11-Month-Old Baby Food Chart And Recipes

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Meals for an 11-month-old may contain a variety of options, as their activities increase when they are nearing the age of one.

To help them stay energetic and give them complete nutrition, you need to introduce them to various food options, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, meat, and eggs.

However, it is important to introduce new foods slowly to babies to prevent any risk of allergies. Moreover, 11-month-old babies may also start showing interest in eating independently. However, while allowing this pleasure to them, you must be careful about choking hazards.

This post is a complete guide on the best foods you can give to an 11-month baby and what you should be careful about. It also provides you with a food chart and some interesting recipes.

What Can A Baby Eat At 11 Months Of Age?

A baby can eat nearly all foods from various food categories at the age of 11 months.

Infographic: What Can A Baby Eat At 11 Months?

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

1. Babies can eat almost all fruits after six months of age (1). This is crucial for the wholesomeness of the diet. As a mother, you would want to be cautious about an allergic reaction to citrus fruits. Hence, always introduce one citrus fruit at a time. The quantity introduced should be small, such as one or two teaspoons a day. Check for any symptoms of allergy. If there are no such signs, the fruit can be a part of the diet on a regular basis. Always wait for 3-5 days in between introducing a new food (2).

2. Dairy products that an 11-month-old can have include yogurt. However, you must wait for them to complete 12 months before introducing cow milk (3).

3. Nearly all vegetables can be given to 11-month-old babies. A few exceptions are tomatoes, raw carrots, and celery which should be given after the age of 12 months (4).

4. All grains and cereals can be used to make cereals for babies.

5. All types of meat and poultry can be given, but eggs should be given only after the child is a year old (5).

To ensure adequate nutrition for the child, it is also essential to know the right quantities of these foods to serve the baby.

Rebekah, a mother to the lovely daughter Lindsey, shares the foods her daughter adored at 11 months old. She says, “Lindsey loves grapes – we quarter them for her and she has never had any choking issues with them. She eats most fruit but doesn’t seem to like strawberries. I haven’t tried oranges yet, and have only given her a few very small pieces of apple. Sometimes I steam a few pieces of apple and let her have those.

“When it comes to vegetables, carrots, peas, green beans, and corn usually go over fine with her, though I need to make a point to incorporate other veggies too and get her used to squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. too. We’re going to work on that more. Lindsey likes certain proteins sometimes (cooked chicken, cooked ground turkey, pot roast) and then other times she chews it and spits it back out. It’s hit or miss with her for sure (i).”

Quick tip

Slice cylindrical foods, including sausage and string cheese, into short, thin strips so they will not get stuck in your baby’s airway (6).

How Much To Feed An 11-month-old?

An 11-month-old can have half a cup of solid food, three to four times a day (7)

. It is the minimum quantity that your baby can eat during mealtime. You can give a healthy snack or two between the main meals namely breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The meals (including the baby snack ideas) should be an assortment of various foods to provide optimum nourishment to the baby.

You must continue giving breast milk or formula to the baby besides giving them solid foods. An 11-month-old baby usually breastfeeds four times a day (8). Make a diet keeping that in mind, to ensure both breastfeeding and solid foods contribute to the baby’s nutrition.

11-month-old Baby Food Chart

Here is a sample 11-month-baby’s food chart to maintain a proper feeding schedule, as recommended by pediatricians (9). Note that the plan includes all food types including breast milk and formula:

Ensure that you brush the baby’s teeth before you put them to bed.

Note: If you still breastfeed your 11-month-old, then there can be on-demand breastfeeds between the balanced baby meals. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) notes that continued breastfeeding can help lower the risk of overweight/obesity in children by 13%.

Next, we give you seven recipes that you can try making for your baby. These recipes include nutritious vegetables and fruits to meet essential nutrient requirements, such as baby protein sources and healthy fat for babies.

8 Food Recipes For 11-Month-Old Babies

1. Chicken and carrots finger food

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1/2 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 boneless chicken cubes
• 4 cups of water

How to

1. Boil the carrot and chicken on a medium flame for about 25 minutes. You can cook them further if your baby prefers them soft.
2. Once done cooking, sieve out the carrots and chicken. Do not discard the broth since you can use it for cooking other items.
3. Cool the vegetables and then serve them as finger food to the 11-month-old baby.

Quick tip

Grounded, finely shredded, or thinly sliced chicken can help prevent choking in babies.

2. Butternut squash and sweet potato

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1 cup sliced sweet potatoes
• 1 cup sliced butternut squash
• 1 cup of water

How to

1. Put the sweet potatoes and squash in a cooking vessel and boil them for 20 minutes on full flame.
2. You can consider cooking them in a pressure cooker if your baby loves them extra soft. Put the vegetables in a pressure cooker, fill it half with water, and cook on high flame for one whistle. After the whistle, turn the flame to medium and cook for nine minutes.
3. You can shallow fry the boiled potatoes and squash. Use a one-third teaspoon of 100% rice bran oil on a pan and shallow fry the boiled vegetables till they are tender. Cool and serve.

3. Broccoli and cottage cheese

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1 cup of large broccoli florets
• 1 cup of large cottage cheese chunks
• 2 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 teaspoon 100% rice bran oil

How to

1. Boil the broccoli for eight minutes or more if your baby loves them tender.
2. Heat oil in a cooking pan. Put the cottage cheese chunks, and shallow fry them till they turn a light brown color.
3. Next, put the broccoli and shallow fry it with the cottage cheese for a couple of minutes. Cool and serve it to the baby.

