50 recipes
Recipes for every stage
50 recipes
Avocado & Banana Mash
No-cook, creamy and energy-dense with healthy fats.
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Protein
- 0.8 g
- Energy
- 62 kcal
Baked Sweet Potato
Naturally sweet, smooth, and packed with vitamin A (beta-carotene).
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Protein
- 1.0 g
- Energy
- 54 kcal
Carrot & Pumpkin Purée
Classic orange-vegetable purée, rich in vitamin A.
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Protein
- 0.4 g
- Energy
- 25 kcal
Chicken & Sweet Potato Purée
Heme iron and zinc from chicken thigh, made smooth and sweet with sweet potato.
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Protein
- 5.7 g
- Energy
- 78 kcal
First Egg Mash
A well-cooked whole egg — introduces one of the most common allergens early, as AAP advises.
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Protein
- 3.1 g
- Energy
- 39 kcal
Green Pea & Mint Mash
Bright, fresh and a surprising source of plant protein and vitamin C.
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Protein
- 2.7 g
- Energy
- 55 kcal
Iron-Fortified Oat Cereal
The simplest high-iron first food. One small bowl covers a large share of the day's iron target.
- Iron
- 9.6 mg
- Protein
- 1.6 g
- Energy
- 59 kcal
Lauki Moong Khichdi (smooth)
The quintessential Indian weaning meal: rice, moong dal and bottle gourd, cooked soft and blended.
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Protein
- 2.6 g
- Energy
- 68 kcal
Masoor Dal with Spinach
Red lentils with blended spinach — a double dose of plant iron and folate.
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Protein
- 3.6 g
- Energy
- 59 kcal
Peanut Oat Porridge
A safe way to introduce peanut — thinned into iron-fortified cereal. Early peanut lowers allergy risk (LEAP).
- Iron
- 9.8 mg
- Protein
- 3.9 g
- Energy
- 119 kcal
Pear & Oat Cereal
Iron-fortified cereal with ripe pear — helpful if stools are firm.
- Iron
- 9.7 mg
- Protein
- 1.8 g
- Energy
- 88 kcal
Ragi Porridge (Nachni Satva)
A traditional Indian first food. Finger millet is naturally rich in calcium and gives a good dose of iron for a cereal.
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Protein
- 1.1 g
- Energy
- 66 kcal
Salmon & Potato Mash
Introduces fish (an allergen) and the richest food source of DHA for brain development.
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Protein
- 3.4 g
- Energy
- 58 kcal
Smooth Moong Dal
Gentle, easy-to-digest yellow dal — protein, iron and folate. Serve the whole dal, not just dal water.
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Protein
- 3.0 g
- Energy
- 55 kcal
Stewed Apple with Cinnamon
Gently cooked apple — a simple fruit purée to mix with cereals.
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Protein
- 0.1 g
- Energy
- 27 kcal
Yogurt with Mango
Full-fat dahi swirled with ripe mango — introduces dairy without cow's milk as a drink.
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Protein
- 2.0 g
- Energy
- 49 kcal
Baby Hummus
Salt-free hummus — a smooth way to introduce sesame (tahini).
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Protein
- 2.2 g
- Energy
- 59 kcal
Banana Egg Pancakes
Three-ingredient soft pancakes — great first finger food.
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Protein
- 3.0 g
- Energy
- 68 kcal
Beef & Root Vegetable Mash
Red meat delivers the most absorbable iron and zinc of any food.
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Protein
- 5.2 g
- Energy
- 80 kcal
Cod with Pea Mash
Mild white fish and sweet peas — easy protein.
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Protein
- 7.4 g
- Energy
- 75 kcal
Idli Mashed with Toor Dal
Fermented idli mashed into a mild tomato-toor dal — fermentation helps make minerals more available.
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Protein
- 3.3 g
- Energy
- 86 kcal
Lamb Keema & Rice
Gently spiced minced lamb with rice and tomato — excellent heme iron and zinc.
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Protein
- 5.9 g
- Energy
- 112 kcal
Lentil & Butternut Stew
Hearty, sweet and iron-rich; lentils plus vitamin-A-rich squash.
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Protein
- 2.9 g
- Energy
- 62 kcal
Mixed Vegetable Khichdi
Mashed rice-and-dal khichdi with carrot and peas — a balanced, soft-lumpy one-pot meal.
