Chicken For Babies: Health Benefits, Nutritional Value And Recipes

When Can You Give Chicken For Babies?

Doctors usually recommend that you can start giving chicken to babies who are 9 months old and above. The iron contents in breastfeeding start to diminish around that period, and hence chicken can fill in the requirements. However, these recommendations are slowly changing.

Currently, parents are introducing well-cooked, pureed chicken around 6 to 8 months itself. That is after the baby is used to different fruits, vegetables, and cereals. Also, try to feed chicken during daytime as the food taken during the day digest well.

How Much Chicken Can You Give Your Baby?

To begin with, give your baby clear chicken soup. Remember the soup should be watery without any pieces. Once your baby likes its taste, start giving two servings (which is not more than two tablespoons) of pureed chicken per day is recommended. Eventually, you can increase the quantity. When coming to chicken finger chips for babies, you can start giving them once he or she starts chewing well and the digestive system is all set, which is after they turn 1 year old.

 Selecting And Storing Chicken For Babies?

Selecting the right kind of chicken can become a tricky task, but here are a few tips for you:

• Always buy your meat from a hygienic shop.
• In case of buy pre-packed chicken, always check the expiry/packaging date before your purchase.
• In case you are going for fresh chicken, choose your turkey that has a pinkish shade of meat.
• Avoid buying salted chicken, as it has added preservatives for it to last longer.
• The best way to store chicken is to buy only as much as you can consume.
• Storing it in the refrigerator can make it prone to bacterial contamination.

How To Puree Chicken For Babies?

As a parent, you must always be on the hunt to find easier methods of feeding food to your baby. Running around the house to feed your baby must be a common sight! But here’s a super easy way to feed chicken to your baby – make a puree!

Here’s how you can do it:

• Cut the clean and washed chicken into chunks.
• Boil it
• Put these boiled chunks into a blender or food processor.
• Once the chicken chunks are in powder form, take them out of the processor.
• Add water to gain the required consistency for your baby.
• You’re done, no hassle!

5 Health Benefits Of Chicken For Babies

Chicken is low in fat and high in protein. It can have multiple health benefits for your baby. Here are 5 health benefits of  chicken for babies:

1. Good For Bones

Chicken is known to contain calcium and phosphorus, both of which contribute to bone development. Did you know that 100 grams of chicken contain 15 mg of calcium and approximately 182 mg of phosphorus? Isn’t that wonderful!

2. Improves And Aids Muscle Growth

Proteins are very essential for muscle growth, and chicken is the best protein agent. 100 grams of chicken has approximately 18.6 grams of protein in it! Protein acquired from non-plant sources is easily digestible. Hence, chicken is the best source for muscle growth. It is also a  weight gain food, in case your baby is underweight.

3. Improves Circulatory System

As discussed above chicken is a rich source of iron and phosphorus. Apart from all the essential building blocks it has, it also houses potassium. Potassium is very important for the development and aid of red blood cells. It helps maintain and improve the circulatory system by keeping the red blood cells in check.

4. Enhance Brain Development

Chicken is a good source of choline and vitamins B6 and B12. These play an important role in cognition. Also, Choline is a critical component of acetylcholine, a brain chemical that enhances memory.

5. Improves Immunity

Chicken contains micronutrients such as zinc, phosphorous, and magnesium, which are important for maintaining healthy immunity.

Can A Baby Be Allergic To Chicken?

Chicken allergies are not a very common phenomenon but they have the potential to trigger one. Babies have a relatively weak immune system and are prone to infections and allergies. Serving a well-cooked chicken to your baby can reduce the chances, but not completely eradicate them. Here are a few symptoms to watch out for –

• Swollen face
• Fatigue
• Skin Rashes
• Pain in the abdomen

Chicken Recipes For Babies

Chicken is quite handy and can be cooked in several ways. However, when it comes to cooking chicken for your little one, it should be in such a way that it should retain all its goodness and maybe enhance a little as well, it should be well cooked, and it should be less spicy.

Try out these easy-to-make, rich-in-nutrition chicken recipes for your little one:

Chicken Stew

• Take 3-4 cups of chicken and boil them in 7-8 cups of water.
• Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Once cooked, filter all the water through a sieve.
• The nutritional stew is ready!

Note If your baby has not yet celebrated his first birthday, never add salt to chicken soup. It is only for us that salt is an unavoidable factor in a dish. When it comes to food for the baby, try to give him without over-seasoning and over-flavoring.

Chicken Puree

• Take 2 cups of chicken, and cook them in a pressure cooker, preferably.
• Once done, let it cool, and then transfer it into a blender with some amount of water.
• Blend to the required consistency. You can also add veggies, or a few dry fruits if required

Chicken And Apricot Puree

• Take 2 cups of chicken, and 2 cups of Apricot and boil them separately.
• Once done, put them into a blender.
• Add water as per requirement.

Chicken And Finger Millet Porridge

• Take 2 cups of finger millet flour (ragi) and boil it in approximately 4 cups of water, on simmer.
• Stir it continuously to avoid any lumps.
• Boil 2 cups of chicken separately.
• Once done, add the boiled chicken, and the cooked finger millet into a blender.
• Add water for the required consistency.

Note All these recipes can be served for babies of 6 months and above.