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First Foods for Babies

By March 17, 2013April 25th, 2022Baby and Kids, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Desserts, Vegetarian

Testimony of the Day

“Hi Maria! So, I came to you just what, 8 weeks ago? I asked for help with 2 matters. Weight loss and infertility. I know from my measurements that weight loss is occurring and we found out this week that I am expecting!! How’s that for fantastic news?! In just 2 monthly cycles, my body was able to do what it hasn’t been able to do in 3 years (I started your eating plan on day 1 of the first cycle).”

To get started on your path to health, click here to get started. A year from now you will thank yourself!

BABY’S 1st FOODS

Sadly, parents often think that rice cereal is the first food to introduce to a baby. Avocado and Organic Egg yolks are much healthier for our babies. A recent Swedish study suggests that when infants are given substantial amounts of cereal, they may suffer from low concentrations of zinc and reduced calcium absorption. Dr. David Ludwig of Children’s Hospital Boston, a specialist in pediatric nutrition, says some studies suggest rice and other highly processed grain cereals actually could be among the worst foods for infants.

“These foods are in a certain sense no different from adding sugar to formula. They digest very rapidly in the body into sugar, raising blood sugar and insulin levels” and could contribute to later health problems, including obesity,” he says.

Organic Egg yolks, rich in choline, cholesterol and other brain-nourishing substances, can be added to your baby’s diet as early as four months,1 as long as baby takes it easily. (If baby reacts poorly to egg yolk at that age, discontinue and try again one month later.) Cholesterol is vital for the insulation of the nerves in the brain and the entire central nervous system. It helps with fat digestion by increasing the formation of bile acids and is necessary for the production of many hormones. Since the brain is so dependent on cholesterol, it is especially vital during this time when brain growth is in hyper-speed. Choline is another critical nutrient for brain development. The traditional practice of feeding egg yolks early is confirmed by current research. A study published in the June 2002 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compared the nutritional effects of feeding weaning infants 6-12 months of age regular egg yolks, enriched egg yolks, and an otherwise normal diet.

The researchers found that both breastfed and formula-fed infants who consumed the egg yolks had improved iron levels when compared with the infants who did not. In addition, those infants who got the egg yolks enriched with extra fatty acids had 30 percent to 40 percent greater DHA levels than those fed regular egg yolks. No significant effect on blood cholesterol levels was seen. The best choice for baby is yolks from pasture-fed hens raised on fish meal, or insects since they will contain higher levels of DHA. Why just the yolk? The white is the portion that most often causes allergic reactions, so wait to give egg whites until after your child turns one.

Don’t neglect to put a pinch of salt on the egg yolk. While many books warn against giving salt to babies, salt is actually critical for digestion as well as for brain development. Use unrefined salt to supply a variety of trace minerals.

My second favorite choice is mashed avocado!

First Foods for Babies

If you are interested, I have this great ebook for kids HERE.

Why do I love coconut milk? Let me count the ways…

1. DIABETICS: Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose. Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.

2. INTESTINAL DISORDERS: Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease. Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers. Improves digestion and bowel function. Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids. Supports tissue healing and repair of the intestines. Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.

3. ATHLETES: Provides ketones for a quick source energy. Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance. This also helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

4. IMMUNE SYSTEM: Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.

5. Kills fungi and yeasts that cause thrush, candida, ringworm, athlete’s foot, diaper rash, and other infections.

6. Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body. Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.

7. OSTEOPOROSIS: Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.

8. HEART DISEASE: Reduces inflammation. It is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease. Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.

9. AGING: Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease. Does not deplete the body’s antioxidant reserves like other oils do. Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation. Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.

10. KIDNEY STONES: Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections. Dissolves kidney stones.

11. WEIGHT LOSS: It is lower in calories than all other fats and it supports thyroid function. It promotes weight loss by increasing metabolic rate. Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats. Medium chained triglycerides produce ketones (energy) rather than being stored as fat.

