Introducing Meat

I think that it is time to introduce meat with the boys and need some suggestions.

I do alot of my own baby food but am at a complete loss when it comes to meat. I just don't know where to start with it. What did you all do?

 

when I made my own meat, I started with chicken. I baked it in the oven in mandarin oranges and their juice. I bought the jarred ones. That way it didnt dry out, and had some flavour.

 

I baked ground meats.. chicken with peaches or mango and beef with broccoli, green beans and peas. In the very early days I blended it all so it was smooth, but before long i just left it ground to introduce some texture.

 

At nine months, we had moved on to almost all table foods. I didn't introduce meat until then either. They had whatever it was we had for meat, just cut up into small pieces-chicken, meatballs, turkey. They loved it. The meatballs were great because MIL cooks them in her sauce all day, and there is nothing that compares to her meatballs! I have an awesome recipe for chicken croquettes, which is ground chicken and then fry them in oil, but you could easily bake them.

 

We just started this past week - i had bought a delicious roast chicken. Took pieces of the juicy parts and just cut up into small (cheerio size) pieces. The boys love it. Now i have to figure out what/how to give them other meat. Meatballs sound like a great idea. Maybe turkey burger - small pieces would be good im thinking.

 

I haven't tried it yet, but I had a friend who put a pork loin in the slow cooker so it was pull-apart tender. I've cooked a lot of my own, but I've only given my girls prepackaged baby food when it comes to meats. Alas, there are no baby foods with pork, so I'm thinking of giving it a try.