How long to cook cauliflower for a child. Rules for feeding: cauliflower. How to boil a vegetable for a child and how long it will take after boiling

The parental desire to feed the child only the most healthy and delicious food is understandable. Nutrition is especially important for the baby, because his body is just beginning to enter the rhythm of "adult" life. Puree from white cabbage should not be introduced into the first complementary foods, but puree from its relative cauliflower is one of those dishes that will bring undoubted benefits to the baby.

The benefits of cauliflower and broccoli for babies

It's no secret that vegetables are of great benefit to both children and adults. They, along with cereals and fruits, should make up the bulk of the baby's nutrition.

Broccoli contains a huge amount of vitamins C and B, rich in beta-carotene, calcium, iron, potassium and other trace elements. This vegetable not only improves the vision of the crumbs, but also participates in the fight against pathogenic bacteria, improves blood quality, and is the prevention of constipation due to the fiber it contains.

It is worth saying more about cauliflower. This vegetable contains a large amount of copper, iron, phosphorus, potassium. In addition, it is a source of protein, participates in the development of all body systems, strengthens the walls of blood vessels. In terms of vitamin C content, cauliflower is superior to white cabbage. It also contains a huge amount of vitamins A, B, E, PP and others.

The benefits of this vegetable for babies are invaluable.

Removes toxins from the body.
Improves digestion and relieves colic in babies.
Strengthens immunity.
Increases resistance to viral diseases.
It is the prevention of anemia (a common deviation in infants).
Participates in cell regeneration.

When to introduce cabbage puree?

White cabbage, despite its great benefits, can cause a real storm in a fragile children's stomach, so it is better not to introduce it earlier than 7-8 months for formula-fed babies, and not earlier than 9 months for babies. Ideally, you should refrain from cooking dishes from this type of cabbage until the child is one year old.

It is especially not recommended to give it as the first product that the baby tries. To begin with, the crumbs need to be introduced to mashed potatoes from other vegetables (zucchini, potatoes, pumpkin) or cereals, and then, if desired, white cabbage can be added to the menu.

Cauliflower is much better absorbed and well digested by the children's stomach. If white cabbage has caused bloating, then its colored relative may serve as an alternative. You can introduce it into complementary foods for a baby at 4 months for artificial babies and at 6 months for babies.

Many pediatricians advise starting complementary foods with broccoli. This vegetable is healthy and tasty. In addition, it rarely causes bloating and gas formation. That is why broccoli puree is becoming increasingly popular.

Which is better: frozen or fresh?

Of course, it is better to prepare dishes for children from high-quality fresh ripened vegetables, therefore, if it is summer or autumn, it is better to choose fresh cabbage. When frozen, some of the vitamins disappear.

However, the frozen version is suitable for winter, when there are no fresh vegetables, but only imported ones. It is better to freeze several packages of cauliflower inflorescences from your own garden from the summer than to buy fresh, but imported.

Cauliflower puree: the classic version

Before cooking cauliflower, it must be soaked in boiled water for 3-4 hours. This will remove nitrates (if any), harmful substances and insects from the vegetable.

To prepare the simplest cabbage puree, you will need:

Cauliflower - 50 grams;
Water or breast milk - 2-3 tablespoons.

Rinse the cauliflower thoroughly, remove dirty spots and disassemble the head of cabbage into inflorescences. Throw the inflorescences into boiling water and cook for 20-30 minutes until softened. After that, put them in a blender bowl, add a little water or breast milk and beat until smooth.

When the baby gets acquainted with other products, new ingredients can be added to the cauliflower puree:

egg yolk;
butter;
potato;
broccoli and other vegetables.

Cauliflower puree in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

cauliflower - several inflorescences;
water - 2-4 tablespoons;
olive or flaxseed oil - 0.5 teaspoon

Pour water into the bowl of the multicooker, place a grill on top for cooking steam dishes. Place the cauliflower florets on the grill and close the lid. Set the steam mode for 30 minutes.

Grind the finished inflorescences with a blender, add water and oil (you can choose any oil, the main thing is that it be natural, unrefined and pure). Stir the puree and feed the baby. You can add some potatoes.

First of all, it is worth saying a few words about choosing a product for baby food. For babies, buy only fresh vegetables with a dark green color. Broccoli should be bright, strong, without rot and diaper rash.

Before cooking, rinse the broccoli with boiled water and soak the florets for 3-4 hours. Next, start cooking. For puree you will need:

broccoli - 100 grams;
vegetable oil - 1 teaspoon.

