Beets for Self Feeding

Beets are a good food for your baby to self-feed, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age, or during the finger foods stage at 9 months.

• 6+ months - Cooked halves, quarters or as a puree: Offer cooked, peeled beets that can be easily pierced with a fork, in whole form or halves. 
• 9+ months - Cooked halves, quarters, or bite-sized: Offering cooked, bite-sized pieces of beets will help baby practice refining their pincer grasp at this age. You can also continue to offer cooked halves or quarters so that your baby can practice taking bites off larger pieces.
• 12+ months - Cooked bite-sized pieces or raw, grated:  Let your toddler practice using a fork to poke bite-sized pieces of cooked beets. You can also offer raw, grated pieces of beet at this age to help practice chewing skills.

Beets for Self-Feeding

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Age: 6+ months 

Ingredients 

• 2 medium beets, stems removed and washed
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 
2. Place the beets onto a big piece of tinfoil. Drizzle on the olive oil and then seal the beets into a tin foil package, making sure there are no air holes. 
3. Place the beet package into the oven and roast for 45-60 minutes. Let cool slightly. 
4. Peel the beets with a small knife under running water to help with the bleeding. 
5. Cut beets in an age-appropriate way. 
1.  

Notes

Age: 6+ months

Yield: 2 portions for baby

Storage: you can store the peas in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Puree for Self-Feeding: Yes, it can be done! You can offer purees and still allow your baby to lead the way with self-feeding.

• Place a few spoonfuls of purees directly on the tray or in a bowl for your baby to dip fingers into. Model how to dip your fingers into the puree and bring them to your mouth, to taste some.
• Offer your baby a pre-loaded self-feeding utensil and hold it out for them to grasp or set on their tray. 
• Use a solid food as a dipper. You can also offer a soft stick-shaped piece of food, such as a soft roasted carrot or bread lightly toasted and cut into strips to dip into the puree.

Nutritional Information

Different varieties of beets have different nutrition profiles, depending on the color. But they are all nutritious!

• High in fiber to promote healthy digestion.
• High in folate, which supports growth and development.
• Contains many other nutrients, including iron, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and antioxidants.