1594/2375 MLA 6 /12 months Doc
20/3/01
12:01 PM
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How to cook tender meat for your baby. Keep meat pink in the centre to retain moisture as overcooked beef or lamb is tough and chewy. This is safe as the heat generated from cooking will kill any bacteria. The exception is mince - always cook ‘well’ until no longer pink.
Basic Panfry/ BBQ Recipe • Use lean beef rump, sirloin steak, veal schnitzel, lean lamb cutlets and chops. • Cook 2-3 minutes on each side on high heat. Don’t turn meat too often. • Test by pressing with tongs, the meat should still feel soft with no crusty bits or charred edges.
Basic Casserole Recipe
Basic Mince Sauce Recipe
• Heat a teaspoon of oil and fry 200g diced lean lamb forequarter, or diced beef from chuck or round steak, or 1 lamb shank.
• Fry 500g lean mince in 2 tsp oil stirring constantly and breaking up with spoon until well browned and no longer pink.
• Add 1 carrot, 1 stick of celery and 1 potato, chopped and enough water to just cover.
• Stir in 1/4 cup tomato paste and 400g canned tomatoes and 1 tsp sugar.
• Simmer, covered. Meat should be fork tender (1 1/2 - 2 hours).
• Add finely-grated vegetables such as 1 carrot or zucchini.
• If more cooking is required reduce heat.
• When boiling, reduce to low heat, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
• Remove with tongs and allow to rest for 2 minutes.
How to prepare meat meals for your baby. Smooth Texture (about 6 months) • Serve meat separately at first. • Blend panfried meat in a food processor or hand blender with a little boiled water to a smooth paste. • Some babies prefer meat blended with vegetables such as pumpkin, potato, zucchini and broccoli. • Blend meat and vegetables from basic casserole and mince sauce recipes using
fluid from the casserole or sauce. If necessary, add extra boiled water for a smooth paste. Smooth Texture Meal Ideas • Cook veal steak in a steamer over gently simmering water until meat is cooked. • Roast a lamb shank by placing on a bed of 1 grated carrot and 1 celery stick. Add a little water and roast at 180°C for 1 hour. Remove meat from bone and blend with vegetables and water.
Lumpy Texture (about 7- 9 months) • For a thicker consistency and a rougher texture, blend meat less or chop cooked meat very finely. • Mince provides a perfect lumpy texture. Lumpy Texture Meal Ideas • Grill a lamb chop or use inner slices of roast lamb. Chop finely. Mix with mashed, steamed or baked vegetables.
• Replace the vegetables in the basic casserole recipe with 125g mushrooms, 2 carrots, 1 capsicum and a 425g can of tomatoes. Coarsely blend with boiled rice. • Coarsely blend mince sauce with well cooked pasta.
Finger foods (about 9 - 12 months)
Change the texture of the basic recipes above according to the age of your baby.
➞ For instance, the meat, vegetables, casserole juices and rice from the adult’s meal above were blended to a smooth paste.
• As your baby’s control of his or her hands improves, they can feed themselves. • Never leave your baby alone while eating. • Cut food into small pieces which can easily be managed or held onto for chewing. • Do not serve hard foods such as raw carrot, celery, apple and nuts as these may cause your baby to choke.
Finger Food Ideas • Grilled lamb cutlets for teething gums (avoid bone with sharp edges). Serve with steamed vegetables. • Slice panfried meat into thin strips and serve with cooked shell pasta, slices of tomato and mushrooms. • Try slices of meatloaf, rissoles and 100% beef sausages (remove skin and cut into small pieces to prevent choking).
1594/2375 MLA 6 /12 months Doc
20/3/01
12:01 PM
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Freezing & reheating meat meals Refrigerator • Cover and refrigerate cooked meat immediately. • Keep no more than two days in small airtight containers. Freezing • Allow cooked meat meals to cool in refrigerator before freezing. • Always add moisture to sliced, cooked meat when freezing e.g. water, meat juices, mashed vegetables or casserole juices. • Pack in rigid, airtight containers and freeze for 2 - 4 weeks. • For small portion sizes, freeze in ice cube trays. • Place trays in airtight freezer bags. • When frozen, cubes can be removed from trays and stored in a freezer bag for 2-4 weeks. • Thaw cubes in refrigerator as required.
Reheating • Reheat thawed or refrigerated meat meals in a small amount of water in a small pan. • Make sure the dish boils for a few minutes to ensure that the meat, as well as the sauce, is thoroughly heated through. • If you use a microwave to reheat sliced, cooked meat, add a little water, cover and reheat on medium to medium high. • Rotate the dish to distribute the heat evenly. • Always stir thoroughly and allow to stand for a few minutes. • Check temperature before giving to your baby.
Easy iron-rich meals for babies 6 to 12 months. Why is iron important for babies? • Iron carries oxygen in the body and helps to create energy for growth. • Iron is essential for normal brain development. • Iron helps maintain a healthy immune system. How much iron does my baby need? A study found that children
The meat in this meal will increase the absorption of iron from vegetables by up to four times.
consuming meat at least four times a week were less likely to be iron
Three easy steps to an iron-rich diet.
deficient. The researchers* stated that
1. Continue breast milk or iron-fortified
a serving of high absorbable iron can
formula. Cow or soy milk should not be
be obtained from:
introduced as the main milk drink before 12 months.
• 1 tablespoon of cooked red meat or • 31/2 - 7 tablespoons of cooked chicken or
2. Offer iron-rich foods regularly.
• 8 tablespoons of cooked fish.
Introduce these iron-rich foods shortly after six months. They contain iron
For additional copies of this brochure or our similar one for toddlers, please call on 1800 550 018
This highlights red meat is very rich in iron.
which is easily absorbed by the body:
* Mira et al. (1996) British Medical Journal
High iron foods: beef, lamb, liver.
Can my baby digest red meat?
Medium iron foods:
This information has been independently reviewed by the Dietitians Association of Australia.
Both red and white meats are easily
pork, chicken, fish.
For expert nutrition and dietary advice contact an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). To find an APD in your local area call 1800 812 942 or look at the Find a Dietitian section of the Dietitians Association of Australia internet site www.daa.asn.au
digested by most 6 month-old babies.
Meat and Livestock Australia is a DAA industry partner. These are guidelines only and are not intended as medical or nutritional advice. Babies’ development and eating patterns vary and parents should be guided by their baby’s individual needs. If you have specific concerns about your baby’s iron needs discuss them with your Child Health Nurse, dietitian or family GP. 3rd Edition, March 2001.
Locked Bag 991 North Sydney NSW 2059 www.mla.com.au/redmeat
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) represents the beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat producers of Australia and manages research and development, marketing and promotions on behalf of the industry. MLA has a commitment to providing health professionals and all Australians with accurate nutrition information and promotes the role of red meat as part of a healthy balanced diet.
3. “Food-combine” to maximise iron Won’t my baby gag on red meat?
absorption at meals. Meat or a vitamin C-
Red meat is suitable for babies from
rich food increases the absorption of
about six months but needs to be
iron by up to 4 times from foods like
prepared carefully to make it easier for
cereals, vegetables, legumes, eggs or
your baby to eat. See inside for cooking
nutpastes.
advice and easy meal ideas.