Boil broccoli in boiling water for 15-20 minutes or cook in a slow cooker on steam mode. Grind the finished vegetable with a blender and add oil.

If your baby likes the new taste and doesn't have an allergic reaction, you can add some potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower to the mashed broccoli.

Which puree is better: store-bought or homemade?

Modern manufacturers of baby food offer a wide range of purees. There are mashed broccoli, cauliflower, and all kinds of vegetable mixes. But is it true that store-bought puree is better? Not always.

Often, the manufacturer, in addition to the prescribed vegetables and water, adds extraneous ingredients to the product.

The nutrition of Hipp, Fleur Alpine, Nutrica, Bebivita includes rice flour.
Hipp and Bebivita puree also contains rice starch, which can cause allergies in some children.
Some manufacturers add salt to food to make it tastier. But for babies under one year old, salt should not be added to food.

In addition, buying ready-made baby food is not always profitable. The price range for brands ranges from 35 to 55 rubles. For example:

Hipp baby puree with cauliflower costs about 44 rubles;
Gerber manufacturer offers a product for 53 rubles;
"Frutonyanya" is one of the cheapest analogues. The price of one jar is 32-35 rubles;
"Grandma's basket" costs 39-42 rubles.

Conclusion

Introduce mashed broccoli and cauliflower into your child's diet slowly and little by little. Start with 0.5 teaspoon in the morning. If there is no allergic reaction, you can increase the serving to 1-2 tablespoons, etc.

This tasty and healthy puree will surely please the baby, as well as enrich his body with vitamins and nutrients.

Cauliflower is rich in phytochemicals that help prevent cancer. Cauliflower also contains vitamin A, vitamin C and even calcium. Read on to find out when to introduce and how to prepare cauliflower for your first baby food.

An allergy to cauliflower in infants is extremely rare, however, despite this, it is not recommended to use it as the first vegetable for complementary foods. This is due to the fact that, as with broccoli, it can cause increased gas formation in infants. If the child did not have problems with digestion, then you can introduce mashed cauliflower at 6-8 months. Otherwise, it is better to wait up to 8-10 months.

Cauliflower, potato and zucchini puree for babies

Ingredients:

2 potatoes;

1 zucchini;

1 cup cauliflower

How to cook:

Step 1: Peel vegetables and cut into small pieces.

Step 2: Steam vegetables in a double boiler or in a basket over a pot of boiling water.

Step 3: Puree the vegetables with a blender, using a little of the broth to get the right consistency (usually 1-2 tablespoons is enough).

You can also use breast milk (or formula if formula-fed) to mix into the puree.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Puree for Babies

Ingredients:

50g broccoli, washed and cut into small florets
50 g cauliflower, washed and cut into small florets
some breast milk or formula.

How to cook:

Step 1: Place the broccoli and cauliflower in the steamer and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender.

Step 2: Puree the vegetables until smooth, adding a little steamer water or breast milk (formula if your baby is formula-fed) to puree the right consistency.

Step 3: Broccoli and cauliflower mix well with mashed carrots or sweet potatoes.

Now you know how to cook cauliflower for the first feeding. You can find more recipes for baby puree at the link below.

When we talk about cabbage for babies, we mean, first of all, cauliflower. Broccoli has its own name, and white cabbage is not desirable for complementary foods (the baby may start to swell).

Benefits of cauliflower

The benefits of cauliflower are enormous. It is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, fatty acids, micro and macro elements.

In addition, cauliflower is hypoallergenic, which is very important for babies. It contains all the mineral salts and vitamins necessary for the baby (B1, B2, B6, C, A, PP), easily digestible vegetable protein. It is able to normalize bowel function, remove heavy metal salts and toxins. Cauliflower serves as a source of iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium.

Babies often suffer from iron deficiency anemia. Cauliflower contains 10 times more iron than eggplant, zucchini or peppers. This circumstance allows us to consider it an excellent prophylactic and remedy for anemia.

The delicate gastrointestinal tract of the baby will easily tolerate a new dish that does not irritate the mucous membrane. Cauliflower is superbly digested and absorbed.

The vegetable contains a rare vitamin U. It promotes the regeneration of the gastric mucosa and normalizes the acidity of gastric juice.

The first complementary foods should be introduced from 6 months. Earlier dates are always due to a lack of body weight, or artificial feeding. Cauliflower is one of the most suitable vegetables for the first independent food besides breast milk. Puree from it is perfectly digested and has a beneficial effect on the digestion of the baby.