12. SKIN DISORDERS: Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection. Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin. Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking. Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion. Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Helps control dandruff.

First Foods for Babies

Maria Emmerich

Maria is a wellness expert who has helped clients follow a Ketogenic lifestyle to heal and lose weight for over 20 years. She has helped thousands of clients get healthy, get off medications and heal their bodies; losing weight is just a bonus. She is the international best selling author of several books including "Keto: The Complete Guide to Success on the Ketogenic Diet.".

93 Comments

  • Amanda says:

    Do you recommend the canned coconut milk or the So Delicious Unsweetened coconut milk found in the carton?

  • I am talking about coconut milk in the can:)))

    • Marieta McCune says:

      Maria, what the consistency of the Coconut milk in the can should be? I have opened a brand named “Goya” and it looks like it has curdled even when I first open it. Can you post some videos along with your recipes, please? Thank You!

    • The coconut milk in the can will settle and there will be cream on the top and water on the bottom. Just mix it up before use or just pour it all into the blender for this recipe. Thanks! 🙂

    • Dayna Salva says:

      hint – give the coconut milk can a good little shake before opening it and it’s good to go.

  • Jennifer says:

    Wow – so interesting!! How nice for little Kai – yummy!

  • I recommend it as a daily diet. I can live with these.

  • Anonymous says:

    so this dish isn’t cooked like your Dairy Free Custard cups, which I also make for my baby? Do you just put it in the refridgerator? Have you noticed that your kids prefer the pudding over the custard? Thanks so much! Nikki

  • Yes, I store it in the fridge.

    If you hard boil the eggs, there is no need to bake it into a custard. My kids prefer this recipe over the custard:)

    Happy Eating!

  • A says:

    Wow. I love eggs, but that sounds a little scary!! I have to try it though. Maybe when I’m not pregnant and so prone to being turned off of foods…LOL!

  • aimeezing says:

    wow, what an interesting idea- you’re a genius! i just made this for my four year old to try to get more protein in her. she didn’t love it so i added a couple tablespoons of coconut oil and a couple tablespoons of cocoa and wow! it really whipped up like pudding. so smooth and maya loves it! can’t wait to see what it does in the fridge tonight. will probably get a little hard but that will be yummy too! thank you!!!

  • Anonymous says:

    I’m thinking this texture could be a sub for mayo with the texture and just leave out the sweetner? London

  • Julia says:

    I saw this post LATE last night, right before bed, but I literally sprang out of bed and tried it because it was so crazy! I happened to have some hard boiled eggs on hand, and a can of coconut milk I had opened the night before. I made a 1/3 of the original recipe, decided to omit the stevia and threw in a banana with it instead. I also added some coconut oil as a previous commenter suggested. It was shockingly good! It truly tasted like banana pudding. WILD! I kept repeating “my mind is blown. BLOWN” to my husband, haha. He was shocked too. I called my mom today and told her, and she couldn’t believe it. I had two friends over this afternoon and I had them try it–and they both thought it tasted good. One said “just like banana pudding!” and they couldn’t believe it was hard boiled eggs. So crazy!

    It’s not something I would want to eat regularly, simply because I wouldn’t want to eat banana pudding a lot, haha, but I plan on using the concept a lot. For instance, I like to make smoothies with berries and spinach sometimes, but I’ve long struggled with wanting a protein source for them that isn’t overly processed. Now I know I can throw in a hard boiled egg or two! In particular, I’m going to try soaking some ginger in coconut milk overnight, and blending it with water and a little pineapple and a hard boiled egg. Based on the earlier posters recommendation for mayo, I’m wondering if this wouldn’t make a good base for a dip? I had a curry mayo dip that was pretty fantastic, and curry usually pairs well with coconut undertones so I might try it with this base recipe (w/o sweetener)!

    This is super exciting! Maria, thank for blowing my mind 🙂 Kai is lucky to have you!

