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Can babies safely eat dark green leafy vegetables? Absolutely! It’s not safe for babies to eat raw greens or foods like lettuce or uncooked spinach or kale...but there are a number of ways you can safely prepare greens for baby-led weaning.

In this episode I’m sharing 5 easy ways to feed your baby dark green leafy vegetables. Greens contain unique flavors for your baby to try plus some valuable nutrients. And while plant based foods with iron (like the type in spinach and other greens) aren’t as easily absorbed by the body as animal foods, they’re still important foods for babies to eat (safely!)

Dive into this episode for 5 easy ways your baby can safely learn to eat greens!

SHOW NOTES

SUMMARY of episode

In this episode, I’m covering the types of greens that babies can eat:

• Spinach, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, swiss chard and beet greens

• 5 recipe ideas shared in this episode:

  • Beet green pesto - you can make this with any green, chop & cook or saute, combine in a blender with lots of olive oil & a little parmesan cheese, add salt for adults later

  • Swiss chard fritters - again works with any green, use ½ cup of chopped cooked green, 1 cup dry cooked grain and 1 egg. Stir to combine and fry in patties in a high smoke point oil like avocado oil. I like the Primal Kitchen avocado oil & use code FERRARO10 for 10% off at checkout.

  • Collard green egg cups - works with greens, especially spinach but combine lightly fork-scrambled raw eggs, a smidge of cheese, seasoning like sage or rosemary or basil and some cooked chopped green. Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray and cook at 350 degrees F for 15-20 min or until egg is set & cooked through

  • Spinach manicotti - ricotta cheese is a surprisingly low sodium cheese that works well for baby-led weaning. Combine ricotta with eggs and cooked greens or spinach; spoon into pre-cooked manicotti pasta tubes or cooked pasta shells and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 min or until warmed through. Cool before serving to baby.

  • Kale chips - these are for older babies because crunchy foods can be a choking hazard for earlier eaters. Commercial kale chips are too high in sodium for babies but you can make your own kale chips by spraying with olive oil and baking in a 325 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until slightly crispy

• For more ideas about foods that babies can safely self-feed check out my free online workshop called “BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS: How to get your baby to try 100 foods before turning 1 without you having to spoon-feed purees or buy pouches!”. You can sign up for this week’s workshop times and everyone on this workshop gets a copy of my 100 FIRST FOODS LIST.

TRANSCRIPT of episode

WANT MORE BLW INFO?!

• SUBSCRIBE to the Baby-Led Weaning Made Easy Podcast here - new episodes are released on Monday and Thursday and subscribing means you’ll never miss what’s new (+ you’ll get notified about special bonus episodes too!)

• FOLLOW my baby-led weaning Instagram page @babyledweanteam for daily video trainings - lots of great info on how your baby can safely learn to eat lots of trickier foods like those dark green leafy vegetables

• SIGN UP for my online workshop called BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS here. Inside this free online workshop you’ll learn everything you need to know to get your baby to eat 100 foods before turning 1 without you having to spoon-feed purees or buy pouches. Everyone on the workshop gets a copy of my 100 First Foods list...plus lots of ideas on giving babies a safe start to solid foods using baby-led weaning. Register here.