A small child does not know how to chew, so you need to make mashed potatoes from cauliflower. In the early days, it is necessary to give very small portions - 0.5-1 teaspoon each. Then the amount of puree should be gradually increased.

Liquid puree is preferable, as it is easier for babies to eat and it is easier to digest. Often mothers worry about the unpleasant taste of the dish from the point of view of an adult. But in fact, a baby at this age perfectly perceives cauliflower puree, it is just a new taste sensation for him.

How to make baby cauliflower puree

First of all, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the cauliflower. It must be fresh, free from defects and must have a white even color.

It is highly recommended to soak the vegetable in cold water before cooking, especially if it is not from your own garden. The procedure usually takes 10-12 hours. You can add a small amount of salt to the water in order to get rid of insects.

Then the cabbage needs to be washed with cold water and poured over with boiling water. It should be boiled in unsalted water, having previously disassembled into separate inflorescences. Boiling time approximately 20 minutes. During this time, it should become quite soft. You can also use a double boiler or slow cooker.

After the finished cabbage must be finely chopped into a homogeneous puree. A blender is perfect for this. You can rub the vegetable through a sieve.

Thick puree the child will not be able to chew and swallow. Therefore, vegetable broth or milk mixture is additionally added to the dish.

It is better not to add any third-party ingredients to the very first complementary foods. Later, you can improve the taste with a tiny amount of olive oil. If the child has already tried a lot of complementary foods, then it is allowed to prepare vegetable mixtures. It is not recommended to salt the baby's food, especially since he will not even notice it.

Vegetables for the first feeding of the baby. The timing of the introduction of vegetables in the diet of the child.

The main function of the first complementary foods for a baby is to enrich the growing body with reserves of vitamins and minerals. The choice of vegetables for the first feeding should be discussed with your pediatrician and selected individually for each.

Cauliflower puree

Cauliflower is ideal for the first feeding, due to its easy digestibility and the presence of a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Thanks to fiber, cabbage has a beneficial effect on the digestion of the child.
Cauliflower contains contains the following useful components:

vitamin C
carotene
potassium
magnesium
phosphorus
easily digestible proteins
rich in amino acids
mineral salts
carbohydrates
B vitamins

Child eating cauliflower puree

Cauliflower has invaluable benefits at the first feeding if the baby suffers from constipation and increased gas formation.
If the baby is allergic, cabbage will help relieve all the symptoms of food allergies and reduce the location of the rash
In addition, the use of cabbage for complementary foods prevents iron deficiency anemia.
Phosphorus and minerals in cabbage have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver and gallbladder
Physicians evaluate the beneficial effects of such complementary foods through normalization blood composition in a baby, strengthening the walls of blood vessels and bones

At what age can a child eat cauliflower?

The age at which it is recommended to start complementary foods with cauliflower ranges from four to six months. And regardless of whether the baby was breastfed or artificially fed, you should discuss the timing of complementary foods with a pediatrician or nutritionist.

Breastfed babies have a better prepared enzymatic system than formula-fed babies.

Also, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the baby's body.
If the child is overweight, he is strongly advised to introduce vegetable purees into complementary foods, and underweight children are likely to be advised to feed cereals for as long as possible.

Cauliflower

The introduction of cauliflower into complementary foods should be carried out according to the developed scheme.

The first feeding should be no more than ½ teaspoon.
Then observe the reaction of the child and his body. The first sign that the baby is psychologically ready to eat heavy food will be the absence of food being pushed out of the mouth with the tongue. Further, the child's stool should not have a pungent odor and mucus.
Within ten days, you can gradually increase the dose of complementary foods to 100 grams.

The transition to adult nutrition should be gradual and starting with one product.

How to prepare cauliflower puree for a baby for the first feeding?

To prepare mashed cauliflower for the first feeding, first select and buy clean and fresh cabbage without stains. It is advisable to always purchase fresh cabbage, and only as a last resort frozen. The freezing process takes away the bulk of vitamins and minerals from vegetables.

Pay attention to the main characteristic features of the appearance of cabbage:

cabbage color should be ivory
leaves are bright green and clean
there should be no darkening and defects
the cabbage itself is elastic, and the inflorescences are densely planted

It should be remembered that canned complementary foods are in many ways inferior to freshly prepared vegetable puree.