  • Anonymous says:

    Could you substitute tofu for the eggs? I am not against eating eggs, but happen to have tofu on hand and thought it would whip up to a creamy consistency. If I get impatient and try it before anyone responds, I’ll let you know how it turns out!

    I also love the idea of adding the coconut oil and cocoa powder!

  • Lisa says:

    WOW this does sound like an insane idea! Those pictures look amazing though. I’m going to have to whip this up for myself and try it.

  • MIchele in California says:

    I made this with peppermint and cocoa and it was so awesome!
    This is a big deal to me, because I dislike eggs; yet they are so good for you!
    I might throw an avocado in the mix next time, just for the heck of it.
    I purchased “Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism” yesterday. I’m really looking forward to reading it!
    Thanks again,
    Michele

  • Ms Shell says:

    Yup I finally got around to making it. Reminds me of a creme brulee…thanks for the recipe!!

  • Jules says:

    For babies do you just hardboil the egg and give them the yolk? My five month old has had rice cereal a few times now, and I’d like to try the avocado and egg yolks for him…

  • Ellen R says:

    Hello Maria – I an a newcomer to your blog and am just overjoyed at what I’ve found! My husband and I have made the decision to not only incorporate low carb as a lifestyle (not just a passing phase :-P) but also go gluten-free and really change our lives in a commitment to health. We have a 9 month old baby boy and I have been struggling with his first foods. I too was so skeptical about baby cereal and the processed baby foods, but didn’t know what to do as an alternative source of iron for him. I am so ecstatic to try this pudding for him as a breakfast! Thank you so much. One question, since he’s so little and doesn’t eat much yet, I know that I could halve the recipe, but could I portion it in containers and store in the freezer? I was wondering about texture issues upon thawing? Do you think there would be any issues with ‘breaking’ or curdling if it was thawed?

    • We go through it so fast I haven’t tried to freeze it! Kai eats like crazy for an 18 month old! I think it would freeze ok since the eggs are cooked. It’s worth a try! 🙂

    • Ellen R says:

      Maria – I just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I made it and this is the second morning I’ve given it to my son and he LOVES it! I love that he’s getting protein and all that nutrition and not those empty carbs. You are an absolute angel. I spent all yesterday evening looking through your blog and recipes and even made the lemon bars and chocolate flaxseed muffins! Your boys are so lucky that they have you to care for them and their health. I think what you are doing is wonderful and I have a newfound energy to embrace this lifestyle for my family.

    • Thank you so much for the kind words! 🙂

    • Ellen R says:

      Just wanted to update you on the pudding – I have made a second batch and froze some and then thawed and served. It came out just fine! I just thawed in the fridge overnight and gave it a good stir and it was great. Thanks again! What’s amazing to me is my baby is not a big eater at all, so I can get 9 portions out of the recipe. With my husband and I struggling with overindulging, our weight and food addictions, I am trying as hard as I can not to force him to eat past his natural cues. It’s difficult considering I have trouble recognizing those cues myself!

    • Yeah! Glad it worked out. You can do it. One recipe change at a time and before you know it you will be eating healthy at every meal. 🙂

  • Mari says:

    I just found you via Pinterest and I love this idea so much I could kiss you or carry your child or maybe something a little less weird.

    You deserve a Nobel Prize for this. Thank you.

  • Gina B says:

    My husband bought a carton of coconut milk; how much should I add to the recipe. I wasn’t sure how big a can of the milk was.

    Gina

  • Anonymous says:

    Is there a nutritional breakdown on this recipe that I am not seeing? If not, has anyone done the math? I like the taste of this too!

  • Anonymous says:

    My son is 14 and has never been on a peleo diet before in fact he has grown up on a diet of 75 % grain 10 % fruit 5 % meat 5 % vegetables with as little fat as possible. I just recently heard of the paleo diet and am switching to a nightshade free strict paleo diet due to some recent health issues. My 14 year old does not even know I’m doing so yet! One of his new favorite foods is your protein pudding we make it with agave instead of stevia glycerite as a snack.

