If you’re wondering how to serve broccoli to your baby you’ve come to the right place. Broccoli is a really important veg that will ensure your baby is getting all the Vitamin C he or she needs. Find out here how to serve broccoli to your baby, the answers to other commonly asked questions and a list of our favourite recipes that use broccoli including muffins, fritters and pasta dishes!
How to Serve Broccoli to Baby
Broccoli is a nutrient-rich vegetable that can be introduced to babies from six months old. Here’s how you can serve broccoli to your baby:
Preparation: Wash the broccoli thoroughly and remove any tough outer leaves. Steam or boil the broccoli until it becomes soft and easily mashable. Steaming is preferred so the veg can retain more of its nutrients, but if you don’t have a steamer, boiling is fine.
Cutting: Cut the cooked broccoli into small florets or mash it into a suitable texture for your baby’s age and chewing abilities. This will largely depend on whether your baby is following the baby led weaning method or is traditionally weaning.
Serving: Allow the broccoli to cool down to an appropriate temperature before offering it to your baby.
What’s the best steamer to use?
You can choose a stand alone steamer or one that sits on your stove top. Both have their own pros and cons, but we always used a stand alone three tiered steamer so we could steam in bulk. Batch cooking was always important to me when I was weaning my babies.
What are the Health Benefits of Offering Broccoli to Your Baby?
Broccoli is such an amazing food to offer to your baby and by offering it early on, you’ll make sure that they’re a fan for life. Even now at three and six years old, both my boys choose broccoli as their veg of choice. Felix even goes as far to have broccoli as a snack!
Broccoli is amazing for you because:
- It’s a good source of fibre which may help to prevent constipation – a common complaint for weaning babies
- Packed full of Vitamin C for a healthy immune system
- Also contains Vitamins A, B, E and K!
- A fantastic source of iron, something your baby needs to get from food sources after six months+
- Contains calcium – vital for bone and teeth health
- Also contains potassium, selenium and magnesium – all vital for supporting your baby’s health.
Our favourite baby led weaning products
Should I steam or boil broccoli for my baby?
Steaming is a recommended cooking method for broccoli as it helps retain more nutrients. Steam until it becomes soft and tender.
Can I offer small florets of cooked broccoli as finger food to my baby?
Yes, cooked broccoli florets cut into small, bite-sized pieces can be offered as finger food for your baby to explore and self-feed.
Can I mix mashed broccoli with other vegetables or grains?
Absolutely! Mashed broccoli can be mixed with other cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, or grains like rice or quinoa to create a flavourful and nutritious meal.
Our Favourite Recipes for Babies Using Broccoli
Author: Nicola Hughes
Nicola has weaned both of her boys using the baby led weaning method. She loves nothing better than creating simple recipes that anyone can recreate, using as few ingredients as possible. All of her recipes have been tried and tested by both Dexter and Felix and have their seal of approval!