Iron-rich foods

Iron-rich foods include the protein foods on the list below and iron-fortified infant cereal. Offer iron-rich foods two or more times each day. At least one of these should be an iron-rich protein food from the list below. Continue to offer iron-rich foods this way from 6-12 months.

Unprocessed meats such as beef, pork, veal, lamb, chicken and turkey
Fish and shellfish, especially fatty fish such as char, herring, mackerel, salmon,sardines and trout
Canned salmon and tuna. Use salt-free types if available.
Game such as moose, caribou, rabbit and partridge. For babies and everyone else in the family, do not serve the liver or kidneys of moose or caribou, as they are too high in cadmium (a mineral that is harmful to health).
Eggs
Well-cooked legumes (split peas and other dried peas, chickpeas, beans such as kidney beans, and lentils)
Peanut butter and other nut butters, which should be offered spread thinly on toast or crackers. Never serve peanut or nut butter spread thickly on something or alone in a lump or on a spoon. It could get stuck and block your child’s airway.
Tofu

If you are following a vegetarian way of eating, talk with a Registered Dietitian about vegetarian eating for your baby.

Do not give your baby processed meats such as:

ham
bacon
wieners
salami
pepperoni

bologna
sausages
luncheon meats
processed deli meats

Do not give your baby salt meat and salt fish. These foods are high in sodium. It’s a good idea to limit these for the rest of the family too.

You can take your baby’s food from the food you make for the family. The family food will be best for your baby if you make it without adding salt (sodium). It should also be made without seasonings, sauces or condiments that have sodium in them, such as dry soup mix, taco mix, garlic salt, soya sauce, and ketchup. Check the list of ingredients on the labels of these types of products, to see if they contain sodium or salt. It’s okay to give your baby family foods made with herbs and spices. If using a herb or spice mixture, be sure it doesn’t contain salt (sodium).

Other tips for preparing healthy foods for babies:

Choose lean cuts of meat and trim the fat before
Roast, bake, broil, boil or stew meat, poultry and Make sure the meat, poultry and fish is fully cooked.
Remove bones or choose pieces of meat away from the bone. Take the skin off poultry.
Cut cooked meat, poultry or fish into very small pieces with a knife, food mill or small food processor. Use a fork to mash foods such as well-cooked legumes, tofu or hard-cooked eggs. Moisten food with liquid as needed. For the liquid you can use breastmilk or water. Increase the texture of the food over time.
If you start with a pureed texture for meat, poultry and fish, within a few weeks try offering those foods ground or cut into very small pieces.
If you use canned legumes, rinse them before you serve them. This helps wash away some of the sodium (salt).

Make sure foods are fully cooked!

Do not serve your baby raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, or eggs, as they may contain harmful bacteria. For more information see Safe Food Handling for Children Ages 5 and Under or canada.ca/foodsafety

Should I be worried about mercury in fish?

You don’t need to be worried about most types of fish. However, some types of fish do have high mercury levels which can be unhealthy for your baby.

Health Canada gives advice for limiting exposure to mercury from these fish:

canned albacore tuna (this refers to white tuna, not light tuna)
fresh/frozen tuna
shark
swordfish
marlin
orange roughy
escolar

It is unlikely that a baby less than 12 months of age could eat enough fish to be exposed to a dangerous amount of mercury.

If you decide to feed your baby any of the fish described in the advice, offer your baby:

less than 40 g per week of canned albacore tuna
less than 40 g per month of the other types of fish listed

Infant cereals

Iron-fortified infant cereals are an important source of iron starting at six months of age.

What kind of infant cereals should I offer my baby?

Choose unsweetened iron-fortified infant cereal, not ready-to-eat
Start with single grain infant cereals such as rice, oatmeal, barley and wheat. Some single grains like oat may also contain some wheat. Keep in mind that wheat is included in the table of foods that most commonly cause allergy so check the ingredients list on the label.
After your baby has had the single grains, you can offer an infant cereal that has two or more grains, such as oats and barley.

How do I prepare infant cereal?

Follow the directions on the package. You may need to make a smaller amount of cereal at first. Watch your baby’s cues and feed according to their appetite.
Do not add sugar, honey or sweeteners to the cereal.

How do I offer infant cereal to my baby?

Offer cereal from a spoon.
Never put cereal in a bottle. This can cause choking.