  • Lori, UK says:

    Maria, could you tell me roughly the weight of the eggs you use? I’ve just made this recipe tonight, and it seems to taste VERY strongly “eggy”. I tried adding more sweetener, cinnamon and cocoa, gradually increasing – but it didn’t seem to mask the flavour.

    So, I am wondering if the eggs I used were too large – which would throw out the proportions of the coconut milk, and perhaps overpowering it? The average weight of the eggs I am using is between 60 and 65 grams each egg.

    Thanks in advance. Your recipes are awesome!

    • Thank! This recipe does have an eggy flavor since it is mostly eggs. It is just a unique way to get lots of great nutritents from the eggs into a pudding texture. We use this for our baby Kai and he loves it! 🙂

  • Kyle says:

    So is it the whole egg or just the egg white used in this recipe? I would imagine that the pudding might look yellow if using the yolf.

  • Anonymous says:

    Do you ever use lite coconut milk?

  • Tiffany says:

    Is everything in the paleo pudding safe for a baby of 4 months? Or should it just be the yolk and coconut milk?

  • Sylvie says:

    Can i use coconut milk for a 5months old baby?
    thanks

  • Mrs.Prudence says:

    I love love love your approach with food! I’m a nourishing traditions girl and your blog is so refreshing. I was searching and searching for this site. And I found it! You’re amazing!! I had a question, I just had our 2nd son 6 weeks ago and am breastfeeding. I’m wondering what the correlation is with wheat and my milk. For example: does it decrease supply, does it stay in my milk then effect my babies stomach, can I get enough carbs in my diet without it and still successfully feed him? I ask this because my family has a history of diabetes and I want to be proactive in my diet now rather than later. Thanks for your help.

  • jannyo says:

    I was wondering if when you write “Why do I love coconut milk? Let me count the ways…” and then list all the benefits–does this also pertain to coconut oil?

  • Anonymous says:

    Wow! I’m 66 and hate everything about eggs–taste, texture, etc. I’m anxious to try this. Just tell me there is no egg taste. Thank you so much.
    Vicki

  • jmcfitt says:

    Oh wow! Sounds wonderful! Cant wait to try this! I made yet ANOTHER batch of your protein bread at 5am this morning!! that is in addition to the 2 I made last night! My family LOVES your recipes!!

  • jmcfitt says:

    You are amazing!! Your recipes just keep getting better! Hope this is ok for all ages – because I cant wait to try it:)!!

  • Sylvie says:

    Do you think i can substitute coconut milk for breast milk? my daughter is almost 8 months and still nursing.
    Thank you

  • Becky says:

    My son loves this stuff! I did add caco powder and had to use some honey. I did not have your sweetner so I bought some truvia I think. It is not so good…I however did not want to waste 10 eggs and a can of coconut milk so I went with it and after a little of this and a bit of that it was something my son will eat. I froze some for a ice cream type treat and I have some as a pudding. He hates eggs and pretty much anything else that is not in a box, steak, pizza or peas! We are working towards cleaning up everyones diet. Thanks Maria!

  • Eliza says:

    Holy wow! I saw this recipe ages ago, made it last night and chilled in the fridge and just tried some for breakfast. It’s amazing! I really can hardly believe it, it is the weirdest recipe!! I am ordering Secret to a healthy metabolism NOW!

  • Kristi says:

    How many cups/ounces are in each serving? You break down the calories, was just trying to figure out the size of the serving for those calories. I have a child that needs a lot of calories in small servings. Thanks!

  • angela says:

    Is it ok to feed the yolk from soft boiled eggs (runny yolk) or should I only give hard boiled egg yolks to my 6 month old?

  • angela says:

    Sorry, forgot to ask earlier but I noticed there is a stevia glycerite that contains alcohol and one that doesn’t. Which stevia glycerite (Now Foods Better Stevia Original or Now Foods Better Stevia Glycerite Alcohol Free) It looks like the orange label doesn’t specify glycerite either. Do these taste the same with no aftertaste? I want to give it to my infant as well. Thanks.

