Baby food doesn't have to be bland!

No need to stick to one-ingredient purees or boring-tasting rice cereal.

When your baby starts eating solids, there is no need to offer bland foods. After your baby is used to the taste of pure vegetables and fruits, I would recommend adding different flavors. Adding diverse, more complex, and strong-flavored foods can have great benefits. It can help to extend their food palate and to set them up for more open-minded and adventurous eaters. And not to forget all the incredible health benefits herbs offer.

Also, did you know that flavor perception starts in-utero, during pregnancy, and continues through breastfeeding? So when eating diverse foods with different flavors during pregnancy and postpartum, your little one may already be familiar with some flavors when starting solids.

Here are some herbs and spices you can add to your baby's food when starting solids: any Herbs, Turmeric, Mild Curry, Cloves, Coriander, Cardamom, Garlic, Ginger, Cumin, Pepper, Nutmeg, Paprika, Pure vanilla extract (no alcohol added), Cinnamon

Make sure to chop when adding to your baby's food finely; start with small amounts of flavor, and work your way up.

Besides spices and herbs, there are other ways to flavor your baby's foods. For example, I like to add sauerkraut brine to purees or bone broth. Cooking vegetables with a ginger root or sprinkling seaweed flakes or spirulina over baked vegetables.

Here are some of my favorite flavor pairings:

Beef/Lamb + Rosemary

Eggs + Parsley

Avocado + Cilantro

Sweet Potato + Cinnamon

Watermelon + Mint

Pears/Apples + Vanilla Bean

Grapefruit + Cinnamon

Chicken + Tumeric

Chicken + Thyme

Fish + Dill

Let me know if you have any questions about your baby's first foods or how to start solids. Also if you want more ideas about how to set them up to become adventurous eaters, or any recommendations on how to work with your bigger kids on extending their food palate, feel free to reach out verena@growingtummies.com