It’s almost the festive season, so why not feed your baby some delicious treats and sit down for a family meal with them? Also, use these simple, tasty, festive recipes to make the festivals memorable for your infant this year. Your young children will love these, and you may even be sneaking a taste. Additionally, your kid will benefit significantly from the nutritious ingredients used in these dishes. These baby-friendly cuisine suggestions will undoubtedly add a special touch to the celebration.
It can be challenging to plan a delicious supper for your children as they have specific likes. You can try giving them fruit juices or smoothies using the fruits of the season.
Always make it a point to use seasonal fruits and vegetables in various tasty and creative ways to help create special treats for your babies. Here are a few recipes that your kids can enjoy during the festive season.
A) Banana Sticky Rice
It’s one of the baby’s favourite foods, and you won’t believe how quickly it disappears.
Ingredients:
- One Cup of Rice,
- Two cups of coconut milk, diluted
- A tablespoon of jaggery.
- Two each, or little bananas, for the bananas.
- Two tablespoons of coconut milk, if you want it thick.
Tips on Cooking:
- The recommendation is to soak rice in coconut milk with water added overnight.
- Add more water and pressure cook it.
- Stir the rice into the hot, jaggery-sweetened coconut milk.
B) Kara Pongal
If you’re looking to diversify your kid’s diet, try this dish.
Ingredients:
- One Cup of Rice,
- 12 cups of moong dal
- one teaspoon of jeera
- Include one teaspoon of ghee in your recipe.
- Toss with a few curry leaves
- To prepare ginger, use a generous pinch.
- The flavour enhancer pepper (optional)
- 5.25 cups of water
- Amount of salt: to taste
Tips on Cooking:
- To prepare the rice and moong dal, wash them and soak them for 30 minutes.
- Stir in some jeera while the ghee is hot in a cooker.
- Ginger and curry leaves should be added and cooked for a minute.
- Fill the pot with water and add the rice and dal mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- If you want to serve the cuisine without the curry leaves, you should mash it.
C) Candy Corn with Honey and Caramel
Honey and caramel enhance the already exquisite flavour of popcorn. Honey and caramel popcorn are perfect for kids to snack on while enjoying the festivities. Here you will see how to put one together now.
Ingredients:
- An eighth of a cup of butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- Popcorn, one-third cup
- 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Making it-
- To prepare the oil, heat it in a pan over medium heat. Increase the corn content by two or three kernels.
- When a circle has begun to form, add the remaining corn pieces. Cover the pot and let the corn pop within.
- Turn off the heat and remove the lid once the popping has stopped and all the corn has popped. Prepare a big bowl for the popcorn.
- Put the butter, sugar, and honey in a separate pan. Ten minutes of cooking over a medium burner should do it. Once it has been thoroughly combined, please bring it to a boil and then decrease the heat to a simmer for about 8 minutes.
- Throw all this together and pour it over the popcorn in the bowl. Please wait for it to cool down and serve it to your children.
D) Vegetable Chop
Ingredients:
- Beetroot, 100 grams
- Potato, 150 g
- Carrots, weighing about 120 g
- Beans, 100 grams
- Ginger, 10 grammes
- 3 g of chilli powder
- Salt to Taste
- Panchphoron, 5 grams(A spice blend used in cooking)
- Cumin powder, about 5 grams
- Panko breadcrumbs, about 250 grams
- Roasted peanuts, 20 grams
- 20 grams of fresh coriander leaves
- frying oil
- Coriander seeds, 5 GRAMS
- Cumin seeds, 5 grams
Method:
- Wash the vegetables and pressure cook them with a quarter teaspoon of salt and enough water to cover them for six to seven whistles over a medium temperature.
- Set the vegetables aside after thoroughly draining them.
- Mash the vegetables and set them aside in a basin.
- Once the panchphoron and oil have sputtered, add the rest of the spice powders, the roasted peanuts, and ginger. Throw in some grated vegetables and simmer for three minutes.
- Put it somewhere to cool down. Once the mashed vegetables have cooled, form them into cylinders.
- Using a small bowl, whisk together three teaspoons of maida and six tablespoons of water until you have a thick batter. Batter and breadcrumbs should be used to coat the vegetable chop.
