such as Nestlé, the development and launch of new formulas for infants up to one year of age, including those suffering from allergic reactions, requiring special dietary nutrition or simply picky eaters, is another and very important abroad in expanding the range of baby food.

Speaking to a group of journalists in Lausanne, Thierry Philardeau, Nestlé’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Dairy Business Development, recently stated: all babies and their mothers.” From a practical point of view, the concern’s strategy is to fill the gaps that arise in the nutrition of mothers and their children, regardless of whether the children receive artificial feeding, natural breastfeeding or combination.

The Swiss concern continues to focus on the nutrition of premature babies and children with special medical conditions. And yet, in recent years, he has consistently increased investment in research and development in order to obtain new products for the nutrition of children after the age of six months of life, that is, for a particularly difficult period when breast milk alone is no longer enough to meet the nutritional needs of a child. , and a complete transition to artificial food has not yet taken place.

Artificial demand or valuable nutritional supplement?

Nestlé baby food has a direct impact on the health of millions of children around the world. More than 150 years have passed since Henri Nestlé (1814-1890) invented Farine Lactée, a baby porridge to support malnourished children. Today, Nestlé is the world’s largest infant formula company. It has a fifth market share, followed by Danone in second place.

In recent years there has been a real boom in breastfeeding around the world. The profits of infant formula companies have fallen. Therefore, today these companies rely on “older babies” and on related products. According to EuromonitorExternal link , in 2018, the largest growth in sales in the infant formula segment was provided by specially formulated nutrition for children who have just switched from breastfeeding to artificial food.

External content

Today in supermarkets in almost every country in the world you can find the widest range of types of milk powder, dairy product concentrates and breast milk substitutes for children under one year old. It would seem great, but not everyone is satisfied with these products. Activists such as Patti Rundall are sounding the alarm. Since the 1980s, she has served as Director of Strategic Policy for Baby Milk ActionExternal link , an international network of baby food organizations. Since her filing, the world has experienced a number of very large litigations in connection with the production and sale of artificial nutrition from Nestlé Corporation.

Show more

Show more

What’s the problem? It turns out that, according to her, the Nestlé and Danone concerns are the main initiators of the promotion of baby food for babies and milk formulas for children aged from 6 months to 3 years and further up to the age of nine. They use the same or very similar symbols (logos) as on infant formula, so parents, when they see the brand name, believe that they have a whole product line in front of them. However, new formulas for infant formula are just a marketing ploy.

“There is nothing new in them, so all milk formulas, starting with formulas “6 months+”, as well as formulas for children from 1 year to 3 years and older, are simply not needed, they are just a way to get more money out of parents’ pockets ”, P. Randall told swissinfo.ch. “This product should be removed from the market. But the market has become so huge that no one wants to do it, although everyone knows that they are dealing with violations of the provisions of the WHO Guidelines to stop inappropriate forms of promotion of foods for infants and young children.

More precisely, we are talking about the International Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted by WHO in 1981. This document sets standards for ethically responsible marketing, including restrictions on advertising, sponsorship, and giving away free samples of infant formula. The default document proceeds from the fact that, anyway, only breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for a healthy baby up to six months, which, in fact, Danone, Nestlé and their opponents agree with.

Pressure from the baby food industry

Controversy arises at the gray zone stage, when complementary foods with other foods and drinks can be introduced at about six months of age and older. You can enter, but is it necessary? And this is where the problem lies. Don’t concerns create artificial demand, beneficial primarily to themselves? It is really difficult to understand this, the information received by parents from baby food manufacturers, doctors and staunch opponents of factory baby food is often contradictory.

Some scientific studies state that so-called “Third level milk formulas” for children aged one to three years are not needed, but they can help compensate for nutritional deficiencies, especially in cases of malnutrition or lack of certain nutrients substances in local foods”. So what’s wrong with giving kids a better chance at delicious and most importantly healthy food?

Show more

Show more

Criticism of Nestlé has a long history. About forty years ago, breastfeeding activists first vociferously accused Nestlé of using an aggressive marketing strategy that resulted in mothers declining to breastfeed in favor of infant formula. The ensuing widespread boycott of Nestlé products led to major changes in the formation of marketing strategies.

However, Catherine Watt of the Geneva group La Leche LeagueExternal link , an international public private secular organization to support breastfeeding mothers, says that many women today stop breastfeeding earlier than they should. Why? “This is happening as a result of veiled pressure from the baby food industry, which has an arsenal of advertising in favor of various types of complementary foods and infant formula,” she said. “If there are doubts about whether the baby has enough breast milk, and there is some kind of milk formula in the closet, you just try to use it. And now you are already “under the hood” of the industry.”

Show more

Show more

In developing countries, the consequences of such a move can be most dramatic. CTO of the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India BPNIExternal link JP Dadhich is particularly concerned about the high cost of these products, their negative environmental impact and potential risks of infection.

“We can’t be sure about the quality of the water that these formulas are based on, which increases the risk of diarrhea. And this is in conditions when there is now enough milk of animal origin in India. After boiling, it is completely safe, in addition, it is quite acceptable here, taking into account the cultural traditions of the country. For children, it is better to use complementary foods from quality local products, continuing to breastfeed the child after 6 months.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also concerned that infant formula designed specifically for babies after one year of age can shorten the duration of breastfeeding by depriving the baby of important nutrients, especially if the products are labeled similarly and are promoted as more healthy alternative to breastfeeding due to the increased content of vitamins and minerals.

The devil is in the details

All this has caused and continues to cause heated debate between governments and food company lobbyists. “One of the challenges with regard to ‘level 2’ formula (after 6 months) is the need to understand whether foods for children aged 1 to 3 years should be considered specifically as ‘substitutes’ for breast milk, and if not, what should they be called.” Tom Heilandt of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international food standards group, tells us this.