By Health Promotion Board in collaboration with A/Prof Mary Daniel Lourdes, Head & Senior Consultant, Clinical Services, Department of Child Development, KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

At 7 months old, your baby may already be on two solid meals a day. Fret not if he’s eating less solid food than that, as different babies progress at different speeds.

Recommended Number of Servings (7 months)

Here are the recommended number of servings per day for your baby's development. Remember, these numbers are only recommendations. Let your baby decide how much he wants to eat!

Wholegrains Fruit Vegetables Meat and others Milk (breast/formula)
1-2 ½ ½ ½ 500-750ml

 

7-month-baby Meal Schedule

Your meal schedule for the little one might look like this:

  • Early morning snack: 150ml breast milk/formula
  • Breakfast: 3 to 4 tablespoons of rice cereal mixed with 60ml breast milk/formula
  • Mid-morning snack: 180ml breast milk/formula
  • Lunch: ¼ to ¾ bowl* of solid food
  • Afternoon snack: 180ml breast milk/formula
  • Dinner: ¼ to ¾ bowl* of solid food
  • Evening snack: 180ml breast milk/formula

    • *Rice bowl

 

Right now, your baby’s meals may typically be made up of a base wholegrain/grain (e.g. porridge) mixed with vegetable (e.g. pureed broccoli) and meat/others (e.g. tofu), perhaps with a tiny portion of fruit (e.g. apple and other fruit puree) when your baby feels up for it.

Broken down into these components, there are countless yummy meal combos you and your baby can explore. Just mix and match and let your creativity go wild! Read on for ideas on what you can feed your 7-month-old tot.

Related: Nutrition for Your Toddler

7-month-old Baby Food Ideas for Mummy and Daddy

7-month baby diet includes pureed veggies

Along the grain

You know brown rice cereal and brown rice porridge are good staples for your baby. But you’re ready to branch out. Why not try other iron-fortified cereals made from other wholegrains such as oat, barley, or millet? They are great sources of vitamins and minerals. 

Related: No Wholegrain, No Gain

Variety of veggies

Pureed carrots, pumpkin, spinach… your baby might have already tried these typical “baby foods”. Expand the veggie menu: your baby might enjoy other vegetables such as butternut squash or brinjal, which can both be steamed until tender for effortless mashing. Broccoli and cauliflower are also mashable veggie options that are good sources of vitamin C.

Related: Harness the Goodness of Fruit and Vegetables

Fruity fun

As for fruit, mummy and daddy can try venturing out of the sweet zone: your little one might enjoy the tart taste of fruit like cherries or plums (pits removed and pureed). So try feeding your little one some sour treats — and watch his face for when the flavour first hits him. Adorable! Note to mum and dad: no citrus fruit yet, though, as those are too acidic.

Baby not into sour fruit just yet? Why not try feeding him every millennial’s favourite fruit: the avocado! It’s easy to mash, and adds a subtle sweet flavor and creaminess to rice cereals.

Related: Fun Fruity Facts

Avocado is easy to mash, sweet and creamy – perfect for 7-month-old babies

Meet meat alternatives

Chicken and tofu are the safe baby food options, but your baby might be ready to handle other types of protein. Looking for a protein-packed alternative to meat? Try pulses like mashed chickpeas or kidney beans.

You can also introduce junior to fish such as salmon and cod—make sure you flake and mash them well. Do talk to your pediatrician before feeding fish to your baby if he has:

  1. Had an allergic reaction to food in the past
  2. A food allergy
  3. Chronic (long-term) eczema

 

Keep observing your child for signs of an allergic reaction after you feed him fish, as it is one of the most common food allergens. Signs include facial swelling, rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty in breathing. Take your baby to the doctor if you spot any of these signs.

Related: Soya—The Unique Plant Protein

Try These Solid Meals!

Breakfast

  • Oat cereal with breast/formula milk with pureed cherries
  • Brown rice porridge with pumpkin puree

 

Lunch/Dinner

  • Brown rice porridge with mashed chickpea and mashed cauliflower + tablespoonful of pureed plums
  • Brown rice porridge with mashed butternut squash and mashed cod
  • Millet cereal with apple and spinach puree, with pureed chicken

 

Related: Introducing Wholegrains to Your Child

Friendly Reminders for Mum and Dad

6 to 9 months: smooth, soft and fine texture

When you first start your baby on solids, the food you feed him should be smooth, soft, and fine in texture. As the little one grows older and gets better at chewing, you can gradually feed him food that is thicker and coarser—for example, a thicker puree.

Related: Your Growing Baby

Food prep pointers

If you’re making your own baby food, make sure to prepare it without oil. Some great cooking methods are steaming, boiling, baking, or microwaving. No stir-frying or grilling yet for the little one! Remember to skip the sugar, salt and any other seasonings (e.g. soy sauce) when preparing the meals.

Related: From Goreng to Grill: Healthier Cooking Methods

Steaming is a healthy way to prepare food for your 7-month-old baby

Be patient

If your baby isn’t interested in a certain food, do not force it. There’s also no need to force your child to finish everything on his plate! Stop feeding him if he rejects the food, and try again during the next meal. Right now, your baby knows best about how much he wants to eat.

Related: Getting Ready for Solids

What makes 1 serving?

Wholegrains

½ bowl of brown rice/rice (100g)
½ bowl of noodles, spaghetti or beehoon (100g)
1 large potato (180g)

Fruit

1 small apple, orange, pear or mango (130g)
1 wedge pineapple, papaya or watermelon (130g)
1 medium banana

Vegetable

¾ mug or 1 small rice bowl of cooked vegetables (100g)
¼ plate of vegetables

Meat and others

1 palm-sized piece of fish, lean meat or skinless poultry (90g)
2 small blocks of soft beancurd (170g)
¾ cup or 1 small rice bowl of cooked pulses (e.g. lentils) (120g)