Central Pointers

  • Babies can eat properly cooked potatoes from six to seven months of age.
  • Potatoes are easy to eat for babies and rich in free energy and micronutrients.
  • Introduce irish potato puree or mash to your infant and gradually add baked, grilled, and roasted spud recipes to their diet.

If y'all are looking for foods to include in your footling one'southward weaning nutrition, one of the most popular vegetables that almost parents consider is potatoes for babies. Potatoes belong to the nightshade family of vegetables (also included in the same family are eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and chilies) and are consumed worldwide for their loftier nutritional value (1). White tater is believed to have higher levels of the essential mineral potassium compared to bananas or sweet potatoes.

Desire to know some interesting recipes and age-appropriate age ways to include potatoes in your baby'southward diet? And so read on.

When To Give Potato To Babies?

Infants can eat cooked potatoes from the age of vi to vii months (2) (three). You lot can begin feeding steamed or boiled potatoes equally a puree or mash to let your infant develop taste and digestibility. Every bit the babe grows older, y'all can mix mashed or pureed potatoes with other pureed veggies and fruits.

Babies older than nine months can swallow baked, roasted, or grilled potatoes as finger food. If you intend to feed tater fries, wedges, or other potato snacks to your toddler, so cutting them into thin and small chunks to avoid choking (four).

Nutritional Value Of Potato

Irish potato is a carbohydrate-rich vegetable with essential nutrients, including vitamin C, B6, and potassium (5). Some of its mutual varieties consumed in the US are white rounds, red rounds, russets, yellows, dejection, and fingerlings (half-dozen).

The nutritional value of these varieties vary, but on an approximation, feeding i boiled baby potato without pare (60 g) can provide the post-obit nutrients to the baby (7) (eight) (ix) (ten).

Name Corporeality RDA (7-12 months)
Water 43.3 g –
Free energy 75 Kcal –
Protein ane.12 g –
Carbohydrate, past deviation 12.3 g –
Magnesium, Mg 14.iv mg 60 mg
Phosphorus, P 28.8 mg 275 mg (AI)*
Potassium, K 223 mg 700 mg
Sodium, Na 100 mg 200 mg
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid 7.26 mg 50 mg (AI)*
Vitamin B6 0.193 mg 0.half-dozen mg

*AI = Adequate intake – nutrient level assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy

Sources: U.S. Department of Agronomics, World Wellness Arrangement, and Oregon State University

Possible Wellness Benefits Of Spud For Babies

Potato is rich in starch and several micro nutrients, thus making it an essential improver to a baby'southward well-counterbalanced diet. The following are some of the notable benefits of potatoes for babies.

  1. Easy to swallow: Well-cooked potatoes are piece of cake to eat due to their soft and mushy texture. Besides, its neutral taste makes information technology an excellent pick to blend with different foods, like cereals, pulses, meat, and leafy vegetables.
  1. Rich in energy: One infant spud provides approximately 75 Kcal of free energy (7). Babies older than half dozen months crave an energy-rich diet to support their rapid growth, development, and good for you weight gain (2).
  1. Contains micro nutrients: Potatoes contain considerable amounts of magnesium, potassium, sodium, vitaminC, and vitamin B6 that are required to maintain the health of a babe.
  1. Helps in proper digestion: Potatoes contain resistant starch. Clinical studies reveal that regular consumption of resistant starch tin boost healthy gut bacteria growth, maintaining the digestive system's health (11).

Besides these, based on the variety and color, potatoes may accept high amounts of phytochemicals, such asanthocyanins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids possessing antioxidant effects (12). Antioxidants in food are beneficial from an early on age to maintain overall health.

How To Select And Store Potatoes?

Here are some simple tips to follow while selecting and storing potatoes (thirteen).

Tips for selecting potatoes

  • Prefer organic fresh potatoes that look firm and dry.
  • Discard potatoes with green and creased pare, pits, cuts, and sprouts.

Tips for storing potatoes

  1. Keep the potatoes in a cool, dry out, and dark place, loosely covered in a paper pocketbook or storage handbasket. Do not go on them in the fridge.
  1. Store the potatoes away from fruits and other vegetables since they may emit ethylene gas that may over ripen the potatoes.
  1. Store cooked potatoes in BPA-complimentary plastic containers or airtight boxes in the refrigerator inside two hours of cooking.

Precautions To Take While Feeding Potatoes To Babies And Toddlers

  1. Innovate peeled and boiled or steamed tater puree or mash to your baby. Gradually include baked, grilled, and roasted potato recipes to your baby's weaning nutrition.
  1. Begin past feeding a teaspoon in a repast and gradually increase the intake to a tablespoon and then to two.
  1. If the infant looks uncomfortable later on ingesting potato, discontinue feeding, and try afterwards some time.
  1. Potato allergy is uncommon only possible. Its symptoms may come up upwardly immediately subsequently touching or ingesting potato (xiv). Stay alert to its signs, like skin rash (hives), coughing and wheezing, airsickness, and diarrhea.
  1. If the baby has a family history of allergies, especially to foods belonging to the nightshade family unit (love apple, chili peppers), then consult a doctor before introducing potatoes to your baby.
  1. For toddlers, serve thinly sliced or bite-sized, small pieces of potato finger foods to forbid choking.
  1. As your toddler grows, encourage them to eat potatoes with the pare to enhance the meal'due south fiber content.

