Maize Porridge

Ingredients

½ cup (half fist) of maize meal

Steps

3 cups (3 fists) of clean water

Clean cooking area, any containers you will use, including pots, and utensils with soap and clean water. Dry the utensils.

Wash hands with soap and clean running water.

Put clean water and maize meal in a pot.

Bring to a boil.

If you are cooking over gas, kerosene, jiko or fire, use low heat.

Keep stirring the mixture until it is the proper consistency for your baby’s age.

Remove from the heat. Let porridge cool before serving so you do not burn your baby’s mouth.

Helpful Hints

Wash your hands and your baby’s hands and face with soap and clean water before you feed the baby.

• For children aged 6 months, the porridge should be thick, smooth, and well mashed. It should not run off the spoon. For children aged 7–8 months, the porridge should be thicker.

• If you have extra food, you can feed it to other children or store it in a covered container for NO MORE THAN 4 hours.

• If you store the food, be sure to heat it so it is hot (not just warm) before feeding it again to your baby.

Recommended additions for dietary diversity:

Mashed ripe banana

Mashed ripe mango

Mashed beans

Add a healthy fat, like vegetable oil (1 teaspoon or 1 thumb tip)

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