  • angela says:

    I would have to make this using just egg yolks for my 6 month old. Would I need to use more eggs to get the same consistency if the other measurements were kept the same or would 10 yolks alone be sufficient for the pudding consistency? Thanks.

  • CINTHIA says:

    Omg ! I just made this for myself then I decided to give one to my daughter who is in the autism spectrum, she’s incredibly picky in regards to puddings, unfortunately the only thing she would eat is the packed stuff, lemon flavour or butterscotch, but theres soooo much sugar and additives in those guys, I decided to empty one of the cups and place some of this “baby food”, she looked at it and then opened her mouth, once it came in contact with her she spat it all out but then looked at me like waiting for some more lol, I gave her another one and she kept it, then she opened her mouth again ! omg ! I was able to fill 6 Avent type cups, I used whole eggs and a real vanilla bean, I think next time I might 2 vanilla beans instead. How can I make them chocolate flavour ? should I use cocoa powder or bakers dark chocolate? any suggestion? Thanks so much Maria, you rock !

  • angela says:

    how long does this keep in the refrigerator?

  • Melissa says:

    just wanted to share that I made this for my 2-year-old daughter and she loves it! However, I turned it into “eggnog” one day by adding a little almond milk, nutmeg, and a hint more sweetener and vanilla to maybe 1/3 cup of this. I put it in a blender and it turned into a thick eggnog-like shake. I liked it too! Now my daughter keeps asking for “eh-naw”, as she calls it. Thanks for your genius idea!!!

  • Katherine says:

    I made half this recipe the other day- sort of- and my son loved it! First baby food I could get him to eat besides applesauce, but I really don’t want him having all the sugar in applesauce very often, so this was perfect. He is 8 months, so I made it without the whites, but it was much too runny and not pudding-like at all so I added half an avocado. I put a little stevia in but only had a tiny bit left so I also added 1 drop of ez-sweetz (sucralose). I didn’t have any coconut milk so I used raw cow’s milk. Also, I didn’t add cinnamon because his mouth gets all red when he eats cinnamon. Like I said, he loved it! Instead of turning his head away to avoid the spoon he opened his mouth and stuck out his little tongue asking for more! Thank you so much for this recipe! 🙂

  • Leah says:

    Did you use pure vanilla extract? I made some of this for my 6 month old (yolks only) but realized I used extract, which is made with alcohol. I only used half the vanilla anyways, but wanted to hear your opinion on giving pure extract to an infant.

  • Amber says:

    I’ve been looking through your site trying to find a recipe for baby formula… Or brand you recommend… Or link to recipe you recommend? Any help would be great! Thank you!!!

  • Sandy Hazlewood says:

    I’m addicted to this stuff, especially since I found pre boiled and peeled eggs at Costco (They are vacuum sealed with no preservatives, and taste great!! Deviled eggs are a breeze now!) Talk about crazy easy and delicious! Pudding is a texture that I love, and this hits the spot for me! I seriously don’t know how you came up with this idea, but it’s brilliant, and!!

  • Sandy Hazlewood says:

    I’m addicted to this stuff, especially since I found pre boiled and peeled eggs at Costco (They are vacuum sealed with no preservatives, and taste great!! Deviled eggs are a breeze now!) Talk about crazy easy and delicious! Pudding is a texture that I love, and this hits the spot for me! I seriously don’t know how you came up with this idea, but it’s brilliant!!

  • Kristina says:

    Great recipe and my 9 month old son loves it. I just had a quick question. My mixture turns a little brown the next day….it tastes the same but just wanted to check if that happens to others.

    Thank you,

  • Rachel says:

    Maria is your recipe above (for protein pudding, made with coconut milk) safe for babies? I know egg yolks are ok but I don’t know about the other ingredients…?

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