To prepare vegetable puree, thoroughly rinse the products under running warm water.
Brush the vegetables as needed.
Separate the inflorescences for cooking
The cooking process is carried out in pre-boiling water
Salt is better not to add
After cooking, cauliflower is crushed with a blender or rubbed through a sieve.
The consistency of the finished puree should resemble kefir in density. Not thicker, as the child may refuse to try a serving of complementary foods.
If the puree is very thick, dilute it with breast milk or cabbage broth.

A serving of mashed cauliflower should only be freshly cooked. Do not use pre-prepared foods. Pathogens can develop in such a product, and repeated heating will kill any remaining beneficial substances.

How much to cook fresh and frozen cauliflower for baby puree?

The main goal of heat treatment of products for a baby is the desire to make it easily digestible and to preserve the nutritional and vitamin value to the maximum.

Therefore, cooking should take place according to a strictly defined time for each vegetable. Too long cooking will lead to the complete destruction of the vitamin cocktail, and insufficient cooking will increase the risk of transmission of various infections through the product.
Cooking time for fresh cauliflower is 10-15 minutes in boiling water.
Cooking time for frozen cabbage varies between 15-20 minutes after boiling water.
During cooking, do not cover the cooking container with a lid, so as not to get a nice yellow tint. It is advisable to choose only an enameled cooking pot.
After the vegetable is fully cooked, it should be laid out and not kept in water.
If you cook cauliflower for baby puree in a multi-steam cooker, then its cooking time will be 30 minutes.

Frozen cauliflower puree for babies

If your baby's weaning time is not during cauliflower season, you can pre-freeze the vegetable for later mashing. This process can be done with two processes, raw and after blanching the cauliflower.

If you decide to freeze fresh cabbage, then thoroughly rinse the vegetable inflorescences and lower them additionally in hot water with salt for twenty minutes. Pat the cabbage dry and pack into freezer bags.

If you choose cabbage blanching, then carefully washed cabbage should be dipped in boiling water for five minutes. Next, dip in cold water, dry and place in containers for freezing.

A useful set of the most important trace elements of cabbage is stored for a long time in the freezer, and therefore at any time you can enter the product into the child's menu.

Video: Cooking frozen cauliflower puree for babies

At what age can mashed potatoes and cauliflower be used for babies?

After the first vegetable complementary foods have been introduced, the menu can begin to use several vegetables in one puree.

Potatoes can be introduced into the baby's diet in the seventh month of life. It is an easily digestible vegetable and contains a large amount of fiber, which does not irritate the stomach and is very beneficial for intestinal peristalsis.

Vegetable mix for babies

Complementary feeding of mashed potatoes and cauliflower can be started even during the baby’s breakfast, as its carbohydrates are a quickly digestible product and will not cause unnecessary discomfort.
Mixed mashed potatoes should take up no more than half of the total volume.
The proportions of potatoes in such a puree increase during the week by 2-3 teaspoons.

Mashed potatoes and cauliflower for a child: a recipe

Mashed potatoes and cauliflower can be given to the baby for breakfast and lunch.

For the preparation of complementary foods we take:

one medium sized potato
about a hundred grams of cauliflower
80 grams of breast milk.

Cooking:

Boil potatoes for no more than 15 minutes
Add cauliflower and bring to a boil
We wipe the cooked vegetables through a sieve. Pour breast milk into puree, cool

Video: Baby puree recipe with potatoes, carrots and cauliflower

From what age can pumpkin and cauliflower puree be used for babies?

Pumpkin has a rich vitamin composition. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vegetable oils, potassium, calcium, iron. It has a sweetish taste, which is sure to please the baby.

The first acquaintance of a baby with a pumpkin can be started with a two-component puree pumpkin and cauliflower.

Feeding time with such a sunny vegetable should begin no earlier than seven months.

Baby puree with pumpkin

Pumpkin and cauliflower puree

To prepare pumpkin and cauliflower puree, we take:

Small piece of pumpkin 100 gr
100 gr cauliflower florets
50 grams of breast or goat milk

Cooking:

Cut pumpkin into small cubes
Simmer over low heat, in a small amount of water. We bring to readiness - softening
We wipe the vegetable through a sieve
Cook cauliflower in boiling water for no more than ten minutes until soft.
Beat pumpkin with cauliflower in a blender, combine with warm breast milk
Boil a few minutes
Cool down and feed the baby

At what age can I have cauliflower and carrot soup for babies?

Carrots are a very useful and necessary vegetable for feeding a baby. It has a bactericidal effect and will help restore the child's body after infectious diseases. The vegetable contains carotene and calcium, useful for baby macro- and micronutrients.
The time for the introduction of complementary foods in the form of soups - mashed potatoes with carrots for babies is not earlier than 9-10 months.