- Fry the chops in hot oil until they are evenly browned in a skillet.
- Take them out and set them on some paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
- Serve with julienned onion, and cucumber and sprinkle rock salt for flavour.
E) Dahi Ki Arbi
Ingredients:
- Arbi (colocasia) – 1 bowl, boiling and chopped
- Half a cup of curd
- 12 teaspoons of oil (or ghee)
- Salt, to taste
- A dash of asafoetida for the seasoning
- Spices: carom seeds
- One grain of turmeric
Method:
- Add asafoetida, carom seeds, oil, and turmeric to a hot pan, and stir to combine.
- Chop boiled arbi and add 1 cup of water. A few quick smashes will transform water into a thick, creamy substance.
- Now pour this into a pan and bring it to a boil over medium heat; it should take around 7 minutes.
- Add a bit of water to the curd after whisking it to make it more liquid. Then, while stirring, transfer to the saucepan.
- Season with salt to taste and mix thoroughly. Add a few coriander leaves for garnish.
Sharing these festive flavours with your child is a great way to help them explore a wide range of tastes and aromas from an early age. The festivals are a particular time for families, so instead of serving jars of pre-made mash, why not try serving some homemade special recipes that everyone can enjoy to strengthen the bonds between family members?
As for feeding your child at mealtime, you can click on the following link for Poko Chan’s mealtime song.
https://www.facebook.com/mamypokopantsindia/videos/mealtime-video/1030909117445746/
FAQ's
Q. Can babies eat festive food safely?
Ans.Yes, babies can enjoy festive foods if they are age-appropriate, soft-textured, and made with mild, baby-safe ingredients. Recipes like Banana Sticky Rice and Vegetable Chop are nutritious and safe when prepared without spicy or hard elements.
Q. Why should I use seasonal fruits and vegetables for baby recipes?
Ans.Seasonal fruits and vegetables are fresher, more nutritious, and often easier to digest. They also offer unique tastes and colors, helping babies explore new flavours while getting essential vitamins and minerals naturally during the festive season.
Q. Is Banana Sticky Rice suitable for babies under 1 year?
Ans.Yes, Banana Sticky Rice is soft, easy to chew, and sweetened naturally with jaggery and banana. Ensure your baby has already tried all ingredients individually to check for allergies before serving this dish.
Q. What age is appropriate for serving Kara Pongal to babies?
Ans.Kara Pongal can be introduced to babies around 8–10 months old if they’re used to semi-solid foods. Use less salt and avoid pepper if serving to younger infants. It’s a comforting, protein-rich dish with rice and moong dal.
Q. Can babies eat popcorn like in the Candy Corn recipe?
Ans.No, popcorn is a choking hazard for children under 4 years. While the honey-caramel mix is festive, it’s better suited for older kids. Babies can instead enjoy mashed fruits or cereals with honey (only if they’re over 1 year old).
Q. How can I make Vegetable Chop baby-friendly?
Ans.To make Vegetable Chop baby-safe, avoid using chillies and peanuts if your baby hasn’t tried them before. Use less salt and mash the mixture well. Instead of frying, try shallow frying or baking to keep it healthier and easier to digest.
Q. Is it okay to add jaggery or honey in baby food?
Ans.Jaggery can be used in small amounts for babies older than 6 months. However, avoid honey for babies under 1 year due to the risk of infant botulism. Always introduce sweeteners in moderation.
Q. What is Dahi Ki Arbi, and is it good for babies?
Ans.Dahi Ki Arbi is a soft colocasia root curry made with curd and mild spices. It's suitable for babies who are 10+ months old and have tried curd and arbi before. Ensure it's mashed well and served without strong spices.
Q. Can festive meals replace regular baby food?
Ans.Festive meals should complement, not replace, regular baby meals. Ensure they’re balanced and easy to digest. Include usual staples like porridge or rice, but spice things up with festive recipes in small portions to introduce variety.
Q. How do I introduce new recipes during festivals to my baby?
Ans.Introduce one new dish at a time, preferably during the day, to monitor reactions. Stick to familiar ingredients, prepare food fresh, and keep textures soft. Start with a small portion and observe how your baby responds before serving more.
