Apple and weaning: why choose it and how to offer it to the little ones!
Weaning is a very important moment in the life of every child and also very exciting, especially for mothers, who often experience this fundamental stage with a certain, very understandable apprehension.
As of the sixth month of life, it is known that breast milk can no longer meet the nutritional needs of the baby, who needs to be weaned, that is, started feeding with solid and semi-solid foods. No fear: at six months when you are done, your child will be able from every point of view to accept a food that is denser than milk, acquiring a certain autonomy which is synonymous with growth.
The Ministry of Health recommends grated fruit as one of the first foods to be used for weaning, in addition to chopped potatoes and carrots or cream of rice diluted in milk. And the queen of fruit to wean children, in Italy, has always been the apple: super-nutritious and genuine, with a delicate flavor, easy to digest and available all year round. But let's find out more closely what are the reasons for preferring the apple, which types of apples to buy and how to offer it to the little ones.
Before proceeding with the reading of the article, watch this video where you can find useful tips to face the moment of your baby's crying with peace of mind. Dear mothers, never think you are wrong!
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Why the apple?
There are many mothers who choose apple as the first food after milk for their children. Tradition certainly matters and most of us have been weaned on this sweet and light fruit. The apple is made of 85% water, which is great for hydrating the baby.
It also contains mineral salts, fibers, easily assimilable sugars, fundamental vitamins such as provitamin A, B1, B2, B6, E and C, as well as citric, malic, niacin and folic acid, flavonoids and carotenoids: in short, a real panacea ! It is certainly no coincidence that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" ... and this applies to all ages!
The apple, then, is generally appreciated by children for its sweet and fresh flavor. It is an easy to digest fruit, not very allergenic and able to protect the digestive system. If grated, its consistency is ideal for weaning, a semi-solid perfect for its little mouth!
More reasons to choose the apple? It is not a seasonal fruit and is found all year round; it is fortifying and even has a calming action. What more could you ask for?
What kind of apple to choose?
Which apple to choose for weaning? It goes without saying that it must be a top quality apple of controlled origin. Better to choose a very Italian brand like Marlene, a symbol of excellent fruit from South Tyrol.
Marlene products are checked one by one and grown according to the rules of integrated production: each fruit is marked with the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) mark: in this way you will have maximum security on the quality of the fruit you offer to your child!
Some apple varieties are more suitable than others for weaning. Children will prefer sweeter ones, such as Royal Gala, Golden, Red Delicious or Fuji. The more floury types are better to grate.
How to propose it to your child?
The best way to start weaning is to offer your baby a grated apple. Take the purchased fruit and rinse it well, even if you will have to peel it later. Use a grater, preferably glass, and avoid blending because it does not incorporate air bubbles. I recommend: do not add sugar to your apple "porretta"! At most a few drops of lemon to prevent it from blackening.
The apple can also be offered to the little ones cooked, especially if the child has difficulty in going to the body. Boil the apple, peel it and then mash it with a fork: it will be a cure-all against constipation.
Preparing an apple puree, as you have seen, is very simple: therefore avoid, if possible, baby food, at least in this first phase: fresh food is much more nutritious.
If the child initially refuses food, do not insist and habituate it slowly, one teaspoon at a time. In a short time he will taste his apple all smiling, just like the children below:
