Miriel Team · starting solids, iron, infant nutrition, baby feeding
Iron-Rich Foods After 6 Months
From around 6 months, iron-rich foods become part of most meals. Here are easy ones to offer and simple ways to fit them in.
From around 6 months, babies need iron from food as well as from milk. The easiest way to cover it is an iron-rich food on the plate at most meals.
You don’t need to count or measure anything. A few simple habits do most of the work.
Easy iron-rich foods
From animals:
- Beef, lamb or pork, finely minced or slow-cooked until it falls apart.
- Dark chicken or turkey meat, shredded fine.
- Eggs, cooked all the way through.
- Soft, flaked fish with every bone taken out.
From plants:
- Iron-fortified baby cereal.
- Lentils and beans, mashed or blended into a soft spread.
- Soft tofu, in strips or small soft pieces.
- Dark leafy greens, cooked and finely chopped into other foods.
Pair it with fruit or vegetables
Iron from plant foods is easier for the body to use when a fruit or vegetable rich in vitamin C sits on the same plate. It’s an easy pairing to get used to:
- Lentils in a soft tomato sauce.
- Iron-fortified cereal with mashed strawberries or kiwi.
- Mashed beans with soft steamed broccoli.
- Tofu with roasted sweet potato.
Keep milk from crowding out meals
Before 12 months, breast milk or formula is the main drink. Cow’s milk can go into cooking and foods like yogurt and cheese, but it doesn’t go in the bottle or cup as a drink yet.
After the first birthday, lots of toddlers love milk so much that it fills them up before dinner. A few habits help:
- Serve milk with meals in an open cup, not as a snack on the go.
- Offer water between meals.
- Put food on the table first, then milk.
- Move away from bottles over the months after the first birthday.
Ask your pediatrician how much milk is right for your toddler.
Fitting iron into a busy week
- Cook a batch of lentils or minced meat and freeze it in small portions.
- Stir mashed beans into pasta sauce or soup.
- Keep eggs on hand for quick breakfasts.
- Pick an iron-fortified cereal for breakfast.
- Share what the family eats, minced or mashed to suit your child.
If your child eats a plant-based diet, or you’re unsure about iron, ask your pediatrician.