Cauliflower and carrot soup for babies

In the video below you can see a simple recipe for instant soup puree and carrots.

Video: Cauliflower and Carrot Puree Soup

The first complementary foods for babies should consist of the simplest and most hypoallergenic products that are easily absorbed by the still imperfect children's body. According to experts, cauliflower puree in this case is considered the best option, regardless of the type of infant feeding. In addition to a pleasant taste, it is distinguished by its availability, ease of preparation, contains many vitamins and minerals necessary for the normal development of the baby.

As a start, it is recommended to use the simplest recipe, gradually improving the base dish. At the same time, it is worth considering that all the positive properties of a unique vegetable will be revealed only if you correctly approach its selection and preparation.

Cauliflower as a first food

Puree made from cauliflower can solve several problems at once, which are typical for the first year of a baby's life. It normalizes the stool, relieving constipation, acts as an anemia prevention, and prevents gas formation. The components of the dish have a beneficial effect on metabolism, normalize blood composition, and help strengthen bones and vascular walls. At the same time, the vegetable contains a minimum amount of calories; such complementary foods do not irritate the walls of the digestive tract of the baby.

Tip: Even if cauliflower for some reason did not become the first complementary food, it must be introduced into the child's diet without fail in the first year of life. The vegetable contains a unique vitamin U. It normalizes the level of acidity of gastric juice, promotes the regeneration of the mucous membrane of the organ, relieves the symptoms of food allergies and reduces the reactivity of the body.

Cabbage puree can be introduced into the baby's diet at 6 months of age. Artists can try this complementary food even earlier - at 4.5-5 months. Their digestive system is already more accustomed to new foods and allergies should not be. Regardless of the type of feeding, the first recipe will be the same - a one-component formula without any additives. Often this dish is recommended for overweight babies. It is better for asthenics to start with more nutritious cereals.

For the first time we give the baby complementary foods in the morning, starting with half a teaspoon. Initially, puree is recommended to be slightly diluted with boiled water, the liquid consistency is more familiar to the baby. Do not worry if the baby refuses a new product for several days. We just continue to offer him the composition every day until he tastes it. An allergy to cauliflower products in children is extremely rare, but if it does happen, you need to wait about a month and only then re-offer the vegetable to the child.

How to choose the right cauliflower for mashing?

Healthy puree can only be obtained from a quality vegetable. When choosing a suitable product, you need to pay attention to the following points:

Inflorescences are even white or ivory, without dents and darkening.
The leaves are dense, bright green and clean, without signs of deformation and holes.
The inflorescences are planted deep and densely in the leaves, their surface is elastic, the vegetable smells of freshness.

Contrary to popular belief, babies can also be fed a ready-made vegetable product. The best option would be a product in a glass container, with age marking and a clearly defined composition (no preservatives, thickeners, flavors and E-substances). It’s good if the recipe is written on the jar, according to which the dish was prepared. Another important point is the expiration date. A pasteurized product cannot be stored for more than 2 years unless strong chemical preservatives are added to it.

Features of different approaches to the preparation of the product

To prepare cauliflower puree for a child, you must choose one of the vegetable processing options. In addition, it is worth choosing a good and correct recipe, in which, in addition to the main product, additional ingredients will be present. True, given the fact that this component usually represents the first complementary foods, the baby will first have to be accustomed to other vegetables and fruits.

One-component dish in a saucepan. We take several peeled and washed cabbage inflorescences and some drinking water (the recipe allows the use of breast milk or an adapted mixture). We disassemble the inflorescences to the maximum into small parts. Bring the water to a boil, put the cabbage into it and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the vegetable softens. We recline it in a colander, cool and knead with a blender. Add a little of the remaining broth to make the dish liquid.
One-component puree in a multicooker. We put the washed, dried and disassembled inflorescences into the multicooker bowl and start processing for a quarter of an hour using the “steamed” mode. We knead the finished product, dilute it with breast milk or boiled water.
Cauliflower dish with apple. We take a few washed cabbage inflorescences and a few pieces of apple pulp (we take half the apples). We spread the components in a ceramic pot, pour a little water and put in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool the workpiece slightly, knead, if desired, add a little more liquid.

If the baby likes the simple recipe used, then after some time you can start adding a few drops of vegetable oil to complementary foods. In the event of a negative reaction in the baby, we remove all additional components from the composition.