Iron For Babies
We are often asked why our baby mash recipes have a source of meat or meat alternative in them (beef/ lamb/ chicken/ fish/ lentils, etc). Adding iron-rich foods to the babies' menu will help to promote their health and well-being.
Babies are growing at such a fast rate at this stage and will need iron to support their body and brain development and growth. In addition, from 6 months of age, babies’ own store of iron and zinc decline dramatically, and with infants spending longer days than ever in early learning settings, it makes good sense to include iron-rich foods in their menu.
Most early learning centres, as a rule of thumb, serve ‘baby mash’ prepared purely from a mix of vegetables. Even though some vegetables are good sources of iron, e.g. silverbeet, spinach, broccoli, these are known as non-haem iron foods (plant-based) and are poorly absorbed by our bodies.
An ideal way to increase iron absorption is to include haem iron-type foods (animal-based), such as lean meats and fish to the baby mash and add foods that are rich in vitamin C either to the baby mash or serve them as part of the meal, e.g. fruit and vegetable sticks. For vegetarian children, an alternative is to replace the meat/ fish in the dish with tofu, eggs and legumes (chickpeas, beans and lentils).
Here we provide a recipe for an iron-rich baby mash that is perfect for those babies who are established on solids (babies who are able to eat mixed foods purée). The beef and silverbeet provide both haem and non-haem iron and the kumara rounds it out with a nice dose of Vitamin C to help with iron absorption!
Braised Beef, Kumara and Silverbeet Casserole
Recipe by Clean Plate
Ingredients:
200g rump steak, remove fat, diced
800g kumara, peeled and diced
2 each apple, peeled, cored and grated
8 leaves silverbeet (or 2 handfuls of spinach), washed, stalks removed and shredded
Method:
Place the beef, diced kumara and grated apples in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the ingredients by 2 cms and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
Add the shredded silverbeet (or spinach) and cook for an extra 3 – 5 minutes.
Place a colander over a bowl and strain the solids from the cooking liquid.
Purée the solids in a food processor, gradually adding some of the cooking liquid (if needed), until reaching the desired consistency.
To make it Vegetarian:
Substitute 1 cup dry or 400 g canned lentils, rinsed, for the beef.
To Store:
Simply place cooled, extra purée, into a reusable container with a lid and freeze. Frozen baby mash can be kept in the deep freezer for up to 3 months. Always label with the ingredients and the date.
Want to learn more?
If you’d like more information about iron, iron absorption and the benefits of adding red meat to your babies and toddlers' diets, check NZ Beef and Lamb for a range of resources and great recipes.