Quick tip

You can give your baby pasteurized cheeses or yogurts, including soy-based yogurt (1).

4. Banana and oats porridge

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1 cup oats flour
• 1 banana
• 2 cups of water

How to

1. Put the oats and water in a cooking vessel. Bring the water to a boil and turn the flame to a simmer. Cook the oats, while stirring them, for five minutes.
2. Chop the banana into small pieces and mash it in a bowl.
3. Let the cooked oats cool for a few minutes. Add the mashed banana and stir it well. Serve it to the baby.

5. Blueberry yogurt

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup plain yogurt

How to

1. Put the blueberries and yogurt into a blender.
2. Blend till the blueberries mix well with the yogurt.
3. You can serve the yogurt as it is or with a cracker.

6. Rice and apple

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1 cup rice
• 1 whole apple
• 3-4 cups of water

How to

1. Remove the skin of the apple and chop it into small pieces.
2. Steam the apples using a vegetable/fruit steamer for three to five minutes.
3. Boil the rice till tender.
4. Mix the rice and steamed apples in a bowl. Mash them till they are soft and mix well.

7. Green bean and avocado mash

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• 1 cup chopped green beans
• 1 avocado
• 2-3 cups of water

How to

1. Trim the ends of the green beans and cut them from the middle.
2. Put the chopped beans into a cooking vessel and boil for 7-10 minutes.
3. Scoop out the pulp from the avocado and transfer it into a blender. Add the boiled green beans as well. Blend till mixed consistently and feed the baby.

8. Semolina pudding

Image: Shutterstock

You will need

• ¼ cup semolina
• 2 dry apricots (chopped into small pieces)
• ½ -1 cup water
• 1/5tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2tsp honey
• Pinch of cinnamon powder

How to

1. In a pan, roast semolina until it turns light golden brown. Keep it aside.
2. Bring the water to boil in another pan and add the roasted semolina and apricot pieces. Cook on a low flame until you get a porridge-like consistency. Add more water if needed.
3. Add honey and cinnamon powder, and give everything a good stir. Serve it warm.

Tips For Feeding An 11-Month-Old

Feeding an 11-month-old can be a fun but sometimes challenging experience as your baby continues to grow, explore foods, and develop eating skills. Here are some tips you may follow to make your baby’s feeding routine safe and enjoyable:

1. Introduce new foods under guidance: Consult your pediatrician before introducing any new food. Every time you introduce a new food, carefully observe your infant for signs of allergies, sensitivities, or intolerance. Always maintain a gap of at least three to five days before adding a new food item to your baby’s diet.

2. Work with an assortment of recipes: Alternate the recipes such that the infant gets all types of foods that supply the essential nutrients for healthy growth and for reaching their developmental milestones. Fruits and vegetable purees for babies are also an effective way to make your baby eat a nutritious meal. A balanced diet is vital to help the infant grow better.
3. Serve small portions: Serve your baby food of their choice in small portions to give them a sense of autonomy. You may offer purees and bite-sized pieces of food in cups and plates to let your baby see, smell, and touch their food. This sensory experience helps babies develop food preferences and learn to eat based on hunger cues (10) (11).
4. Do not force-feed: Babies should consume a well-balanced diet containing a variety of foods from different food groups. So, introduce new foods repeatedly to help your baby get comfortable with the new taste and texture. If your child refuses to eat a particular food or says they are full, avoid force-feeding, as it can create negative associations with food (10).
5. Do not add salt: A baby only needs 0.4 g of sodium per day, up to the age of 12 months (12). Eleven-month-old babies will get all the sodium they need from formula and breast milk, as well as from the Vegetables and fruits for babies that you offer. Avoid adding excess salt to the food and always check for the salt content of various foods before giving them to the baby.
6. Never give fruit juice: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no fruit juice for children below the age of 12 months, as it offers no nutrition whatsoever (13). The excessive calories and sugars in fruit juices may put your child off their meals, making them eat less or skip entirely.

Caution

Avoid giving foods with added sugars and sugar-sweetened drinks to your 11-month-old baby (14).

7. Sterilize utensils: An 11-month-old baby has an underdeveloped immune system. Therefore, it is vital to sterilize the bottles, cups, spoons, and other feeding utensils to prevent infections. Begin by thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water. Wash your baby’s feeding utensils thoroughly with warm water and a mild soap. Sterilize the cleaned utensils using boiling, steaming, or chemical sterilization (15) (16).
8. Be a role model: Allow your baby to be seated with you at the table during mealtime. Show your baby how to use their cutlery or hands to eat their food. You may also demonstrate how to chew food properly before swallowing. Indulging in such activities will make mealtimes pleasurable and help your baby learn basic table manners (10) (11).

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Gabrielle KaneMS, RDN, CSP, LD

Dietitian and nutritionist Gabrielle Kane is the founder of Peak Performance Nutrition LLC in Houston, Texas. She advocates sustainable lifestyle changes for both children and adults. The Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition has almost a decade of experience in teaching and helping her clients lead a healthier life.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Vidya did her post-graduation in Biotechnology from Osmania University, Hyderabad. Her interest in scientific research and writing made her pursue a career in writing, in which she now has over five years of experience. She has done certified biotechnology-related training programs under renowned organizations such as Centre For Cellular & Molecular Biology and Department of Biotechnology.

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