Food: what evening meal for baby?

When the child takes all his meals with his parents, it is easier to control his menus to offer him a varied and balanced diet, than when he is kept outside and therefore does not take his lunch with us. However, there are nutritional benchmarks allowing us to guide us.

Food diversification: from what age does a baby eat in the evening?

It is between 4 months and 7 months that babies discover foods other than milk. At the very beginning of food diversification, fruits and vegetables will be introduced at midday. For the evening, generally, we wait a few weeks, i.e. around 8 months : baby must have time to get used to the spoon, to new textures and flavors.

Food from 6 months: when to feed meat in the evening?

Early childhood professionals advise against protein at dinner, at least during the baby’s first months. It is rather at noon that baby has his portion of meat, fish or œuf. In terms of quantity, consult your pediatrician, who can really advise you according to your child’s weight and growth curve.

Bottle, soup, milk, vegetables: what does my child eat in the evening from 6 months to 2 years old?

Florence Solsona, nutritionist and author of “My child eats badly!” (Larousse editions) advises us on feeding the child in the evening:

• Between 8 and 10 months, we can expect to dinner a vegetable puree and a bottle follow-on milk OR a bottle of follow-on milk with 2 tablespoons of vegetables and a milk product.
• Between 10 months and 1 year, baby’s dinner can consist of a vegetable soup (1/3 starchy foods and 2/3 vegetables) + a dairy + a fruit OR, if the child has had starchy foods at midday, a bottle of follow-on milk with a few spoons of vegetable puree + a compote.
• Between 1 year and 2 years, we expect a 250 ml bottle of soup + a milk + a fruit OR a puree composed of 50% vegetables and 50% starch + a milk + a fruit, if the child did not have starchy foods for lunch. 

Baby’s evening meal: organization side!

When you come home from work, it’s not always easy to find the time to prepare good homemade meals for your baby. If you give your child baby food in the evening, no need to feel guilty: they are indeed designed especially for children and meet their nutritional needs.

If possible, you can save precious time on weekdays at weekends! On our days without work, we prepare mashed vegetables and soups that we freeze. In the morning, take them out of the freezer, then in the evening, reheat them… And here is a balanced homemade dinner for baby!