Healthy And Tasty Potato Recipes For Babies And Toddlers

Here are some age-appropriate potato recipes you can prepare for infants and toddlers.

ane. Potato puree

Mild potato puree for babies

Image: Shutterstock

You lot will need:

  • 1 medium-sized potato (peeled)
  • 1 cup water

How to:

  1. Cut the potato into four halves and melt them in a steamer over medium rut for 15 minutes or up to when they plow soft and mushy.
  1. Turn off the flame, put the tater pieces into a bowl, and set up aside to cool.
  1. Blend potato into a smoothen puree using a blender or food processor. Ensure no lumps are left. If required, add ii to three tablespoons of water to suit consistency.
  1. Transfer the puree to a serving bowl, and you are gear up to feed.
  1. Once your infant is comfortable eating potato puree, yous can mix it with other foods to brand delectable recipes, like white potato and squash mash (recipe shared beneath).

two. Potato brew with squash

Squash & potato mash for babies

Image: Shutterstock

You lot will need:

  • ½ cup white potato (peeled and cubed)
  • ½ cup butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
  • ½tsp cumin seeds
  • ½tsp olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

How to:

  1. Put squash and potatoes in a stockpot, embrace them with water, and bring the veggies to eddy over medium heat.
  1. After five minutes, reduce heat, and allow the veggies cook with a covered lid over depression estrus for 15 minutes.
  1. Once the potato and squash plow soft and mushy, switch off the flame, drain the water, and allow the vegetables absurd for ten minutes.
  1. Put the vegetables in a basin and mash them using a fork. Add one or 2 tablespoons of h2o and ensure no lumps are left.
  1. Heat oil in a frying pan on medium oestrus and add cumin seeds.
  1. Every bit cumin seeds begin to flutter, lower the flame, and add the brew with constant stirring. Cook for twenty seconds or so and so switch off the flame.
  1. Transfer the mash into a bowl, and feed it warm.

three. Flossy potato and spinach soup

Spinach & potato soup for babies

Epitome: Shutterstock

You will need:

  • 1 russet tater (peeled and diced)
  • 1 cup baby spinach (chopped)
  • ane-two cups bootleg vegetable stock
  • ¼ loving cup green onion (diced)
  • i clove garlic (minced)
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • Table salt, to sense of taste

How to:

  1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized bucket over medium heat.
  1. Every bit the oil warms, saute the onions for nearly three minutes or until they turn soft and lightly golden. Add garlic and cook for four to five seconds.
  1. Add together the vegetable stock and potatoes to the bucket and allow the ingredients simmer on low heat for about fifteen minutes, or until the potato pieces are soft.
  1. Add spinach and table salt, cook for some other three minutes, and remove the pan from the heat.
  1. Blend the ingredients once cool. Ensure no lumps are left.
  1. Transfer the soup to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

4. Creamy white potato salad

Creamy potato salad for babies

Epitome: Shutterstock

You lot will need:

  • 2 baby potatoes (peeled and boiled)
  • ½ carrot (grated and cooked)
  • 1 small ruddy onion (finely chopped)
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or natural yogurt
  • ¼ cup fresh dill (chopped)
  • 1tbsp parsley (chopped)
  • 4tbsp olive oil
  • Black pepper powder, to taste
  • Salt, to gustatory modality

How to:

  1. Mix potato, olive oil, and black pepper in a bowl using a fork.
  1. Add onion, carrot, yogurt, dill, parsley, and salt and mix gently so that the potato is well-nigh mashed and mixed well with other ingredients.
  1. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl to feed correct away.
  1. You lot can add together a few other cooked vegetables and cereals to this recipe.

five. Baked tater fingers

Baked potato fingers for babies

Paradigm: Shutterstock

You will demand:

  • 2 yellow potatoes (peeled and julienned)
  • 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 1 tbsp parsley (chopped)
  • one tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • ½tsp chili pulverisation
  • Table salt, to gustatory modality
  • ii tbsp olive oil

How to:

  1. Preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C) and line a baking tray with a blistering sail or aluminum foil.
  1. In a large basin, mix potatoes slices with two tablespoons of olive oil and cheese. Set up the mix bated to residual.
  1. Take a separate mixing basin, add together chili pulverization, garlic powder, oregano, and table salt and mix thoroughly.
  1. Add the seasoning mix to the potatoes and coat the potatoes thoroughly with the seasoning.
  1. Arrange the potato slices on the baking tray and broil for 40 minutes. Check occasionally to prevent over baking.
  1. After 40 minutes, check if the potatoes are soft enough to interruption using a fork.
  1. Serve right away with a homemade mint or avocado dip.

6. Bite-sized potato sandwich

Bite-sized potato sandwich for babies

Image: Shutterstock

You will demand:

  • 1 yellow spud (peeled and boiled)
  • 2 whole-wheat bread slices (edges removed)
  • 1 loving cup carrot and cucumber (grated)
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
  • one tbsp olive oil

How to:

  1. Put the spud in a mixing basin and mash it into a smooth paste using a fork.
  1. Add carrot, cucumber, mayonnaise, and tomato sauce to potatoes and mix everything thoroughly.
  1. Estrus olive oil in a skillet over depression oestrus and lightly toast the staff of life slices.
  1. Spread the murphy filling on a slice of bread and cover information technology with some other staff of life slice to brand a sandwich.
  1. Cutting the sandwich into 4 equal halves and serve as yummy finger food for your baby and toddler.

White potato is a versatile vegetable that can add texture and vital nutrients to a babe or toddler's meals. Its regular consumption with a well-balanced diet can be beneficial in the long run. Serve dissimilar potato varieties to your infant and toddlers through age-appropriate and appealing recipes.

References:

MomJunction's manufactures are written afterwards analyzing the research works of skilful authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established by government in their respective fields. You can learn more most the actuality of the information we present in our editorial policy.

The following two tabs change content below.

  • Author

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist and toddler mom with over eight years of feel in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career equally a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle projection catering to school children. Then she worked as a nutrition faculty and clinical nutrition bus in different organizations. Her interest in scientific writing... more