8-Month Baby Food Chart: Know the Diet Plan with East Recipes for Your Baby! 

At 8 months, your baby is curious about everything and is probably teething. With a tooth or two, your baby is on its way to becoming a toddler. Babies master the art of gulping down smashed food and slowly even start chewing on solid foods once they turn 8 months old. Your baby has already touched several developmental milestones and will still touch many. Hence you will have to ensure that you provide nutritious and healthy food for your baby since you need to take care of their dietary requirements while considering their chewing abilities; we have carefully curated an 8-month baby food guide for you!  This article highlights an 8-month baby food chart and some easy recipes you can try!

8-month Baby Food Ideas 

Just like us adults, your baby too needs a wholesome and balanced diet which comprises foods rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals. There are many natural foods out there that offer the right blend of these essential nutrients. Here is a list of some food items that can form a part of your  8-month baby food chart -

• ▪ Fruits

Fruits are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. Besides regular fruits like apples, bananas, papayas, etc., you can also include other fruits like kiwi, strawberries, etc. Try appealingly cutting fruits, especially in the shape of long cubes, for they make excellent finger foods for babies.

• ▪ Vegetables

Your 8-month baby food diet chart must include vegetables. You can switch from mashed vegetable puree to small cubes of steamed vegetables. And can also incorporate veggies in khichdi and gradually introduce them to vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, and green peas. Etc.

• ▪ Fish

For all you non-vegetarians out there, fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and can be given to your babies once they turn 8 months old. Fish can be given as a puree or soup, which will surely enhance their growth and brain development.

• ▪ Tofu/Paneer

Tofu or paneer is a milk product that is a rich source of proteins and is effective for developing babies.

• ▪ Eggs

Eggs are a wholesome food source as they contain good fats and healthy proteins. You can give your baby a boiled egg or offer them bite-sized pieces. 

• ▪ Yoghurt

Yoghurt made from cow’s milk is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals and also makes for a great snack option for your baby, as it is available in different flavours.

How Much Food, Your Baby, Needs At This Stage? 

Knowing that your baby has grown super active and is also throwing tantrums while eating their food, as parents, you may often tend to worry if your baby is receiving the right amount of nutrition or not. In addition, new parents often find it challenging to navigate how much food their baby needs at each stage. So to make it simple for you, a typical 8-month-old baby needs to have 3 solid meals and 2 snacks along with at least 2 sessions of breastfeeding or formula feeding.

Sample 8-Month Baby Food Chart (H2)

We have provided a sample 8-month baby diet chart for your ready reference. You can alternatively include this chart on a daily or weekly basis.

• ▪ Morning- Wake up and breastfeed for a few minutes, only about 200 ml.
• ▪ Breakfast – Provide them with 1 cup of pureed veggies 
• ▪ Mid-morning Snack – Provide them with half a cup of fruit/yoghurt/boiled vegetables
• ▪ Lunch- Give them 1 cup of cereal
• ▪ Evening Snack – Feed them with breast milk or formula milk, only about 200ml
• ▪ Dinner – Give them 1 cup of porridge/pureed veggies/cereal
• ▪ Night – Breastfeed them before bedtime

8-Month Baby Food Recipes 

Your baby may give you a hard time while eating, as they tend to throw tantrums or resist trying out a new food option. In such a case, we have provided some new recipes that can tickle your baby’s taste buds. Below are some interesting Indian homemade baby food recipes for an 8-month-old:

Broccoli Soup Recipe

Broccoli is a rich source of essential nutrients and tastes delicious if made correctly. Hence we have shared the recipe for it below -

You will Need - 

• ▪ Butter -1 teaspoon
• ▪ vBroccoli florets – 1 and a half cup
• ▪ Pepper powder – A pinch
• ▪ Salt - to taste

Method of preparation

• ▪ Melt the butter in a pan
• ▪ Add florets of broccoli and sauté for a couple of minutes.
• ▪ Cover the pan with a lid and allow it to cook.
• ▪ Once the broccoli florets cold down, blend it to make a fine paste.
• ▪ Add some butter, the broccoli paste, salt and pepper powder to taste in a pan and cook for a few minutes.
• ▪ Feed the soup to your baby once it cools down.    

Apple Ragi Porridge Recipe 

Ragi, also known as nachni, is a rich source of proteins, calcium, and iron. So here we combine these two power foods into an apple ragi porridge.

You will need

• ▪ Grated apple – 1 cup
• ▪ Ragi flour – 1 tablespoon
• ▪ Ghee – 1/2 teaspoon
• ▪ Water – 1.5 cups

Method of preparation

• ▪ Take the ragi flour in a bowl and slowly add water to it.
•  ▪ Mix it well, making sure that no lumps remain.
• ▪ Heat some ghee in a pan and add the ragi mixture to it.
• ▪ Continuously stir until you see the bubbles forming.
• ▪ Now add the grated apple pieces to the porridge.
• ▪ Allow the apple pieces and ragi to blend and cook well.
• ▪ If the porridge turns thick, dilute it with water and bring it to the desired consistency.
• ▪ Once it is cooked, add a drop of ghee before giving it to your child.

Feeding Tips for your 8-Month Baby 

Below are some valuable tips to keep in mind while feeding your 8-month-old baby - 

• ▪ Your breast milk or formula milk is the primary source of nutrition for an eight-month-old baby. 
• ▪ Avoid giving your baby cow’s milk until they turn one year old
• ▪ In case of a history of food allergy in the family, especially with respect to dairy products, watch out for the signs of allergy in your baby.
• ▪ Avoid giving your baby deep-fried foods; instead, incorporate steamed fruits and vegetables into their diet.
• ▪ Feed your baby in a particular position and location every day, as this develops a strong connection in their mind between food and the place where they are being fed.
• ▪ Avoid adding too much salt and sugar to food if your baby is below one year of age. 

Key Takeaways 

At this stage, your baby is already moving quite a lot and spending time and energy exploring things. So to make sure that your baby does not get exhausted, a healthy 8-month baby food plan is of utmost importance. So plan your 8-month baby diet chart by including fresh fruits and steamed vegetables