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Protein
- 3.9 g
- Energy
- 100 kcal
Palak Paneer Mash
Crumbled soft paneer in a smooth spinach purée — calcium, protein and folate.
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Protein
- 3.4 g
- Energy
- 52 kcal
Poha Apple Porridge
Quick porridge from powdered flattened rice with stewed apple.
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Protein
- 1.2 g
- Energy
- 92 kcal
Ragi Banana Porridge with Almond Butter
Introduces tree nuts in a safe, smooth form, with ragi for calcium.
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Protein
- 3.1 g
- Energy
- 124 kcal
Shrimp & Sweet Potato Mash
Introduces shellfish — finely minced into a sweet mash.
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Protein
- 4.4 g
- Energy
- 62 kcal
Soft Suji Vegetable Upma
Roasted semolina cooked soft with grated vegetables. Introduces wheat.
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Protein
- 1.9 g
- Energy
- 69 kcal
Tofu & Broccoli Fingers
Introduces soy. Calcium-set tofu delivers calcium and iron.
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Protein
- 5.8 g
- Energy
- 65 kcal
Bajra Moong Khichdi
Pearl millet khichdi — one of the most iron-rich cereals in IFCT, and a rice alternative.
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Protein
- 3.0 g
- Energy
- 82 kcal
Black Bean, Avocado & Quinoa Bowl
Plant iron from beans with vitamin C from tomato.
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Protein
- 4.1 g
- Energy
- 95 kcal
Cheesy Quinoa Broccoli Bites
Baked soft bites — easy to grab and freeze.
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Protein
- 3.4 g
- Energy
- 59 kcal
Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta
Soft pasta with shredded chicken in a ricotta sauce.
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Protein
- 8.6 g
- Energy
- 137 kcal
Curd Rice with Cucumber
Cooling South Indian comfort food with grated cucumber.
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Protein
- 3.8 g
- Energy
- 124 kcal
Dal Chawal with Ghee
Family-style toor dal and rice, lightly mashed — the everyday Indian meal, baby-sized.
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Protein
- 7.8 g
- Energy
- 227 kcal
Egg Bhurji with Soft Roti
Tomato-scrambled egg with strips of soft whole-wheat roti.
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Protein
- 8.8 g
- Energy
- 188 kcal
Jowar Roti with Paneer Bhurji
Gluten-free millet roti with soft crumbled paneer and tomato.
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Protein
- 7.8 g
- Energy
- 174 kcal
Mild Rajma Rice
Kidney beans in a gentle tomato gravy over rice — every bean mashed.
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Protein
- 4.1 g
- Energy
- 121 kcal
Moong Dal Chilla with Spinach
Savoury lentil pancakes — protein-rich finger food.
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Protein
- 3.9 g
- Energy
- 69 kcal
Papaya, Kiwi & Yogurt
Vitamin C-packed fruit with full-fat yogurt.
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Protein
- 2.2 g
- Energy
- 60 kcal
Ragi Dosa Strips
Soft, thick ragi dosa — calcium-rich finger food.
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Protein
- 2.2 g
- Energy
- 84 kcal
Salmon Potato Cakes
Soft fish cakes — DHA, protein and an easy grab.
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Protein
- 5.8 g
- Energy
- 86 kcal
Steamed Rohu with Rice
Bengali-style mild fish with rice — meticulously deboned.
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Protein
- 5.4 g
- Energy
- 100 kcal
Beef & Lentil Bolognese
Iron-boosted bolognese: half beef, half lentils, plenty of vegetables.
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Protein
- 10.7 g
- Energy
- 179 kcal
Blueberry Oat Porridge
Creamy oats made with whole milk (fine as a cooking ingredient, and as a drink from 12 months).
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Protein
- 5.2 g
- Energy
- 139 kcal
Idli with Vegetable Sambar
Mild, no-chilli sambar with soft idli — a complete South Indian meal.
- Iron
- 1.1 mg
- Protein
- 5.1 g
- Energy
- 126 kcal
Keema Matar with Rice
Mild lamb mince with peas — family dinner, toddler-ready.
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Protein
- 10.1 g
- Energy
- 191 kcal
Ragi Peanut Date Balls
Soft, no-added-sugar ragi bites sweetened only with dates.
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Protein
- 1.2 g
- Energy
- 62 kcal
Soft Paneer Paratha
Whole-wheat flatbread stuffed with paneer — protein and calcium.
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Protein
- 6.4 g
- Energy
- 137 kcal