Our Guide to the Best Fruits and Vegetables for Babies

Introducing healthy and nutritious foods into your baby’s diet is essential for their growth and development. Fruits and vegetables are a great source of the key vitamins and minerals your baby needs, and should be among some of the first foods you introduce to your baby. With that in mind, here’s a guide to what we consider to be the best fruits and vegetables for your baby.

Best vegetables for babies

Introducing your baby to vegetables is an exciting time. You can discover if there are any vegetables your baby doesn’t particularly enjoy, and which vegetables pique their interest. It’s also the time for you to introduce your baby to healthy eating and nutrition, which will serve as the building blocks for their growth and development.

The greater the variety of vegetables your baby eats, the more likely they’ll make healthier choices as they develop into childhood and through to adulthood. This is because when children become familiar with vegetables at an early age, they’re more likely to eat them long-term.

From the age of six months, it’s time to begin introducing vegetables into your baby’s diet. The following vegetables are great options for your baby:

Carrots – An excellent weaning food as babies love the sweet taste, carrots are a great source of beta-carotene (vitamin A) which is important for your baby’s eyes. Darker and more mature carrots contain more beta-carotene than baby carrots, so puree them for a nutritious snack for your little one.
Sweet potato – Sweet potato is a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, fibre and potassium. It’s also gentle on the digestive system, and the sweet taste and creamy texture makes it enjoyable and easy for your baby to eat.
Squash – Butternut squash is easily digested and rarely causes allergies, making it a good vegetable for babies to eat. It’s also a great source of vitamins A and C.
Parsnip – Parsnip is packed full of starch and fibre, as well as antioxidant vitamins C and E. You can make a basic puree from parsnip or even combine it with sweet potato.
Broccoli – Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, fibre, calcium, folic acid, iron and potassium. It also contains soluble fibre that helps to loosen the bowels, making it a great option for when your baby is experiencing constipation.
Spinach – Like all dark green leafy vegetables, spinach contains large amounts of iron and folate. It’s also loaded with calcium, promoting bone health and strength.
Pumpkin – Pumpkin is packed with nutritional compounds that every baby needs, including plenty of beta-carotene. It also aids in digestion, promotes healthy eyesight, boosts your baby’s immunity, and helps your baby sleep.

It’s important to introduce your baby to these vegetables one at a time. If you wait a few days between trying new vegetables, you have time to see if your baby has any sort of allergic reaction to them. If your baby is just starting out on solids, it’s also a good idea to puree the vegetables.

Best fruit for babies

Fruits are important for your baby’s energy, growth and development. They contain vitamins, antioxidants, fibre and water, and help to protect your baby against diseases later in life. They’re also very versatile, giving you the flexibility to feed them to your baby fresh, pureed, sliced, mashed, or mixed in with porridge for a nutrition-packed snack.

Feeding your baby fruits is a great way to introduce them to solids since they’re sweeter than vegetables. Try to choose fruits of all textures, colours and flavours to help your baby become used to different tastes and textures, including the following:

Apples – Apple puree is really easy for your baby to digest, and the soluble fibre they contain helps with constipation.
Pears – Pears are gentle on your baby’s tummy, easy to swallow, and make an excellent weaning food as they’re among the least allergenic fruits. They also help with gastric reflux.
Bananas – As they contain slow-release sugars, bananas are great for sustained energy and are also known for treating diarrhoea and constipation. Easy to peel and mash, they also make for a great on-the-go snack if you’re short on time or travelling with your baby.
Papaya – Papaya is rich in vitamins C and E, soluble fibre and beta-carotene, and contains enzymes that help with digestion. Papaya is often introduced after other fruits have been well-tolerated, usually when your baby is between 7 and 8 months of age.
Apricots – Not only do apricots contain iron, potassium and beta-carotene, they’re also a good source of fibre.
Avocados – Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fat, which babies need for brain development and is important for underweight infants that need to increase their weight.
Rockmelon – A highly nutritious fruit, rockmelons (also known as cantaloupes) are a good source of vitamin C, calcium and beta-carotene for healthy eye development.
Blueberries – Blueberries are rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, which are good for your baby’s eyes, brain and urinary tract, and have one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any fruit.
Peaches – Peaches are easy for your baby to digest and are an excellent source of vitamin C.
Mandarins – Mandarins are a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants, and most babies love the taste.
Plums – Plums are a good source of vitamins A and C and are high in fibre and low in cholesterol. Simply stew them for an easy to digest, sweet snack.
Kiwi fruit – Also known as Chinese Gooseberries, these are rich in vitamin C, fibre, potassium and folate.

Beginning your baby’s transition into solids with fruits gives them a healthy kick-start to their growth and development. Just as with vegetables, start with one new fruit at a time, waiting a couple of days before you add another fruit into your baby’s diet to monitor any allergies or intolerances.

Introduce your baby to Bellamy’s Organic

To help make introducing fruits and vegetables to your baby easier, Bellamy’s Organic offers a range of organic baby food fruit and vegetable products. These nutritious, tasty and convenient fruit and vegetable purees are made with you and your child’s best interest in mind, providing easy to use squeezable pouches packed with organic goodness.