Feeding Your Baby Chicken and Turkey - Nutritious and Delicious Chicken and Turkey Baby Food Recipes.

Chicken and Turkey for Baby Food Recipes - When Can Baby Have Chicken and Turkey?

Age for Introducing Chicken and Turkey: (6) 8-10 months  

 

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The Goodness of Chicken for Baby Food

Chicken is high in protein and iron. It is one of the most easily digested of the meats and is most often recommended as baby's first meat.

 

The Goodness of Turkey for Baby Food

Turkey, like Chicken, is high in protein and iron. Turkey also makes a great first meat for baby.

 

 

 

When can I introduce Chicken or Turkey to my baby?

 

As mentioned above, most pediatricians in the United States recommend chicken and turkey, and other meats and proteins when baby is between 8-10 months of age. In many European countries and the UK and Canada, national health services and many pediatricians recommend meats as one of baby's first foods due to the level of heme iron in meats. The premise is that offering your baby's meats earlier rather than later helps baby maintain proper levels of iron.

 

How to select and store Chicken and Turkey for baby food

 

The light meat of both turkey and chicken, such as the breast, is considered higher in protein and

FREEZING TIMES FOR HOMEMADE BABY PURÉE MEAT CUBES Baby Food Cubes May Be Safely Kept in the Freezer for 3 Months. It is preferable, but not an absolute must, to use the cubes within 1 month however. Meats are more unstable when frozen so it is best to use Meat Purées as soon as possible.

lower in fat. The darker meat of chicken and turkey, such as thighs and legs, is higher in iron and higher in fat. It might be a good idea to offer your baby the darker meat of either turkey or chicken. The fat content makes this meat easy to puree into a relatively smooth texture; the higher iron makes this portion of the turkey and chicken an excellent choice.

 

The best way to cook Turkey and Chicken

 

A yummy way to make chicken and turkey is to boil pieces in a scant amount of water with added veggies and a dash of spice such as basil or garlic powder. I always recommend cooking any food by baking it. Baking helps retain the most nutrients with steaming being another method to retain nutrients.

Using a crock pot to cook and stew meats is another great way to cook turkey chicken. Keep in mind that nutrients will leach into the liquid that you add to the crock pot.

 

If your baby is not used to the taste of chicken or turkey, using the juice/liquid from the crock pot may make the flavor too strong. Strain the liquid if need be and use water to make a turkey or chicken puree instead.

 

A Few Turkey and Chicken Baby Food Recipes

 

Chicken and Turkey Baby Food Purée (Basic)

 

1 cup cold and cooked boneless turkey or chicken - chopped into no bigger than 1 inch pieces
1/4 c cooking juice or plain water

 

Place turkey or chicken chunks in blender or food processor and puree until a powdery mix is formed. Slowly add water and puree further until a smooth consistency is created.

Add as much liquid as needed to make a consistency appropriate for your baby. You may add veggies or fruits to this puree as you like.

 

 

Apples & Chicken/Turkey

 

1/3 cup chopped & cooked boneless chicken/turkey*
1/4 cup cooked apple (no skin or seeds), very soft You can also use a 1/4 cup of Natural applesauce

 

Puree chicken/turkey with cooked apple in a food processor or blender until desired consistency for baby is achieved.

 

Simmering Sweet Apples & Chicken or Turkey

 

1 chicken breast or 1 turkey breast filet - uncooked and diced
1 or 2 medium sized apples (try Macintosh), peeled, cord and diced
1/2 cup peeled and diced sweet potato
2 cup water or chicken or vegetable stock

 

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot
Bring to a slow boil and then turn the heat down.
Simmer until the meat pieces are cooked; approximately 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid level when simmering.

When meat is fully cooked and the apples are mushy, remove contents to a bowl and allow to cool. Puree, mash or chop for your baby.

 

Variation:
Add 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice before cooking

Add 1/4 uncooked cous cous or quinoa before cooking

 

 

Brown Rice Chicken or Turkey & Peach Stew

 

1/2 c cooked boneless turkey or chicken - chopped
1/4 c cooked brown rice
1 ripe peach, pitted, peeled and steamed or baked
1 tb peach juice (white grape or apple juice may be used or juice may be left out)
1 tb milk and 2 ts wheat germ

 

Mix all ingredients together, transfer to blender/food processor
and puree or chop to make textured for older babies.

 

Variations:

Cook chicken/turkey pieces and peach together in a pot with a scant amount of water - simmer until chicken/turkey pieces are cooked; approximately 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the water level when using small amounts of water and simmering. Add the rice to the cooked turkey/chicken and peach and then process as needed for your baby's texture preference.

Substitute the peach for mango, papaya or apricots or combine them all.

 

 

Cheesy Turkey/Chicken Sweet Potato Mash with Carrots

1/2 cup cooked diced chicken or turkey
2 medium sweet potato
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1/4 cup grated cheddar or colby cheese

Peel and dice the sweet potato and carrots
Boil or steam the potato and carrots until tender. You may also bake the carrots & sweet potato together for a more yummy taste.
Mash the sweet potato and carrots and then add the cheese; mash some more.
Add the chicken or turkey and then chop, mash or puree as needed for your baby.

 

 

Turkey/Chicken Cheesy Pasta

1/2 cup cooked diced chicken or turkey
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup pasta - ditalini or pastina; slightly cooled
dash of pepper, garlic powder and basil
1/4 cup steamed broccoli

 

Mix all ingredients together and serve - serve as is for those accustomed to lumps & textures or chop down or puree if needed.

Variation:

Add some carrots or sweet potato cubes for more color and fun.

Some Foods Good to Mix With Chicken and Turkey

 

Apples
Grapes
Mango
Papaya
Peaches
Pears
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Eggplant
Green Beans
Peas
Sweet Potato
White Potato
Winter and Summer Squash
Barley
Lentils
Millet
Pasta
Rice

 

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